Membership of The Friends of Vintage Trains offers several benefits to members:
- The Steam in Trust magazine
- Social Events
- A discount on the Stratford-Birmingham-Stratford leg of the Shakespeare Express. It is a return ticket in Tourist for the price of a single, on showing the Friends membership card. Note that this is offered on the second and third trains, starting at Stratford-upon-Avon, and not on the first and fourth trains starting at Birmingham.
Due to major ongoing works at Tyseley there are no plans by Vintage Trains to offer any further Open Days. Should these be reinstated in the future we are optimistic that a reduced admission charge to the Friends will be offered, as was the case for past Open Days.
The Steam in Trust magazine
Steam in Trust is a high quality magazine which is published twice a year by the Friends of Vintage Trains and circulated free of charge to all members of the Friends. It carries a wide range of articles, including the latest news of developments in Vintage Trains and the Tyseley Locomotive works, updates on the activities of the Friends including the Annual General Meeting and social events, contributions by members of the Friends and volunteers and much more. We also publish and circulate a twice-yearly member’s newsletter with updates from the Friends and Vintage Trains, interleaved with the Steam in Trust publication.
Low resolution PDF copies of back issues of Steam in Trust and the Newsletter are available on the publications page after current issues are sent to our members. The on-line version of Steam in Trust cannot do justice to the quality of the printed publication, which is circulated to all members of the Friends.
Social Events
A range of social events are offered to members of the Friends, who are usually invited to bring a guest free of charge. Suggestions for future socials are welcome; please contact us through our contact form with any suggestions.
Our next social will be on Wednesday 25 March at Henley Station. As you may recall we were fortunate to hold film screenings at the Electric Cinema in Birmingham and were sad when that wonderful, historic, building closed its doors for the final time in February 2024. With the help of our friends at Henley Station we are planning a morning showing of the 1955 Ealing Studios film ‘The Lady Killers’ in the brilliantly restored station building at Henley Station on Wednesday, 25 March. Numbers will be limited so, on this occasion, it will be a Members’ only event … another reason to become a Member. Contact Neil Ewart directly on 07805 817711 or email neilewart88@gmail.com for more details and to book your place.
Details of our previous socials are on our social events page. Recent socials have included a day with John Austin, Fellow of the Guild of Railway Artists, and Les Ross at the Kidderminster Railway Museum, being offered a limited number of tickets for an invitation only steam day event at the Fawley Hill Railway Museum and a visit to the SVR’s Bridgnorth Engine Shed.