On Friday 10th August there was a brief ceremony at Tenterden to officially recognise the return of Petros, our carriage for those with disabilities. The interior of the new look Petros has been designed with input from The Kent Wheelchair Users Group. This has ensured that it is about as user friendly as it could be, both for those who use wheelchairs, but also for those who assist them.
It was a privilege for me to meet with John and Jill, brother and sister of Dave Sinclair.
Dave was responsible for the coach coming to the K&ESR and he fitted it out to become the first coach for the disabled on a Heritage Railway. Even BR were impressed with the Toilet and all BR toilets to this day stem from our conversion all those years ago. Dave was a volunteer in our Carriage and Wagon Department for many many years and his advice was much sought after. Unfortunately, he passed away a matter of months before Petros (named after his own disabled son Peter) was out shopped this year.
Petros.
Saturday, 11 August 2012
Monday, 6 August 2012
Membership Awards
On Sunday the 5th August I had the pleasure of presenting the 50 year awards.
On a mixed day for the weather, with the Olympics in full blast, nine gentlemen arrived at Tenterden who were very special indeed. Between them they had amassed 500 years worth of Membership of the Kent and East Sussex Railway. One, aged 94, is still a regular visitor to the Carriage and Wagon Department - and his opinion is much sought after.
One had travelled many miles, one had travelled just a few miles - but it took him over three hours because of "Public Transport". They all had one thing in common. They were determined to get back to Tenterden.
They were all our Founding Fathers. Some were original members of the preservation society, others even travelled on the line before it was closed to passengers! It was an honour for me to present them with their certificates and they all seemed very appreciative. After the ceremony they had their photographs taken and some went to Rolvenden to be shown around the Loco Works - a far different scene from their first memories.
I asked each of them in turn how much things had changed.
All of them replied that things had changed for the better. So well done to all of our staff, because if we can please those who were here in "the good old days", we have done well. I wrote down some of their comments. Phrases such as "much tidier", "a lot brighter" and "a family atmosphere" leap out of the page at me.
So when it seems that we are having a hard time, step back and look at the bigger picture. They did not give up when Barbara Castle said "no". They kept fighting. The Kent and East sussex Railway has a heart that keeps on beating and we will never say "no", we will just keep plugging away at it. It will all come right in the end.
On a separate note, Loco 6619 is now secured for the K&ESR.
6619 Ltd have raised over £130,000 towards it purchase and has agreed a deal whereby the K&ESR can also purchase shares, spread over a number of years.
6619 Ltd is a company especially formed to try and get the Loco. It did not succeed on it's own - but can anyone recalll an appeal which has raised so much in just a couple of months? Well done to Paul Wilson. He steered negotiations and came up with a deal which is in the best interests Railway.
On a mixed day for the weather, with the Olympics in full blast, nine gentlemen arrived at Tenterden who were very special indeed. Between them they had amassed 500 years worth of Membership of the Kent and East Sussex Railway. One, aged 94, is still a regular visitor to the Carriage and Wagon Department - and his opinion is much sought after.
One had travelled many miles, one had travelled just a few miles - but it took him over three hours because of "Public Transport". They all had one thing in common. They were determined to get back to Tenterden.
They were all our Founding Fathers. Some were original members of the preservation society, others even travelled on the line before it was closed to passengers! It was an honour for me to present them with their certificates and they all seemed very appreciative. After the ceremony they had their photographs taken and some went to Rolvenden to be shown around the Loco Works - a far different scene from their first memories.
I asked each of them in turn how much things had changed.
All of them replied that things had changed for the better. So well done to all of our staff, because if we can please those who were here in "the good old days", we have done well. I wrote down some of their comments. Phrases such as "much tidier", "a lot brighter" and "a family atmosphere" leap out of the page at me.
So when it seems that we are having a hard time, step back and look at the bigger picture. They did not give up when Barbara Castle said "no". They kept fighting. The Kent and East sussex Railway has a heart that keeps on beating and we will never say "no", we will just keep plugging away at it. It will all come right in the end.
On a separate note, Loco 6619 is now secured for the K&ESR.
6619 Ltd have raised over £130,000 towards it purchase and has agreed a deal whereby the K&ESR can also purchase shares, spread over a number of years.
6619 Ltd is a company especially formed to try and get the Loco. It did not succeed on it's own - but can anyone recalll an appeal which has raised so much in just a couple of months? Well done to Paul Wilson. He steered negotiations and came up with a deal which is in the best interests Railway.
Sunday, 11 March 2012
2012 begins
Those who aren't "in the know" might think that the Railway goes to sleep when we finish Santa Services and wakes up 6 weeks later for "Thomas" ®, only to lapse back into a snooze until Easter comes around. However, the amount of work done behind the scenes is just as much in most departments, running or not. For Permanent Way things move at a pace when we have unrestricted access to the track, and this closed season we relayed 900ft of track between Cranbrook Rd Level Crossing and Tenterden Home Signal. For a lot of the time the weather was appalling with rain coming at us horizontally on wind blowing from Siberia. The uniqueness of the P.Way team is that we don't care about the weather as long as we can have a good laugh and get the job done. Rain, heatwave, ice and snow do not dampen our spirits (the rain DID dampen our clothes)- as long as the Teapot is within reach. As a result of the relay, the track is a beautiful ride, something to be proud of. We saw some old faces back with us once again, as well as a couple of newer ones.
Other departments take advantage of the lull in traffic to make maintain the carriages, wagons and locos, refurbish station areas and generally get ready for the first day of traffic.
We look forward to welcoming new customers in 2012 as well as many of our older ones who come back year after year.
Other departments take advantage of the lull in traffic to make maintain the carriages, wagons and locos, refurbish station areas and generally get ready for the first day of traffic.
We look forward to welcoming new customers in 2012 as well as many of our older ones who come back year after year.