The GER Society is in the process of organising a visit to the National Railway Museum in late May/early June, to include guided access “backstage” to parts of the Museum that are not open to the public.

The anticipated price of £100 will include Group rail travel with reserved seats on a Tuesday or Wednesday to York from Peterborough just after lunch on the first day, overnight accommodation, and the option of a Full English or Continental breakfast in York at a mid-range hotel in York.

The special tour of the NRM will take place in the morning of the second day, with generous time allowed afterwards for lunch (cost not included) in York and the return journey to be mid-afternoon from York back to Peterborough.

Partners and/or friends are also invited, and the price allows for single room, twin room or double room requirements (to be notified at the time of booking, please) at one standard price per person.

There is plenty of public transport to Peterborough station, and also two very large car parks nearby. For those arriving early, lunch can be taken nearby at any of a number of good eateries on, or within walking distance of, the station.

Travel between your home and Peterborough is for you to arrange, and the evening meal upon arrival in York is deliberately not included to allow attendees to make their own decisions about the style and price range that suits. The city has a huge range of options available.

What is required now is an “in principle” commitment. 25 is the magic number needed to make the trip viable at the price offered – no further discounts can be allowed, even if you do have a Railcard, because the discount on the train travel element is better than that obtainable with a Railcard.

As soon as we have at least 25 persons registering interest, the confirmed date and price will be notified and you will be asked for a per person deposit which, in all probability. will not be refundable unless the whole trip is cancelled. If you feel you need personal cancellation insurance, take it out.

If you are in any doubt about any aspect of the offer, please speak to me on News@GERSociety.org.uk or 07939 567838.

Half-Yearly Meeting 5^th October 2024

I am delighted to announce full details of the 2024 Half-Yearly Meeting, which will be held this year on Saturday, 5th October in the Sir Isaac Newton 6^th Form College, housed in The Old Fire Station, 30 Bethel St, Norwich NR2 1NR. This is a superb historic building that has been tastefully updated to fulfil its present function, but also retains many of its former characteristics, including the firemen’s pole! We are expecting several students from the College to join us this year too.

The College is located behind the Market Place in the heart of the city. Those with items to unload can do so using the short-term bay outside the front entrance from 8am, but must then park elsewhere. For that, and for anyone else who has to arrive by road, I suggest the Park & Ride services on the edge of town, as parking in the centre of Norwich can incur costs up to around £20 for the day.

The P&R services are as follows: Airport P&R, Buck Courtney Crescent, Norwich, NR6 6JT (A140 adjacent to Norwich International Airport), Harford P&R, Ipswich Road, Norwich, NR4 6US (A140/A47), Sprowston P&R, Wroxham Road, Norwich, NR7 8RN (A1151), Thickthorn P&R, Norwich Road, Hethersett, NR9 3AU (A11/A47), Postwick P&R, Yarmouth Road, Norwich, NR13 5NP (A47 from Great Yarmouth).

Of course, a far better option is to arrive by train. The College is about 20 minutes brisk walk from the station, but the second half of the walk is up a steady rise and might be challenging for anyone prone to breathlessness or heart problems. Many buses pass the railway station to convey you to the bus stops by Castle Mall or there is always a ready rank of cabs outside Norwich station.

In all cases, I suggest transport-sharing where possible, and will be happy to put people in touch for this through Secretary@GERSociety.org.uk or 07939 567838.

Our programme of speakers this year brings three very different angles on the railway to our screen and lectern.

At 10am, the doors will formally open, by which time the ever-popular Book Sales tables will be up and running, as will Barry Jackson’s excellent Files Emporium.

At 11am, the historian and author Matthew Williams will give his illustrated talk, “Welcome to Norwich Central” on the plans for a “ring rail” system around (and under) parts of Norwich, and the talk will  include a bit of a sideways tourists’ introduction to the fine city. 

At 12 mid-day, we will break for lunch. You may bring a packed lunch, but I can recommend the huge variety and quality of “street food” that is available from the market stalls just round the corner. There is a very pleasant outside area inside the College, adjacent to the hall (weather permitting) and the kitchen for hot drinks is very nearby too.

At 2pm, our second speaker will be Jonathan Denby, Head of Corporate Affairs at Greater Anglia. A railwayman in our region for most of his working life, Jonathan will use his career in the railways in East Anglia as the basis for a broader look at railway developments, primarily in our region, over that period.

At 3/3.15, our Exhibitions Manager, Nigel Bowdidge, will give the second talk of the afternoon, illustrated by many aerial photographs. An unusual view of the railways indeed!

At 4pm, we have our final opportunity for circulating before dispersing after what I am sure will be a very entertaining and informative day.

For those unable to attend, we shall TRY to make the day available – or at least viewable – online via Zoom. This has been rather challenging in the past but if this is something you would like to try, please email Secretary@GERSociety.org.uk for the link a few days in advance at the latest. It will NOT be publicly available on the day.