Entry £3 on the door
The Steyning Railway Evening is part of a programme
of special events run by Steyning Adult Education Centre.
Archive film, interviews with men who worked on the line, new material including a completely new look at the line using latest computer technology, plus a preview trailer of the forthcoming 'Bluebell Railway: Lost And Found' DVD.
For many years now, the second Friday in November has been the occasion for a gathering of people from far and wide who share an interest in the branch line which ran up the Adur Valley from Shoreham to Horsham via Bramber, Steyning, Henfield, Partridge Green, West Grinstead and Christ's Hospital. This year the date is Friday 10th November and the venue is again the Drama Hall in Steyning Grammar School, Shooting Field. The evening is organised through Steyning Adult Education Centre and begins at 7.30p.m. Entry is £3.00 which includes interval refreshments.
"I think these evenings started when I was collecting material for Steyning And The Steyning Line which was eventually published in 1987." said George Cockman who is still involved with the evenings, but has handed the management over to Philip Gardner who edited and produced the video The Lost Railway and The Lost Archives - as well as The Lost Wey To The Sea about the Wey and Arun Canal.
"The amazing thing is that every year something turns up which throws new light on the old line; sometimes people who have not seen each other since the line was working meet again to share memories. We've had a 20 minute reel of cine film brought in, photographs, memorabilia and nearly always some amusing anecdotes. This year we have a really exciting item at the heart of the evening - we'll experience the use of latest computer technology to see the line as it's never been seen before."
There is a wide ranging programme apart from this item: vintage film of the Steyning and other lines, an interview with Bob Howick, a signalman in the last days of the line, a series of slides Views From The Signal Box by another former signalman, Bill Mayes and a trailer to the new film introduced by Fred Dinenage about the Bluebell Line, Lost And Found.
"While we are always thrilled to see old friends who had connections with the line and share their memories, we also welcome anyone who has joined local communities since the closure and wants to find out more about this part of the local heritage." said Phil Gardner. "You really do catch the flavour of those days in a way you could never capture through reading - the humour, the details, the response to questions; it's a wonderful evening for everybody. Come and join us; you'll not be disappointed."
Last updated by Richard Salmon, 3 November 2006