Speaker Programme
All meetings are to be held at Lysaght Institute, Newport
2024
Thursday 18th January 2024 - 7pm start David Postle British railways on plate glass negatives.
A popular talk with railway clubs hosted by Kidderminster Rly. Museum's curator, this is another dip into a small sample of KRM's photo archive. Plate glass negatives are renowned for the detail they captured, due to the sheer size of the negatives, so this scanned selection dating from the 1880s through to just after WW2 should provide a fascinating insight into the UKs railways of yesteryear.
Thursday 15th February 2024 - 7pm start MRS Video Films
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Thursday 14th March 2024 - 7pm start Andrew Cope The Last Wheeltapper
Andy Cope pays us a first ever visit. Starting as a 17-year-old apprentice in 1972, Andy Cope rose through the ranks to become deputy managing director of First Capital Connect and later serve as a non-executive director with East Coast Trains and Directly Operated Railways. With quite a variety including video sequences, the essence of this talk is effectively a couple of chapters from his book 'Changing Platforms' (pub. March 2021) detailing the technological revolution which occurred on the railway in the 1970s, but is not always recognised..
Thursday 18th April 2024 - 7pm start Graham Sturgess The Vale of Berkley Railway
The Vale of Berkley is a new heritage railway created from the old branch line running from Sharpness Docks (its main base) to Berkeley Road on the main Bristol - Birmingham line. Closed in 1964, a team of enthusiasts are restoring it ready to run trains again. Engineering Director Graham Sturgess will provide an illustrated talk in April 2024 on the first 9 years of developments and what the future might hold..
Thursday 16th May 2024 - 7pm start Ian Boskett The Great Train Robbery
Ian Boskett has studied the events of the early hours of 8/8/63 and the subsequent investigations and inquiries, creating a presentation on The Great Train Robbery. On his first visit in May, Ian will also detail how the signalling was interfered with to bring the train to a stand.
Thursday 13th June 2024 - 7pm start Ray Viney The South Wales Main Line Recalled
Departing briefly from covering the valley lines, Society Journal Editor Ray Viney makes his regular appearance in June to present a new talk containing images from a host of fine photographers in the Society’s collection that feature main line traffic in action from Newport to Cardiff during the steam and early diesel eras. He will be also calling in briefly at major sheds along the route such as Ebbw Junction and Canton.
Thursday 12th September 2024 - 7pm start AGM followed by films Admission is free
Thursday 17th October 2024 - 7pm start Michael Clemens South Wales - images from the Richardson Collection
Images from the Richardson collection
Thursday 14th November 2024 - 7pm start Pete Brabham S.Wales Industrials in the 60s and 70s (Chaplin & Wiltshire)
Thursday 5th December 2024 - 7pm start Paul Chancellor Colour Rail Evening