What's On?

From time to time members of the Industrial Railway Society and the IRS emailing list send in details of various events and open days around the country. As a service to members and other visitors to our website we are listing some of these announcements below, together with the sender's name and email address (when known).

However please note that the IRS cannot take any responsibility for the accuracy of these announcements or even be sure whether they will actually take place. If you have any queries, please address them to the sender, NOT the IRS.

If you want your event listed on this page, please drop an email to Bob Darvill.

The Bowes Railway is a unique survivor from an industrial/colliery age. Home to a collection of about 70 colliery wagons, two Barclay steam locomotives and industrial diesels. Selection of narrow gauge underground locos and mining museum and mining artefacts. The original wagon rope haulage system (1826) is part of the complex.

December 6th/7th and 13th/14th - Santa Steam Specials.

Site open static daily 9am - 4pm; please ring and check first. Guided tours available.

Details from 0191 4161847, or see our web site.

In connection with the publication of his new book Yorkshire Engine Company, Sheffield’s Locomotive Manufacturer, Tony Vernon will be giving an illustrated talk on the history of Yorkshire Engine and its locomotives at the recently refurbished Kelham Island Industrial Museum in Sheffield at 2.30pm on Sunday 2nd November.

There is no charge for the talk, but copies of Tony’s new book (to be published October 2008) will be available for purchase at £12.99.  All profits on the sale of the book on the day will be given to the Museum to assist with the refurbishment of Sheffield  YE2481, one of the first two diesel locomotives built by Yorkshire Engine for Steel Peech & Tozer in 1950. YE2481 is preserved at Kelham Island and should be on view.

There is no need to book for the talk in advance, but it would be helpful if you could let Tony know if you are planning to attend, so adequate refreshments are available. Please contact Tony on 01371 830801 or by email tonywvernon@btinternet.com about the talk.

There is parking at the Museum. For directions, check the museum’s website www.simt.co.uk. Those attending the talk can reach the lecture room and café without paying the Museum entrance fee. If you can not attend, copies of Tony’s book will available from the publisher The History Press, Amazon and selected bookshops in October.

November 2008 marks the 90th anniversary of the end of the 1914-1918 First World War. This will probably be the last major anniversary where that conflict remains within living memory. To mark this, the Moseley Railway Trust will be holding a special event at its base at Apedale on Remembrance Sunday, 9th November 2008.

The November 9th event will commemorate not only the end of the Great War, but also the part narrow gauge railways have played with the British Military for more than 90 years. The event will see the return to the collection of the "Tin Turtle", a protected (armoured) Motor Rail locomotive built in 1917. This locomotive featured in the Channel 4 "Salvage Squad" series in 2003.

The event will be open from 10.30 to 17.00, with the two-minute silence observed at 11.00. There will be a suggested admission donation of £4 adults, £2 concessions - for which escorted access to the main MRT collection building "Aurora North" & tours of the Moseley Railway Trust's site will be on offer. 50% of the profits from the event will be donated to the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal, which supports ex-Service personnel in times of need.

It is planned to operate a number of demonstration goods and military trains during the day. There will be sales & information stands and Military Vehicle displays. Refreshments will be available in the café run by the Apedale Heritage Centre, the Moseley Railway Trust's partner in the Apedale development.

The Apedale site is located within the Apedale Country Park, near the village of Chesterton, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. Full directions and further information can be found on the MRT's website, www.mrt.org.uk.

41st Warley National Model Railway Exhibition

Please note that this exhibition will have the IRS Sales Stand in attendance, and if anybody who is attending this exhibition and requires any IRS publications, they will be able to collect all books from the stand.

The centrepiece of the exhibition this year will be Henschel 16047 from the South Tynedale Railway.

Up-dated details of the Exhibition can be found at www.warley-mrc.org.uk or at www.thewarleyshow.co.uk

So you can plan ahead, here is next year's events list.

  Events as follows:-

    April 4th - Open Saturday

    April 11th, 12th & 13th - Easter Opening

    May 3rd & 4th (Sunday & Monday) - Bluebell Walks

    May 16th & 17th - Children's Gala

    June 6th & 7th - Diesel Gala

    July 4th & 5th - Model Railway Show

    August - Wednesday Opening

    September 19th & 20th - Autumn Gala

    October 31st & November 1st - Ghost Trains

    December 5th & 6th; 12th & 13th; 19th & 20th; 24th (Thursday) - Santa 2009

    January 1st 2010 - Mince Pie Specials

For more details visit the Middleton Railway website

Darlington Railway Centre & Museum
Behind the scenes guided tours (bookings required). Museum Open Sat/Sun 10.00-16.00

George Stephenson's Birthplace Museum Wylam
Open Sat/Sun 13.00-17.00

Stephenson's Works, Newcastle
Robert Stephenson & Co, offices and boiler plate shop. Open Fri-Mon 11.00-15.00

Woodhorn Colliery Museum, Ashington
A chance to look inside the derelict buildings on site. Tours on Sunday 11.00, 13.00, 14.00 and 15.00. Museum open as normal.

Victoria Tunnel, Ouseburn, Newcastle
1840's tunnel built for a coal waggonway. Tours Fri-Mon 14.00 & 16.00 (Booking required).

Further information on these events can be found at www.heritageopendays.org