Southall Railway Centre
 

I have just seen an advert for their next open days on 8th and 9th April.
I have never been there before, and wonder if it is worth the trip?
Anyone know the site/society?

Also, do you know if is it easy to get there from Southall Railway station? Or do you have to walk miles out of your way to get in? Their website map is "not to scale".

I might take my two little monsters with me, so "watch out" Southall :D

I haven't been there myself but I know my Grandad has.

I think the centre is accessed by a footbridge that crosses the Great Western Mainline to the Paddington end of Southall station. This footbridge is accessed by walking out of the station, turn left to walk down to a roundabout and then left again following the road to a sign saying public footpath which is also on the left.

My last visit to Southall station found that the footbridge was closed due to refurbishment work.

I have a photo of a HST passing under the footbridge at Southall and I will upload it into the gallery.

I may also go on one of the opening days.

GBRf_66709

Had a look today while i was about you can't get over the bridge any more so it's a walk around to the depot,i know a chap that was a member some time ago i will give him a shout and let you know what he tells me.
All the best,Ian:) :)

Looks like I may be driving then, but somehow it seems morally wrong....

But then:- do I want to spend 2 hours waiting for bank holiday trains, and £50+ on train tickets, whan it will cost us £10 to drive, and only 40 mins to get there?

Well, we turned up at Southall today. We knew it was going to be small, but not that small.

It is very sad to knock fellow enthusiasts when you can see that they were all trying so hard, with dozens of newly made direction signs, and were very friendly. Unfortunately they were hemmed in by restrictions and fences so the only thing on offer was 30-yard brake-van rides.

I think the problem is that they have rather over optimistic marketing. One (or two?) small buildings doesnt make a Railway "Centre". To hold an Open Day, and then say that their other two working engines were out on loan elsewhere is bad planning. (Not that they would have had anywhere to put them if they had been on site.)

I wish Southall Railway Society all the best, but hope that they will drop their over-grand marketing. :)

30 yards eh............WOW, let the train take the strain ! brake van ride's. was that with or without an engine?
were they offering british rail pork pie's too ?

http://www.sdjr.co.uk <----has more track laid than southall and they are not over marketing until they lay more track to make it worth your while !

I also went yesterday. It would have been better if they did a brake van ride through the DMU shed like they did back in the 1990s. They also had a lot more rolling stock back then aswell.

Got some pics yesterday which can be viewed at the following link:

http://craig-stretten.fotopic.net/c1251016.html

GBRf_66709
http://craig-stretten.fotopic.net/

You did well to get these good photos on such a restricted site. But perhaps photoing a pile of coal is getting a bit desparate :D