SMRS @ ROWG
Regular members of
the Rest Of The World Gang
may have occasionally
encountered a handful of nondescript helpers who claim a
greater allegiance to model, rather than 12" to the
foot, railways, and are therefore somewhat bemused to
find themselves working with tools and track
considerably heavier and more awkward than those they
are normally used to. This is one version of how this
has come to pass.
In the beginning, a
certain medical doctor (with at the last count six sets of
letters after his name, plus an MBE by marriage) acquired a
small flat literally within a stone's throw both of
Porthmadog harbour and of the Ffestiniog terminus. Its
proximity to Spooner's Bar was also a carefully-calculated
benefit. The purchase was intended both as a retreat from
the rigours of interviews with Merseyside's many and varied
benefit claimants, and as a means to enjoy more frequently
the delights of the narrow-gauge train to Blaenau
Ffestiniog.
As time passed, news was heard of the building of a second
railway, this time approaching Porthmadog from the north.
The good doctor immediately saw a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity to contribute to construction of a complete new
railway, albeit a partial reinstatement. Stirring
Churchillian thoughts were spoken to fellow-members of the
SMRS, along the lines of 'never in the field of modern
railway construction has so much to be built in so little
time, by so few and with so much Lottery money'.
Now, it chanced that the SMRS chairman was planning a
celebration of his 40th birthday, due in the closing months
of 2010. This was to take the form of a railway tour of
India, with carefully-screened members invited to
participate. Other club members have made similar
expeditions to the sub-continent, and he saw no reason why
mere underlings should have all the fun. It was clear
however, that such a trip could only be undertaken by those
of a minimum fitness level. The Chairman, with the insight
which has made him famous amongst taxpayers throughout
Bootle, immediately recognised that working parties on the
Welsh Highland Railway were an ideal means of achieving
that level, at the same time weeding out those of
inadequate physical or mental stamina.
And so the first,
tentative approaches were made to ROWG coordinator Paul
Bradshaw, and such was the demand for labour that we were
accepted with barely a thought as to our suitability or
motives. In February 2007 the first three-man team was
despatched to the WHR, with the Chairman wisely remaining
at home to receive reports and judge the appropriateness of
his future attendance. We were introduced to the mysteries
of rail-handling, sleeper-clipping and track-aligning by a
group of friendly and enthusiastic workers. We were struck
by how well the team worked together, and how quickly we
were accepted into the gang and encouraged to participate,
with due allowance for our novice status. The more
scientific amongst us appreciated the cunning way the laws
of physics were applied for the maximum benefit of our
manual labour, with just a hint of quantum to spice the
magic. And riding homewards at the end of the day over
track we had just laid was a surprisingly rewarding
experience.
Our feedback was
sufficiently positive for the Chairman himself to join in
with our next visit later in the year, and to immediately
show his leadership skills by taking command of a
mechanical bolting appliance. Apparently the noise, and in
particular the vibration, were irresistible. And his
skilful placing of the small plastic pads on top of each
heavy South African sleeper, as we laboured to lay them out
in front of the track-laying party, received much
appreciative comment. Despite this, the railway has
continued to make good progress and over the six or seven
visits we have paid we have witnessed tracklaying virtually
completed and gained some insight into future maintenance
activities. The weather has varied from exceptionally cold,
clear days of unbroken sunshine, through unseasonably warm
to very seasonably cold and wet. I for one have been
surprised at how much water North Wales can contain, and
sometimes fail to contain. Throughout Spooner's has been a
haven of warmth, good food and beer of considerable quality
and variety, and the Ffestiniog railway has provided the
very necessary opportunity for rest and recreation after a
hard session with crowbar and Jim Crow bender. Jim's flat
has somehow managed to expand to take the necessary numbers
in residence, and his policy of foregoing all reward in
favour of occasional donations to the Railway Children
charity has found universal acceptance.
The final selection for
Darjeeling and environs has yet to be made, but the
Chairman can be confident that the candidates will be up to
the standard demanded and will have completed the
necessary Three
Tasks.
Hopefully we will continue to carry out WHR missions, to
keep up our fitness levels and contribute to its
well-being. Opening a new railway in the middle of the
deepest recession since the Black Death will be quite a
challenge, and it will need all the help it can get.
Even the Chairman's.
Some photos are here.
This article
first appeared in the Welsh Highland Railway volunteers'
newsletter Keeping
Track.
