The Society Organisation

The Society is governed by a Board of Management which is elected tri-annually at the annual general meeting. This is usually held at a different centre each year. The Board comprises the Society’s President, a Secretary, a Treasurer and four Directors.

The day-to-day business of the Society is run by an Administration Committee and a Publications Committee.

Other officers of the Society are appointed as required by the Board. All our officers serve in honorary capacities. We give a comprehensive annual report and statement of accounts to each member of the Society every year.

Membership of the Society

Membership of the New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society Incorporated is open to all interested people. Young people over 10 years of age and under 18 years of age who are attending school or college may apply for Junior Membership at a reduced subscription. All members of the Society are entitled to a special price for Society publications when they are ordered from the Society. Members may also insert small private announcements or advertisements in “The New Zealand Railway Observer” and our newsletter, ” Turntable” free of charge, subject to availability of space and a limit of one per issue per member.

How to Join

We welcome you into our Society. The current annual subscription is NZ$110 for New Zealand members (Paper and Digital Copy Observer) or NZ$95 for New Zealand Members (Digital Copy Observer) and NZ$130 for overseas members (Paper and Digital Copy Observer) or NZ$95 for overseas members (Digital Copy Observer). Each annual subscription entitles you to six issues of “The New Zealand Railway Observer”, the relevant index, notices, reports of Society activities, and the year’s issues of our newsletter “Turntable”.

Fill out the Membership Application Form with your credit card details (VISA or MasterCard), PayPal or Bank Transfer and submit it to us electronically, or print the form off and post it with the appropriate remittance.

Thomas McGavin Research Grant

The Society was founded by Tom McGavin in 1944. Tom was active in the Society from its foundation until he passed away in February 2010. In his memory the Society has established the “Thomas McGavin Research Grant”.

Potential authors are encouraged to research topics for publication, or any other use deemed desirable by the Society and to record and publish information on the history of rail transport in New Zealand.