If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

Rother Valley Railway

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by nine elms fan, Nov 4, 2012.

  1. DragonHandler

    DragonHandler Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 27, 2016
    Messages:
    1,286
    Likes Received:
    1,590
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    West London
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Oh, the hazards of working on plans for events next year! You loose track of what year you're in! :):eek:
    Original post corrected. ;)
     
  2. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2014
    Messages:
    17,587
    Likes Received:
    11,174
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    St Leonards
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Given the feeling over the whole scheme, its probably best if there is no new news, I understand the public hearing is scheduled for some time in the first quarter of 2019 and the very last thing the railway would want is negative publicity from the pages of this site, that can be used in the meeting to undermine their case, On a more positive note, the plan was to start clearance work on the newly acquired Udiam to Austins Bridge this winter with track laying some time in 2019 , is this still the case?
     
    Wenlock likes this.
  3. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2014
    Messages:
    11,235
    Likes Received:
    17,944
    Gender:
    Female
    Occupation:
    Barrister
    Location:
    Stogumber
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    This will inevitably be a quiet time for news while the powers that be decide on the public enquiry. Rest assured that it is being worked on appropriately and when there is news, it will be brought properly into the public domain.

    Robin
    Director, K&ESR.
     
    Last edited: Dec 8, 2018
  4. DragonHandler

    DragonHandler Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 27, 2016
    Messages:
    1,286
    Likes Received:
    1,590
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    West London
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    :Morewaitingisrequired: And probably best if that was more quiet waiting.:)
     
    Robin Moira White likes this.
  5. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2014
    Messages:
    11,235
    Likes Received:
    17,944
    Gender:
    Female
    Occupation:
    Barrister
    Location:
    Stogumber
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    This is correct.

    It is to be hoped that there will come a time when the K&ESR will need lots of help and support with the Robertsbridge extension and its consequences for the rest of the Railway. We will let you know when.

    If you would like to offer support in 2019, do plan a visit to our rather special Railway. And bring a few friends. That would be a great help.

    Robin

    5E296210-026B-4FC7-9C61-7534A85A30EC.jpeg
     
  6. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2015
    Messages:
    9,168
    Likes Received:
    7,210
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Thorn in my managers side
    Location:
    72
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I visited the K&ESR last summer (2017)

    It was marvelous

    My late father lived in South London (Thornton Heath/Croydon) before WW2

    He was a keen Scout & travelling in the SECR Birdcage stock hauled by a Terrier must have been a reasonable re-creation of what it was like for him going on Scout Camp in the late 20's/early 30's
     
    Robin Moira White likes this.
  7. DragonHandler

    DragonHandler Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 27, 2016
    Messages:
    1,286
    Likes Received:
    1,590
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    West London
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    My last visit was in 2015, so it's probably time for a re-visit.
     
    Robin Moira White likes this.
  8. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2014
    Messages:
    11,235
    Likes Received:
    17,944
    Gender:
    Female
    Occupation:
    Barrister
    Location:
    Stogumber
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    There are some fun events in the 2019 calendar, lunch or dinner on the Wealden Pullman is very special, and there are lots to see and do beyond the train ride on an ‘ordinary’ day.

    Robin
     
  9. Mark Thompson

    Mark Thompson Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2017
    Messages:
    1,428
    Likes Received:
    3,556
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    E sussex
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Robin Moira White likes this.
  10. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2014
    Messages:
    11,235
    Likes Received:
    17,944
    Gender:
    Female
    Occupation:
    Barrister
    Location:
    Stogumber
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I love that photo of yours, Robin.
    "A train wheel-high in the wheat"[/QUOTE]

    Kind of you to say. One of those chance ‘snaps’

    It was taken in the Summer at ‘Harvesters’ Crossing just the Noethiam end of the Rolvenden site. I was having a walk around to get my bearings as I am re-learning the K&ESR thoroughly having been priviledged to be asked to take a Directorship there (and confirmed as such at the recent K&ESR AGM).

    I always have my i-Phone SE with me. The snap is now being sold by the Railway as a post card.

    The K&ESR will never be a Severn Valley or a NYMR (and, IMHO, nor should it try to be) - it is a very special Railway in its own way.

    Robin
     
    green five and Mark Thompson like this.
  11. Mark Thompson

    Mark Thompson Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2017
    Messages:
    1,428
    Likes Received:
    3,556
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    E sussex
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    [/QUOTE]Kind of you to say. One of those chance ‘snaps’

    It was taken in the Summer at ‘Harvesters’ Crossing just the Noethiam end of the Rolvenden site. I was having a walk around to get my bearings as I am re-learning the K&ESR thoroughly having been priviledged to be asked to take a Directorship there (and confirmed as such at the recent K&ESR AGM).

    I always have my i-Phone SE with me. The snap is now being sold by the Railway as a post card.

    The K&ESR will never be a Severn Valley or a NYMR (and, IMHO, nor should it try to be) - it is a very special Railway in its own way.

