Latest News
Adrian White
It is with great sadness that we report our Fixtures Secretary, Adrian White, peacefully passed away on Wednesday 21st April 2021. Adrian had been ill for some considerable time but managed to bounce back on several occasions and enjoy a near normal life but at the end there was not to be another bounce.
The Society owes an enormous debt to Adrian, who engaged a variety of quality speakers to visit Stevenage to give talks and presentations on a variety of railway subjects, both home and abroad. Such was the success of Adrian’s efforts that Membership rose from about 40 to 140 within a very short space of time and this at a time when the general trend for railway clubs and societies memberships was downward.
Adrian always showed a great enthusiasm for whatever area in which he showed an interest, whether it was Stevenage Locomotive Society, Stevenage Football Club, Worcestershire County Cricket Club, Severn Valley Railway or a Bulleid Pacific in Malachite livery (perhaps we should forget that last one!).
His e-mail address commenced with “nexttraingone”. It has for Adrian, unfortunately.
He was often referred to as the Little Person but he had a BIG heart and he WILL be sorely missed.
R.I.P., Ade.
Meetings 2021
Details of the Society’s first month’s meetings of 2021 are now on the Meetings page and you are invited to ZOOM across to it, now!
Zoom Meetings are available to Members of the Society only so join now!
Membership Renewals 2020-21, Bank details.
The bank details for 2020-21 renewals have changed so ensure if paying by bank transfer that you use the new SvLS bank account, which is:
HSBC – Sort Code: 40-43-36, Account No.72319527.
The Membership Form enclosed with Aurora has the details of the new bank account.
Coronavirus – Meetings
As the months pass by, sadly we seem to be no nearer to resuming our club meetings at our Stevenage Roaring Meg club room, which remain in official lock down and still unavailable for us to use/hire . Whatever your thoughts on the various Governments of the world ‘efforts’ during this CV19 pandemic, one thing is for sure, it’s not going to be an easy or a quick fix to this crisis!
So in common with countless other clubs and groups across the country our meetings and activities are still suspended until March 2021 at the earliest. I know some groups are trying to resume their events but their meeting rooms are under different ownerships and jurisdictions. We wish them well in their endeavours and we will monitor their progress with interest.
We will continue to keep abreast of our the situation and if and when our hall is made available to us, we will reconsider resuming our meetings again (possibly with reduced numbers of people attending a couple of ‘in house’ start up events), but the SvLS committee are mindful that currently the risks and CV19 H&S requirements are too great for us to get together in our usual safe manner, especially bearing in mind some of our members ‘maybe’ in the vulnerable age/ health group. Your safety, well being, comfort and the entertainment provided is always at the forefront of our decision making.
It is also sadly looking unlikely that our splendid Christmas Meal will happen this festive season, but rest assured as soon as it safe, desirable and practicable to do so we will consider a meal/gathering next year as ‘reunion celebration’, when we can hopefully all get together and we all look forward to that day coming, sooner than later please!
So with all the 2020 programme now sadly postponed, we look forward with anticipation to a more fruitful 2021! I’m delighted to say all our proposed speakers are still very keen to visit us as soon as it is safe and practicable for us to restart our meetings and I’m also pleased to report that others have indicated they too want to come and entertain you too.
Please continue to follow us in your monthly Aurora, on our SVLS facebook sites (have you joined the daily fun? – contact Mr. Cox for joining) and continue to check our website for all our latest news.
In the meantime and most importantly we do hope you will support the club by rejoining us with your September 2020/2021 membership renewal so you can keep enjoying our excellant ‘Aurora’ through the Autumn / Winter months (& keep sending Barrie items/photos/news for inclusion please!). This will also ensure we can start up your monthly meetings asap. Your support really means a lot to us and our 60+ year old independent Society’s future really does depends on your membership renewal. Indeed without it there simply won’t be a Society post lock down! Many thanks to those who have already rejoined and shown your faith in us, it is much appreciated indeed.
Finally, please keep following Government guidelines.
Please keep safe & well, and we look forward to seeing your happy smiling faces again when we resume our club’s activities hopefully early in 2021.
Best wishes Adrian and all the SvLS Committee.
1st. September 2020
Adrian White
SvLS Meetings organiser.
Steam Trains Through Stevenage
Steam trains through Stevenage are a reasonably frequent occurrence and details of them and other charter trains, including times, can be found on the following website:
http://railwayherald.com/railtours
Another useful website for mainline steam is:
and then check their News and Mainline Steam pages, especially handy for light engine moves.