Category: Community

Sunny cold days and Zombies

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On quite possibly one of the coldest days in recent history, I chose to spend a Saturday afternoon standing – and walking – around Rochester High Street.

My new found freedom from covering every event across Medway meant I was able to respond to a call out for extras for a music video, by the hugely talented Richard De Soussa Silva. It’s the first tune from his debut EP, Us and Them and is a lovely, mellow song you can’t help but nod along to. Check it out here and see if you can spot me!

I also got involved in a Zombie film, Zombocity, which is still in production. I couldn’t make the first shoot but this is the resulting first trailer …

… and this is Zombocity trailer two – my film debut! Messing around with liquid latex and face paints was great fun and I can’t wait to do it again!

Gallery: Chinese New Year Parade, Chatham

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Another of Medway’s diverse cultural events saw Chatham’s high street packed yesterday afternoon, for an explosion of colour and sound as the Chinese community let us share in celebrating the Year of the Snake.

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Creative People and Places announce community engaging events

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Swale and Medway residents are being invited to say how they’d like to spend their share of an arts grant totalling £1,476.000 at a series of events being held throughout both boroughs.

Last summer, Arts Council England awarded the grant to a consortium called Creative People and Places: Swale and Medway, who will ask locals for help in deciding how the money should be spent on art-based activities within the community. The aim of the grant is to inspire people and groups who don’t think the arts are for them to become more involved and the events will give them the chance to suggest what kind of art projects, events and activities they’d like to see staged to improve their local environment.

The first event will be on board LightVessel 21, the floating cultural facility moored at Gillingham Pier. Called ‘Hook Up’ it’s taking place between 11am – 4pm on Sunday, February 17th. You can drop by anytime to help create a “message in a bottle” installation, generate electricity by pedal power, star in a film about the day and enjoy a free soup lunch, tea and cake, subject to availability. Wear flat, non-slip shoes; access is limited due to steep stairs.

LV21-Gilligingham-Pier

A clay modelling day has been organised at Castle Connections in Queenborough, by FrancisKnight Contemporary Arts Practice. It will take place on Saturday, February 23rd, from 11am until 4pm and you’ll be able to get your hands dirty, make stuff, play, chat and tell the FrancisKnight girls what you would like to get involved with. Flamboyant ceramic artist Duncan Hooson will coax the creativity out of you! To book a free place at the clay day, phone 01795 661277 or email castleconnections@btconnect.com

Castle Connections pottery snake

Castle Connections pottery snake

‘Flux’ will run from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, March 2, at Creek Creative, Abbey Street, Faversham. A stall in Market Square will showcase locally produced art and craft with live demonstrations, while performers will entice the gathering crowds along to Creek Creative’s premises, where an intriguing hub of activity with live musical experimentation awaits. Demonstrations, films and performances and surprising characters will delight and entertain.

Three more public events will be held in March, including a pop-up cinema, interactive performance and open discussions between active members of the arts and non arts communities.

Residents are also asked to nominate ‘community catalysts’ – prominent members of  local life who do a lot locally and will encourage others to become involved. Nominations can be made at the events and via the website (address below) from March.

Sign up to receive regular updates and newsletters about Creative People and Places: Swale and Medway at http://www.creativepeopleplace.info/

The Swale and Medway group was one of seven successful applicants across England and the only one in the South East. In total, just under £16 million has been awarded.

New Year, New Pastime: Paralympic sport for all in Gillingham

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The Royal Engineers Museum isn’t the only place worth visiting in Prince Arthur Road, Gillingham. Just opposite the award winning attraction you’ll find the Prince Arthur Road Indoor Bowls Club, where a regular Saturday morning Boccia Club is held and looks set to flourish in 2013.

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For disabled and able bodied people alike, Boccia is a low cost activity that everyone from age 7 upwards can take part in – so there’s no excuse not to work off that turkey and chocolate, together!

Just before Christmas, the club held its very first tournament – a challenge extended by the Boccia Club to the regular indoor bowlers. With seven Boccia Club teams and five Prince Arthur Bowls teams, it was a well supported event. Unsurprisingly, it was an easy victory for the Boccia Club, who posted a huge winning margin. I went along with local film maker, Mdhamiri Nkemi, to find out more about it from organiser Malcolm Clark.

