16th April 2019 · Branch Annual Business Meeting and Members Entertain

The Branch Annual Business Meeting was held on 16th April with an attendance of 14. The review of the past year’s activities was duly noted although questions were asked on society matters concerning its charity status, the new library and as to the size of the RO. With Richard Neale standing down from committee work only three committee members remain with Stephen Wilson, Richard Morris and John Howland dealing with everything – unless some volunteers come forward to assist. The entertainment that followed was varied in content with Sholto Thomas covering a visit he made to the Mid-West States of the USA covering freight workings with shale oil and coal workings. At Donkey Creek he pictured 50 locomotives lined up awaiting further duties. There was a picture of a cloud formation that resembled President Trump’s hair style.Stephen Wilson covered six months of recent preserved railway activity as well as with scenes at Dawlish, Abergavenney and north of Cheltenham with one-time local star 7029 Clun Castle working the recent Cotswold Explorer special. Richard Morris not only covered the local Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway scene and Stagecoach 94 bus workings but also a comprehensive view of Central Europe celebrated with close RCTS friends, starting out on the Venice Simplon Orient Express to Italy and then moving on through Austria and the Czech Republic.