The Society has two main meetings every year: the AGM in March combined with talks and presentations, and the half-yearly meeting in October, again comprising talks and presentations. At both events, there are sales tables and other displays and plenty of opportunities to chat with other members.
We are also now holding online meetings via Zoom, which are proving popular with members. Details are in the Members' area of the website.
This page allows you to pay for your subscription using credit/debit cards via Nochex, as an alternative to Paypal.
Thank you for your application and payment. The Chairman will send you a membership pack. In the meantime, any queries should be addressed to the Membership Secretary membership@gersociety.org.uk
Membership of the Great Eastern Railway Society brings with it many benefits, including a subscription to the Great Eastern Journal and Great Eastern News, both published quarterly. They are both produced to a professional standard, rivalling the quality of commercial magazines.
The Great Eastern Journal features articles, photographs, plans and drawings dealing with the history of the Great Eastern Railway and associated railways. Each issue currently contains in the region of 52 pages. Running now to almost 190 issues, it represents a substantial resource for those wishing to research the GER. So that you can appreciate the quality and breadth of topics covered, you may download free a sample selection of Journal articles here: pdf Journal Samples(13.72 MB) . A list of the contents of all the Journals produced can be downloaded by clicking: pdf Contents of Journals(325 KB) Members can purchase a DVD containing PDFs of Journals 1-180 through our 'Files Emporium' sales as J1-180DVD
The Great Eastern News provides Society information, including society meetings, GER-relevant events, Great Eastern area contemporary railway news, railway modelling activities, and reviews of books, videos, models and Great Eastern coverage in other publications. There are two CDs containing PDFs of all copies of the News available to members from the 'Files Emporium' as NW1-140.CD and NW141-180.CD
Members have the opportunity of purchasing back numbers of the magazines, either as original magazines (where available) or as electronic PDF files, either singly or as CD/DVD compilations. The latter have the great advantage that, with one exception, the CD/DVDs are searchable, making the finding of a particular subject that much easier.
In summary, many members say that these magazines alone are well worth the subscription. So if you are interested in the GER why not join us by subscribing now!
Non-members may be able to access copies of the Journal from certain libraries and archives, see here.
Who we areThe Society was formed in 1973 in order to promote a widespread interest in the Great Eastern Railway, to encourage and co-ordinate research into its history, and to provide a permanent record of the results. This is being achieved by building upon the knowledge of the known GER experts, and by locating and studying all surviving records of the railway. In so doing, the Society has established a high reputation amongst railway enthusiasts, historians, museums and professional railwaymen for the quality and accuracy of its publications, its expertise and activities. However, you don't have to be an expert to join the GERS - details of the benefits of joining the Society can be found under 'Membership' (left).
The Society is a registered charity and is administered by a yearly-elected Executive Committee, supported by a wider team of officers, dealing with matters reating to membership, sales, publications, publicity and the historical archives of documents and photographs. A system of Co-ordinators, drawn from the membership, assists with queries regarding the various areas of research. Our continuing task is to establish the whereabouts of all the available information relating to the GER, as well as that of its predecessors & successors and especially former employees' recollections, as time is against us. From this base detailed research is undertaken and the results disseminated through various media such as the Great Eastern Journal; other Society publications; articles in the railway, historical and modelling press; exhibitions; museum displays and public records.