Rother Valley Railway

Ah! Thats it! I knew I'd seen it before. Thanks for that, Robin, plus the treat of Emmett's drawings.
On a similar bucolic theme, I hope I'm around long enough two one day see a Ford Railbus trundle its way across the floodplain towards the big, bad A21, and to see the looks on the faces of the waiting drivers as this eccentric vision from the past clatters across the level crossing in front of them.

 

Now that is guaranteed to give rise to a letter to the press from 'disgusted Tunbridge Wells'.

 

On the subject of the A21, I wonder how many families will see the train go past, and decide to visit the railway and take a trip in preference to a day on the beach at a future time, or follow the brown train signs from the level crossing to Robertsbridge station even its just to take a look , its all publicity .

 

@ Robin, ask 'Frim' where he got that name from. I love it . Also 'Nazel' .... There were many nicknames on the KESR, we don't have that on the GWSR.

The 4 wheelers look lovely, and it's amazing what a small band achieved, while the main railway earned the cash with Mk1s acquired for £1000 in the 1970s. Two were in a bungalow with a roof over the top, one on a beach at Dungeness, another was a cabin in Suffolk (I think) and when I helped to strip the old newspapers glued to the partitions, I found advertisements for servants from 1923.
I wonder what passengers think of them? They are mounted on PMV underframes, must be quite a harsh ride.... Are the trains popular? Certainly they are with photographers.

 

But why the B12?

 

What better use than filling a ditch with one?

I don’t have to ask. When he started volunteering a note was left about him that referred to where he came ‘from’ that was badly written and appreatrd that ‘Frim’ was his first name. And it stuck...

 

Misheard (or misread) 'Richard from Walmer'. Someone thought his name was 'Richard Frimwalmer'. Soon shortened to 'Frim'

(Over 30 years since I volunteered on the KESR. Some things just stick in your mind)

 

The coaches aren't that harsh a ride. Most of them have had springs adjusted, based on something that was first tried by the Isle of Wight Railway, I believe. The two Ashford bodies and the Met coach (recovered from Dymchurch), are on shortened PMV underframes, but the family saloon, balcony saloon and the Woolwich coach are on their own underframes. Just to add variety, the GER coach is on the underframe of an LMS Stove R BGZ!

 

Letter received today from DfT. There is to be a public inquiry. Para 4 says "Please note that in this case we are varying the normal pre-enquiry timetable to allow, pusuant to Inquiries Rule 23, further time for the applicants to undertake ongoing negotiations. Accordingly you will be allowed an extension of the date to serve a statement of case on the Secretary of State and the applicants until Thursday 20 September 2018."

The form of words in the second sentence "serve a statement of case on ... the applicants" reads as if one would be opposing the application, even though my original (and final) submission was in favour.

 

I think in these things they tend to assume that anyone that has written in is probably opposing. Either that, or in typical Government fashion, they haven't actually read any of it....

 

I have just read my letter, I would say its just a standard letter, and the date and place of the public enquiry will be published in good time, that they are giving further time to allow for negotiations must be a positive step. So, assuming the public enquiry is local, will any of you be attending, ?.

 

I plan to attend

 

Until 9 years ago we lived in the lane leading up to Salehurst and the railway would have been just in front of us across the land of one of the objecters. If we still lived there I would have gone to the PI in support of the railway. Don't assume all in Robertsbridge will be supporters though, Bonfire Boyes and all that they are. We lived there for 10 years and were never really accepted even though we got involved in village life. I really hope I live to see the day the line opens throughout.

 

I intend to attend and speak at the enquiry.

Given where I live, I think I have something useful to say about what it is like to live adjacent to a heritage railway.

Robin

 

I will be attending as a frequent user of the A21 and supporter, with no links at all to the railway, save good wishes.

 

Letter:

 

Huh? I thought the two remaining landowners were 'over my dead body' types; in fact, the TWAO has compulsory acquisition in it for precisely that reason, yes? So who the devil is negotiating, and over what?

Noel

 

It would seem that Elmer Fudd - oops, sorry, Amber Rudd MP, has set up an online survey, presumably in an effort to reject the A21 level crossing reinstatement, and thus effectively kill off the rebuilding plans.

surveymonkey.co.uk/r/MFF2MD5

Interestingly, this is open to all, not just locals, and although it drops a cookie into your device (isn't that now illegal without permission, but that's another topic?) to stop one from voting again; if one was so minded, deleting said cookie would solve that little problem...

 

Well done for noticing this, Mark. Useful to know. I had a feeling she'd be troublesome, once she'd been relieved of the yoke of Home Secretary.
I wonder if Huw Merriman will counter with anything? After all, this is in his constituency, not Rudd's.
In fact thinking about it, does she actually have a right to do this at all?

 

Two browsers, two responses! And I suspect SurveyMonkey would argue “legitimate interest” for dropping that cookie.


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