Rail Riders

Rail Riders, originally called Great Rail Club[1] was a club for young rail enthusiasts run by British Rail in the United Kingdom between 1981 and 1991. Membership entitled children aged 5-15 to discounted rail travel, receipt of a regular quarterly magazine called Rail Riders Express, and free entry to the Rail Riders World model railway exhibit at York railway station.

The organisation used the slogan the happiest club in the land and travel, action, fun! During 1981/82 the British Rail Passenger Marketing Services department considered the future promotion of the club.[2] The logo was based on a side-profile of the British Rail Class 370 Advanced Passenger Train (APT), and a knitting pattern for a pullover with the logo was made by Robin wools.[3]

The club closed in 1991.[4]

On 8 October 2019 it was announced that a new club, unconnected with the original, would revive the 'Rail Riders' name and would be launched in February 2020, nearly 30 years after the original club closed.[5]

Mileage competition

The club ran an annual mileage competition. In 1989, this competition was won by Jonathan Carter, who set a world record of 125,386 miles (201,789 km) travelled by train in one year.[6]

Rail Riders World

The Rail Riders World model railway was opened by British Rail in April 1984 inside the old tea rooms at York railway station. It was advertised by British Rail as "Britain's best model railway".[7] Following the privatisation of British Rail the layout was sold off. It was subsequently renamed York Model Railway.

In 2011, the model railway exhibit was moved by its owner William Heron to a new location in Hemswell Cliff in Lincolnshire.[8][9][10][11]

Locomotives

The club sponsored two Class 47 locomotives, one from 1981 to 1988 and another from 1988 to 1992.[12] These were 47406 Rail Riders and 47488 Rail Riders. Locomotive 47406 was named by nine-year-old competition winner David Atkins at Newcastle Central station on 10 December 1981 with an additional full-colour circular plate with the Rail Riders logo added on 12 November 1985 in recognition of increasing membership numbers.[13] In May 1988 the plates were removed in preparation for installation on locomotive 47488, which took place on 9 August 1988 at Crewe Diesel TMD with the plates removed in August 1992.[13][14]

Bachmann produced a run of 512 OO gauge models for Gaugemaster of 47406 Rail Riders in British Rail Intercity livery.[15]

References
  1. "British Railways Publicity". Southern Railway Publicity. 20 May 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  2. "Promotion of the Rail Riders Club for children aged 5-15: includes proposals for future operation" (AN 185/85). AN 185 - British Railways Board: Passenger Marketing Services: Records. National Archives. 1 August 1981.
  3. Robin. "Knitting Pattern Child's DK Rail Riders Motif Sweater 24-34" To Knit Robin 13374". Amazon UK website. Retrieved 2 June 2015. Knitting Pattern Leaflet Robin 13374: Instructions To Make Sweater With Rail Riders Motif. British Rail Logo and Hst [sic] Design Knitted From Chart
  4. "Going off the rails". The Independent. 29 June 1991. p. 44.
  5. "Rail Riders is returning after nearly 30 years". 7 October 2019.
  6. White, Jim (29 October 1990). "1,650 miles in one day? Easy-peasy". The Independent. p. 14.
  7. McLean, Bill (25 February 1988). "Medieval York offers the tourist a grand old time". Glasgow Herald. p. 23. Retrieved 2 June 2015. Another poster enthused about "Britain's Best Model Railway at Rail Riders World in York Station,"
  8. Aitchison, Gavin (26 March 2008). "End of line for model railway?". The Press (York). Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  9. "Model Railway heading to Lincolnshire after 27 years at York Station". Scunthorpe Telegraph. 10 January 2011. Archived from the original on 16 February 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2015. York Model Railway is making tracks to Lincolnshire after 27 years in its current home. The tea rooms at York Station have been host to the exhibition since its inception … owner William Heron
  10. "Rocketing rent leads to relocation of museum". Lincolnshire Echo. 14 January 2011. Retrieved 15 February 2015. Mr Heron reckons the Rail Riders World, Thomas The Tank Engine and Bavarian scene model railways, complementing a smaller n-gauge layout, will be open from the end of March.
  11. "New Tenant Sought for Prestigious Premises Following Departure of York Model Railway". Media Centre (Press release). East Coast (train operating company). 6 January 2011.
  12. Marsden, Colin J.; Ford, Darren. Encyclopaedia of Modern Traction Names (PDF). p. 198. Archived from the original on 23 October 2007.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  13. Appleby, Paul (2 October 2014). "47 406". Class 47 website. Retrieved 2 June 2015. Newcastle Central station by David Atkins (aged 9), winner of a Rail Riders competition December 10th 1981 ~ A crest representing the Rail Riders club badge was added on November 12th 1985 to celebrate a 4-fold increase in Rail Riders club membership ~ Plates removed in May 1988.
  14. Appleby, Paul (2 October 2014). "47 488". Class 47 website. Retrieved 2 June 2015. Crewe Diesel TMD without ceremony. August 9th 1988 ~ Name previously carried by 47 406. ~ Plates removed in August 1992.
  15. "Bachmann 31-650P Special Commission BR Class 47/4 "Rail Riders" Intercity". Retrieved 16 February 2015. 31-650P … limited run of 512 pieces. This celebrity loco was named after BR's Rail Riders club which was established to promote rail travel and safety to young people.
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