Basingstoke Station circa 1915  

(Picture courtesy of Basingstoke Willis Museum)

Basingstoke Station 2010 

(Picture by Ian Francis)

Basingstoke Station 2012

  (Picture by David Brace)

Welcome to the Basingstoke & District Railway Society website. 

BDRS was formed in 1974 to provide entertaining lectures, films, illustrated talks and other matters concerning railways, including organised tours and journeys of railway and associated interest.

The Society meets twice monthly on Wednesday evenings between 19.45 and 22.00 in the comfortable surroundings of the Wote Street Club located in Basingstoke Town Centre. 

Follow this link for 2025 Programme .

Follow this link for 2026 Programme

Typical membership is around 70, male and female, young and old, and our average meeting attendance is around the 35 mark. Most of our meetings take the form of an illustrated presentation given by quality speakers including some of our own members.

Chris Tolley's 'A History of the Railways around Basingstoke' and a 21^st century update by a long-standing Society member are accessible from our Local Railway History page.

Members pay an annual subscription plus a reduced admission fee at each meeting and enjoy many other benefits. Visitors are welcome at all our regular meetings on payment of an admission fee.

Our twice monthly evening meetings cover a variety of railway orientated subjects both at home and abroad. They embrace mainlines, branch lines and tram systems and include: passenger and freight traffic current and historical; broad, narrow and standard gauges; steam and modern traction; travel and photography; preserved and departed railways; infrastructure; and business and operational matters.

We are always pleased to hear from anyone who could give a railway-orientated presentation on any of these or related topics.

Learn more About Us including how to join by following this link.

To Find Us follow this link; to Contact Us follow this link or use the tab above.

Visit the Society and be welcomed.

12November 2025

Visit Hungary with Paul Gosling

Paul steps in at short notice to cover for an un-available speaker with a record of one of his trips to Hungary.

26 November 2025

Commercial Railway Film Show with Ian Clare

Ian will delve into his collection of commercial railway films to entertain the members.

10th December 2025

Christmas Film and Buffet

The usual society get together at the approach to Christmas with films and a buffet. This year's films will be DVDs from the "Big Freight" catalogue.

14th January 2026

Classic and Modern Image Rail Photos with Terry & Justin Foulger

Terry and Justin will offer a range of pictures and commentary from their collections.

To receive email notification before each meeting please send an email with subject "Subscribe" to:   Publicity@BDRS70D.com`

Picture of the Month September 2025

During a crystal clear March 2025 photo charter on the Bluebell Heritage Railway, new build  LBSCR H2 4-4-2 Atlantic 32424 "Beachy Head" approaches Horstead Keynes with a northbound train of 4 BR MK1 coaches in Southern Region green livery. The loco is a huge achievement of the Bluebell and the Bluebell Atlantic Group. Go to:

https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/locos/atlantic 

for more information .

Photograph by Andy Fewster.

  web@bdrs70d.com

For information about train movements through Basingstoke Station click here

The UK Steam & Modern Traction Railtours  Information website click here 

Rail fares between any two stations on the UK network click here

The live departure board for passenger trains from Basingstoke.  Click here

Get the cheapest tickets by splitting your journey!  Click here for the link to the web site with all the information  

Church Street Models, Basingstoke's in-town model shop. Click here for the link to their website.

Hampshire Models , Basingstoke's out of town model shop. Click here for the link to their website.