PENNINE RAILWAY SOCIETY
Founded 1974

Click here for COMING EVENTS

Updated August 10th 2008 - Coming Events

The "Cream of the Crop - Yet Again!!" (I think that's the right word!)
Pennine members at Barrow Hill on July 3rd 2006. 
It appears our Chairman, Mr Skinner, is practicing his Geoffrey Boycott impression!!
(Photo courtesy David Whitlam)

  The Pennine Railway Society was formed by a group of enthusiasts from across South Yorkshire who met regularly in the Prince of Wales public house opposite Rotherham Masborough Station in 1974.

  From its formation in 1974, over 30 years ago, the Society has consistently enjoyed railways to the full with most of the early years spent on trips around many depots workshops and installations on British Rail, utilising the then very popular Merrymaker Excursions run by BR. 

In the first ten years the Society established a regular magazine TRANS PENNINE, published four times a year and free to members.  

Also regular meetings in the evening were held, first monthly and then on the first and third week of each month in Doncaster, with guests and members alike providing excellent evenings in the form of slide shows and film shows. These ranged from those black and white days right up to date. The evenings also incorporate two annual slide competitions, one in March, judged by the members and a further one in October judged by a guest .

There is also an annual quiz,  "The Pennine Shield" held at the end of every year with other South Yorkshire societies.

  The membership reached a peak of over 150 in the early 1980s but when the BR Merrymakers ceased and the availability of visits to locations ceased, due in no small part to the tightening of Health and Safety regulations and the associated additional costs, the Society reinvented itself. Concentrating on Social Evenings which have gone from strength to strength, the odd trip to preserved railways and displays at open days and libraries etc. like the one in 2003 to celebrate the Plant 150th anniversary. 

In those early years we ran a full stall with second hand railway books, timetables, slide collections and up to date railway books etc. 

The membership over the past 10 years has remained consistent at around 70 to 80 members.

The Society, right through its 30+ year existence, has been run by a committee on behalf of the membership, which meets as required throughout the year and answers to the AGM held every January in Doncaster. Notice of the AGM is published in TRANS-PENNINE and members can table motions for discussion to the Chairman.

  Today The Pennine Railway Society meets every first and third Wednesday of the month at the Salutation Inn, South Parade, Doncaster at 8pm. and is open to non-members, who will be assured of a friendly reception. The magazine TRANS-PENNINE is produced every quarter and a small Pennine Railway Society diary is also free to members.

Why not come along and see us sometime - I am sure you will not be disappointed!!

If you are interested in joining The Pennine Railway Society please pick up a membership form today or contact the Membership secretary Tony Caddick at 15 Carlyle street Mexborough South Yorkshire S64 9DE  Tel 01709 585597.

The Pennine Railway Society celebrates over 30years since its formation. Why not join us and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and outstanding quality of slides at our social evenings.

Thank you - Robin Skinner - Chairman

Keep in touch with The Pennine Railway Society by visiting our web site at: www.abrail.wanadoo.co.uk/pennine.htm

President:            Geoff Bambrough          Telephone: 01302 856215

Chairman:             Robin Skinner            Telephone: 01778 421877

Treasurer:            John Sanderson           Telephone: 01142 372809  

Membership:           Tony Caddick             Telephone: 01709 585597

Magazine Editor:      David Whitlam            Telephone: 01246 852485

Meetings:             Neil Taylor              Telephone: t.b.a.

The Keeper:           Robin Havenhand          Telephone: 01302 859001

Website Manager:      Tony Booth               Telephone: 01302 367233                        

    The Society has in the past been represented at Open Days in the form of a sales stand which sold anything from old timetables and magazines to the latest publications of interest to the rail enthusiast.

    Sales stands have been held at Doncaster, Stratford, Norwich, Tinsley, Old Oak Common, York, Derby and Barrow Hill, along with events at preserved railway sites.

    Open Days proved to have been excellent days out for club members with many taking part in staffing the stall and enjoying the atmosphere generated at these functions.

    A Society magazine “Trans Pennine” has been published at regular intervals (usually 4 per year) since 1975 and up to date we have published over 125 issues. 

