Welcome to the September newsletter, and another year of meetings.
As ever, we have a full meetings programme this year – details of the March meeting are still being finalised, and we hope to include this in the next newsletter.
Elsewhere in this newsletter we include news of a trip to Norway in June 2016.
Society news
It came as a big surprise to the committee when our former Chairman Ian Wilson announced his intention to retire a year before his term of office was due to finish, and this was clearly shared by members at the AGM.
As those present will be aware, no nominations were received for Chairman at the AGM. At its first meeting the new Committee elected Andy Boal as chairman, so the committee for 2015-16 is as follows:-
Chairman Andy Boal
Secretary Ken Harte
Treasurer Roy Thompson
Committee Members David Carson, Matthew Tennis
Andy will complete Ian Wilson’s term of office, standing down at the 2016 AGM. Ken has been elected for the three years until 2018, and Roy has two years remaining of his three year term, and will stand down in 2017.
Subscriptions
Subscriptions are now due, and the renewal notice is attached. Early return of the forms with your payment is appreciated – as usual, membership cards will be handed out at our monthly meetings where possible.
If you include your email address, we will be able to send you our newsletters and other notices by email, which saves a lot of money in postage. We will ensure that addresses will not be circulated to the rest of the membership.
Programme for 2015/16
A copy of the programme for 2015/16 is attached. Thank you, in advance, to all our presenters.
Website
Members may be aware that the Society currently has no online presence! A new website is being built, and we will let members know as soon as it is ready.
Senior Travel Pass Group
The next day out is Wednesday 23rd September 2015 – destination: Dublin (Dep. Central 08.00 hrs). Weather permitting we plan to go to Howth via Dun Laoghaire on the Dublin Bay Cruise which departs from the Quays opposite the Conference Centre.
Future dates will be Wednesday 28th October and 25th November, destinations to be agreed amongst the group. Please contact Ken Harte for further information.
Visit to Norway 2016
One of our Committee Members, David Carson, is willing to lead a tour party to Norway in June 2016, which will focus on the standard gauge railway network in the Norwegian system over an eleven day (or so) period. The tour will function using Inter-rail passes and seats will be booked in advance. Overnight stays will involve pre-booked ‘hostel bed and breakfast’ accommodation costing approx £50 per night. Flights will probably use the Dublin to Oslo route.
Planned rail trips include: Oslo-Stavanger; Oslo-Flam-Bergen; Oslo-Hamar-Trondheim via Roros; Trondheim-Bodo; Trondheim-Dovre-Andalsnes via the Raumbanen; Andalsnes-Oslo, together with visits to the Norwegian Railway Museum in Hamar, the Norwegian Aircraft Museum and the sights of Trondheim.
Day and evening meals and all other en route expenses (incl your own travel insurance – a pre-requisite) will not be provided. This is not an easy trip – it’s what David calls ‘hard-railing’, so travel light is the order of the day.
The party would ideally be comprised of 6-8 persons, who should declare an interest before 15 October (leading to a full commitment and booking by 1 November 2015), when it will be time to make cheap airflight bookings.
It should be possible for David to provide a roughly accurate cost of Rail Pass, flights, accommodation and the Trondheim boat trip before 15 October. In the meantime if anyone has additional questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with David. David writes, “I did this trip in 2014 and it was a terrific trip – full of both railway and general interest and some of the most wonderful scenery in the world. Bring your camera – weather never guaranteed in Norway!”