    Robin[/QUOTE]

    Thank you, Robin, and many congratulations on your recent appointment. Is this purely a professional role, or will you ever be pulling levers? I can think of few places closer to Heaven than Wittersham Road on a Summer's evening.
    And quite- the KESR should always be Colonel Stephens. Nothing else. That is its USP.
     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2018
  12. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2010
    Messages:
    2,148
    Likes Received:
    3,761
    Location:
    Gloucestershire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I love the remoteness of some of the locations out on the marsh, the hum of the wind in the telegraph wires. I saw a barn owl rise up at Witt Road.

    img154aa.jpg

    The train in the picture, Sutton hauling two Maunsells, was heading for the radically distant new terminal of Wittersham Road. It was a pit of mud.

    'Bodiam by 1980' then was the heading of an article in the Terrier in 1977 :). But we did get there, despite the total rebuild of the track that was required. The stretch between Hexden and Rother bridges was even laid down twice!
     
    Mark Thompson likes this.
  13. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2015
    Messages:
    9,168
    Likes Received:
    7,210
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Thorn in my managers side
    Location:
    72
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I love that photo of yours, Robin.
    "A train wheel-high in the wheat"[/QUOTE]

    Isnt that the Teresa May Express??
     
    Adam-Box likes this.
  14. Monkey Magic

    Monkey Magic Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2018
    Messages:
    3,498
    Likes Received:
    6,845
    Location:
    Here, there, everywhere
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    That'd be the one that derailed into the ditch before departure, in a reversal of Wallace and Gromit with the tracks being ripped up in front of the train as it careered along by helpful colleagues. While the cargo of gammon advised the driver on the best course of action, suggestions veering between closing their eyes and wishing it was 1910 again, blaming anyone a bit foreign looking and sounding, all while claiming they could have done a much better job of driving the train straight into the ditch at high speed.

    'But let me be completely clear about this, I am completely determined to carry on driving the train into the ditch,' said the driver, as smoke and steam swirled around the train wreck.

    ;)
     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2018
  15. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2014
    Messages:
    11,235
    Likes Received:
    17,944
    Gender:
    Female
    Occupation:
    Barrister
    Location:
    Stogumber
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Thank you, and kind of you to ask.

    Given the distance from home in Somerset, I have committed to do a long weekend in Kent around each K&ESR Board meeting and believe I can make a significant contribution at Board level that way. Some detachment and objectivity have already proved useful. I am grateful to a great K&ESR friend who has offered me accommodation when I am in Kent.

    For those who do not know, I was an active K&ESR volunteer when at university in London and subsequently working for BR in London, Kent and Sussex in the 1980’s. (There are a few embarrassing photos from that time.). I am a K&ESR life member.

    I had expected to make a Board level contribution in Somerset after the long fight to put the WSRA to rights and hoped that 40 years of operational managerial / directorial experience (big railway and heritage) would be thought valuable, along with being both a MCILT and an MIRO. But when a WSR Operations Director was appointed I was specifically told that ‘knowledge of and experience in railway operations were not considered a significant matter in the appointment of an operations director’ to explain my non-appointment. That attitude may go some way to explaining the mess that the WSR has found itself in recently. Hopefully that attitude is changing following recent regulatory interest.

    I have recently been priviledged to be asked to join the South West Committee of the Institution of Railway Operators, which is allowing me to make a contribution to supporting the next generation of operators here in the west.

    Maintaining my competencies for Minehead, Blue Anchor, Williton, Crowcombe, Bishops Lydeard, Swanage, Harmans Cross and Corfe Castle signal boxes soaks up much of the rest of my heritage free time.

    Robin
     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2018
  16. Mark Thompson

    Mark Thompson Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2017
    Messages:
    1,428
    Likes Received:
    3,556
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    E sussex
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Hi Robin,
    Thank you for that fulsome and interesting reply. I had no idea your links with the KESR went back so far (who of us were around at the time DON'T have embarrassing photos from the 1980s knocking around somewhere?!) And I'm very pleased you are finally being appreciated at board level.
    I must admit, I had to stop following the WSR thread, as it was too disheartening. Rather like a railway version of Guido Fawkes website, and the "reason" given for your non-appointment to their board speaks volumes, not just for the WSR, but a more general malaise which seems to afflict this country. Square pegs in round, and often vitally important holes are everywhere.
    Anyway, glad the KESR have you on the board, as their business model will be radically altering with the Robertsbridge link. Best wishes.
     
    Bluenosejohn likes this.
  17. Fireline

    Fireline Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2008
    Messages:
    1,172
    Likes Received:
    1,060
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    As I understand it, all works are in abeyance pending the TWAO. Therefore, nothing to report!
     
  18. Miff

    Miff Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jun 17, 2008
    Messages:
    2,847
    Likes Received:
    2,765
    There was some rolling stock restoration in progress at Robertsbridge but no recent updates during all the TWAO excitement. Has this stopped?
     
  19. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2014
    Messages:
    17,587
    Likes Received:
    11,174
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    St Leonards
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    does this apply to all of the RVR, for instance the section between Junction Rd And Austin's Bridge, or is this also included in the TWAO?
     
  20. 21B

    21B Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2009
    Messages:
    2,921
    Likes Received:
    6,189
    In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king. Willful blindness is a very real phenomenon and seems (to me) to be quite entrenched within the Heritage Railway community. I imagine you were a victim of this kind of thinking.
     

Share This Page