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Attendance |
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Wednesday 8 January - ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING |
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at B.R. H.Q. In the absence of any other nomination and all being willing to
continue, the Officers and Committee were re-elected. One vacancy was left
and Mr. J.E. Lunn'(SR) was proposed by Mr. Chalice and seconded by Mr. W.C.A.
Taylor and, elected on the Committee |
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Wednesday 5 February 1975 - FILM NIGHT AT
'222' |
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The following films were shown to an
appreciative audience: |
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“Wires
Across the Boarder” - A B.R, film about the extension of"
electrification from Weaver Junction to Glasgow.
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"Men, Mountains and Mud" - A
Texaco film about the construction of a pipeline over the Andes mountains. |
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"The Face of Britain" - Another
Texaco film in the form of a Travelogue around Britain. |
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The Texaco films were once again arranged
by our Associate Member Mr. Trevor Tritton to whom the Society's thanks are
due. |
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Wednesday 5 March - B.R. H.Q. |
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Submarines of the (near) future |
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The
attendance was disappointing but the speaker Mr B.D. Thomas A.A.I.E. from
Naval Department of the Ministry of Defence was not. He gave a most
interesting talk on, amongst other things the possible use of Nuclear
Submarines for transporting oil from under the ice pack of Alaska to the
Southern United States for refining. Mr. Thomas touched -of the which can be
adopted to shut down a nuclear reactor in and emergency. |
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Wednesday 2 April - PADDINGTON |
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Mr. D.J. Hounsell,
Assistant Traction and Train Crew Officer Officer, R.H.Q. Paddington spoke
on ".Ghana Railways". |
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From first
hand experience Mr. Hounsell described the physical characteristics and the
working of the railways in Ghana. Amongst other things he described the
railwaymen, some who would do anything provided their own palms were
suitably ‘weighted’ and some amusing incidents with a Food car converted to
run on the rails. |
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Wednesday 18th June - DAY OUTING TO
LYNTON AND LYNMOUTH |
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The party travelled by 08.30 Paddington
-Taunton picking up further members at Reading and Taunton. Leaving
Taunton just after 11.00 o'clock by coach to Lynmouth via the Minehead Road
skirting the Quantock Hills with views of Dunster Castle and Taunton-Minehead
Railway line which will become the West Somerset Railway when opened again
as a private light Railway. From Minhead the toll road was followed to
avoid Porlock Hill, with breathtaking views of Bays along the coast from
Minehead to Lynmouth. The weather was to be kind throughout the trip
with plenty of sunshine. At Lynmouth most of the Party had a trip on
the Cliff Railway up to Lynton and noted the simple method of operating the
cars by water as ballest. All
the townspeople were dressed in period costume of about the late 17th
Century, not just the tradesmen but even the children playing in the
streets! Our route back to Taunton was via Exford and Simonsbath
across Exmoor with its ever changing colours of green as the coach travelled
along.
Arrival back
in Taunton was early enough for some members "to get one in" at the 'Wheeltappers
Georges@ before the train was due to take us back after what everyone agreed
was a very pleasant trip. |
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10-14 September - VISIT TO WEST GERMANY |
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A party of nine members and three wives
visited Rhine, Osnabruck and Hanover for three days to take advantage of
facilities kindly made available by the Deutsche Bundesbahn. |
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On arrival at Rhine from the Hook of
Holland, the party was met by Herr Renfordt of DB and Herr Plankert, the
Shedmaster, and taken by special railbus to the steam depot. Here some
50 steam locomotives remain in freight service , until 1977, all Class 042
(2-8-2) or Class 043 (3 cyl. 2-10-0), mainly on the line to Emden, and all
oil-fired. Facilities for servicing, cleaning and maintaining the
locomotives were inspected, as were a number of withdrawn Class 012 3cyl.
Pacifics which worked on the Rhine-Emden passenger service until June.
Interest was also taken in the arrangements for rostering engines and men.
Following lunch as
guests of DB, the men travelled towards Emden, riding in turn on the Class
220 diesel hydraulic locomotives (the parents of the WR Class 42's): three
lucky ones rode back from Papenburg on a 2-8-2 on a pickup freight and the
remainder from Leer on another diesel. The ladies meantime were busy
in the town's shopping precinct.
On Friday the party
travelled to Osnabruck, were Herr Renfordt was waiting to show us over a
diesel maintenance depot. The party was impressed by the spaciousness
and cleanliness of the diesel locomotive engine rooms inspected. A
quick visit was made to the Town Hall (a historic building with associations
going back to the 14th Century) where the civil treasurers were explained by
a charming guide, and to the cathedral.
After lunch the
party went on to Hanover: when AC electric traction took over midway,
members rode on the locomotive in turn.
The only formal
visit in the two days in Hanover was in the impressive Town Hall, the view
from the tower (over 300 feet up) causing much expenditure on film!
Four models in the main hall, of the city in medieval times, in 1939, 1945
(grim this!) and the future, also proved fascinating. The trains
caused considerable interest, too, as did the flea marker, the old part of
the city and the Herrenhausen Gardens.
The majority of the party returned on
Sunday evening from Hanover via Hook of Holland. |
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Wednesday 1 October - B.R. H.Q. |
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The evening had been set aside for a chat
session with one of the former Presidents Mr. W.G.F. (Bill) Thorley who, at
the same time, would have signed members copies of the recently published
book "A Breath of Steam".
Mr. Thorley does not enjoy good health
and unfortunately he was unable to make the journey. Instead Mr.
Powell initiated a general discussion on the achievements and future aims of
the Institution. |
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Wednesday 5 November - B.R. H.Q. |
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Mr. N.J. (Jack) Temple, Chief Traction
Inspector W.R. chose "special and Royal Train Working" as his subject.
Mr. Temple dealt at length with the history of Royal travel by rail and
outlined many of the innovations which later became general practice.
He went on to describe how the limit on
present speeds for Royal trains became more restrictive as Inter-City
speeds generally increased. In the ensuing discussions Jack Temple
highlighted some of the problems which arose and related some incidents from
his vast experience of working on very many Royal journeys. |
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Wednesday 3 December B.R. H.Q. |
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Mr J.R.W. Kirkby (a vice President),
Train Planning Officer, W.R. spoke on Timetable planning and compilation.
This simple title gave no indication at
all of the innumerable considerations affecting many departments of the
railway which have to be brought together to plan a timetable.
Mr. Kirkby described how the format of
both the Public and Working timetables had changed little over the years and
went on to indicate changes more likely in the future and how the computer
will assist the timetable planner and timing clerk and replace the printer.
A long and
lively discussion followed on the merits or otherwise of recovery time
allowances for temporary speed restrictions, on what information train
crews' required and methods of presentation. |
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