 

Lynette Stock, who, along with Malcolm, began the Boccia club told us: “We started off with just a poster on the wall, asking if anyone was interested to put their name down. We had a man who came in and started us off with skittles, balls and hula hoops before being shown the proper game. Just one person came at first but gradually it took off, especially after we’d taken part in an exhibition day at Medway Park.

It’s a perfect sport for severely disabled people, a good way for them to meet others and is very inclusive. I often stop wheelchair users in the supermarket and ask if they’ve heard of it – being involved is very rewarding.

This is the first tournament we’ve held, so we’re extremely pleased with the turnout.”

Vicky Armstrong brings her son Clifford, a Spina Bifida sufferer, along to Boccia. She says: “It’s a good opportunity for him to mix with and make friends with other people; he and another member, Amy, have become firm friends since meeting at the club.”

Severely disabled Charles is helped by Emily, who positions the specially designed hand pointer ramp for him, with Charles directing her with his eyes – ‘eye pointing’, as Emily puts it. Using his communications book, he told us “Boccia is good!” From the joy on his face with every good shot, it’s clear he enjoys it very much.

The tournament results:

1st: Reeves Clan 41 points/14 ends

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2nd: Jibbering Jellyfish     30 points/11 ends

Boccia Challenge 2nd place, Jibbering Jellyfish

3rd: The Twits 27 points/13 ends

Boccia Challenge Third Place, The Twits

4th: Twinkletoes 27 points/12 ends

5th: Simply the Best 22/16

6th: The Pros 17/8

7th: Christmas Crackers 15/12

8th: Lewingtons 14/7

9th: Bayfords 8/4

10th: The Leonards 3/2

11th: The Stiffs -2/7

12th: The Plebs -9/2

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Boccia became a Paralympic sport in 1984 and is one of only a few sports to have no equivalent in the Olympic Games. This year, we had nine players in the London Olympics and won two medals: Silver for David Smith in the BC1 Individual, and the BC1/BC2 team (David Smith, Nigel Murray, Dan Bentley and Zoe Robinson) winning Bronze.

How to play Boccia:

  • Each game uses six balls: six for one player in an individual game; three each in a pairs team or two each in a triple team.
  • The balls used are either Red or Blue.
  • Red team go first; colour is decided by coin toss. Red can place the jack to their advantage, beginning from Throwing Box one. The teams alternate, with Blue in Throwing Box Two and so on.
  • Red throw the jack beyond the ‘v’ and the team skipper chooses which of his/her players have the best chance of getting closest.
  • The other (Blue) team have their chance to throw, and will continue to do so until they are either nearest the jack or have run out of balls. Then the Red team take over again.
  • Once all the balls have been thrown, the number of balls of the same colour nearest the jack wins that end and is recorded for the overall score. I.e. If a blue ball is nearest the jack but the next nearest balls are red, that would be one point to blue.
  • Possession of the jack moves to the right, so throwing box two position will begin next.
  • The winner is the one with the highest score after all the ends.
  • In the event of a tie, a play-off round will follow until a winner is determined.

Prince Arthur Road Indoor Bowls Club welcome new members, both as players or socially – give them a call and take the family along.

Medway’s creative community’s Big Night Out!

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You know when you haven’t been drinking but end up feeling like you have? Giddy, happy, bit louder than normal? That’s exactly how I felt last Thursday night after just one glass of champagne.

The  reason? It was the Medway Culture and Design Awards, held at the Corn Exchange in Rochester, and many of the creative community I’m privileged to be a part of were either nominated, won or just there, participating as always.

Head creative of the night was undoubtedly Martin Green, Events Manager of … The London Olympics! He gave the keynote speech and showed us a behind-the-scenes film of the creative processes involved. He’s the one you need to thank for putting the team together that included Danny Boyle. “… he built and inspired the team that delivered the welcome and victory ceremonies, the torch relays and the opening and closing ceremonies … received universal critical acclaim” as it says on the programme. Hugely inspiring.

Among the winners, the lovely Emma Dewhurst’s Wow magazine in the Media category and Bill Lewis in Literature. Highly commended in Literature were ME4 Writers – there will be more about those three on the Rochester LitFest website in due course. Another organisation I’m so pleased for is Full Frontal, who won the Open Space and Public Realm award, plus the overall Special Achievement Award. A very special well done to the awesome Fern Alder, the driving force behind that particular community project.

