Rother Valley Railway

[QUOTE="

The legend that was Philip Shaw, the redoubtable Mark Toynbee...

Indeed, there were quite a few characters on the Wealden Pullman crew back in the day.[/QUOTE]

Miss Critchell...... (an inversion of his real name, Chris Mitchell)

 

Really? I thought 'The Shaw' had died years ago. Glad to hear that the old boy is still with us!

In the hands-on sound industry, people tend to know what they're talking about and are generally too busy doing to have time to indulge in the kind of office piffle that pen-pushers who want to sound like they're busy and know what they're talkign about do! It's mainly the specific examples I referred to above.

That said, 'yoof' expressions used in this country - like 'I'm loving this' and '... an actual thing' - drive me even more nuts with exasperation. It seems like the entire world is committed to speaking like a 12 year old.

I remember him. As well as Drunken (Duncan) Buchanan and the mad Scotsman - Colin something. I'm getting away from the 'bantz, innit?' of nicknames a bit, but Ken Lee, John Miller, Derrick Bilsby, Derek Dunlavey, Colin Edwards, Adrian Landi, Tom Dole, George Wright are other people I remember. And a bunch more faces whose names have long since vanished from my memory.

 

I took this none way back in the early days, between Hexden and Rother bridges. Maybe 1980? I think it was about the time that military track was laid, only to be lifted again afterwards.



Isn't it amazing, all three are still there! There must be something about the KESR that they like

 

Colin Edwards - a.k.a. 'Puffer' - who taught me how to bring a heavy unfitted works train down a steep gradient, and how to recognise when I'd braked too hard and the wheels had picked up; and Chris Mitchell, who showed me what an Austerity could do with five Mk.Is and a van up Tenterden Bank, if I kept the needle right on the red line . . .

 

[QUOTE="
the redoubtable Mark Toynbee...[/QUOTE]
He’s still around but not on the railway. Was known as Custard Thornbury.

 

Is the one on the left Adge Landi? The one in the middle . . . reminds me of Pete Salmon, but his hair looks way too dark . . . the one on the right, dunno.

 

L to R (and I was sure you'd know this)
Adrian Landi
Paul Wilson
Clive Lowe

Recognise them now?

 

Just come across a few videos on YouTube that echo some of the concerns that posters have raised on this thread about the extension, not sure if they've been posted before but here we are:
-This first one seems to be a video produced to bring some of the affected local residents onside, a good breakdown of some of the primary issues I think.

-this second one shows the type of level crossing that they want, it's footage of one on the Isle of Man. Only difference is mainland horizontal lights instead of vertical, a good idea not to have staggered crossing gates, too many chancing b*stards about to allow it. Note the cctv on the poles too

 

Yes - all three! If Clive had been wearing his glasses, I probably would have twigged him, too.

 

The first clip on this link shows the type of barrier I suspect they'd use, due to the width of the A.21 - and, as Fear of Manchester points out, to prevent clots from driving round half barriers;


Unlike the one shown on the IoM, the barriers come down in opposite pairs, so if somebody drives onto the crossing and has a barrier come down behind them, an escape route is still open for them.

 

My god, were Adrian, Paul and Clive actually young once Yes Phillip Shaw is still alive but at times we were not sure, when he used to fall asleep in the rest room, then theres Nick Pallent, he really does look like the living dead, we used to joke about banning him from Tenterden platform at Halloween in case he scared customers, we were sure he used to sleep in the cavel van . Ken & Lesley lee, well what can you say, and Meg, well heart of gold, really nice person, once you get to know her, and stop hiding when she comes in,

 

I hardly recognised Adrian Landi wihout the filthy headgear. Funny, I was wondering how many of the names I remember are still there?

Alas a higher power come calling for me one dark night in my latter KESR days (1984, I think). I had a vision and, at the same time, a voice spoke to me (in the unlikely setting of Hammersmith Odeon). But, from that moment of epiphany, my destiny was sealed and I walked away from the KESR with nary a glance over my shoulder. The recording studio was where I belonged

 

You might live in England, but us in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales don't particularity like being described as living in England..

 

Did I describe any of YOU lot as "living in England"? No, I did not; I said that I live in England. See the difference?

FYI, when I lived in Wdig, and was asked where I lived, I answered "Wales" - and when I lived in Aberdeen, Banchory and Forres, I said I lived in Scotland; not UK, and NOT England.

If you wish to say that YOU live in "UK", do so - it's no skin off my nose - but spare me the whining victim rubbish, as though I was implying that you were mere colonies of us tyrannical English, eh?

Oh, and to you, too.

 

If ever I met anyone who could be described as 'larger than life', it's Meg, bless her! And I agree - she's got a heart of gold . . . and her sign-writing is the stuff of legend! I've had the opportunity of seeing some of her work at close range, and I still found it hard to believe that any human being could achieve such results.

 

'Tyrannical English' - that strikes a chord. As an expat Englandshirer living in Scotlandshire for many years, I find the barely-concealed contempt of my girlfriend's parents highly amusing. I am occasionally moved to point out that I fully agree that the Highland clearances were a terrible thing and, I'm really sorry, I can't be held personally reponsible for them just because of where I was born. Then we move on to the fact that I earn all my money from outwith Scotland and the vast majority of it is invested in the local economy. But they still hate me because their daughter didn't fall for a locally-born boy. Parochial, much?

 

From what, little, I remember from school history lessons the inhabitants of Scotland have always disliked those who live south of their borders.
It is, I was told, an attitude that goes back to pre-Roman times.

 

I'm glad to see that this thread is no longer an interesting read about the RVR but is now just a parody of the WSR thread.

 

Yes Mods, I thought this was supposed to be a serious discussion about the RVR?

 

It's called thread drift, But as been pointed out this is supposed to be about the RVR, so what happens at any public inquiry ? for instance, can inaccurate statements made by the landowners and their supporters be publicly challenged? or is it only known facts that can be voiced, and very little public input, I know the inspector will then report back to the minister with their findings , but that the minister has final say.