Local Branches

Leyburn                                           
(incorporating the Friends of Leyburn Station-FOLS)

Meets at Leyburn Station, Harmby Road, Leyburn, North Yorkshire, DL8 5ET
Date of Next Team Leaders Meeting    TBA
Date of Next Meeting (All Members)    TBA
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.

Team Leaders' meetings are normally held monthly on the second Wednesday. Unless notified to the contrary, work parties take place at the station on Wednesdays from 10.00am. 

(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      Thursday 18 April 2003
                                         with Nigel Park, General Manager, Wensleydale Railway
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 18 March 2013  7.30pm
                                   Vintage Carriages to Autocar.
                                   A presentation by Stephen Middleton of Stately Trains.
                                                                
Contact          David Hart (Committee Member) 
Telephone     01937 573725

The Northallerton Branch was formed in 1998 and now has a membership of almost 40.

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. See Diary of Events for the full Programme.

There is a small group of members who attend various Exhibitions at which there is a photographic display, together with timetables, membership applications and other explanaroy and promotional leaflets.  A large proportion of the time is spent talking to visitors and answering their many questions. Our presence is to be seen at “Locomotion” at Shildon, and selected other local events, which creates good publicity for the Railway.

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 other 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.

Most recently a large sum has been ring-fenced for new access ramps for the coaching stock. Funds have also been provided  to purchase personal protection clothing for staff and a new printer for the office.

All paid up members of the WRA are eligible to become a Club member upon payment of an annual subscription. Prizewinners’ names are published in WRA publications and on the WRA website. See Retail and Fundraising.

Scotland   

Date of Next Event      See below
Contact      Stew Green
Telephone  0131 228 4140

The Scotland Branch came into being in November 2009. Membership of the Branch is free and open to WRA members living in or near Scotland. Currently we have 41 Scottish-based members and 6 out-of-Scotland members – one in Alnwick, Northumberland and five in Northern Ireland.

Our aim is to have a mix of social and publicity events through the year culminating in our AGM and public talk in November which is generally the annual highlight and a great opportunity for members to get together.

Our external activities are supplemented by five business / networking meetings. These are dotted through the year and usually take place in Edinburgh at 7.30pm on the final Thursday of a month (specific 2013 dates available on request).

The current outing / activity programme for 2013 is shown below:

 Friday 22 - Sunday 24 February
WRA publicity stand at the Model Rail Scotland Exhibition, Glasgow
 
Tuesday 12 March
Scotland Branch talk to SRPS, Motherwell
 
Sunday 19 May
Branch outing to Scottish Vintage Bus Museum Open Day, Lathalmond by Dunfermline

Saturday 29 - Sunday 30 June
WRA publicity stand at Perth & District Model Rail Exhibition, Perth

Saturday 21 September
Branch outing to Riverside Museum of Transport, Glasgow

Thursday 28 November
AGM and public talk at St Cuthberts Church, Edinburgh.

If you would like further info on any of the above and / or would like to join us, please do get in contact.

It is not a requirement of Scotland Branch membership that you live in Scotland. WRA members outside Scotland who are not in an area serviced by an existing branch are welcome to join us.

Branch Officers
Chair – Stew Green
Secretary – Vacancy
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.