Specialist Societies: Meetings and Events
Q1 2026
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January to March 2026
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Note this calendar is based on information provided as at 30 December 2025. As full details of meetings are not always published a full quarter in advance, up-dates to this calendar will occur periodically through the quarter. Note Societies often change their events, often on little notice.
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British Overseas Railways Historical Trust (BOHRT):
Super Tuesdays: General library open days on the second Tuesday in the month, except August.
Venue: West Greenwich House, 141 Greenwich High Rd, London SE10 8JL. Admission free.
Saturday 14 February
Talk (by Zoom): ‘Mysore Railway Museum'
Presented by Ronojoy Ghosh. Starts 7pm
Saturday 7 March
'Shanghai-Hangchow-Ningpo Railway'.
Presented by Glyn Thomas. Starts 7pm
- Broad Gauge Society
Bi-annual magazine ‘Broadsheet’ (Spring 2026) due out soon
- Colonel Stephens Society
Quarterly magazine ‘The Colonel’ (Winter 2025) now out
Wednesday 21 January
Talk (by Zoom): ‘A Visit to the K&ESR in 1949’
Presented by Ralph Gillam
Wednesday 11 February
Talk (by Zoom): ‘Odd Corners of Shropshire Railways, Part Two
Presented by Leon Coast
Wednesday 11 March
Talk (by Zoom): ‘Constructing the LSWR District Line from Lymington Junction to New Christchurch 1884-88’
Presented by Philip Benstead
- Continental Railway Circle
(Venue: St. Paul’s Church Centre, 5 Rossmore Road, Marylebone, starts 7.15pm)
Thursday 8 January
Digitalised slides from the late Jim Livesey’s tour of South America back in 1985
Presented by Simon Colbeck
Thursday 12 February
Digital programme featuring his narrow gauge travels around the world.
Presented by James Waite
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Thursday 12 March
Talk: Java 1973
Presented by Geoff Plumb
- Engine Shed Society
Quarterly magazine ‘LINK’ (Winter 2025) now due out
- The Gresley Society
Tri-annual magazine ‘The Gresley Observer’ now due out
- The Industrial Railway Society
Quarterly magazine ‘Industrial Railway Record’ now out
November ‘Bulletins’ (UK and Overseas Bulletins) and e-Bulletin now out
- Light Rail Transit Association
Monthly magazine ‘Tramways and Urban Transit’ now out.
Tuesday 6 January
Southampton 19.30. (in combination with Southern Electric Group)
Venue: Eastleigh Railway Institute, £3.
Tuesday 21 January
London 2.30pm. On-line
Tuesday 3 February
Southampton 19.30 (in combination with Southern Electric Group)
Venue: Eastleigh Railway Institute, £3.
Tuesday 3 March
Southampton 19.30.
Venue: Eastleigh Railway Institute, £3.
- The Military Railway Study Group
Latest newsletter ‘Bulletin’ now out
- The Narrow Gauge Railway Society
Quarterly magazine ‘Narrow Gauge’ (January 2026) is now due out
Latest newsletter ‘Narrow Gauge News’ is now out
- Rail Riders Club
Quarterly magazine ‘Rail Riders Express’ is now out
- Railway Performance Society
Quarterly magazine ‘Milepost’ (January 2026) is now due out
Thursday 22 January
London Area Meeting
Venue: The Royal Oak, Borough SE1 4JU, starts 12 noon
Thursday 26 February
Kemble Area Meeting:
Venue: The Tavern Inn, Kemble, starts 12 noon
Tuesday 17 March
Leeds Area Meeting:
Venue: The Grove Inn, Back Row, Holbeck, Leeds
Starts 12.30pm
- Railway Ramblers
Quarterly magazine ‘Railway Ramblings’ (Winter 2025 - 2026) is now out
Saturday 17 January
Walk: Annual Capital Day - Old Oak Common & Battersea Power Station
Saturday 17 January
Walk: Heatley & Warburton to Warrington
Saturday 31 January
Walk: The Unstone Loop: Dronfield to Unstone Green
Saturday 21 February
Walk: Newport (Shropshire) to Stafford
Saturday 21 February
Walk: Railways of Penistone
Thursday 26 February
Walk: Transport History of South Warrington
Saturday 28 February
Walk: Railway Buildings and Infrastructure of Peterborough
Saturday 14 March
Walk: The Midland West Riding Line and the Barnsley Canal
Saturday 14 March
Walk: Lubenham to Great Bowden
Saturday 21 March
Walk: High Wycombe to Bourne End
Saturday 28 March
Walk: Kendal Tommy: Arnside to Levens Bridge via Hincaster Jct
Tuesday 31 March
Walk: Sharpness Area walk re-run
- Signalling Record Society
Quarterly magazine ‘The Signalling Record’ (Winter 2025) is now out
The Society is in the process of moving from Kenilworth to its new Study Centre premises at 35 Vine Street, Coventry, expected to be completed in the early part of the New Year. Details of meetings will be released once move is complete.
