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Tram no.69 at the doors of the former Pacific Road depot during our visit to the Merseyside Tram Preservation Society on the Wirral on Saturday 6th February 2016. [© Howard Everitt 2016] |
The Branch Line Society
Guest
Fixtures
The Society maintains an active programme of varied outdoor fixtures, and these are run primarily for members. In some cases, especially mainline charter trains, we are pleased to accommodate non-members.
Members receive 24 newsletters per year giving advance notification of events, and benefit from priority booking and discounted fares. You can normally re-coup your membership fee on just one fixture and some fixtures are for members only, so
join us today!
If you are not a member and would like to be kept informed about our fixtures, please click here.
Click on a fixture name below for more details, and to book or notify interest.
Please note that although dates are given as far in advance as possible (in order to allow a measure of planning by intending participants to take place), they must be treated as only provisional until an event is actually open for bookings, as changes can and do occur.
| Saturday 26th January 2019 Open for booking | The Blackpool BalloonA Blackpool Tramway tour with a balloon double deck tram. It is booked (subject to circumstances on the day) to cover Rigby Road and Starr Gate depots, North Pier centre road, Thornton Gate centre road, Fisherman's Walk X/O, Fleetwood Ferry inner and outer loop, Bispham centre road & Starr Gate wash road/headshunt. At both depots, different roads to our last visit have been requested. In addition, using diesel powered Engineering Tram 754 to pilot, two rare moves on lines not wired are included: Manchester Square crossover and the tracks along Blundell Street, as far as safely possible. |
| Saturday 2nd February 2019 Open for booking | The Positioning MoveThis single journey forms the first part of a rather special weekend of loco-hauled railtouring with West Coast Railways (WCR) in partnership with Brush Type 4 Fund, featuring two Class 47 locomotives to Bristol via The Marches. There are a wide range of hotels (and bars!) in Bristol making this an easy social day out with some unusual routing along the way, and an ideal 'positioning move' for Sunday! |
| Sunday 3rd February 2019 Open for booking | The Looe BrushThis charter is the second part of a rather special weekend of loco-hauled railtouring with West Coast Railways (WCR) in partnership with Brush Type 4 Fund, featuring two Class 47 locomotives operating top 'n tail from Bristol Temple Meads to lovely Looe and return. This can only be done during the winter Sunday timetable when there is no branch service. |
| Saturday 23rd February 2019 Waiting List | The Woodhorn WandererWith thanks to John Cameron, a limited numbers late afternoon visit to the 1,000yd long, 2ft gauge Woodhorn Narrow Gauge Railway, QEII Country Park, Ashington, NE63 9YF at the former Woodhorn Colliery, now a museum. Railtouring in three man riding vehicles from Vane Tempest Colliery, it is hoped to have two different locos operating, the round trip takes 20 minutes. This fixture is for members only. This fixture is now full. If you wish to be added to the waiting list please click on the tour name and click on the "Join waiting list" button - there is no need to send an email. |
| Sunday 24th February 2019 Waiting List | The South Gosforth AvoiderWith thanks to John Cameron and Nexus (Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Executive) a further charity railtour has kindly been arranged which complements our Feb 2018 tour. Details are being finalised but it leaves South Gosforth at 08.41, returning at 16.05 This fixture is for members only. This fixture is now full. If you wish to be added to the waiting list please click on the tour name and click on the "Join waiting list" button - there is no need to send an email. |
| Wednesday 27th February 2019 Waiting List | The Swanage ShuntersWith 08436 and 08476 in top 'n tail formation and two Queen Mary Brake Vans, our unusual lines charter reaches parts of the Swanage Railway that other charters cannot reach and is strictly limited to 50 participants. This fixture is for members only. This fixture is now full. If you wish to be added to the waiting list please click on the tour name and click on the "Join waiting list" button - there is no need to send an email. |
| Saturday 23rd March 2019 Notify interest | The Weymouth WalkaboutTom Gilby has kindly agreed to lead a leg stretch walk during our Weymouth break via the Weymouth Harbour Tramway to Weymouth Quay station, all disused but intact. Some of the Weymouth & Portland Railway trackbed might be possible too. |
| Saturday 23rd March 2019 Open for booking | The Marching Crompton IIAn exciting 'Track & Traction' loco-hauled railtour with West Coast Railways (WCR) and '84G Railtours' featuring Class 33 haulage on The Marches with a 90 minute (approx) Weymouth lunch break. Highlights include: Up Tunnel Loop, Up Pilning Loop, Rhubarb Curve, Bathampton UPL & Westbury Up Reception feature on the way and Westbury Dn Reception, Oldfield Park DGL, (Bristol) East Depot Goods Loop, Bristol Parkway UPL, Up Charfield Loop, Lydney DGL, Llanwern Service Line, Abergavenny UGL, Pontrilas UGL and Sutton Bridge UGL on the return.
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| Sunday 24th March 2019 Save the date | The Ruby Vampire - The Second BiteThe second bite at an easy day out 'Track & Traction' loco-hauled railtour with West Coast Railways (WCR) booked to feature two Class 33 locomotives operating top 'n tail exploring the North West and the DC network on Merseyside. Highlights include Chester Goods No 2, Bidston Stabling Siding, Chester Curve, Wrexham Up Bay and the much sought after strategic connections at Bootle Jn AND Southport.
This fixture is for members only. |
| Saturday 30th March 2019 to Sunday 31st March 2019 Save the date | North Wales narrow gauge weekendNo further details are available at present. This fixture is for members only. |
| Saturday 6th April 2019 Save the date | Provisional track railtour to East AngliaNo further details are available at present. |
| Saturday 13th April 2019 Save the date | Provisional tour from the East Midlands with a differenceNo further details are available at present. |
| Sunday 14th April 2019 Save the date | Weston, Nantwich Methodist Church & Willaston RailwaysNote: re-dated from Saturday 13th April
This fixture is for members only. |
| Thursday 16th May 2019 to Saturday 18th May 2019 Notify interest | Island of Ireland IV (2019)Expressions of interest are welcomed to our Fixtures Secretary for the Thursday to Saturday part only at this stage.
This fixture is for members only. |
| Sunday 19th May 2019 Save the date | Cork - Dublin Heuston rare track tourNo further details are available at present. This fixture is for members only. |
| Thursday 13th June 2019 Save the date | Annual Pre-Peaks Challenge railtourNo further details are available at present. |
| Sunday 16th June 2019 Save the date | Fawley Hill RailwayNo further details are available at present. This fixture is for members only. |
| Sunday 7th July 2019 to Monday 8th July 2019 Save the date | Devon service train trackerNo further details are available at present. This fixture is for members only. |
| Friday 26th July 2019 to Sunday 28th July 2019 Save the date | Carinthia ExplorerNegotiations/arrangements for a 3-day visit to the Carinthia area of southern Austria are at an advanced stage. To gauge interest and assist with organisation and pricing, expressions of interest are requested ASAP to confirm viability.
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| Monday 26th August 2019 Save the date | Scunthorpe Steeler No.18 railtourNo further details are available at present. This fixture is for members only. |
| Friday 15th November 2019 to Sunday 17th November 2019 Save the date | Provisional Barrow Hill AGM weekend with Sunday railtourNo further details are available at present. This fixture is for members only. |