Biggest cheer of the night – and an invasion of the stage – followed the announcement that coFWD were winners of an award for Contribution to Urban Regeneration, especially since many of those in the room have some kind of connection with this awesome space. Thrilled doesn’t even come close – it’s fantastic recognition for everything that’s been achieved there so far. There’s more to be done though and you’re all invited to come along and get involved 🙂

There will soon be a write up with a list of winners on Going on in Medway but for now, here’s a gallery of pictures for you. (I’ve added the names so you won’t be left doing the whole “Oh, that’s um thingy, oh you know” thing!)

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A wonderful time had by all – it’s fair to say the King’s Head  was expecting to close a lot earlier than they did that night! #dirtystopouts

Discussions on the Urban Fringe

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Finding an interesting hashtag on Twitter is usually a short term piece of fun (e.g #MedwayFilms: Naked Gun Wharf;  Nightmare on Elm Court etc). However, the #urbanfringe hashtag not only introduced me to artists Jo Roberts and Stephen Turner (interviewed here) but offered the opportunity to attend the Urban Fringe seminar and find out more about the project overall.

Urban Fringe Seminar Nov 2012

Since I’ve covered Jo and Stephen’s personal journeys already, my focus during the event, held at UCA Rochester, was on the film Recorded Delivery, and the thoughts behind it of makers Simon Barker and Nayan Kulkarni, the other artists commissioned by the Kent Architecture Centre for the project.

The split screen narrative drew together two very different communities within a short distance of one another: Medway Gate, a fairly new housing development which ‘ticked all the boxes’ for new developments, and the Medway Bridge Marina – which, incidentally, I also recently visited – an established boat yard, in which local business owner, John Reynolds, opened up a cafe and social space.

Simon with a rabbit's head

Exploring the area, Simon and Nayan encountered the urban mythologies of the space: rabbit heads adorn gateways at the entrance to Medway Bridge, underpinned by stories of white witches and lost children. The film followed the journey of a trolley, laden with a guitar, from Medway Gate to the marina, where the music loving community used it to share their songs. Simon and Nayan ingratiated themselves sufficiently to be invited to film the community at play (their Halloween party) with the film makers largely ignored but sometimes posed for.

 

Sadly, the Medway Gate community was harder to crack, since the artists were unable to meet many of them – short of knocking on doors (not desirable) very few hung around the streets. Simon advised: “Residents complained because the developers never built the social spaces that they promised.” He and Nayan would love to replace the trolley with a boat they build in the marina – relational architecture – which they can drag to Medway Gate instead and use it to create the missing social space. Simon lamented that the inhabitants have to drive out of the area just to buy paracetamol, or a Sunday paper – a boat in situ could provide that. The first connection between the marina and Medway Gate would be firmly established, and a re-shoot of Recorded Delivery undertaken.

Stephen Turner's Environmental Solutions gift box

Stephen’s ‘Environmental Solutions’ – the fragrant waters and essential oils of Eau de Bordure (Eau de Fringe) – have their own brand: Janus, the god who faces two ways, showing the interaction between human kind and nature, which took on a pertinent edge when he quoted housing minister, Nick Boles: “We’re going to protect the greenbelt but … sometimes buildings are better”. This Jo reinforced with a discussion about whether the urban fringes and greenbelt have to be pretty to be valuable. Ominously, on that evening’s Newsnight, Boles said there’s a “huge amount of room to build houses over England.” Does he mean brownfield sites, or is he suggesting concreting England’s green and pleasant land?

Introduced by KAC’s Chris Lamb, the seminar provided a discussion board for on how to develop living space. He quoted renowned architect, Sir Terry Farrell, who said “the place is the client” in development and planning. “It’s drawing out the DNA of a place” continued Chris. “If people understand what’s unique about places where they live then they may engage more with the planning process.”