- Southern Electric Group
Quarterly magazine ‘Live Rail’ (December 2025) is now out
- Southern Electric Group (South Hants)
(Venue: Eastleigh Railway Institute, 2 Romsey Road, Eastleigh SO50 9FE, starts 7.30pm)
Tuesday 6 January
Talk: ‘Trams and Light Rail in the USA: a tour of most museums and systems over a 50 year span’
Presented by Mike Russell
Tuesday 3 February
Talk: ‘Railways of the West Country, Part II’
Presented by Stephen Bigley
Tuesday 3 March
Event: ‘Film of last year’s tour of Austria and Prague’
Presented by John Laker
- Southern Electric Group (Sussex)
(Venue: Southwick Community Centre, 24 Southwick Street, Southwick, Brighton BN42 4TE, starts 7.30pm)
Monthly joint meetings of the Tramway & Light Railway Society and the Sussex branch of the Southern Electric Group are held on a Wednesday evening from 19:30 at the Southwick community Centre.
- Talking of Trains
(Venue: Surbiton Library Room, Ewell Road, Surbiton KT6 6AG, starts 7pm)
Wednesday 21 January
Talk: ‘Welcome To 2026’ Dick Crane take a look at some of the likely developments on Britain’s railways through 2026.
Wednesday 28 January
‘Three Feet On Three Legs’ A welcome return to COLIN BRADING with a presentation on the fascinating railways of the Isle of Man, past and present.
Wednesday 4 February
‘My travels in early 2000s’ ADRIAN PALMER returns with part two of his travels at home and overseas.
Wednesday 11 February
‘Welsh Highland Railway - Past, Present, Future’ NIGEL SMITH makes a welcome return with the exciting story of this magnificent narrow gauge railway.
Wednesday 18 February
‘To St Pancras - and all that Jazz’ BRYAN CROSS continues his journey on the Midland Main Line in 1959/60 and also reflects on the days of the intensive steam ‘Jazz’ services at Liverpool Street.
Wednesday 25 February
‘Sheffield To Manchester - Take Two’ DICK CRANE takes a pictorial journey across the Pennines via the Woodhead and Hope Valley rail routes.
Wednesday 4 March
‘Worcestershire’s Railways Revisited’ DICK CRANE reviews the railways within the county of Worcestershire.
Wednesday 11 March
‘Southern In Focus’ David Cross returns with more of his late father's pictures, this time of steam on the Central and South Eastern lines of the former Southern Railway.
Wednesday 18 March
‘The Story Of A Princess’ JIM CONNOR makes a welcome return with a presentation on one of his favourite class of locomotive - the Princess Royal Pacifics.
Wednesday 25 March
‘The Atlantic Coast Express Remembered’ DICK CRANE gets us into holiday mood by reviewing the journey of the former ‘Atlantic Coast Express’.
- The Tramway and Light Railway Society
Magazine (issued six times a year) ‘Tramfare’ Jan/Feb 2026 is now out
Wednesday 14 January
Sussex 7.40pm
Venue: Southwick Community Centre, Southwick Street, Southwick, BN42 4TE. Cost £2.
Saturday 17 January
Taunton 2pm
Venue: West Monkton Village Hall, Monkton Heathfield, TA2 8NE. £2 incl. light refreshments
Monday 19 January
Liverpool 7.30pm
Venue: Sefton Park Community Association, 3 Croxteth Drive, Liverpool L17 3AG. Cost £4.
Saturday 31 January
Nottingham 2pm
Venue: Beeston Scout Hut, Middle Street, Beeston, NG9 1GA
Saturday 31 January
Garstang 2pm
Venue: St Thomas Church Hall, Garstang PR3 1PA. £3 incl. light refreshments
Wednesday 11 February
Sussex 7.40pm
Venue: Southwick Community Centre, Southwick Street, Southwick, BN42 4TE. £2.00
Monday 16 February
Liverpool 7.30pm
Venue: Sefton Park Community Association, 3 Croxteth Drive, Liverpool L17 3AG. Cost £4.
Saturday 21 February
Taunton 2pm.
Venue: West Monkton Village Hall, Monkton Heathfield, TA2 8NE. £2.00 incl. light refreshments
Saturday 28 February
Nottingham 2pm
Venue: Beeston Scout Hut, Middle Street, Beeston, NG9 1GA
Saturday 28 February
Garstang 2pm
Venue: St Thomas Church Hall, Garstang PR3 1PA. £3 incl. light refreshments
Thursday 5 March
Brentford 2.30pm
Venue: London Museum of Water and Steam, Green Dragon Lane, Brentford TW8 0EN
Monday 16 March
Liverpool 7.30pm
Venue: Sefton Park Community Association, 3 Croxteth Drive, Liverpool L17 3AG. Cost £4.
Saturday 21 March
Taunton 2pm
Venue: West Monkton Village Hall, Monkton Heathfield, TA2 8NE. £2.00 incl. light refreshments
Saturday 28 March
Nottingham 2pm
Venue: Beeston Scout Hut, Middle Street, Beeston, NG9 1GA
Saturday 28 March
Garstang 2pm
Venue: St Thomas Church Hall, Garstang PR3 1PA. £3 incl. light refreshments
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