1Z10 Christmas Bash, 9-10 December 2026

It’s time to start thinking about our annual 1Z10 Christmas gathering and this year we’re heading somewhere a little different!

Our Christmas get-togethers have always proved popular, providing a great opportunity to catch up, enjoy a couple of days of railway photography and round off another year of 1Z10 outings. Having traditionally concentrated on the Midlands and the North, this year we’re venturing south to Newbury in Berkshire.

Newbury will be our evening base, with plenty of opportunities to explore the local railway scene. Depending on interest and the prevailing conditions, we could also venture further afield to the Berks & Hants line, Reading or Basingstoke. There may even be the opportunity for some evening photography at Reading station, possibly on the train from Newbury - £9.70 (£6.45 with Senior Railcard) return from Newbury.

For those thinking about an overnight stay, the Premier Inn Newbury Town Centre on London Road currently looks to be the most economical option in the area, with standard non-flex rooms advertised from around £57 per night. There’s no on-site parking, but the adjacent car park offers overnight parking for £2 and Newbury station is around a 15-minute walk away.

As usual, this is very much an opportunity to get together, enjoy some photography and have a good social catch-up before Christmas. We’ll work out the detailed plans nearer the time, depending on who’s coming and what the weather and railway workings have in store for us. For now, please get Wednesday 9th and Thursday 10th December in your diary! It would be great to see as many of you as possible join us for what promises to be another enjoyable 1Z10 Christmas Bash. More details to follow, but if you’re thinking of coming, it’s probably worth keeping an eye on accommodation prices and booking early. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Andrew Shenton

14/10/26