Rother Valley Railway

I think it better to avoid the acronym NIMBY, as it is invariably used in a pejorative sense and usually in the context of "he/she is a nimby but my views are well reasoned and altruistic" (and one suspects also frequently not having symmetry of skin in the game, if I can mangle a metaphor). Better to focus on the specifics of the contrary arguments.

 

I too am a resident of Sussex, in the ward Ms Rudd is supposed to represent, I can fully understand the farmer and his view, it is after all his land same is I can understand the other protester, but have to say I find their grounds some what lacking in continuity, as they are looking to sell for housing other land they own, and part of me suspects they might have similar plans for their land, and having a railway running over part of it will have an impact on its value for resale with planning permission, so hardly the action of someone who is supportive of the village,
My hope is that the railway will attract people to Robertsbridge and that they will go on to spend money in the village, concerns about wildlife are I think being overplayed, as the railway corridor will continue to be a haven for wildlife .

 

That's a view which would be ananswerable were I tarring all those in opposition to the RVR (or any other development) with the same brush, but honestly feel my previous post makes sufficiently clear that I differentiate between genuine concerns and knee-jerk blanket opposition from those who seem to specialise in just that.

Pejorative undertones or not, I make no apologies for using the term where I feel it's entirely appropriate and will continue to do so. If the shoe fits ...... and all that.

 

One of my pet hates is the creeping introduction of American English usage replacing British usage. Such as "goose bumps" (US) instead of "goose pimples" (UK), or "green thumbs" (US) instead of "green fingers" (UK) or indeed "knock on wood" (US) instead of "touch wood" (UK).

"If the shoe fits ..." Is not a part of my past, I would have said "if the cap fits ..."

Of course I may have fallen into a trap of assuming that something not being part of my past may not be just US usage but perhaps regional differences within the UK.

 

I couldn't help an ironic smile over the Mail's typically shouty and partisan "Great Robertsbridge train robbery" feature, that one of the named promoters, Jeremy Hosking, is also a major donor to the Conservative party.
Had the Mail's hack done a little research before reaching for the keyboard, I do wonder if the tone of the article would not have been different?
I wonder also if Ms Rudd is aware? I'm sure Mr Merriman could avail her of that fact, if that is, she is prepared to either listen or care.

 

It's a perfectly cromulent application of the term!

I've grown up hearing both 'cap' and 'shoe' (Dunno if it's as a result of regional variation, my being born in pre-cosmopolitan Saarfeest Lunnun or even Disney's 'Cinderella' - which predates even me), but I do know what you mean. One Americanism of recent years, which particularly grates on my ear, is 'snuck' in lieu of 'sneaked' ..... especially when used by TV pundits (especially those I can't abide anyway .... which is most of 'em!), but maybe it's just me being a grumpy old goat .... and I'll admit that seems much more likely!

 

Ms Rudd listen to anyone, she is very much the Maybott v2.3 I don't expect she will listen she is too ambitious , but I dare say her recent fall from grace might have bruised her ambition somewhat, i suspect her getting involved is more about playing to possible party people who live locally without stopping to find out what their actual position is, it has to be remembered her seat is very much at risk if there is a general election, she would stand a very real chance of losing it. edit: i just had a very evil thought imagine, if the project does go though, and the line is built, and to celibrate it, Jeramy Hoskin arranges for a special high class dining train for his friends from London to Robertsbridge 6 ,all firsts to Tenerden via Robertsbridge, and whilst many of the local tory donors and MP's are invited, she is not.

 

Nail...head

Even without the second point, the other land they presently own is reportedly being sold for development, which will decimate the area in which it lies. Hypocrisy, much?

 

I was born in North West Kent, but brought up by mum from Durham.

 

As this thread seems to have veered into the meaning of words, "decimate" is often misused in place of "devastate". Decimation was the punishment given to Roman Legions who had shown cowardice in battle which involved executing one in ten.

Perhaps "heritage" railways would be an appropriate subject for decimation (he says provocatively)

PH

 

So could it be said that Beeching decimated our railways?

 

I'd say her chances of hanging onto her seat range from Snowball's Chance to nonexistent. Her ambition is overarching, and her character overbearing, and she has alienated a lot of people, not least her constituents.
Lovely thought about the "You're not Invited" special!

 

Being closed for costing far too much to carry out a purpose which had outlived its time, might be described as decimation I suppose.

PH

 

'Devastate' these days means 'a bit sad'. As in 'we were devastated'. It makes me think they were hit by a hurricane.

 

If it had been "Decimation", there would be a lot more than the current 9000-odd route miles today!

 

Yes, it's become part of the Snowflake lexicon.

 

Ok, lets start with ones who have extended, that run non authentic locomotives, that have changed from their original purpose Oh dear,Paul you have just closed every single preserved railway in the country except for the Torbay and Dartmouth and possibly Didcot.

 

Ah! I expected you would be one that "bit". Decimate means , properly, one in ten. It's as misused a word as "heritage".

PH

 

Aha!..... that'll be the 'cap' version ..... now if you'd said 'Lancashire', I'd be making an apology for some smart@rse comment about clogs by now.

It's a mega disaster of apocalyptic proportions which will be the end of western civilisation as we know it (whatever 'it' is)!

...... I miss traditional British sang-froid and understatement too .... Thanks a bl●●dy heap, the gratuitously hyperbolic end of the media!

 

Or as it once was "Oh, hard cheese, old boy! Still, chin up, and all that!"