About our programme of meetings and visits
The SLS offers many services to members including the regular society magazine ( the Journal) an Internet Forum and also a range of meetings. There are two types of meeting and events. Our Centres run a series of indoor meetings at regular venues over the Autumn, Winter, and Spring periods.This regular, winter series, of meetings is also generally open to guests and non-members. Where this is not the case it is stated in the Centre's listing.
Geographic spread Top Of The Page
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There are currently twelve regular Centres around the country from Scotland to the south of England which have a regular programme of meetings for members including indoor based illustrated talks of a variety of railway topics both home and overseas and outdoor trips in the summer months. Other meetings are occasionally held on an as required basis in Central London, Leicester, Bristol, Swindon and Weymouth.
Saturday and midweek meeting dates
Most of the winter indoor series meetings are arranged on weekday evenings. However it is appreciated that returning home late into the evening can be a problem for those members residing some distance away from their nearest centre base. Therefore we would like to draw your attention the fact that the Midland Centre, based in Kidderminster and the North Western Centre in Manchester do offer the opportunity to attend regular Saturday afternoon meetings for those able, and prepared, to travel longer distances at the weekend.
The Severn Valley Railway's Kidderminster Station Museum is home to the Midland Centre's meetings (see Venue map). Access by main line rail (Central Trains) to the adjacent station is good as is road access. There is ample, relatively inexpensive, parking and catering is available from a choice of two SVR facilities. The Manchester meetings are held in the City Centre and the opportunity to travel by train to the meetings from a wide area of the North exists. The venue is very central and close to both Albert and St Peter's Squares. (See Venue map) Both these Centres therfore provide the opportunity for members from a wide area the opportunity to travel to an event without being forced into the necessity of a very late return home time. Although we do not currently promote Kidderminster as a national SLS Centre as a consequence of having such a physically central geographical location, it does go a long way towards offering members from an extremely large catchment area, far larger than the obvious Birmingham/Midlands area, a Centre base that is accessible.
Rail charters
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Although chartered main line rail excursions, the classic "SLS Special's" of the end of steam era, are no longer run, a range of one-off' trips and visits remains in our summer programme. As you can see from the photograph to the left , which was taken inmmediately after a party of SLS Members had travelled over the Severn Valley Railway during the 2005 AGM weekend, rail based trips are still organised. During the 2007 summer season such rail borne trips included runs over the Great Central Railway, Severn Valley Railway and Weardale Railway. Photo © John New / SLS 2005. |
General notes regarding the meetings listingsTop Of The Page
- The meetings and venues listed are as notified to the Webmaster but may be subject to change at short notice.
- When new content for this page is receive it will be posted to the Updates page initially if it cannot be added here immediately.
- Non-members are welcome at meetings, unless "members only" is specified although there may be an admission charge or request for a donation. Other relevant events will be added when/where advised.
- External links from the meeting pages to other sites for venue mapping etc are offered in good faith but may be subject to change outside the SLS's control.