Taken from the Officers’ Reports, Mercian Jan-Feb 1966, Vol.5 No.1
The Editorial was largely taken up by explaining who was doing what. Malcolm Willis was to be the Membership Secretary and A.A.Chatfield was to take over as Editor.
The present content will remain as in my predecessor’s time but I shall be introducing new ideas as I go along.
The most difficult thing will be to find ‘copy’ and you can all help by sending in articles, comment, criticisms – constructive or destructive – and anything else of both preservation and general railway interest.
I want to make Mercian really interesting from all angles – a start has been made by ‘Tre Pol and Pen’ and ‘Casey Jones’ (articles to come about branch lines and loco classes) – but there are other avenues of preservation still untapped such as railway architecture, carriages and wagons and signalling. Who will start the ball rolling?????
Hon. Treasurer’s Report – F.J.Harvey
I am pleased (you don’t see a Treasurer’s report start with those words very often!!) to be able to make my first report for 1966 quite a good one. If the Society can maintain the good start to the New Year our position will be more healthy than it has been for some time.
The Society aims to complete payments on the Stroudley E1 this year – £115 is still owing. Anyone who is interested in this locomotive is invited to send in a donation to this as payments are being maintained from the general funds at present. Whilst talking about donations I would like to sincerely thank Mr. J. Strong and Mr. G. Wildish for their donations towards the removal of the Peckett 0-4-0STs. More contributions are requested to this fund also.
Hon. Social Organiser – A.L.Holden
A brief report about the Annual Dinner and Whist Drive – both successful, with two junior members – Andrew Horton and William Ives – selling a huge number of Whist Drive tickets.
The Hon. Treas. and Hon. Soc. are promoting a weekly Tote amongst members and friends to raise money for the Society. I believe that this Tote proved to be successful and continued for a number of years. (I’ll let you know if it didn’t!)
Hon. Chasewater Secretary – E. W. Barlow
Museum Building. Without beating about the bush it will be as well if all members know that the loan repayments for the building will be approximately £245 per annum. We urgently need members over 21 years of age to act as guarantors. Will any such members please write to me in strict confidence NOW. If 20 members are prepared to guarantee £20 each we shall be there.
Hon. Curator – N. Hadlow
MSL Coach at Easingwold
MS & LR Coach. This vehicle, the first relic ever to be purchased by the RPS will soon be on its way to a temporary home at the HQ of the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. (Lovely railway, lovely people!) To move and begin initial restoration will cost £140. The Vintage Carriage Trust are finding this money, but have asked us to help out with as big a donation as possible. Will all members interested in yet another appeal aimed at their pockets please send donations to our Hon. Treasurer. Amounts over £5 will be acknowledged in this magazine.
MSL Coach in Chasewater Railway Heritage Centre 2010
On Sunday January 9th we moved the ex North Staffs Railway wagon which we purchased from the Shelton Iron & Steel Co., Etruria, to Chasewater. In spite of a biting cold wind the operation went off reasonably smoothly. (I would have been surprised if there hadn’t been a biting wind at Chasewater in January!). My thanks to all those who assisted, particularly Bob Wormington and our good friend Jake Bacon, who provided his low loader.
Judging by the old photographs of the Chasewater site, it must have been wide open to the elements with very few trees providing shelter from the wind. Anyone who has worked on the track in the winter months, even now, especially on the causeway, deserves the thanks and recognition of all members).
Chasewaterstuff's Railway & Canal Blog 