\nDriving directions from M4 Junction 32<\/a><\/p>\n
Entrance is FREE for <\/strong> RCTS members and a donation of \u00a32 is requested for non members.<\/strong><\/p>\n Tea and coffee<\/strong> is provided<\/p>\n A Wheelchair Friendly venue.<\/p>\n For any additional information, please contact the Branch Secretary, southwales@rcts.org.uk \/ 01656 856422<\/p>\n A Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered with the Charities Commission No. 1169995 – VAT Registered No. 197 3433 35<\/span><\/p>\n Wednesday 14 Aug 2019<\/strong> Wednesday 11th September 2019<\/strong> Wednesday 25th September 2019<\/strong><\/span> Wednesday 9th October 2019<\/strong> Wednesday 13th November 2019<\/strong> As a teenager in Cardiff during the Beeching era, Geoff Atkins became fascinated by the labyrinth of local railways, and he increasingly aspired to explore those familiar ones that were disappearing, and to learn more about their underlying social and industrial history.<\/p>\n A one-in-a-million encounter with fellow enthusiasts at his first place of work turned Geoff\u2019s dream into reality, prompting years of subsequent research, walking and discovery \u2013 firstly around South Wales and then further afield. Photographs and sound recordings from Geoff\u2019s personal collection will be supplemented by material from other sources, comparing rail routes during their heyday with the changes that occurred after closure \u2013 whether the tracks were subsequently redeveloped, repurposed or simply reclaimed by nature. Many of the scenes captured have now long disappeared, so the archive media have become valuable documents of bygone days, promising an evening of interest to a wide audience.<\/p>\n Wednesday 27th November 2019<\/strong><\/span> Wednesday 11th December 2019<\/strong> Wednesday 8th January 2020<\/strong> Wednesday 12th February 2020<\/strong> Ray Viney<\/em><\/p>\n The canal and associated tramways of the Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company played an important part in the growth, wealth and prosperity of the port of Newport during the burgeoning years of the Industrial Revolution and beyond. Cardiff Rd Sidings 1930<\/strong> Although we have the legacy of the Monmouthshire Canal to remind us of our i\ufffcndustrial heritage, much of the railway network that had projected the town of Newport into a thriving industrial and major centre during the latter part of the 20th century, was to be replaced.<\/p>\n The Monmouthshire Canal at Mill Street 1914<\/strong> With the support of a large collection of archive photographs, Monmouthshire Railway Society \u2018Journal\u2019 Editor, Ray Viney will chronicle the history and infrastructure of the company\u2019s lines within the borough of Newport during their short existence and under subsequent GWR and BR ownership.<\/p>\n Dock St 1963<\/strong> Starting on the Eastern Valley line on the northern outskirts of the town at Malpas, he will follow the line into Newport, travelling down to Mill Street and Dock St Depots through onto the Western Valley line via Pillgwenlly, Maesglas and the Park Mile, ending the journey at Bassaleg Junction. He will also be featuring the long closed and often overlooked street railway lines in the centre of the town.<\/p>\n Wednesday 11th March 2020<\/strong> Wednesday 25th March 2020<\/strong><\/span> Wednesday 8th April 2020<\/strong> Wednesday 13th May 2020<\/strong> Wednesday 10th June 2020<\/strong> Wednesday 24th June 2020<\/strong><\/span> Wednesday 8th July 2020<\/strong> Nigel Wassell<\/em> * signifies local member<\/p>\n Contact<\/strong><\/p>\n Chairman : Peter Fortune <\u00a0peter.fortuneuk@gmail.com > \/ 07963 439903 http:\/\/www.rcts.org.uk\/branches\/south_wales\/index.htm<\/a><\/p>\n We have a free e-mail mailing list<\/a>, which contains items of railway interest, relevant to South Wales.<\/p>\n The Old Church Rooms,\u00a0Park Road, Radyr, CF15 8DF, are an 11 minute walk<\/a> away from Radyr Railway Station<\/a>, from where there are frequent \u00a0trains.<\/p>\n
\nPROGRAMME FOR \u00a02019<\/strong><\/h1>\n
\n
\n19:30 – 22:00
\nNo Meeting<\/p>\n
\n
\n19:30 – 22:00 at The Old Church Rooms, Park Road, Radyr, CF15 8DF
\n\u201cRailways in a Yorkshire Landscape,\u201d Stephen Gay<\/p>\n
\n19:30 \u2013 22:00 at Dyfatty Community Centre, Chapel Street, Swansea, SA1 1NB<\/span>
\n\u201cReflections of a Railway Enthusiast,\u201d Jeff Morgan *<\/span><\/p>\n
\n19:30 – 22:00 at The Old Church Rooms, Park Road, Radyr, CF15 8DF
\n\u201cAnother evening with my father\u2019s slides \u2013 Scotland,\u201d David Cross<\/p>\n
\n
\n19:30 – 22:00 at The Old Church Rooms, Park Road, Radyr, CF15 8DF
\n\u201c50 years on the Beaten Track … Five decades of exploring abandoned and forgotten railways in South Wales and beyond,\u201d Geoff Atkins<\/p>\n![\"Wednesday](\"\/clubs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/RCTS-Promo-1-300x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Wednesday](\"\/clubs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/RCTS-Promo-3-300x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nLooking back over five decades, Geoff will recount some of his experiences. He\u2019ll highlight his enthusiasm for discovering how railways changed landscapes and lives, and underline how his outings became social highlights for himself and his colleagues \u2013 pioneer railway walkers long before it became fashionable to convert abandoned lines into official footpaths.<\/p>\n![\"Wednesday](\"\/clubs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/RCTS-Promo-2-300x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n
