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Thames Valley Group

Welcome to the Thames Valley Support Group

The Thames Valley Group’s activities take place mainly within a 30 – 40 mile radius of Basingstoke .

Twice a year we have an area group meeting in Newbury and look to invite a guest speaker.  Past guests have included the L&BR Trust and Company Chairman and the Chairman of Exmoor Associates. (Read more about Exmoor Associates HERE).  Our meetings enable attendees to hear the latest news about the railway and to ask questions directly of the management. Attendees also have the opportunity to meet other members and to purchase L&B merchandise. These meetings are also open to non L&BR Trust members in the hope that they will decide to join us. The meeting-room is just a short walk from Newbury rail and bus stations.

We have an Exhibition and Sales Stand which we take to Model Railway Exhibitions and other venues such as the Didcot Railway Centre and the Mid Hants Railway. Members are encouraged to help man the stand, especially if it is at a venue close to where they live.

As well as telling visitors all about the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway we suggest that they become members of the L&BR Trust.  We also do our best to encourage them to take a short break or holiday on Exmoor and to visit Lynton and Lynmouth and, of course, to take a ride on ‘our railway’ whilst there.

Mike Pearce
Leader of L & B R Thames Valley Support Group - Email


 

Backtrack magazines for sale – raising funds for the L&B

Dec
17
2023

The L&B Thames Valley Group have been given a complete set to date (as at December 2023) of the 37 volumes of the railway magazine “BACKTRACK”  Click here for information about that magazine.

Volumes 1 to 32 are professionally bound. Volumes 33 to 37 are individual magazines.

Posted By Mike Pearce read more

Jonathan Hill 1950 - 2023 RIP

Oct
02
2023

 

L&B members will be sorry to learn of the death of Jonathan Hill. Jonny was involved with the L&B from very early days. In particular he was one of the founder members of the Thames Valley Group.

There will be a lunch to celebrate his life on Saturday 25 November in the Millennium Hall, Straight Mile, Horton-cum-Studley, OX33 1AE

For further details please contact Helen Bungay via email address h.bungay@btinternet.com

 

Posted By Mike Pearce read more

Basingstoke MRE 11 - 12 March

Mar
04
2023

Members of the Thames Valley Group will be promoting the delights of the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway to those who attend the Basingstoke Model Railway Exhibition on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 March. Please click here  for details of the exhibition.

One of the OO9 layouts is named 'LYNTON' - we are all very much looking forward to seeing that in action.

Posted By Mike Pearce read more

Alton MRE 4 - 5 February

Feb
02
2023

Members of the Thames Valley Group will be promoting the delights of the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway to 'anyone and everyone' at Alton Model Railway Exhibition on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 February. Please click here for details of the exhibition.

If you visit the show do please introduce yourself to the folk manning the L&B stand. If you buy a few L&B items and drop some cash in the donation box that would be even better!

Posted By Mike Pearce read more

TVG promote the L&B at the Watercress Line Gala

Oct
12
2022

Members of the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Thames Valley Group were invited to take their Exhibition and Sales stand to the Watercress Line for the recent Mid-Hants Railway Autumn Steam Gala. 

As can be seen from the pictures below, the L&B group were given full use of the viewing gallery in the Carriage Shed at Ropley. Fran Lovelock managed to grab the opportunity to take some photos while there were comparatively few people in the gallery but at other periods the room was crowded with visitors!

Posted By Mike Pearce read more

TVG members visit Fawley Hill Museum

Jun
28
2022

The L&B Thames Valley Group was very fortunate to receive an invitation for a group of members to visit the Fawley Hill Museum on 26 June. The museum houses the collection of the late Sir William McAlpine.

Many L&B members have fond memories of Friday 29 September 2017 when Sir William visited Woody Bay Station to unveil the nameplate of the newly built locomotive LYN. L&B magazine 114 carries a full report of the events of that special day. Sadly that proved to be Sir William’s final public engagement as he passed away just a few months later.

Posted By Mike Pearce read more

L&B display at Basingstoke Model Railway Exhibition

Mar
18
2022

On Saturday 12 March and Sunday 13 March members of the L&B Thames Valley Group were busy manning our stand at the Basingstoke Model Railway Exhibition (MRE). The last time we had taken the stand to a MRE was the same show in March 2020 (pre Covid) so it was very appropriate to resume our activity of promoting the L&BR where we had to pause for a break two years ago.

Posted By Mike Pearce read more

Sunday 22nd August - Basingstoke Festival of Transport

Aug
20
2021

 

The L&B Thames Valley Area Group will be having a stand at the Basingstoke Festival of Transport on Sunday 22nd August.

If you go to that event do please come and say hello to the L&B supporters who will be manning the L&B stand. You will be able to buy your 2021 Christmas cards. You might even spot an L&B book which you forgot to buy when you were at Woody Bay Station!

Posted By Mike Pearce read more

Thames Valley Group Newsletter - November 2020

Nov
25
2020

I do hope you are keeping well and managing to cope with this current lockdown. It is good to hear the recent positive news about various vaccines - let us hope they will prove to be successful.

A TV programme to watch

A new series of the TV programme “Walking Britain’s Lost Railways” starts next week.

Posted By Chris Dadson read more

FLYING SCOTSMAN is too big to visit Woody Bay...

Mar
13
2020

...so we took the L&B to see the FLYING SCOTSMAN!

FLYING SCOTSMAN came to the Mid Hants Railway for a three week stay at the 'Watercress Line’ recently. The locomotive was based outside the engine shed at Ropley Station.

Posted By Mike Pearce read more

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Corporate Supporters - Where to Stay

The Denes Fox and Goose Highfield House Lynton Cottage Moorlands North Cliff Sinai House