Slough & Windsor Railway Society
The Slough & Windsor Railway Society (registered charity no. 298296) is a railway society based in Slough, Berkshire, UK, and has a membership of rail enthusiasts drawn from all over the Thames Valley to the west of London, and further afield.
The Society meets weekly – see Friday Nights at 'The Manor', below, for the programme of forthcoming events.
Contents
History and Aims
The Slough & Windsor Railway Society was formed in 1983 with the aim of securing the long-term future of the Slough to Windsor branch line. Fortunately, British Rail did not close the line, as had been proposed, and the SWRS has moved onto other things.
Today, the Slough & Windsor Railway Society seeks to preserve, study and promulgate the railway history of Slough, Windsor and the surrounding areas, and provides a haven for local railway enthusiasts to socialise and reminisce.
Activities
- Every Friday evening, members meet at The Manor, at Slough railway station, for an illustrated talk, usually on the subject of railways. These meetings are open to non-members. (See 'Friday Nights at The Manor', below.)
- The Society is the custodian of an 0-6-0ST steam locomotive Slough Estates Ltd, No. 3, which used to haul wagons around Slough Trading Estate. Currently based at the Swindon & Cricklade Railway, 'No. 3' has been returned to steam, thanks to the efforts of Society members who spent many years restoring her to working order. No. 3 is now one of the regular train engines on S&CR running days.
- The Society has acquired a portable 7.25"-gauge miniature railway which they hope to take to events around the area to provide publicity and raise money for the Society. The railway includes a working steam locomotive, and the Society is keen to welcome more members who would be interested in helping to operate and maintain the railway.
- The Society also organises occasional visits to railway and other transport installations.
- The Slough & Windsor Triangle is the Society's magazine. It is published three of four times a year to keep members up-to-date with Society activities.
- To raise money to keep No. 3 in steam, and to publicise the Society, a sales stand is taken to local events. On Friday evenings, the sales stand is available for the purchase of a wide range of ('pre-owned') railway books, videos, magazines, railwayana and other transport-related items, usually at prices well below those on eBay!
Membership
Membership is open to all, at annual rates which are consistently lower than similar organisations elsewhere. Special rates are available for junior, senior (pensioner) and family memberships. Please refer to the SWRS website (see External Links) for the current membership rates and instructions on how to join the Society.
Events
Friday Nights at 'The Manor'
The Society holds its regular meetings on Friday evenings at 'The Manor', the Society's meeting place.
Members gather from around 19:30, with the meeting proper starting at 20:00. During the interval, light refreshments are available for purchase. The sales stand is open before the meeting and during the interval.
Meetings are open to members and non-members. There is a nominal admission charge, to cover the running costs of The Manor, with reduced rates for members and the usual concessions.
Directions to 'The Manor' may be found at the end of the page.
Tours and Outings
Each year, a number of outings are organised for members. There is also a mystery tour on one Friday evening...
Watch here for further details, or visit The Manor on a Friday night.
How to find us
The Manor is located within the grounds of Slough railway station, Brunel Way, Slough, SL1 1XW.
To reach The Manor, use the vehicle gates to the West Car Park, to the left of the black-and-white taxi hut at the west end of the main station entrance. There is ample pay-and-display parking in the station car parks, but the railway station is within easy walking distance of the bus station.
The map below shows the Great Western Main Line through Slough. Slough Station is on the right, the Windsor Branch curves down to bottom-left, and 'The Manor' is roughly in the centre, adjacent to the road bridge. Slough Bus Station is the large rectangle to the south of the railway station, and both are reached from the A4 road (runs across the bottom of the map).
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