The Urban Fringes

Ultimately, a space depends on its people belonging to the community. In the case of Medway Bridge Marina, the community was already there; the social space developed because of them. Just building a social space in a new housing development is unlikely to work. You need a catalyst, a resident ‘doer’ who’ll organise and cajole their neighbours to do stuff. (Think of those neighbours without whom no street parties would’ve taken place this year.) And that takes time the planners and developers seem unable to allow for – unless, do that many new developments need building? Aren’t there enough boarded up streets in England, just waiting to be reclaimed? Shouldn’t those existing spaces with established communities be renovated and restored first?

Vandalism and anti-social behaviour in those places can be tackled – we’ve community doers in Medway actioning change right now, with the help of schemes like Big Local. If new developments are to take place, we can only hope the planners do as the Urban Fringe project suggests: See the area, feel the area, engage the existing communities within its borders and shape it to fit.

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To read the best of what’s happening in arts, culture, architecture and more nationally, the BBC’s The Culture Show link is here.

Happy National Freelancers Day

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Happily, I can sing that to myself. Giving up the permanent and stressful office job in March to concentrate on writing didn’t go entirely to plan when the regular freelance writing job* I had came to an end, but temping and casual work alongside other freelance writing means I’m free to get involved in a lot of other projects.

One of which was interviewing Daniel Nash, of BRFM, a community radio show in Sheppey, which you’ll find amongst September’s posts on this blog under ‘My Sheppey’. He returned the favour, interviewing me – you can hear it here.

‘Write around the river’

Local writing collective, ME4 Writers, put together an exhibition and reading entitled ‘Letters Home’ which was the first time I’ve ever done such a thing since school – read all about the project and listen to the podcast here. I’m about an hour in but do listen to the others; a real mixture and very emotional.

The Rochester Literature Festival is so exciting to be involved with. The launch was fantastic and the second event, although a much smaller, more workshop led one, was equally stimulating. Read all about it here and sign up to the newsletter on the ‘About’ page so you don’t miss anything.

To satisfy my need to write about my local community, Goingoninmedway.co.uk has a number of articles by me, about interesting people doing interesting things. Hopefully, there’ll be more where they came from but firstly, I’m concentrating on a few ideas that have been kicking around for months, awaiting the time I had nothing else to do.  *laughs* There’s also a very interesting idea taking off – the Medway Christmas Carol, involving lots of local musicians and artists. If it ends up anything like its inspiration, it’s going to be fab!

My friend and fellow LitFest founder, Phil, is also regenerating The Regenerate, to which I’ll be contributing (even if we disagree about Rochester Castle!) plus – yes, there’s more – other LitFest founder and friend, Emma, is the editor of WOW magazine, so look out for me in there too!

*the local website – who wanted a local perspective and community bod – changed their mind and decided they wanted a qualified journalist, two and half years after I’d put my heart and soul into it. They let all the community publishers go (about 100 of us across the country) although some lucky ones were re-employed to cover two sites for the same money. Sadly, the Kent management went for one full timer to cover the whole area. So now it’s all rehashed police, fire and council press releases – which you can read in the Medway Messenger, along with a lot more local community news (send me yours for Upnor and Shorne!)

Do you suffer from Tuttle Envy?

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Some conditions can be cured. Others, like Tuttle Envy, have no cure. This is because sufferers miss the monthly creative get-togethers, held on a Monday morning, due to uncontrollable symptoms called ‘Work’.

These people will always have the condition, but social networking treatments can help to manage it.

Coworking spaces use  coffee, conversation, beer, films and other treatments to help lessen the effects of this terrible condition, the main one being Tipple101, the evening equivalent of Tuttle101. Due to its nature – held in a pub after tea time – careful planning ensures that the ‘Work’ symptom can be overcome. However, other side effects can arise, such as ‘Childcare’ and, in extreme cases, ‘Spousal Jealousy.’

Social enterprisers often use the weekend as a treatment to help alleviate the symptoms of TE sufferers, inviting them along to coFWD in Rochester High Street. For example, one type of Tuttle Envy occurs when the mind does not produce enough creativity in order to engage the brain cells. Ideas lie un-conjured, due to the sufferer’s surroundings being less than innovative. However, once inspired within the confines of the vigorous and organic community at 161, the brain is engaged and ideas can then be stored easily for future reference (or even applied immediately).

Freelancers also treat people with TE using injections of Spotify or Sweding, so they can continue to live normal lives. But right now there’s no cure for Tuttle Envy. Some people will need the support of freelancers and social enterprisers for the rest of their lives.

