Other Events

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.

Saturday 9th August

Tinkers Park Railway Gala at Hadlow Down

Weekend 9th -10th August. Traction Engines, vintage vehicle, railway train rides all day, model railways. www.tinkerspark.com

Saturday 9th August
12:00 pm

Open Day at Crawley Signal Box

Brighton Road, Crawley. www.facebook.com/CrawleySign

Sunday 10th August

Bus Rally at Tenderden Station

More than twelve vintage buses with some offering free rides to a number of local destinations. www.kesr.org.uk.

Sunday 10th August

Communication Day

Displays and demonstrations of communication related activities. Also Steam Train rides operating. Booking required.01798 831370. www.amberleymuseum.co.uk.

Sunday 10th August

Open Afternoon at Chichester Model Engineers

Trains running during afternoon. Blackberry Lane, Chichester. www.cdsme.co.uk

Saturday 16th August
12:00 pm

Cuckfield Royal Observer Corps Nuclear Bunker open for visits

Saturday16 th August’ 12noon to 4pm and Sunday 17th August 10am to 4pm. Newbury Lane, Cuckfield. www.facebook.com/Cuckfieldnuclearbunker.

Wednesday 20th August
7:45 pm

Industrial Railways and Freight Trains of South Wales

Sussex Transport Interest Group talk by Peter Jones. Visitors £2.50. Brighton Model Railway Clubrooms, London Road Station, Brighton. 07769 294408.

Saturday 23rd August

Toy and Collectors Fair

Horsted Keynes Station, Bluebell Railway. www.bluebell-railway.com.

Saturday 23rd August

Hellingly Festival of Transport

Weekend 23rd – 25th August.  www.ehvc.biz

Monday 25th August
10:00 am

Open day at the Brede Steam Engines

Steam and working industrial engines. Situated 6 miles from Hastings on A28 to Ashford.
https://bredesteamgiants.co.uk

Saturday 30th August

Model Railway Exhibitions at Tenterden Station

Kent and East Sussex Railway. www.kesr.org.uk

Saturday 30th August
10:30 am

British Engineerium Museum Tours (No Steam)

Booking essential. Details https://www.thebritishengineerium.com/events-at-the-british-engineerium

Sunday 31st August
10:30 am

British Engineerium Museum Steam Up

The Droveway Hove BN3 7QA
Booking essential. Details https://www.thebritishengineerium.com/events-at-the-british-engineerium

Friday 5th September

Diesel Gala Weekend

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

Saturday 6th September
10:00 am

Open day at the Brede Steam Engines

Steam and working industrial engines. Situated 6 miles from Hastings on A28 to Ashford.
https://bredesteamgiants.co.uk

Saturday 6th September

Vintage Tractor Weekend

Weekend 6th – 7th September.
Visiting exhibitors with their stunning vintage tractors. Amberley Museum. 01798 831370. www.amberleymuseum.co.uk.

Saturday 6th September

Laughton Autumn Show

Weekend 6th – 7th September.
Laughton, East Sussex. www.heritagefield.co.uk

Sunday 7th September
10:00 am

Geoffrey Mead’s “Ambles not Rambles”

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

Fernhurst Open Weekend

Weekend 13th – 14th September.
Activities at the site of the Fernhurst Furnace. www.fernhurstfurnace.co.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.

Sunday 14th September
10:30 am

British Engineerium Museum Tour

The Droveway Hove BN3 7QA
Booking essential
Details https://www.thebritishengineerium.com/events-at-the-british-engineerium

Sunday 14th September

Open Afternoon at Chichester Model Engineers

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.

Tuesday 23rd September
7:30 pm

The rediscovery of a lost medieval park at Knepp

Danehill Parish Historical Society talk by Sue Rock. Memorial Hall. Visitors £4.
www danehilhistory.org/programme.

Saturday 27th September
12:00 pm

Open Day at Crawley Signal Box

Brighton Road, Crawley. www.facebook.com/CrawleySignalBox.

Saturday 27th September

Tinkers Park Open Day at Hadlow Down

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

Saturday 4th October
10:00 am

Open day at the Brede Steam Engines

Steam and working industrial engines. Situated 6 miles from Hastings on A28 to Ashford.
https://bredesteamgiants.co.uk

Sunday 5th October

Autumn Historic Transport Gathering

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”

At Kings Church Lewes.
Study Day Tickets at Eventbrite. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/change-in-victorian-edwardian-sussex-1840-1914-study-day-tickets-1260935565219

Sunday 12th October

Open Afternoon at Chichester Model Engineers

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/