Area Groups 2019

Area Groups - 2019 Activity

Cambridgeshire and the Fens group - All About Buffers!

A pair of surplus LNER locomotive buffers, suitable for the front of 61673, were a gift from The East Anglian Railway Museum at Chappel and Wakes Colne, to who the Trust are most grateful.

The membership of Cambs and Fens Group together funded the move and refurbishment of these heavy items. Trust supporter, Steven Neugebauer, offered to provide the transport. On Sunday morning, 14th. April, he and a Trust member went to Chappel, where these items were loaded into a pick up truck and brought back to March for temporary storage, pending a suitable date for the move to Wales. 

Early on Sunday, 20th. October, the same team provided the transport to Llangollen where the buffers were unloaded and put under cover pending examination, refurbishment and fitting to 61673.

The Llangollen Railway were generous in allowing Steven the opportunity to inspect the locomotive frames and to enjoy the experience of a footplate ride in recognition of all his assistance.

An excellent local group effort to provide the funding and transport to progress the project.

Cambridgeshire and the Fens Group - 16th July 2019    Exhibit at Fen View Motors

One of the most unusual places in which we have had a sales and promotion stand was the forecourt of Fen View Motors, Whittlesey Road, March. The proprietor is a transport enthusiast and has already assisted B17 SLT. It was expedient to have a final trial fit of the nameplates onto the support frame prior to deployment at Sandringham Flower Show. The opportunity to display these items and the front buffers raised interest among those who attended and some modest revenue was received.

Out in action again, the group travelled to the East Anglian Railway Museum at Chappell and Wakes Colne, to accept a pair of surplus (to the EARM) LNER pattern buffers. Once back at base in March, the group had the customary celebratory cup of tea, and posed for the camera with the newly restored 'Helmingham Hall' nameplate and a replica of another B17 'Champion Lodge'.

Brian Hall, Chairman of the B17 SLT, and members of the group with the newly restored nameplate 'Helmingham Hall' and replica nameplate of 'Champion Lodge'.

Cambridgeshire and the Fens Group - 6th April 2019

Members attended the Cambridge Model Railway Exhibition at Sawston Village College. We were involved in several lengthy and interesting conversations about B17s, and their activities in and around Cambridge and the names of some old railway characters from the area were fondly recalled. Copies of the new pamphlet regarding the 90th anniversary of the commencement of B17 activity were freely available.

Anniversary of the B17s in Service poster at Lowestoft - 6th February 2019

6th February saw Roger Smale and John Peat deliver the first poster, designed for the Community Rail Partnership noticeboards, to Martin Halliday and Tim Miller at Lowestoft station. These posters are designed to inform the travelling public about the B17s that came into service 90 years ago, and any local connection that the named locomotive had with the area. Posters will be going up at CRP noticeboards around the Greater Anglia region in the next month and we thank Greater Anglia for their support in this initiative. 

Roger Smale, Norfolk member with Tim Miller, a CRP volunteer	Closeup of the noticeboard

Essex and Southend members visit SEERS Meeting - 24th January 2019

Three directors and a number of members headed to the SEERS' (South East Essex Railway Society) regular monthly meeting where John Jolly, founder and owner of the Mangapps Railway Museum, was their guest speaker. John spoke for almost 2 hours on the history of Mangapps (from farm to railway museum), some very fortunate events along the way, and where he saw the future of the museum. The talk was full of interesting background, anecdotes, and tales of some of his railway and farming related travels, especially to Canada. 

Our thanks to SEERS for the hospitality and to John Jolly for a most entertaining evening.