Enclosed with this newsletter are the minutes of the adjourned Annual General Meeting on 19 April 2017 together with a copy of the audited accounts, and these come with an apology on behalf of the Committee.
Simply, we accept that it was clearly a mistake to have the 30th birthday dinner on the same night as the AGM. We seriously misjudged the interest that dinner would create amongst members.
Therefore, we undertake that any future celebration dinners will be arranged separately from the main programme rather than sacrificing the traditional half meeting after the AGM.
The AGM will therefore be reconvened at the beginning of the September meeting, and arrangements are later in this newsletter.
Elsewhere in this newsletter we have news of a bus tour to the Clogher Valley Railway later this month, and a trip to Adelaide Train Depot.
Clogher Valley Railway bus tour
With stations at Augher and Fivemiletown hard to miss on the way from Belfast to Enniskillen, there are plenty of traces still to be found of this narrow gauge railway that closed in 1941.
Our Chairman is acting as guide for an Irish Transport Heritage bus tour on Saturday 27 May, leaving the Europa Buscentre at 9am and travelling directly to Maguiresbridge before following the railway line back to Tynan.
The fare for the day is £15. If you would like to come, please use the contact page and we will put you in touch with Keith Ashe directly.
Adelaide Train Depot Visit
NIR has kindly agreed to facilitate a visit by the Society to Adelaide Train Depot at 7.30pm on Wednesday 14 June.
There is a limit of 20 members on this visit, so if you would like to come, please contact the Secretary by Sunday 11 June.
Railtour to Rosslare – 9 September 2017
Members will understand that with our railtour being the first through special train to be operated by RPSI from Whitehead to beyond Dublin for some years, a significant number of arrangements have to be agreed between RPSI, who are operating the train, NIR and Irish Rail.
Unfortunately, this means that it will not be possible to tell members more details of the itinerary and fare or to formally advertise the railtour until RPSI conclude their negotiations with the railway companies.
We appreciate and share members’ deep frustration with this ongoing delay, and our next newsletter will include full details of the tour.
Membership 2017-18
Membership forms for 2017-18 will be issued with the next newsletter. Membership rates remain at £10 (£5 concession) but members are asked to note that due to increasing bank fees, we can no longer accept payment in Euros.
2017/18 Programme
Full details will be issued later in the summer, but here are the dates and planned speakers:
Wednesday 20 September (reconvened AGM) – Erwin Tisch and David Carson
Wednesday 18 October – Chris Playfair
Wednesday 15 November – Edwin McMillan
Wednesday 17 January – Michael McMahon
Wednesday 21 February – John McKegney
Wednesday 21 March – Sam Somerville
Wednesday 18 April (AGM) – Matthew Wilson
Annual General Meeting
As stated in the enclosed minutes, the Annual General Meeting on 19 April 2017 was inquorate, and we were unable to take any decisions.
Although the reports were read, neither they nor the minutes of the 2016 AGM could be adopted, and the meeting was adjourned as the elections could not take place either.
The Annual General Meeting will therefore be reconvened at the beginning of the September meeting on Wednesday 20 September. All minutes and reports will be taken as read, but matters arising will be accepted in the normal way.
In the spirit of the Constitution, notices of motion will be accepted up to and including Thursday 31 August, and nominations for the post of Treasurer and the three Committee posts will be accepted up to Sunday 17 September.
The outline intended agenda is as follows:-
- Apologies
- Minutes of Annual General Meeting on 20 April 2016
- Minutes of adjourned AGM on 19 April 2017
- Matters arising from previous minutes
- Adoption of Chairman’s Report
- Adoption of Accounts and Treasurer’s Report
- Matters arising from reports
- Election of Officers and Committee members
- Election of Honorary Auditor
- Any other business
The minutes and enclosures will be reissued with the formal agenda in early September.
Senior Travel Pass Group
Ken Harte writes:
On Wednesday 24 May we plan to travel to Waterford returning direct or via Limerick Junction. Ex Central 06:45 (Code: Carrick on Suir 85). Depending on the weather etc. there will be an opportunity to stop off at Carlow on the way down OR to visit the seaside resort of Tramore by bus before getting the 16:25 hrs service to Limerick Junction. At Tramore the original terminus building of the seven mile Waterford and Tramore Railway is clearly visible.
TIMETABLE
Belfast Central dep 06:45
Dublin Connolly arr 09:00
Dublin Heuston dep 10:15
Carlow arr 11:11 or dep 14:12
Waterford arr 12:20 or 15:25
RETURN DIRECT
Waterford dep 14:50
Carlow dep 14:11 or 16:09
Heuston arr 15:15 or 17:06
RETURN VIA Tramore/Limerick Junction
Service 360 to Tramore from Waterford Bus Station
Waterford (bus) dep 12:30 or 13:00
Tramore arr 13:15 or 13:45
Tramore dep 14:45 or 15:15
Waterford (bus) arr 15:30 or 16:00
Waterford (rail) dep 16:25
Limerick Junction arr 18:05
Limerick Junction dep 18:17
Dublin Heuston arr 20:22
As a backup the no 4 Bus departs Waterford at 15:00 arr Busaras 17:30 and 18:00 arr Busaras 20:30.
The last train to Belfast departs Dublin Connolly at 20:50.
The next trip will be on Wednesday 28th June. Possible destinations over the summer include Killarney Tralee / Western Corridor and Nenagh / Cork Kinsale.
Contact: To add your name to the mailing list, please use the contact page and we will pass your details on
