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]

  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.