Hampshire & Sussex Group

Hampshire and Sussex Area Group (HANSAG) of the Ffestiniog Railway Society. Early members were Reginald Crick, Vic Mitchell, Bob Smith and Alan Wheelhouse.

A meeting was advertised in the Summer 1959 FR Magazine (No. 6.) to be held at the Railway Hotel, Portsmouth on Saturday 28th November for anyone interested in the possible formation of a Group. Those interested were asked to write to Mr. J.N. Bilton of Southsea. The next issue of the Magazine reported that the meeting had been a great success with Leonard Heath Humphrys introducing four films about the FR and then answering questions about the Society and Company. A four man Working Committee of messrs. Abbott, Bilton, Sheppard and Bob Smith was set up. Later it is reported that a meeting of the Group was held in Portsmouth on 6th February 1960, the main objects being to elect a Committee and to discuss the constitution. Chairman of the Group was Reginald Crick who served his apprenticeship at Boston Lodge and whose father and grandfather both had long associations with the FR. Group Secretary from late 1961 was Bob Smith who was one of the FR's early volunteers and was still a PW volunteer in 2013. Brian Cawkwell was chairman 1971 - 2008.

Ian Harden was Working Party Organiser for many years. Group working parties have generally concentrated on P.W.

Like other Festiniog Railway Society local groups the HANSAG has in recent years found it difficult to recruit younger members. The original value of sharing transport to North Wales declined as more people had cars. In September 2018 they decided to call it a day, their final meeting being on 9 March 2019.

• 

  Two retired FR HANSAG platelayers with Ian Harden, former Working Party Organiser (on the left) at the FRS Bristol Area Group book sale at Frome on 6/11/2021.