So, what got you interested in railways?

[wriale07]

one thing...

hornby

[Rev David Heathcote]

Hello,

I am Rev David Heathcote. I live at present in Gloucester, but could be moving soon.

I am leading a multi faceted community project in the Berkeley Vale in the south west of Gloucestershire (not South Gloucestershire which is another county.

Most of those who follow UK railways have probably heard of it. It runs under the holistic banner of Proactive Vision. The railway is a part of the project, a part we call Berkeley Vale Railway or BVR or even BeaVeR line.

I was one of the three initial directors back in 1981 of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway in the north east of the same county. I left that organisation back in 1989 partly due to an illness as well as other discontentments.

I effectively took a double decade sabbatical, only to return to the land of the steel wheel and road when asked to by a number of folk who saw what I had done in the past, realised what I was doing then and saw fit to encourage me to join it all together.

Instead of the usual PLC or Society led preservation railway, I decided that funding would be as multi faceted as Beaver's 'aimed at' future modus operandi.

I am intending to fund all of this community project chiefly by the deployment of my own international industrial endeavours, however, I wish to offer to loco and stock owners a place to reside and enjoy their hobby in the bargain. This applies also to the creation of an exclusive membership scheme, as applies to most if not all other private railways. (A regular democratically elected support body)

The Proactive Vision Group however, is made of an non democratic body of private companies, both altruistic and purely commerical.

We have carried out a very complex and deeply refined study on the branch, the docks, the availability of resources and the tourist potential. The findings where staggering, as this particular project, (in its entirety not simply railway based) seems to have been cocooned in a time warp. We exposed a potential which created a tsunami of interest from many quarters internationally, one of the 'prime movers' deserving of a mention, is the intense mixing of marine, wildlife along with rail transport. It also exposes the massive potential for commercial allegiance from industry outside of our own, (that is already built in)

The basic ethos of the whole of the Proactive Vision mission is Christian, with a built in training college for youth between 16 and 26 years that have undergone difficult upbringings that have created low self esteem. All of the projects different activities (including the BVR) are tools, NOT goals in their own right. Our motto is simply, "EVERYBODY BENEFITS BY EVERYBODY BENEFITING"

We will be training these young people, not as they do in the normal technical college for instance by building a brick wall for marks out of 10, then knocked down and all cleaned off for the next candidate, but to see the brick wall then left up to serve a useful function in the community at large, possibly with a small brass plaque attached to state who built the wall and who did the teaching.

Tourism potential and other forms of commerce is also being very seriously examined regarding BVR, in an attempt to created footfall and jobs in the said community.

Our organisation is called Proactive Vision, our aim is POSITIVE WHOLESALE COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION!

We naturally have a few critics also our negative "You'll never achieve this" cynics, but they aren't doing it are they?? We have always, coming from the realms of intellectual property, know to look for the hidden meaning or agenda. By enlarge we experience massive support and are humbled by this. In relation to the support, we hear very little negative criticism (We do welcome and look for positive criticism though, especially when it carries offers of help to create remedy!

Thank you all for reading, please feel free to get back all of you as I would like to engage with you, especially in a positive manner.
Indeed can you help us in any way with this mission?

Rev Dave

[HM181]

My interest in railways was being taken off the dole in 1981, and been given a job as a guard on BR.
This was the best move I ever made.
Regular pay, eg £75 per week, on a 42 hour roster, cheap rail travel, and being able to support my young son and my wife in times when thing s were tough.
Then a side ways move which increased my wage to £124 per week and 8 miles a day less to travel.

[John H-T]

Welcome to the Forum Rev Dave. Look forward to more news of your project.

Best wishes,

John H-T.

[steamhead]

Hi, I more or less forgot about steam engines at about 16 Yrs old when I discovered girls. Many years later I was sitting at the barrier crossing in Egham waiting to cross when low and behold "Flying Scotsman" came flying across the crossing,I could not believe what I was seeing. I recognized the number straight away. Ever since I have been trying to see as many steamers as I can, and enjoying it no end. Regards Peter.

[Jim Christie]

My excuse is family related, that and growing up next to steam.
In my family, the men either went to sea or joined the railway, indeed some did both (at sea first and then joined the railway when they married etc).
As a result a I was perennially being dragged up and down the system by both Grandfathers to look at rare locos/special events etc, and that as they say, was that!

[steamhead]

I lost interest in steam engines at about the age of 15, girls don't you know. Many years later I was waiting at the level crossing in Egham when to my amazement the Flying Scotsman flew over the crossing leaving me in total disbelief. I of course recognised the number on the cab side. Since then I have tried to spot as many steamers as possible and wish that I had never given them up. "Ah Well". Regards Peter.

[pre65]

Originally Posted by steamhead

I lost interest in steam engines at about the age of 15, girls don't you know. Many years later I was waiting at the level crossing in Egham when to my amazement the Flying Scotsman flew over the crossing leaving me in total disbelief. I of course recognised the number on the cab side. Since then I have tried to spot as many steamers as possible and wish that I had never given them up. "Ah Well". Regards Peter.

Peter, did you forget you had posted an almost similar post earlier this evening ?

[bcousins]

to be truthful i dont know. i am only 15, but have a keen entusiasm in sydney cityrail.

[TIMEPLANE]

Watching the goods trains at Feltham yard, with those massive G16's hump shunting. And many trips "Up Town" with Dad. For visits to Londons mainline stations. Mainly Waterloo or Paddington..