'Trespassing' properties demolished on the new Waverly Route!

Not totally sure of your point of comment of my post here - clearly, I don't mean people sit their thinking "I must use more electric NOW!" - if you prefer, modern society runs on power, mainly electric.

I would disagree with you the concerns about how it is generated. The media tell people to be opposed to every alternative means of generation to coal/gas/oil and all have their drawbacks. Strangely, France has no problem with being largely nuclear powered - its people seem capable fo accepting any risk as being a price to pay, whereas I would suggest many Britains feel that dealing with the issues raised by needing electric power is something some-one else must do, not them. They would probably be quite happy for us to use electricity generated in overseas nucelar power stations so we didn't have the risk of nuclear power that the media keeps telling them about (although some might have a problem with using "foriegn" electricity!)

Personally, I do tend to feel we are going to have acceot a new generation of nuclear power stations, and much household electric can probably be generated from very small wind turbines and solar. I friend of mine dreams on inventing a tile that lookis like a tile (or slate) but actually is a solar panel. When in Germany earlier this year, I saw solar power "farms" - small fields full of solar panels, as well as much more use of solar panels on house and factory roofs. Like so many things, to the British, this is a problem for tomorrow because it will cost money and needs leading by the Government (which in Britain means it will cost twice as much money by the time the civil service have finished)

Steven

 

I have tried to question the logic behind the New S&d but to no avail? I know from talking to some other groups that they feel the title alone suggests that the site is superior to all others which doesn't go down well! I find the guy behind it (and his other sites) very offensive really, slagging of home owners and anything else built on any closed line. His attitude more dissuades me from supporting the cause as it would be embarrassing to be linked with someone with such bullish views of how thing are gonna be. I enjoy Shillingstone and did a fair bit of work there inc reroofing the station and breaking out part of the concrete floor. I also replaced a section of platform that had been removed for a pipeline. I'm impressed at how they have come on and the site looks great. MSN is another place i visit frequently, again with staggering results over the last few years. The thing they have in common is they know they can only go so far in each direction and have their feet firmly on the ground at what they can achieve. No one suggests or claims they can re'instate the whole line. The idea of acually thinking this is possible is ludicrous.

 

Yes Chris you are quite right about the blogger-it says it all. But this guy is not just alot of words, he has created and built and has assembled a team which has acquired Midford and taken out a lease on Spetisbury. Already he and his group are already looking at other sites. Each site has its own workforce which have been putting some sweat into restoration. If re-establishing the S&D brand as a reality has the cost of deleting a few comments from a blog then bring it on! I have spoken to the guy, he is switched on and knows exactly what has to be done. The fact is that the negative comments he receives are either malicious trash or stuff that is the same old ground being trodden over and over again. The New S&D is lateral thinking of a 'can do'type which disappeared after the pioneer preserved railways became more or less established. The times we live in have spawned several magician led initiatives-the Welsh Highland project has been prominent-and the KESR extension is happening...and talk about the impossible dream..the Waverly! The New S&D is symptomatic of and sympathetic to the public mood of distrust towards central government and the move towards localism.
As for the M25 -I am convinced that Westerham will one day get its branch railway again. Long may the TBirds and E types roar on the motorways- hopefully fuel will still be available and I guess it will be many a day before tumbleweed bumps against the central reservation barrier. However I can see a certain hard shoulder being given up for the new generation of trains from Dunton Green and service areas becoming housing,leisure and industrial developments.

 

One of the funniest things i have read from that site is under the heading "WOOD", this guy acually thinks that wooden rails are the way forward lol. Can you see the latest high speed train on wooden rails?

 

...running on wood- not on wooden rails... but actually burning wood! Unless I missed something-the blogger does appear to have some idea of basic engineering principles!

 

Well done on your contribution to Shillingstone and MSN- even to restore these 2 wonderful stations would once have been considered ludicrous.
No more ludicrous than the Waverly resolution. As time moves on what was once incredible becomes credible. I seem to remember that IK Brunel was pretty bullish-so was George Stephenson and George Hudson... and OVS Bulleid...

 

Sorry Austerity - the man is a cretin. He will not tolerate any challenge to his warped and illogical way of seeing things merely deleting comments that ask him how he proposes to deal with fairly fundamental things like land tenure law, personal property rights etc.

