Local Branches

Leyburn                                           
(incorporating the Friends of Leyburn Station-FOLS)

Meets at Leyburn Station, Harmby Road, Leyburn, North Yorkshire, DL8 5ET
Date of Next Meeting     To be confirmed
Date of Next Committee Meeting  Wednesday 15 September 2010  4.30pm

Contact        Betty Ackrill (Branch Secretary / FOLS Coordinator)
Telephone   01969 625182 (Leyburn Station Shop)         

The Leyburn Branch (incorporating the Friends Of Leyburn Station) was established in March 2005. From humble beginnings and a very small budget, we have grown to the extent that we now discharge all routine responsibilities associated with Leyburn Station on behalf of Wensleydale Railway.

Our team runs the shop and "Arthur's" tea bar, sells tickets, cleans, decorates and much more. Successful fund raising initiatives have enabled us to achieve the refurbishment of the shop and teabar and to finance the fitting-out of the integrated toilets. Our aim remains to enhance the environment at the station for all users and staff.

Several of our members wear different hats in other areas of WR volunteering including Operations, Infrastructure, Rolling Stock, Marketing, FOLS eBay and the WRA website.

Branch Committee meetings are held monthly on the second Wednesday. Unless notified to the contrary, work parties take place at the station on Wednesdays from 10.30am. 

(Photo: Sandra Ward)

London & South East   

Meets at   Offices of Eversheds, 1 Wood Street, London EC2V 7WS
                 Nearest tube St Pauls.
Date of Next Meeting   To be confirmed
Contact  Peter Williams

All WRA members within the area bounded approximately by the towns of Stowmarket, Cambridge, Banbury and Salisbury are deemed to be members of the Branch. The majority reside within Greater London and the Home Counties. The present number  is about 750 in total. There is no extra subscription to be a member of the Branch. We operate on voluntary contributions and any profit we can generate from Branch activities.

Our reason for existence is simple - to support and encourage the promotion of the Wensleydale Railway by all possible means. We are developing our tools to achieve this aim and welcome practical new ideas and active contributions from the membership and elsewhere. We aim to enable and assist any member to contribute to the maximum that they wish.

Branch activities include :

• Regular Branch Members' meetings in Central London
• Speakers available to attend meetings to present and promote the Wensleydale Railway
• A Presentation Stand for display at exhibitions and meetings in the Branch area
• Trips of special interest to the Branch Members
• Occasional meetings outside Central London
• WR training courses in Central London to promote volunteering by Branch Members

Such activities require support from the members and this is always needed.

Originally formed in 1999 the Branch has no formal structure but operates in accordance with the WRA's Branch Guidelines. There is no formalised committee but the Branch Convenor is nominated by the WRA and is helped by a small team that meet on an ad-hoc basis, usually about five times a year. We maintain very close contacts with the WRA Committee. The regular meetings for Members are held three times a year in Central London in February, May and September and feature an update on the situation in Wensleydale plus a presentation on a railway related topic. We aim to have a mix of subjects a little different to normal. We also like to feature "home-grown" talent from within the membership. Recent successful presentations have been from Crossrail and The Railway Mission. Normal attendance is 25-30 members but all are welcome and we aim to raise a collection to cover meeting costs.

The usual means of communication is through the WRA's magazine "Relay" or this website. However you can register to receive email updates or, by sending a book of 12 second class stamps, can be updated by periodic letter. Please contact Peter Williams to register for either of these additional communication methods.

                                                
(Photo: Malcolm Street)

Northallerton    

Meets at  Northallerton Town Cricket Club, Farndale Avenue, DL7 8SN
Date of Next Meeting  Monday 20 September 2010     7.30pm
                                     John Midcalf : "Smoke and Steam Photography"
Contact          Colin Cooper (Chairman)                                                              Telephone      01609 777006

The Northallerton Branch was formed in 1998 and now has a membership of almost 100.

Monthly meetings are held throughout the year with the exception of June –August inclusive. At these Meetings an invited guest speaker makes a presentation mainly on a railway/transport theme. During the Summer there is an outing to other railways and transport venues. See Diary of Events for the full Programme.

There is a small group of members who attend various Exhibitions situated in the northern part of the county at which there is a photographic display, a table on which there are many leaflets and sale items. Along with these items a large proportion of time is spent talking to the customers and answering their many questions. Our presence is to be seen at “Locomotion” at Shildon, exhibitions at Darlington and Middlesbrough as well as several smaller local events. This creates good publicity for the Railway. There is a similar group which operates in the southern part of the county.

