+ </li><li> see the workshop's <a class="wiki" href="/display4405" rel="">programme</a> and <a class="wiki" href="/display4407" rel="">participants</a>.

+ Next meeting: tba<br />Most recent meeting: Saturday 25 April 2026, Leeds.<br />

- Chair: Jerry Alderson, Finance & IT Director<br />Acting Finance Officer: David Harby<br />

+ Chair: David Buchan, Finance Director<br />Acting Finance Officer: David Harby (to 31.12.2026, Phil Thomas from 01.01.2027)<br />

+ Management Accountant: Barry Pierce

- New Members: Dr Donald Peacock<br />Member Renewals: Lloyd Butler<br />Email: <a class="convert-mailto" href="mailto:nospam@example.com" data-encode-name="membership" data-encode-domain="railfuture.org.uk">membership at railfuture.org.uk</a><br />

+ New members: Dr Donald Peacock - email: <a class="convert-mailto" href="mailto:nospam@example.com" data-encode-name="membership" data-encode-domain="railfuture.org.uk">membership at railfuture.org.uk</a><br />Existing member renewals: Lloyd Butler - email: <a class="convert-mailto" href="mailto:nospam@example.com" data-encode-name="renewals" data-encode-domain="railfuture.org.uk">renewals at railfuture.org.uk</a><br />

- Next meeting of Editorial sub-group, for July 2026 Railwatch no.188: Thursday 9 April 2026.<br />Final copy date for July 2026 Railwatch, no.188: Friday 1st May; Monday 18 May 2026 for pre-notified late items only. Publishing 9th June online / 15th June paper copy.<br />

+ Next meeting of Editorial sub-group, for October 2026 Railwatch no.189: Thursday 6 August 2026.<br />Final copy date for October 2026 Railwatch, no.189: Friday 28th August; Monday 31st August 2026 for pre-notified late items only. Publishing Tuesday 15th September online / Friday 25th September official publication date.<br />

+ <strong>23rd March - <a class="wiki external" target="_blank" href="https://www.geoffreycox.co.uk/news/sir-geoffrey-pushes-bideford-rail-link" rel="external">News from Sir Geoffrey Cox KC MP</a> Torridge & Tavistock</strong><br />

- <em>"Sir Geoffrey pushes for a Bideford rail link"</em> - watch <em>"Tim has been indefatigable on behalf of Railfuture"</em> on <a class="wiki external" target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7UD6wEJK8k" rel="external">YouTube</a>.<br />

+ <em>"Sir Geoffrey supports Tarka Line extension to Bideford"</em> - watch <a class="wiki external" target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7UD6wEJK8k" rel="external">YouTube</a> as he declares <em>"Tim has been indefatigable on behalf of Railfuture"</em>.<br />

- <strong>21st March - <a class="wiki external" target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c20z50j7w28o" rel="external">BBC News</a></strong><br />

+ <strong>21st March - <a class="wiki external" target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c20z50j7w28o" rel="external">BBC News</a> North East and Cumbria</strong><br />

+ </li><li> November 2026 - autumn workshop of Northern Devon Railway Development Alliance, in Barnstaple on Monday the 9th (national <a class="wiki external" target="_blank" href="https://tps.org.uk/events/tpday2026" rel="external">Transport Planning Day</a>).

- </li><li> March 2027 - fourth annual Convention of the Northern Devon Railway Development Alliance, on Friday 5th. Venue likely to be in Exeter.

+ </li><li> March 2027 - fourth annual Convention of the Northern Devon Railway Development Alliance, on Friday 5th, likely to be in Exeter and hosted by Transport Planning Society Public Sector Partner <a class="wiki external" target="_blank" href="https://tps.org.uk/news/devon-county-council-becomes-a-tps-public-sector-partner" rel="external">Devon County Council</a>.

-

- 10 July 2026. Friday. Close, at 5pm, of Mid-Devon District Council consultation on Local Plan 2026-46.

+ Mid-Devon Local Plan - click <a class="wiki" href="/display4399" rel="">view</a> or <a class="wiki" href="/dl4399" rel="">download</a> to see Railfuture Devon & Cornwall regional branch's response to the District Council's Scoping Consultation for the new Local Plan. July 2026.<br /><br />Exeter City Centre - <a class="wiki" href="/display4393" rel="">view</a> or <a class="wiki" href="/dl4393" rel="">download</a> Railfuture Devon & Cornwall regional branch's response to the City Council's draft City Centre Strategy for 2026-31. June 2026.<br />

+ 10th July - North Devon Line modernisation momentum maintained - after a Northern Devon Railway Development Alliance workshop, participant Tim Steer, chair of Railfuture's Devon and Cornwall regional branch, reflected: "We all have to be in it to win it. It’s a long slog but the size of the prize, not just for northern Devon but actually for most of Devon’s current districts, given the wider network benefits, is incalculable."

