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K&ESR Members e-newsletter No 32

K&ESR Members e-newsletter No 32
  This email contains pictures, if you don’t see them, view it online  
     
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   Kent & East Sussex Railway  
   Members e-newsletter No.32  
     
  Hello ,

Welcome to the latest edition of your e-newsletter - we hope you are keeping safe & well

 
      
   From the Chair  
     

 

Another fortnight has passed in this strange and challenging new world. And at the time of writing the future pattern of national life remains impossible to predict.

We have been far from idle as we seek to safeguard the Kent & East Sussex Railway and its people. As well as managing the immediate impact of the Covid-19 crisis we are very much thinking about what happens afterwards and preparing ourselves to deal with it. You will find later in this e-newsletter an account of the 25 April Board meeting which summarises many of the latest developments and much of the activity.

Not mentioned in that account is the fact that as part of the major IT upgrade we now have a new website which will be progressively populated as time and circumstances permit. Migrating the material from the old one is proving to be a formidable undertaking given that many of the changes made over the years were piecemeal and undocumented, but it is already making our business much easier to run and it will greatly improve communication with the Railway family and our supporters. Our thanks to the small team who are working on it.

It’s heartening to see the various means by which our people are finding imaginative ways to engage with Railway matters from their homes. For example, there have been two locomotive department Mutual Improvement Classes conducted on Zoom, and the signalmen (of whom I am one) have been confronted with some challenging operating scenarios to work through. Work continues offsite on the museum archives, and social media is alive with anecdotes and reminiscences from volunteers and others. Let’s keep this up and add to the list; it’s important that we all stay in touch with each other and keep our enthusiasm alive.

As I said last time, donations to help tide us over are always welcome and can be made via the button below. Our two major appeals are still running, and there's a big article on the Terrier 150 Appeal in the latest edition of Steam Railway which hit the shelves today - it's also available online via https://www.steamrailway.co.uk/. This is a further demonstration of the fact that we continue to be active and in business.

My very best wishes to you, your families and your friends.

Simon Marsh

Chairman

 

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  Thoughts for the restart  
     

 

As we continue through lockdown I would like to share with you some thought processes on the re-start. You may think these can be broken down simply into “when” and “how”, but in reality, it is slightly more complex than that.

First of all, we do not control the “when”, that is down to ongoing Government guidelines and they will change over time. We do however have to be prepared.

Secondly the “how”. Is this not like every spring, we just reopen, start everything back up again as it used to be and away we go? Well it certainly is not. We do not control this area either. The Government will set regulations on what we are both allowed and compelled to do, covering items such as on-site numbers, social distancing, wearing of masks, cleaning standards etc which may vary across different areas of the railway. These measures will dictate the economic and physical aspects of the re-start and what we operate to achieve it.

What we do control however is taking on board the guidelines and restrictions,  whatever they may be, as and when they are published. We then have to implement them across the railway in the best interests of our customers and staff.

So looking at the people side, what about our customers? With borders closed our European originating market will take time to build back, 2021 at the earliest. We can also forget the educational market, schools will have other more important priorities. Conversely UK holidaymakers will be less likely to grab an overseas holiday so they will be looking for UK attractions, but if not by car how do they get to us, will public transport be both available and acceptable.

Will customers want to flood in to escape the boredom of lockdown or will they be more cautious. Research commissioned by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions indicates that customers will be cautious, and though they will want to go out, circa 50% will wait and see, to reassure themselves that wherever they go “not only will they be safe but they will also feel safe”. This will therefore dictate what we do and how we present ourselves and communicate our message to our customers. If we say we apply a 2m distance between families then we have to demonstrate it. If we say our staff for example apply enhanced cleaning routines, then we need to demonstrate it, both on site and in our marketing. Social distancing and cleanliness are the two areas our customers will be looking for. Get this right and we strongly reinforce the K&ESR brand and our future.

Another interesting area in the research related to trust. Customers “trust staff to do the right thing, but they do not necessarily trust other visitors to the right thing.” So again, back to social distancing, we need to manage what we put in place and that will require more customer facing staff. In many ways the supermarkets have led the way with this, time windows, ground markings, limited numbers, one way systems, queues, staff oversight etc all of which have become standard, but even these plans have fallen apart when it rained, showing not even the Government can control the weather !

Everything said above relating to customers equally applies to staff. Every staff member “not only wants to be safe but will also want to feel safe”, and that is within our control.

Planning for the unknown is a real challenge, but probably no worse than the challenges met and conquered by early K&ESR pioneers. These challenges will be met, the economy will recover and the K&ESR will be back running when it is safe and appropriate to do so.

Stay safe everyone.

Shaun Dewey

General Manager

 

     
  From the Postbox  
     
  Terrier Trust Chairman Tom White recalls.....  
     

