The 2011/12 season is now all but complete and my thanks to all of the members and friends who have attended the meetings. Throughout the course of the year attendances have seen an uplift and a number of additional meetings have been introduced (ie. 2 x Tuesday afternoon meetings plus an extra one at the end of the season). Gross attendance over the season is up by almost 130!!

The summer annual outdoor event took us to the Middleton Railway where Andrew Gill took our party around the workshops. Current restoration work on a number of locomotives was seen (including the Y1/2 Sentinel). A few locomotives under repair were inside and explanations given of their shortcomings - some serious some not. Work to convert a parcels van into an additional coach was well under way and expected to be ready sometime next season. The completed carriage will be identical to those that are currently in use on the railway. Freedom to roam the exhibition hall allowed attendees to clamber over any locomotive at will. Open and unhindered access to the small exhibits (video’s/pictures/memorabilia etc.) thus enabled the entirety of the railway facilities to be experienced. The very welcome tea, coffee and biscuits complemented what was a very pleasant evening out.

Our final activity for this season will be the summer visit to Doncaster for an evening of observation on Thursday 16 August. Members usually meet around 5-5.30pm and stay until enough is enough. Thursday’s are usually good days at Doncaster so there is every chance of witnessing a good evening’s activity.

Next season’s programme is now totally finalised and will be circulated by post to members within the next couple of weeks, together with the annual circulatory letter – Hence the brevity of this report.

Hoping to see you at Doncaster – if not then at our first meeting in September.

Bob Green