Rother Valley Railway

What's he going to do? Blind the land owners with his wardrobe to distract them while the line gets built?

 

.... or just distract 'em with the overpowering whiff of aftershave?

..... and how much does it cost to bathe in that stuff?

 

My dear old Uncle manages it somehow without bankrupting his household.

 

But how will this pan out, ok one land owner, I suspect ( the one who wants to redevelop land elsewhere) will take the money and run, its quite clear where their interest lay, but the Hoades I think will be a problem, if he loses and has to accept the CPO, the railway will have a very difficult relationship with the family and there could be all sorts of issues, to do with being on what he see's as his land and building something he will really hate, and what if something happens, who will the finger of blame be pointed at?

 

What if ... what if ... what if ...

Can’t help thinking that imagineering all sorts of malign scenarios about named individuals and assigning dubious motives to others is hardly helpful. Why not wait and see how things pan out?

Tom

 

Spoilsport. People would not then be able to come up with enigmatic concepts of purchasing land in good faith (and presumably the corollary of purchasing in bad faith).

 

With respect, it is very different, in that an industrial premises can move to an alternative site relatively easily, whereas a Railway (or canals before them) cannot have sharp corners or steep gradients and so are constrained as to site / route.

This was understood during the canal / railway building era in the 18th and 19th centuries, hence the Parliamentary process. Including their version of what is now a compulsory purchase order.

Robin

 

There is usually someone in most families that smell like a tarts boudoir.

 

https://www.conservativehome.com/lo...-trains-is-a-threat-to-the-rother-valley.html

 

Which alternative reality says that 'heritage railways are playthings of the rich (err - what might some say about the Conservative Home website.....?)' and 'aren't tourist attractions'?

Not a lot of support for her amongst the comments - particularly liked the 'this is an attempt by a few well placed individuals to stop the project'.

The author does nothing for her credibility, which for a local authority cabinet member is either worrying, as expected or probably both!

Steven

 

This is a statement by a councillor on her own behalf, not on behalf of her council. All 15 councillors on the planning committee (she’s not on it) voted in favour of planning permission.

 

Stuart Crow· 1 hour ago

Can we have some more steam trains and semaphore signals on Network Rail-managed routes? They seem to be more reliable than the newer and more expensive technology which routinely fails hard working commuters. Services around Sussex and Kent are some of the worst and heaviest-delayed anywhere. The point about the level crossing on the A21 is a good one, though.

Reply
1 reply · active 1 hour ago

Like Like Like!!

 

Leaving the rubbish aside - and there's plenty - it does highlight one key point, which is just how sensitive the area is to any issues with the A21.

 

Many seem to think that it is just two farming families and a hotelier that are against the plans. Well, it seems a large number (hundreds according to the local news reports) users of the A21 are not pleased with a crossing which they believe will give more delays.
Whilst it has been suggested here, from memory, that only five trains, or so, a day will pass I believe those unhappy realize that the figure could well increase.

 

Aah ..... so it's the sacred status of the A21 which is why the 'powers that be' have done s*d all about this choked artery in the 40 years since the last spurt of inprovements (which coincidentally peter out where the road crosses into Sussex)? I had wondered.

IMO East Sussex County Council is a prime example of what happens when any political party can rely on being voted back in for eternity, regardless of how clueless and inept their policies. ESCC has demonstrated considerable 'form' for over half a century when it comes to outstandingly lousy transport planning policy, although in reality, use of the term 'policy' is being charitable. WSCC, with it's ingrained roundabout fetish is no better .... ask anyone who has to use the A27 between Worthing and Chichester.

[\End of rant]

 

I quite agree - but as a trunk route, she has b all control over what happens. Meanwhile, which you disregard in your otherwise very well aimed rant, you have the issue that this is a proposal that will - however marginally - worsen the A21. Of course that's going to hit a nerve.

 

You're quite correct about the trunk road designation, however ESCC will inevitably negotiate with central authorities .... but my accusation of inept transport policy stands. I'l justify it with a single word ..... Uckfield.

Actually, I suspect thinking is marginally more Machiavellian than we might suppose and that the crossing has been green-lit on the basis any improvements to the A21 through Sussex will involve bridging the RVR, with the cost being subsumed in the wider project. Whether thee and me are still around to compare notes if anything does eventually happen is another matter entirely!

 

Robin, by only quoting part of what I wrote you have obviously (and I suspect deliberately) misrepresented what I meant. I'm not going to repeat myself, just re-read the whole of my post.

I find myself split absolutely 50/50 on this subject. Half of me feels that the landowners have a point in not wanting their land to be sold from under them and the other half would rather like to see a Terrier and two coaches trundling along between Junction Road and Robertsbridge.

However the overriding emotion I am feeling is utter exasperation at both those for and against the whole thing, both of whom are resorting to ever-more spurious, goalpost-moving, exaggerated arguments to try and justify their own, increasingly entrenched, point of view. Never have more straws been clutched at by so many over such a short stretch of countryside.

And then of course you're getting those pitching in who seem to get off on treating a hornets nest with all the respect that a big stick brings. Frankly very few expressing a public opinion on this appear to be covering themselves in any kind of glory.

I think those both in favour and against this thing all need their bloody heads banging together and being told to stick to the REAL facts, not a load of increasingly idiotic rhetoric and unjustifiable 'facts' that this seems to have degenerated into.

https://highwaysengland.co.uk/projects/a21-tonbridge-to-pembury-dualling/
Note the start and end dates.

 

I only wanted to comment on part of what you wrote, so I quoted that part and commented on it. No more malign motive...

Robin

 

(EDIT: I ment unquantifiable, not unjustifiable)