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Well worth at least one visit. Thanks Cliff

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If they show the film of the last steam train departing Vic for Marylebone I will be on it. Funny how I now regularly use Marylebone to travel to Kidderminster, services to Snow Hill used to go from Paddington, can't work that one out.I have to say that Chiltern Rail from Marylebone have really nice trains, if you catch it right the direct service on refurbished Mk3 carriages hauled by a Class 68 is awsome.

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Oh, do you realise that the Nottingham Industrial Museum were given the chance of obtaining the LMS Pacific 'City Of Nottingham' for nowt but couldn't be arsed to take it on,'No Room' was the response, don't believe it. Birmingham was the only city that took on an offered Coronation, I went over there last week to see it, but after wandering around the art gallery vewing Pre Rhaphaelite paintings in 35 deg of heat, it was a pleasure to get back on the air con train to Kidderminster, walk across the car park and, pint in hand, sit in the concourse at Kiddy GWR station and watch the steam trains come in and out.

Oh, another thing, 43106 came in pulling a complete train of LMS carriages, the last survivor of it's type, which surprised me, apparently it was shedded at Woodford Halse, so it may have turned up at Vic sometime, does any keen type have a record of this.

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Re #6 - I'm sure you know that many of the GC services went that way into and out of Marylebone, joining the Paddington direct line between South Ruislip and Ashendon Junction just north of Haddenham (it was a high speed grade-separated junction, seen to this day in that the up track follows the course of where the flyover carrying the GW line over the GC used to be).

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Went today and found it slightly disappointing, to be honest. Nothing much in the way of new information. The size/quality of the photos was Ok but not as good as you come to expect from a museum display these days. They could have done with a few more on the construction and early days - like the ones in the Newton collection. Victoria looked at its most impressive when it was brand new, the brickwork was clean and sunlight came through the glass roof. Maybe there were problems with getting permission to use some images.

Having said that, many wouldn't know much about the station - or even that it once existed, so perhaps I am not really part of the target audience.

Still, I had a nice walk there and back in the gorgeous sunshine - all 29 miles of it!

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Sadly it is too far away from Tyneside to make a special trip - but I wonder how it compares with the 1969 'Railways of Nottingham' exhibition that was held at Wollaton Hall in 1969? I did attend that and from (distant) memory was very good - but there again I was only 15 at the time.

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Still got that book too Tim. It was a hive of information at the time. Brilliant!

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A mate of mine knew the local representative of the RCTS in the late 50's - 62, and we joined up and embarked on many a bus trip all over the country. It all helped to fill my Combined Volume, and enhance my historical and geographical knowledge of the UK. Priceless!

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I no longer have a copy of the 1969 RCTS exhibition book ? - it would be fortunate if, in that mine of information, someone was to discover an entry that confirmed the location of the YMCA hut at Midland Station.....

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I do recall that day,we drove in my Dad's light 15 Citroen ( GTJ67).

Vic Forster,Mick Shaw,John Proctor all the RCTS gang,loved the trips and film shows on North Church St.great that my old man involved me!

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I too was a member of RCTS and remember Vic Forster, who lived in Beeston. Used to go to his house to renew my membership. Went on one of their trips, I think to the Severn Valley Line. I went to that exhibition, and still have the book somewhere. Their Locomotives of the LNER was a superb series of books and graces my bookshelf.

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Just to mention that the exhibition being discussed was put together by members of a Facebook Group, there wasn't any official backing from any organisations, The exhibition had very meagre funds but a lot of effort combined with a great passion for the station. Mostly the work of one woman, Janine Tanner, a great deal of persuasion was required to get INTU to allow any sort of commemoration of the Victoria Station in the shopping centre. I don't think the expectations of the group were to excite the knowledgeable, like yourselves, but more to enlighten the many who didn't even know there had been another Nottingham mainline station. A rather grand one at that.

I'm not involved with the exhibition apart from being a member of the Facebook Group and making a very small donation to help cover expenses. :)

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Hi Bryeio

Many thanks for the details of the exhibition, which must have taken many hours unpaid work to compile and complete. It is clearly a work of great enthusiasm and energy.

I guess I misread the hype and had slightly exaggerated expectations on seeing the very professional looking flyer in post #1.

Sincere apologies if my earlier comments caused any offence.

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No offence at all, I just thought I should put some perspective to the exhibition. Janine is a remarkable lady and wouldn't allow INTU to scupper her dream of making sure that as many people in the city as possible get to know about the station.

Some say she carries a blue brick plucked from the dark depths of Thurland Street Tunnel in her handbag, helps no end in negotiations. :laugh:

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Me too Ian. As I've stated previously, greed, avarice, petty jealousies, totally incompetent management, boundary changes, blind loyalty to the detriment of the passenger. I can never over stress the importance of the GC as a super fast freight line and a fantastic cross country route too. The design was unparalleled in this country. Forget Brunels GW, this was the ultimate. Utter sacrilege.

If it was a choice of Rory coming back, or the GC, then I'd top myself as I couldn't make the choice!

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