 

Driver’s Eye View - leaving Northiam on 29 August 2008

At that time, my office in London held an annual Fun Day and anyone could organise a fun thing for colleagues to do and have a free day off and £50 per head to enjoy it. This picture was taken during a trip I organised to Bodiam Castle via the K&ESR. We took the train from London to Headcorn and then the No 12 bus to Tenterden before catching the train to Bodiam. It was lovely sunny day and, after lunch at the pub, we enjoyed a visit to the Castle. This shot was taken from No 3’s footplate on the return behind No 3 to Tenterden before heading back home in London.

 

     

 

32678 at Tenterden Town 13 April 201832678 at Tenterden

I joined Driver Richard Stannard on 32678 to operate an Locomotive Driving Experience on 13 April 2018. It was unusual day in many ways.

Firstly, we only had a single guest who had specifically requested that he drive a "Terrier" for the day. Secondly, the weather forecast for that day was for strong bitterly cold winds and up to three inches of rain – a month’s.

The weather forecast turned out to be very accurate.

On my way to Rolvenden, I had to take a long detour as the road from Biddenden was closed by an oak tree that had blown down. It rained heavily throughout the day, driven by a strong wind that made it almost horizontal. Luckily for me, most of the rain came from the driver’s side so I stayed relatively dry whilst Richard and our guest got cold and wet.

Despite the privations, our guest thoroughly enjoyed his day, and so we had another satisfied customer. Altogether a memorable day that is enjoyed more by the retelling!

 

     
  Volunteering  
     

 

So you’re sitting at home, miles from the railway we love.

You’re sad not knowing when the trains will run again.

You wish there was something you could do.

Well there is - volunteer!

If you’re thinking you can’t because

a) you live nowhere near Tenterden or

b) you’re in isolation, you’re wrong.

I know you can, because for the last few years I’ve been doing it - from my home 30 miles away.

I haven't the knowledge to work on a loco, I’m too old to tackle heavy track maintenance and not practical enough to offer any skills to the carriage department. My friends will confirm that I lack the social niceties necessary for any customer-facing role.

But I do have a media background and so get great pleasure helping the railway’s commercial team as they strive to ensure the railway gets the best possible publicity.

My only tools are a computer, a phone and a few spare hours.

Whatever your background, that can be all you need to lessen the load on departments with huge lists of tasks to complete.

And if you’re practical and enjoy working in your shed, who knows what useful function you could provide?

The occasional meet-and-chat with whomever you are helping can be the cherry on the cake, not only fun but invariably leading to an exchange of ideas.

So you benefit, the railway benefits.

What are you waiting for? Offer your services and the K&ESR will be delighted to see which part of the jigsaw you might be.

Mike Pearce

 

     

 

Volunteering opportunities....

- Are you an existing volunteer looking to switch to something less physical?

- Or are you hovering on the brink of volunteering?

- Do you have administration and writing skills?

- Would you be interested in an unusual role right at the centre of the Railway?

Phil Edwards has decided to stand down as the Railway’s Assistant Company Secretary. We are immensely grateful to him for his contribution & hope he will remain active with us.

There's therefore an opportunity to take on the Assistant Company Secretary function, working in support of the trustees and the Company Secretary. This volunteer role is of critical importance in the Railway’s structure. Responsibilities will depend on the person(s) appointed, but will include all or some of:

  • Arranging and taking the formal minutes of the monthly Board meetings, usually on the fourth Saturday of each month and (once free movement is permitted) at Tenterden.
  • Taking minutes of such Board and management committees as agreed.
  • With the Company Secretary, providing advice to the Board on the Articles of Association and other legal matters.
  • With the Company Secretary and the Chairman, keeping track of Board business and arranging for the timely and ordered discussion of items.
  • With the Membership Secretaries, arranging the Annual General meeting each November, including the nominations and election of trustees.
  • Managing the company archive.
  • Maintaining the ownership list of all the vehicles on the Railway (which is in pretty good condition).

It would be entirely possible for these functions to be shared between two or more people, and the role is likely to evolve over time.

The postholder(s) will report to Charles Mavor, the Company Secretary, and work closely with the Chairman, Simon Marsh, and other trustees.

We are looking for people with good administration and drafting skills, discretion, and an interest in playing a part at the centre of the Kent and East Sussex Railway and its associated bodies at an important stage of their development.

Attendance at Tenterden will be required and support and guidance will be provided.
If you are interested, please email mavorkesr@btinternet.com by 14th May for a discussion with Charles or Simon. Brief details of yourself would be appreciated.

 

     
  and....  
     