\n19:30 \u2013 22:00 at Dyfatty Community Centre, Chapel Street, Swansea, SA1 1NB<\/span>
\n\u201c50 Years Ago \u2013 the railway scene in 1969 and 1970,\u201d Stephen Miles *<\/span><\/p>\n
\n19:30 – 22:00 at The Old Church Rooms, Park Road, Radyr, CF15 8DF
\nMike Wilcock Videos, Mike Wilcock *<\/p>\n
\n19:30 – 22:00 at The Old Church Rooms, Park Road, Radyr, CF15 8DF
\nAGM followed by \u201cBehind the Iron Curtain: (mainly) Narrow Gauge Steam in East Germany, 1969 -1992,\u201d Nigel Wassell *<\/p>\n
\n
\n19:30 – 22:00 at The Old Church Rooms, Park Road, Radyr, CF15 8DF
\n“The Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company in Newport”<\/p>\n
\nAfter the decline of the canal and conversion by the company of the tramways into railways in the 1840s, the pace of development was to increase dramatically.<\/p>\n![\"](\"\/clubs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2018\/11\/1-Cardiff-Rd-Sidings-1930-300x182.jpg\")
The railway storage sidings on Cardiff Road outside the Royal Gwent Hospital in the summer of 1930. Officially known as ‘Pitwood Sidings’, the lines originally formed part of the early tramroad route along Cardiff Road to the wharves on the River Usk via George Street and Kingsway. From 1852 this route through the streets of Newport was developed by the Monmouthshire Railway & Canal Company into a passenger service from the Western Valleys that headed through Salutation Junction and George Street, terminating at Dock Street Station. Through running of rail traffic from Courtybella Junction ceased in 1907, and all traffic used the alternative route via the ‘Neutral Mile’ section through Pillgwenlly. Although out of use from 1907 the GWR maintained its right of way along the original route until the 1920’s by the annual passage of a locomotive running light on Good Fridays.
Newport Reference Library<\/strong><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n![\"The](\"\/clubs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2018\/11\/2-The-Monmouthshire-Canal-at-Mill-Street-1914-300x225.jpg\")
In this view looking north from Mill Street, a barge navigates past the bascule bridge that provided access from the Mill Street railway yard to Cordes Dos Works on the left. It was around the time when regular canal traffic ceased to travel through to Moderator Wharf, Newport to discharge goods. Wagons to and from the works would have been shunted by the industrial locomotive seen in the distance between the arms of the bridge.<\/em>
Newport Reference Library<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n![\"](\"\/clubs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2018\/11\/3-Dock-St-1963-300x179.jpg\")
In this view from Octopus Bridge, the Dock Street pilot, 0-6-0 PT No. 1656, waits outside the Dock St Goods Yard ground frame, sited at the entrance to the yard. The photograph is undated but, in the background, the erection stage of George Street Bridge confirms that it is sometime during 1963. East Dock St signal box, in the distance, and other boxes in the immediate area closed on 25 January 1960, all lines then being controlled by a new Dock St box sited just out of picture to the right.<\/em>
M.R.S Collection<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n
\n
\n19:30 – 22:00 at The Old Church Rooms, Park Road, Radyr, CF15 8DF
\n\u201cA Ninth Colour Rail Journey,\u201d Paul Chancellor<\/p>\n
\n19:30 \u2013 22:00 at Dyfatty Community Centre, Chapel Street, Swansea, SA1 1NB<\/span>
\n\u201cSteam in the Welsh Borders and other areas\u201d John Evans<\/span><\/p>\n
\n19:30 \u2013 22: 00 at The Old Church Rooms, Park Road, Radyr, CF15 8DF
\n\u201cThe Rh\u00e4tische Bahn (Rhaetian Railway) and other metre gauge railways of south east Switzerland, 1990 – 2019,\u201d Alan Williams<\/p>\n
\n19:30 – 22:00 at The Old Church Rooms, Park Road, Radyr, CF15 8DF
\n\u201cThe last years of steam in the Valleys,\u201d \u201cValleybasher\u201d *<\/p>\n
\n19:30 – 22:00 at The Old Church Rooms, Park Road, Radyr, CF15 8DF
\n\u201cBroad Gauge Part 3,\u201d Rev. Brian Arman (Society President)<\/p>\n
\n19:30 \u2013 22:00 at Dyfatty Community Centre, Chapel Street, Swansea, SA1 1NB<\/span>
\n\u201cRailway Holiday in the West Country, Part 1 \u2013 Cornwall,\u201d Stuart Warr *<\/span><\/p>\n
\n19:30 \u2013 22:00
\nSocial Evening \u2013 venue TBC.<\/p>\n
\nFixtures Secretary
\nRevised 28th June 2019<\/p>\n
\n
\nBranch Secretary: Stuart Warr < rctssw+secretary@gmail.com\u00a0 \/ 01656 856422<\/p>\n![\"fb_icon_325x325\"](\"\/clubs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2011\/01\/fb_icon_325x325-150x150.png\"){kind=icon}
<\/a>http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/RCTSSW\/<\/a><\/p>\nFind Us<\/h3>\n