-

- 8 July 2026. Wednesday. Railfuture West Midlands regional branch, committee meeting open to all members. Venue: platform 3 meeting room, Birmingham Moor Street station (thanks to generosity of Chiltern Railways). From 17:45 to 19:45 (or earlier). More info: Rf-WM

+ <strong>Next regional branch event:</strong><br />25 October 2026. Sunday. Campaigns stall at annual Oxford Green Fair. Venue: Oxford Town Hall, St Aldate's, Oxford OX1 1BX. 1:30-16:00.<br />

- <strong>Other recent branch events:</strong><br />29 November 2025. Saturday. Regional branch campaigns stall at annual <a class="wiki external" target="_blank" href="https://greenoxford.com/green-fair/" rel="external">Oxford Green Fair</a>. Venue: Oxford Town Hall, St Aldate's, Oxford OX1 1BX. 10.30-16.00.<br />

+ <strong>Recent branch event / AGM</strong><br />Thames Valley regional branch open meeting with guest speaker Pete Brunskill, (Rail Development Lead, Place Shaping Service, Economy and Place Directorate) Oxfordshire County Council, also brief formal AGM, on Tuesday 12 May 2026. Venue: West Oxford Community Centre (Mary Town room), Botley Road, Oxford OX2 BT. See Pete's <a class="wiki" href="/display4366" rel="">presentation</a>.<br />

- 22 September 2025. Joint meeting hosted by Oxfordshire County Council and opened by Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action Cllr Judy Roberts, held at County Hall, New Road, Oxford OX1 1ND. Topics included <a class="wiki external" target="_blank" href="https://letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/oxrail-2040" rel="external"><em>"OxRAIL 2040: Plan for Rail"</em></a> (out to full public consultation since Wednesday 3 September, closing Wednesday 1 October).<br />

+ <strong>Previous branch events</strong><br />~ Regional branch campaigns stall at annual <a class="wiki external" target="_blank" href="https://greenoxford.com/green-fair/" rel="external">Oxford Green Fair</a>. Venue: Oxford Town Hall, St Aldate's, Oxford OX1 1BX on Saturday 29 November 2025.<br />

- 29 April 2025. Thames Valley regional branch open meeting, preceded by AGM. Guest speaker: Rich Fisher, Business Lead for Project Churchward, Great Western Railway. Venue: West Oxford Community Centre (Mary Town room), Botley Road, Oxford OX2 0BT. 17.00 for 17.30 start. (N.B. this meeting was NOT be anything at all about the ongoing Botley Road bridge works.)<br />

+ ~ Joint meeting hosted by Oxfordshire County Council and opened by Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action Cllr Judy Roberts, held at County Hall, New Road, Oxford OX1 1ND on 22 September 2025. Topics included <a class="wiki external" target="_blank" href="https://letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/oxrail-2040" rel="external"><em>"OxRAIL 2040: Plan for Rail"</em></a> (out to full public consultation since Wednesday 3 September, closing Wednesday 1 October 2025).<br />

- <strong>Previous branch events</strong><br />~ Thames Valley regional branch campaigns stall at annual <a class="wiki external" target="_blank" href="https://www.oxfordtownhall.co.uk/whats-on/upcoming-events/event/oxford-green-fair/" rel="external">Oxford Green Fair</a> on 1 December 2024. Venue: Oxford Town Hall, St Aldate's, Oxford OX1 1BX.<br />

+ ~ Thames Valley regional branch open meeting, preceded by AGM, on 29 April 2025. Guest speaker: Rich Fisher, Business Lead for Project Churchward, Great Western Railway. Venue: West Oxford Community Centre, Botley Road, Oxford OX2 0BT. (N.B. this meeting was NOT anything at all about the ongoing Botley Road bridge works.)<br /><br />~ Thames Valley regional branch campaigns stall at annual <a class="wiki external" target="_blank" href="https://www.oxfordtownhall.co.uk/whats-on/upcoming-events/event/oxford-green-fair/" rel="external">Oxford Green Fair</a> on Sunday 1 December 2024. Venue: Oxford Town Hall, St Aldate's, Oxford OX1 1BX.<br />

+ The next Kent Division meeting will be on <strong>Saturday 15 August 2026</strong>. 14.00.<br />

- The next Kent Division meeting will be on <strong>Saturday 15 August</strong>. 14.00.<br />

+ The most recent Kent Division event of 2026 was over Saturday / Sunday 16 / 17 May. Railfuture London & South East regional branch, Kent division had our campaigns stall in <a class="wiki external" target="_blank" href="https://favershamassemblyrooms.org.uk/" rel="external">The Faversham Assembly Rooms</a>, Preston Street, Faversham, Kent ME13 8PG, at the annual Faversham Festival of Transport. More info: <a class="wiki external" target="_blank" href="https://favershamtowncouncil.gov.uk/community/faversham-festival-of-transport/" rel="external">FFoT</a>.<br />