    The magazine has improved enormously over the years with the development and accessibility of printing and desk top publishing technology. To this extent that we now feel that we produce one of the best small society magazines, certainly judging by the quality of the articles on a varied range of railway subjects.

    The magazine is currently produced four times per year and is distributed free to members.

    The Society is sincerely indebted to those who have served on the committee as Magazine Editor, a somewhat thankless task, but all of whom have produced high quality publications.

Club Democracy

    The Society is run and organised by the Committee with help of many members. The Committee is answerable to the Annual General Meeting which is usually held on a Sunday lunchtime early in January in Doncaster.

    Members are advised well in advance of the AGM. At the meeting each Committee member reports on his responsibilities including current and future plans. The Treasurer produces a detailed Balance Sheet showing Society income and expenditure.

    Committee members remain in office until such time as he/she resigns or the AGM or Committee pass a vote of “No Confidence”. Elections are then held democratically to find a replacement. Committee meetings are held on a regular basis throughout the year and any member can table an item for discussion through the Chairman.

    Meetings, open to members and non-members are held on the first and third Wednesdays of each month in a private function room at the “Salutation” public house on South Parade, Doncaster at 7.45 pm. Meetings usually consist of a slide or film show by a member or invited guest.

    Special events are held during the year, including the Annual Slide Competition on the first Wednesday in October. The first Wednesday in December is usually the evening the PENNINE plays host to members of other Societies in the area to compete in a round of the PENNINE SHIELD, an annual quiz competition.

    Meetings, on a planned basis, were first held at the “Masons Arms” in Doncaster Market Place and have gone from strength to strength. The Society moved to the “Corporation Brewery Taps” in June 1981. The move proved extremely popular with the membership, to the extent that we expanded from one meeting per month to two in January 1982. We remained there until May 1999 when a major refurbishment by the brewery resulted in the loss of the function room.

    We are now happily settled in the “Sal” with its excellent surroundings and facilities.

Trips and Visits

     Since 1974 the PENNINE RAILWAY SOCIETY has been running trips, very successfully, to all parts of British Rail for its members. Trips to workshops at Doncaster, Eastleigh, Crewe, Derby, Horwich, Swindon, Cowlairs and Wolverton were run time and again over the years when these sites were in full production. Depot visits also proved very popular with many trips combining a rail visit with a visits to several installations in that part of the country. e.g. Tyneside, Merseyside, London, Birmingham, South Wales, Scotland etc.

    The most popular trips were undoubtedly the Merrymaker Excursions which sadly no longer operate. Often visits to installation close to the destination were arranged and it would not be unusual to take upwards of 30 members on these trips. On one Merrymaker which ran to Southampton and Bournemouth in 1980 no fewer than 60 members visited Eastleigh Works and MPD.

    We also ran “Overnighters” to such beautiful places as Fort William, Mallaig and Kyle of Lochalsh using excursion trains. Numerous visits were also organised taking in the scenic and historic Settle and Carlisle route.

    Specialised visits have been organised for small groups and have included power signal boxes and control rooms. One particular visit included the Waterloo and City Line.

    On all of our trips we have managed “free time” where members can mix in a local hostelry and sample the beers and local customs.

    Sadly in recent years with the radical changes in railway organisation and the advent of stringent Health and Safety Regulations opportunities to visit rail installations have been severely curtailed. Those visits we are able to organise are advertised in our magazine and all visits are open to all members and their friends.

Membership

We hope that you will be interested in joining the PENNINE RAILWAY SOCIETY – We look forward to meeting you. Rest assured that you will be made most welcome at any of our functions.
The membership fee is ONLY £5.00 for the period up to December 31st 2007 and includes all magazines and  a free Pennine Railway Society pocket diary.  For membership details or further information on the Society please contact our Membership Secretary, Tony Caddick at 15 Carlyle Street, Mexborough, South Yorkshire, S64 9DE (Telephone: 01709 585597) or contact Tony Booth by email at tony@abrail.wanadoo.co.uk

Coming Events 2008

Thank you for your interest

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