SOUTHERN COUNTIES RAILWAY SOCIETY

Welcome to the Southern Counties Railway Society website

The Society covers the railway transport interests of Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Sussex and the Isle of Wight, but with the most interest concentrated around the City of Southampton and its surrounding area, in the county of Hampshire. Generally, the Society's interest largely follows the geographical area, and the history, of the western section of the former Southern Railway. Subjects for the monthly meetings, held in Southampton, consist usually of a guest speaker presenting slides or films of their particular railway based interest. Railway heritage, history and modern rail transport are covered, as well as infrastructure around the region, and occasionally foreign railway activity. The Southern Counties Railway Society is for people who have an interest in steam locomotives, diesel locomotives and electric trains from their earliest incarnations, through to the modern rolling stock, track and stations now populating the current rail network in the Southampton area and beyond.

The Southern Counties Railway Society was formed in 1948 by a group of school friends from the Southampton and Eastleigh areas who shared a common interest in transport and particularly railways. The aim of the Society was and remains to foster an interest in rail transport by arranging meetings, and visits to railway installations. Initially meetings were held in Eastleigh Grammar School, subsequently transferring to the campus of Southampton University, before moving to the current venue of the Friends Meeting House in Ordnance Road, Southampton. Some of the founding members still belong to the Society.