Switched on he ain't

 

I agree, You can't seem to ask the simplest of questions without being labled as a troll or worse. And what's the point of a blog site if it's only the authors view that counts? We all know that "Austerity" and the N,S&D author are one of the same person. I for one disagree with his views that home owners are "stupid" to buy a house on what was railway land. There has to be a pretty strong case to re'instate a line no matter how much we would love to see it's return. Peak oil seem's to be his ONLY argument which gets boring really.

 

Just on reading the opening line on the subject it mentions the use of wood for rails instead of steel? Something to do with resouces i gather! You obviously haven't read your own blog corrrectly
Whilst the ideal material for rails is steel, there's no reason why, in the right circumstances (financial, resource availability, loadings) wood can't be used.
This BTW is the opening line

 

Oh dear. Not a believer in free speech then?

 

Causes are won by winning intellectual arguments - not dismissing them. Nuff said.

 

Why put across a convincing argument for how a rebuilt S&D is achieved by high oil prices when you can show how credible your ideas are by restoring a couple of old stations? ;-)

Being serious, on the latter front they have my complete support but i cant take them seriously until i see a logical explanation of the process by which high oil prices result in a government spending vast amounts rebuilding the S&D.

Chris

 

Of course I am-that's why I enjoy this forum from time to time- and in this case discussing the blogger in question. I post to stimulate intelligent response and therefore access varied opinion and attitudes. I have to admit like most on this thread I would like 'The New S&D ' to happen-and certainly would prefer 2 old station restorations to nothing. Like some I do tend to struggle with the logic behind the blogger's peak oil principles,but it's more than that... it's a reference to a projected sea change in the way we live. One thing for sure-the growth (greed) based economy we rely on is obviously unsustainable. It seems to me that blogger's S&D principles fit in snuggly with 'a new way' based on a transgression to localism. As for free speech I don't suppose Dr Beeching was particularly receptive to it and neither were the accountants who contrived to deplete our national railway system. Hatchet men rarely are. So... is our blogger a pied piper, or a visionary, or both? -he's certainly not a hatchet man or suffering from myopia. A cretin?-now that's a bit unkind and not in the spirit of civilised debate.
Those concerned about the demise of motorways could always start a preservation movement.Fuel would be pricey but it would be worth thrashing along in a TVR on a short museum stretch to experience the thrills of a bygone age!

 

If the S&D had to rely on the N/S&D to get re'instated then god help it. The site is full of contradictions. On the one hand saying roads are dying and people are giving up on cars ( even he confesses to not using his own) to moaning about congestion. Also saying houses or anything else standing in the way of the S&D is idiotic and stupid but supporting Gartell who have used the trackbed and have themselves built a house on the line. We have visited Midford from time to time and not much has changed apart from the endless weeding. I have only ever seen 2 guys there at any time but at least they are there doing what they can. The site boasts work partys as if there were an army of men making huge changes. Also will the local pub really want to lose it only carpark? references are made to the pub but i guess only to keep them sweet.

 

Ah thankyou Dave you have put it into context for me-sorry I couldn't find that item. I can assure you that I'm not the blogger-but I do support the reinstatement of the S&D. Why don't you email the blogger or even phone him-I did! The best way to find out more is to join the group-it's only a fiver and better still become a volunteer at Midford or Spetisbury. You are quite right-there are no armies of men -just the dedicated few as in the start of any worthy railway project.

 

I used to get this all the time + he also tries to twist everything you ask. There are an awfull lot of people i would guess who would love to see the impossible happen, but if he's claiming he can do it then why not answer questions that challenge him rather than delete them? I find it rather arrogant. Never seen the guy on site getting his hands dirty either come to that

 

I have no axe to grind-I asked him many questions of the ilk you are describing. He didn't strike me as arrogant,in fact he was measured,informed and considerate in his responses. I don't quite understand how you think he deletes stuff,because he moderates everything before it goes on-I think! Unless you are saying that he never puts your stuff up in the first place. He always puts mine up-and never taken any comments of mine down.

 

There have beeen a few who have commented on the fact that post are either deleted or not shown. It's as if he can't deal with being challanged. To be honest there have been many faild attemps to reopen the line even days after it closed by employees of the S&D. So much has been demolished even in the last 2 decades that it would take a collosal amount of money and would never regain the full costs. The massive company Thales have built on the line at templecombe, How would that be over come?