  We are also seeking help with the production of high quality videos for our website and social media channels . If you've previous experience in this field we'd love to hear from you - contact us newsletter@kesr.org.uk   
     
   News from the Colonel Stephens Railway Museum  

 

Security and equipment checks continue to safeguard the museum collection. A section of the Museum has been disrupted by extensive work and will remain far from complete until we can be let loose again. Refurbishment of the outside exhibits was halted by the winter downpours and it is frustrating not to use this lovely weather usefully. Hopefully work can be finished before the railway reopens, together with necessary safeguards for volunteers and visitors' safety.

Ambitious plans for the Cavell Van this year are frozen as a result of the present uncertainty.

Homework has always been an important aspect of Museum work & much continues to be undertaken. Letters and memos from the K&ESR, East Kent and other railways are being sorted and catalogued in houses from remotest Scotland to Kent. Further ‘O’ gauge modelling work is also under way, with models of a K&ESR (BR) Drewry diesel, Edge Hill's ‘Sankey’, an O1, and the EKR Adams Radial - plus some wagons. These will considerably enhance our displays when we can at last re-open. Planning for improving the building and its approaches, in the light of our recently agreed longer lease, has started.

We continue to work to supplement the collection from private sources and were recently successful in acquiring a 'Planet' nameplate as carried by the last Ashover locomotive.

 

 

Planet nameplate

 

 

Blackfriars lamppostOther acquisitions over the winter include the donation of a short but very ornate LCDR lamppost (from Blackfriars station), which we will marry up with a previously donated platform lamp.

FfestiniogFour nice Ffestiniog Railway leaflets have been secured at auction - we hope to display at least one.

A particularly interesting and valuable addition has been a voice recording made by our friend Howard Carey, detailing his memories, and those of his father (a long serving WC&P guard), of the WC&P railway in the 1930’s. It includes an account of a first meeting with Colonel Stephens. Such eye-witness accounts are exceedingly rare.

Needless to say, we have zero income at present and all funds have been frozen against survival needs. Spend is difficult and there are still essential outgoings like rent. We will be seeking donations to fill the gap and have received a generous donation from the Colonel Stephens Society – our grateful thanks to them. We have the largest book stock ever, so watch for a sale when we reopen!

 

 

Brian Janes

Colonel Stephens Railway Museum

 
     
   Safety Matters......  
     

 

While everyone is working hard to deal with the impacts of Coronavirus, one issue that can be overlooked is the impact on the mental health of us all.
Everyone reacts differently but, during this time, you may be bored, frustrated, lonely, anxious, or be concerned about your health or that of those close to you.
It’s important that you take care of your mind as well as your body and to get further support if you need it, so the Government has produced guidance on what can help your mental health and wellbeing. This is set out under a number of key headings:

• Consider how to connect with others
• Help and support others
• Talk about your worries
• Look after your physical wellbeing
• Look after your sleep
• Try to manage difficult feelings
• Manage your media and information intake
• Get the facts
• Think about your new daily routine
• Do things you enjoy
• Set goals
• Keep your mind active
• Take time to relax and focus on the present
• If you can, once a day get outside, or bring nature in

The guidance also considers practical issues and managing physical symptoms that are triggered by stress and anxiety. The full guidance can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-the-public-on-mental-health-and-wellbeing

Neil Sime

Safety Director

nsime@kesr.org.uk

 

     
   K&ESR Strategy to 2024  
     

 

In the article for the last e-newsletter I mentioned that over coming issues I would write a little about each of the workstreams of the K&ESR Strategy.
First up is the subject of Governance. Perhaps this might seem like a dry subject of little relevance to what happens every day when we are running trains and welcoming visitors to our Railway. But please don’t stop reading here and skip to the next article! The reality is that the way the organisation is governed is critical to our success. If we get this wrong, then we have no hope of achieving our goals to develop the railway for the future.
I confess that before I was asked whether I would stand as a trustee at the last AGM I knew little about how the Board worked or its interface with the management team. Having been part of the team for coming up to six months, I can say that the way the organisation is run is very professional, as is befitting a major charity and tourist attraction. The operation of the Board compares well with the directorships I have held in the commercial world.
Among the Trustees we have individuals with experience of Business Management, Financial Services, the Civil Service, Retail, Law, Town & Country planning, Project Management, as well as Rail Operations. There are those who have been volunteering at K&ESR for decades and others, like myself, whose association is more recent. What connects everyone is a passion for Heritage Railway preservation and for our Railway in particular.
There is a principle at the heart of how the Board operates, and it’s one to which our chairman Simon Marsh attaches great importance. It is this: that we exist to provide strategic direction and drive continuous improvement in performance, supporting an empowered management team who are responsible for the day-to-day operation of the railway. The Board is determined not to confuse these relative responsibilities. Working to this principle we have a connected Leadership team which has both the current operating and the longer-term picture covered.
It’s worth saying that in the current crisis we are working on an ‘emergency footing’. Both your volunteer elected Trustees and those few members of the management team who are not furloughed are spending countless hours collaborating to ensure every angle is covered for the benefit of the Railway.
In recent months we have been developing the right empowered groups focused on key areas:

