Detailed below are events organised by other societies, which may be of interest to our members.
If you have details for future events please send these to: Malcolm Dawes, 52 Rugby Road, Brighton, BN1 6EB or e-mail to malcolm.dawes@btinternet.com
Do please check details before travelling. The details of these meetings and events organised by other groups are only included as a guide and as a service to members. Inclusion here is not intended to be seen as an endorsement.
Weekend 5th – 7th September.
Visiting and Bluebell diesels on display. Guest locos 50008 Thunderer, 33108 from Severn Valley Railway, 3417 Gordon Pettitt, join E6040 The Bluebell Railway, DEMU 1305 and Diesel Shunter D1406 Full timetable of diesel hauled trains. Bluebell Railway. 01825 720800. www.bluebell-railway.co.uk
Blackboys: High Weald in autumn. Meet Brownings Farm complex carpark 10am.
Wednesday 10th September 7:30 pm
How Chichester became French in the 12th Century
Chichester Local History Society talk by Prof Philip Robinson. Visitors £5.
New Park Centre, New Park Road, Chichester. 01243 784915
Friday 12th September 8:00 pm
Magnus Volk and his amazing railways
Burgess Hill Heritage and History Society Event. Ian Gledhill tells the story of an electrical pioneer & the railways he built, particularly Brighton’s Volk’s Electric Railway, the oldest working electric railway in the world. Cyprus Hall, Cyprus Road, Burgess Hill. Small entrance fee. www.burgesshillheritagehistory.org.uk
Saturday 13th September
Miniature Steam Engine Weekend
Weekend 13th – 14th September.
Visiting exhibitors with their working miniature steam engines. Steam engines running on railway around the museum. Amberley Museum. 01798 831370. www.amberleymuseum.co.uk.
Saturday 13th September
Fernhurst Open Weekend
Weekend 13th – 14th September.
Activities at the site of the Fernhurst Furnace. www.fernhurstfurnace.co.uk
Trains running during afternoon.
Blackberry Lane, Chichester. www.cdsme.co.uk
Tuesday 16th September
Waverley Paddle Steamer’s visits to Shoreham and Eastbourne
Tuesday 16th September and Wednesday 17th September.
Possible day trip to the Isle of Wight.
Booking at waverleyexcursions.co.uk.
Wednesday 17th September 7:45 pm
Trolleybuses around Britain
Sussex Transport Interest group talk by Lance Grinsted. London Road Station. Non-members £2.50.
Friday 19th September
Bluebell Railway Beer Festival
Weekend 19th – 21st September.
Wide variety of beers with food, music and steam. Bars at all of the stations. Regular bus service between Haywards Heath and Sheffield Park Station. Bluebell Railway. 01825 720800. www.bluebell-railway.co.uk.
Sunday 21st September
Autumn Bus Show Visiting and Museum’s buses on display with bus rides all day
Steam engines running on railway around the museum. Amberley Museum.
01798 831370. www.amberleymuseum.co.uk.
Traction engines, train rides, Real Ale Tent, working exhibits, veteran and vintage cars, working exhibits, refreshments. Connecting bus service to Uckfield. www.tinkerspark.com
Sunday 28th September
Land Rover Day
Celebrate the classic Land Rover. Steam engines running on railway around the museum. Amberley Museum. 01798 831370. www.amberleymuseum.co.uk
End of season gathering of vintage cars, motorcycles, commercial vehicles, steam engines, diesel and
steam locomotives. Also steam train rides operating. Amberley Museum. 01798 831370. www.ambereleymuseum.co.uk.
Sunday 5th October 10:00 am
Geoffrey Mead’s “Ambles not Rambles”
Binsted: ancient woodland and wide open fields. Meet Binsted church (nr Arundel) parking in lane 10am.
Tuesday 7th October 7:30 pm
A Portrait of Piddinghoe
Illustrated talk on the origins of the village, the people, the farms and industry. Newhaven Historical Society
and Museum talk by Ian Everest. Hillcrest Centre, Bay Vue Road, Newhaven. Free parking next to the Hillcrest Centre. Non-members £5. www.newhavenhistoricalsociety.org.uk
Friday 10th October 8:00 pm
Tombstone tourists
Burgess Hill Heritage and History Society Event. Ian Everest will tell us about the development of the large municipal cemeteries during the 19th Century & how they can be a reference library for local, family & social history. Cyprus Hall, Cyprus Road, Burgess Hill. Small entrance fee. www.burgesshillheritagehistory.org.uk
Saturday 11th October
Day Conference “Change in Victorian & Edwardian Sussex 1840-1914”
Trains running during afternoon.
Blackberry Lane, Chichester. www.cdsme.co.uk
Wednesday 15th October 7:45 pm
Transport Engineers in the Victorian Era
Sussex Transport Interest Group talk by Peter Williams. London Road Station.
Non-members £2.50.
Friday 17th October
Giants of Steam Autumn Gala
Weekend 17th – 19th October.
A celebration of new build steam. Visiting locomotives – 60163 Tornado, 6880 Betton Grange and 2999 Lady of Legend, joining Bluebell’s 3242 Beachy Head. Bluebell Railway. 01825 720800. www.bluebell-railway.co.uk
Sunday 19th October
Autumn Industrial trains
This special day showcases the Museum’s impressive collection of industrial locomotives. Also steam train rides operating. Amberley Museum. 01798 831370. www.amberleymuseum.co.uk.
Tuesday 28th October 7:30 pm
World War Two in and around East Grinstead
Danehill Parish Historical Society talk by Robert Lewin. Danehill Memorial Hall.
Visitors £4 with tea/coffee and biscuit.
Local Exhibitions of interest
Novium Museum, Tower Street, Chichester
Small exhibition on the Selsey Tramway including some items loaned by Alan Green. Exhibition on until 29th September.
Exhibition Hurrah for Shippam’s – the world famous fish and meat paste manufacturers. 12th July until 28th February 2026
Heritage Open Days in September
Many buildings are opened to the public during September as part of the Heritage Open Days event. Many of these buildings have an industrial archaeology interest. Events outside of London run from 12th to 21st September. Details from www.heritageopendays.org.uk
Events in London will take place from 13th to 21st September. Details from https://programme.openhouse.org.uk/
The Association for Industrial Archaeology Conference.
The conference will take place in Bradford and run from Friday 5th September to Wednesday 10th September, made up of weekend talks and the AGM followed by 3 days of tours.
Details and booking information at https://industrial-archaeology.org/conferences
Hastings DMU’s. Opportunity for viewing the DMU train in action and booking a Sussex Tour.
Many members will have attended Jim Gibbons talk on the Preserved Hastings DMU a year ago and there is the opportunity of seeing the train in action in Sussex and also booking a tour on the train.
Discussions are also taking place for the train to be used for Railway 200 on the Bluebell Railway during July and August. Details of the route, timings and booking procedures will be available on https://www.hastingsdiesels.co.uk/railtours/
Sussex Industrial