Swanage Railway General Discussion

I thought that 4'33 by John Cage, (Google it if you are not familiar with it) would have pleased some people on here !

 

Thank you, though the inclusion of my name could give the misleading impression that I helped to produce the video. Anyway I have now made a donation, of more than my promised minimum £100.

That one would be acceptable, though like some other forms of modern art a lot of us consider it pretentious in the extreme.
Any other music is a matter of taste: what someone loves someone else detests (and probably many don't care either way). In the specific context of a video with locomotive sounds and a commentary, any music at all is at best superfluous and at worst a reason not to watch.

OK, back to the SR and let's cease the discussion of music, in general or specific.

 

Yes Sir.

 

Now this is a brilliant way of donating to your favourite railway
https://www.visionmailer.com/t/View...EF23F30FEDED/CEB238153B6E6CD52C69F821C9DCC086

 

I noticed that Alex (with the compulsory bookshelf back ground) had for most of the video a book entitled sail.
This was removed in the last shot.
As a sailor, this omission totally destroyed my viewing experience and I am cutting up my premier life membership card to show my discontent.
Without a signed letter of apology, with a whiff of Dettol , from the leader of the free world Mr Putin, I shall stop eating Chinese food.
Your humble servant
Three sheets to the wind........hic

 

Now is the time to consider how SR is going to come out of Lockdown. It will probably be a long time before volunteers are allowed back but maybe things to consider would be limited Herston Works Staff could be allowed back now with testing. Other staff after testing could work in semi isolation to move rolling stock to ensure nothing has rusted on, points work and I am sure that a lot of items need oiling. Of course I could be totally wrong, but I do hope there is a plan.

 

Just looking at my organisation, we are carrying out risk assessments and looking at how we can have a safe system of work. If you think about it, if you are welding you use thick gloves and eye shields, its the same with the Covid19, if people have to work in close contact we each other, then wear the correct PPE.

 

I would agree with this strategy. There are plenty out there in construction industries still working and some seemingly not following best practice recommendation on distancing, not that I'm suggesting any HRs would do likewise however. HS2 construction must be mission critical??

 

How would you do the testing though? Tests are not generally available to the public or private companies.

Keith

 

I should have said when tests become available and they will not be free, so cost will have to weighed up against benefit. Over the next year the situation will be ever changing, and the Railway should be ready when those changes come.

 

I come back to my original post. You wear the correct PPE

 

We will have moved on from that stage.

 

Good to see O8 was polishing the rails today moving spoil away from the new Carriage Shed. There is a single person checking all the signaling and looking for loose nuts. He is getting tired!

 

We cannot move on from social distancing until there is a vaccine. Herd immunity does not work as you can re catch this blessed virus.

 

Surely better on another thread, but the science is ambiguous about what immunity those who've caught the disease possess, while if catching the virus doesn't confer immunity, that surely undermines the prospects of a vaccine working. How, returning to this thread, that affects operations or demand at Swanage or anywhere else is the million dollar question.

 

For info, a skeleton engineering staff are still working on the SVR in Bridgnorth (contract loco) and Kidderminster (carriage), with appropriate distancing and in accordance with regulations.

Patrick

 

I have pm'd you

 

I believe the Swanage Railway may well have retained up to three members of paid staff [i.e. not- furloughed] to cover regular vital inspections of railway infrastructure as well as other structures such as station buildings, offices, etc.
Hopefully this may help reduce opportunities for vandalism. In addition, like other heritage railways, local members are using their permitted exercise walks/runs/cycling to look over boundary hedges/walls/fences to check on anyone/anything suspicious.

 

Here is a statement that has been published in the local newspaper

"Swanage Railway announced its 'Save Our Service' appeal last month, after it closed down services temporarily in light of the lockdown.

Railway supporters fear the line could become another economic victim of the coronavirus unless the £360,000 target is met.

Gavin Johns, the chairman of Swanage Railway Trust, said: "The Swanage Railway is facing the most urgent and potentially devastating challenge in its history, due to extraordinary and terrible circumstances beyond its control."

I am a pensioner whose lucky situation in this lockdown has a constant pension. I have noticed that my outgoings have dropped for two reasons - I am not using the car and I am not eating out. I have therefore made a second donation and depending on how long this goes on, will be considering making further donations. Perhaps one or two of you maybe in a similar situation.