Book Review and Front Cover Photo by Dana Wiffen
National Directory of Traditional Railway Societies 2022/23 edition
By Richard Bowry-Railway Club Directory-250 Pages
The clubs themselves have been invited to sell the book on their online shop (if they have one) or through www.railwayclubdirectory.com if they do not. Price is £20 and for every book sold to a member of a club, £5 is donated back to the club. Post and packaging is £3.50 (however delivery within London is in fact free). The book can also be bought directly from the RCD at www.railwayclubdirectory.com. Price is £20 plus p&p.
This book pays homage to the numerous historical railway societies and national railway clubs bringing them all together into this one directory which has not been done before, especially in such detail.
It offers the reader a chance to look up their favourite while also giving an opportunity to browse some of the varied and sometimes more obscure ones that could also help to attract them new members.
While Heritage Railways are not included many of the societies that support these railways on a broader scale are listed, for example The Narrow Gauge Society.
While some of these Societies, Associations & Groups have supported heritage lines and also keep alive the memory the many lost lines, virtually every railway company, railway buildings, infrastructure, lost gauges which will also attract members both locally as well as from all over the UK and abroad.
This is an extensive book put together with a lot of detail and attention, it is broken down into sections of National, Specialised, Historical, Local, UK Societies for Railways Overseas and Rail User Groups also offering a Directory of Principal Officers while giving membership totals and details of each groups contact together with photos of their respective journals.
It offers a worthwhile insight into these groups with both large and small membership numbers and it will particularly appeal to those that like a reference book to hand rather than having to trail the internet for such information.
Dana Wiffen