• Safety – our top priority, overseeing the Safety Management System and identifying and addressing key risks to the well-being of staff, volunteers and passengers;

• Risk and Compliance – as mentioned elsewhere in this newsletter, a new group looking at a wider spectrum of risks, such as Regulatory, Environmental, Legal, etc., as well as ensuring that our systems and processes in key areas are adhered to;

• Finance – closely managing our cashflow and taking decisions to ensure financial security and generate revenue to cover vital investments;

• Fund-raising – we have raised substantial sums in relation to our public campaigns, but we need to do more and faster if we are to invest in the railway as we wish to;

• Projects – maintaining our overall project register, recommending initiatives for the support of the Finance Committee and Board, and overseeing successful project delivery;

• Volunteering – literally the heart and soul of K&ESR, focusing on actions that will make things work more effectively for our army of dedicated volunteers.

This new governance structure is designed to maximise our collective efforts, all towards our aim:

To preserve Our Railway as living history…making memories that matter”

David Nibloe

 

     
  From the (virtual) boardroom  

 

The second Skype board meeting was held on Saturday 25 April, with the disembodied voices of nine trustees and three officers. Again, the technology worked.

The minutes will be made available in the usual way, but this e-newsletter provides an opportunity to give a brief summary of the most important points.

We heard an update from the General Manager on the Railway’s response to the Covid-19 crisis.

Our application to HMRC for the furloughing of nineteen salaried and twenty-four hourly paid staff had been accepted, which left just eight still at work all of whom were very busy.
A system was now in place for approving critical work during the shut-down and several infrastructure related tasks had already been approved. We noted that in each case approval was contingent on observance of Government guidance and on being compliant with Company safety procedures.

The booking office continued to deal with those who had made advance bookings; they had managed to retain 80% of the monies by rebooking or by the issue of Gift Cards. This was a remarkable achievement and had significantly helped our cash position.

Planning was continuing for the eventual restart of services. The Board agreed that the focus should be on products that contributed to the bottom line rather than default back to what we had been doing previously.

An important part of the planning would be maintaining volunteer motivation; we hoped that the Volunteer Committee would have a role to play in this.

Shaun also reported on his contacts with local tourism bodies who were busily lobbying the Government for access to grants and other schemes as well as for clear guidance on social distancing when the time came for attractions such as ours to reopen.

We thanked Shaun and his team for all that was continuing to be achieved in difficult and unprecedented circumstances.

Trustees noted that the national dislocation was going to last for a long time, and that the possibility of a lengthy cessation of services was one of the scenarios being modelled. We would however reopen as soon as it was safe and appropriate to do so. We reaffirmed that the guiding principles throughout would be to: follow Government guidance; and do everything possible to protect the Kent & East Sussex Railway and its people.

The Board looked again at the financial implications of the crisis. We noted progress towards securing the necessary grants, loans or overdrafts and we remained confident that we would remain solvent.

Moving away from Covid-19, we approved the establishment of a Risk and Compliance Committee which would be chaired by Paul Vidler. This would maintain an overview of company risks and the measures in place to understand, mitigate and manage them.

We also commissioned a review of the company document which sets out the governance arrangements for the Railway. This needed to be updated to reflect recent and ongoing structural changes. The Board would return to it at its next meeting.

We discussed fundraising, and we noted the work that had been done by Shaun to establish a group which would report to the Board and actively pursue opportunities for grants and donations. Terms of reference and membership were nearly complete and would be finalised in the coming days.

We noted the current situation on the Kitchen Car and Terrier 150 projects. On the former, we would seek to get the vehicle back from Eastleigh as soon as the contracted work had been finished and this would provide an opportunity for publicity. On the latter we looked forward to a major article and request for donations that would be published in the forthcoming (May 2020) edition of Steam Railway magazine.

Trustees discussed progress on the over-arching strategy for the Kent and East Sussex Railway. We noted that this was even more important than before, and that engagement with the railway community was about to begin in earnest. The Covid-19 pause would provide an opportunity for its further development, and indeed assumptions about the post Covid-19 world – which might look rather different from the one we are used to – would need to be built in.

We noted with much regret the passing of Ken Deans, a former volunteer signalman.

And we noted that, as expected, the Robertsbridge Public Inquiry had been postponed.

The next full meeting was scheduled for 30 May.

Simon Marsh 
Chairman

 

     
   From all of us here at the K&ESR, our very best wishes  
     

 

Kent & East Sussex Railway

Tenterden Town Station, Station Road,

Tenterden, Kent TN30 6HE

www.kesr.org.uk

Registered charity 262481

 

     
     

 

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