Fund Raising 
The Branch has initiated several fund raising events. By the way of Coffee Mornings, Band and Choral concerts, money has been raised for the South Curve Project and Scruton Station, along with several minor projects. Operating on behalf of the WRA Board, the Branch now operates a 250 Club. The aim of this Club is to raise additional funds for the WRA towards special projects as well as providing money for a monthly prize draw. All paid up members of the WRA are eligible to become a Club member upon payment of a £12 annual subscription. Prizewinners’ names are published in WRA publications and on the WRA website. See Retail and Fundraising.

Minor Works Group
In the autumn of 2002, the Branch brought together a group of retired members for the sole purpose of decorating /refurbishing Railway premises. Members of this group have many years of experience in one of the trades required to carry out such work. The Station House at Leeming Bar was their first project which was completed prior to the First Train Day on 4 July 2003. Following on from there this Group has refurbished Bedale Signal Box, four rooms at Finghall Station and helped colleagues at Leyburn Station with what is now known as “Arthur’s” Teabar. Latterly they have carried out the massive amount of decoration required at Bedale Station House.

Currently there is the need for a new Group Leader to come forward  because the present Leader has retired from this post. The need for this Group to continue is important with there being many parts of the Railway’s premises not covered by the new Station Groups that have been formed.

Scotland   

Meets in    (Next Meeting) Edinburgh - details on request
Date of Next Meeting  Thursday 25 November 2010  7.30pm
Contact      Stew Green
Telephone  0131 228 4140

Following an initial very brief interim period as an Edinburgh & East of Scotland group, the newly formed Scotland Branch came into being on November 26th 2009 with the first formal meeting of the group. Currently we have 27 members in the group and our key objectives are agreed as:

1. To raise awareness of the Wensleydale Railway within Scotland and to positively promote it;
2. To seek to increase membership of the Association and the Branch;
3. To raise funds for the railway;
4. To build links between the Branch and other rail groups – particularly in Scotland; and (last but not least!)
5. To have fun along the way.

Our aim is to have four business / networking meetings a year plus our annual AGM. We intend to supplement these with a number of social activities, talks etc as well as attending exhibitions and rail-related events. Our business meetings take place at 7.30pm on Thursday evenings. 

Our inaugural stand at the Model Rail Scotland (MRS) exhibition in Glasgow in February was a great success and we are now looking to follow this up with similar participation at the Perth & District Model Rail Club Exhibition at the end of June. In addition we have a number of other interesting outings planned. The full programme is as follows:

- Sat Jun 5th 2010 - Trip to WRA AGM, Northallerton
- Sat Jun 26th & Sun 27th - Perth & District MRC stand, Perth
- Sat Jul 17th 2010 - Trip to Operation Dalesman, Leeming Bar
- Sat Sep 18th 2010 - Trip to Strathspey Steam Railway, Aviemore
- Thu Nov 18th 2010 - AGM and public talk by Ken Monkman (WRA Chair), Quaker
Meeting House Edinburgh

Please do get in touch if you would like further details of any of these events.

We are very keen to expand our membership to involve other WR members in Scotland. If you fall into this category and would like to join us, whether or not you think you will be able to attend meetings, please do get in contact. There is no additional fee for WRA members to join the Branch.

Branch Officers
Chair – Stew Green
Secretary – Tim Wheater
Treasurer – Alan Treloar

York/Knaresborough

Meets at   RAFA Club, 6 East Parade, Harrogate, North Yorkshire                        And at       Railway Institute, York (between York Station and Micklegate Bar)     Date of Next Meeting  To be confirmed
Contact   
Telephone

At the moment the Branch holds meetings at six monthly intervals in Harrogate. It is hoped to extend this to three monthly intervals, alternating between Harrogate and York. The meetings include an update on current developments on the Railway and an illustrated talk by a guest speaker. Past subjects have included Tornado, Electrification of the East Coast Main Line and Railway Charter Photography.

Members are encouraged to support the Railway as volunteers and a number regularly travel up to work on the Railway. Help is given with publicity for events in Wensleydale by circulating leaflets/posters and by helping at the Great Yorkshire Show, Countryside Live and the Charity Coffee Shop in St Crux's, York and at various local shows and events.

The Branch is in need of a Secretary and offers to fill this post will be very welcome.