The good news is that these community doers are constantly coming up with advances in social workspaces and collaborative events. So it’s possible that this condition, although only treatable at the moment, may be completely cured in the future.

The next Tuttle101 will take place at the Deaf Cat cafe on Monday, October 15th, from 9.30am. All are welcome to join like-minded souls for further research into the frustratative misfortune that is TE.

Sufferers of Tuttle Envy will be advised in due course regarding the next Tipple session. Don’t delay your treatment any longer than necessary – please sign up here so you can receive notification as soon as possible. Together, we can beat this.

Holcombe and Blue Bell Hill Cricket Club bowlers impress England star Chris Tremlett

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England cricket star Chris Tremlett inspired a new (and old!) generation at Holcombe and Blue Bell Hill Cricket Club when he visited their ground last night.

As the prize in a competition won by Lin Sharpe (one of HBBHCC’s U16 parents), Chris was on hand to oversee a fast bowling competition and then brave enough to face the barrage of questions from a packed clubhouse.

What’s your bowling speed?

DSCN9099 from Jaye Nolan on Vimeo.

“I’ve got to give you guys credit – that speed gun probably wasn’t quite correct and the 55mph was nearer 70mph”

Winners of the fast bowling competition were: U11s Mark Robinson, 36mph; U13s Stephen Blakeman, 38; U15s Lucas Perry, 51; U17s Michael Reader, 58; Seniors James Underwood, 59.

What will you do when your career is over?

“I’m now 31 so it’s scary to think ‘What do I do next’. Property development is something I enjoy in my spare time, coaching maybe – I have the badges. Or a personal trainer. I’ve a few ideas but wanting to make it back into an England shirt is the priority for now. I hope to be fit for New Zealand and will go to Australia or South Africa in the new year. I had knee surgery four weeks ago, so I haven’t played much, just concentrated on getting fit.”

Who’s the toughest batsman you’ve faced?

“Chris Gayle (Windies) on his day; he hits everything for six. The Aussies in their prime – Ponting; Gilchrist; Hayden for one dayers and, in test cricket, Brian Lara (Windies) would have to be number one, closely followed by Sachin Tendulkar (India) and Ricky Ponting.”

You took the final wicket in the last Ashes win over Australia – how exciting was that?

“It was pretty special week; we’d already retained The Ashes and it was a nice feeling to wake up in the morning, knowing we’d be taking them home; knowing we’d be having a celebration at some point that day was exciting. We’d blended really well as a unit which showed when we got them all out for 98 on Boxing Day.”

Is your dad (former Hampshire seamer and Hants CC director Tim) still talking to you? (After you left Hampshire for Surrey!)

“I loved Hampshire but had to leave to put me in a better position to break into the England side. Surrey are the recipe for making my return. I’d love to go back to Hants someday though – and yes, dad is still talking to me!” 

DSCN9100 from Jaye Nolan on Vimeo.

How do you cope with the long tours abroad?

“You have to learn to be independent as you can be away for up to six months. It’s tough but part and parcel of the job. But you find ways to keep yourself occupied, especially in the places where you can’t get out and about for security reasons. Technology has made it so much easier to keep in touch with family, with Skype etc. You live in a bubble, forgetting how many people are watching so we keep an eye out for everyone and just support each other.”

What do you think of Kevin Pietersen signing a new England Contract?

“Kevin’s fallen out with a few players and management; they’ll be a lot of conversations to be had but as a team and a sport you have to move forward. It’ll be tough initially but he’s one of our best players and so good to watch.”

How much has fitness training helped to change the sport?

“Back in 2000 you didn’t have a fitness trainer but every county has one now – you can’t skive, they’ll find out! You have to be fit, the game is so much quicker now. And there are separate fitness programmes for batsmen and bowlers. For a fast bowler you need core strength, so pay attention to abs, core and bottom muscles.” (Ed’s note: Yes, I think I can do that *coughs*) You have to be mentally fit too. If you bowl a shocker, you just have to get over it and bowl the next one.”

The hardest team to play against?

“Australia in 2005: Gilchrist; Warne; Ponting etc – they’d been number one for years, very hard to beat.”

And tricky bowlers if you’re batting?

“Brett Lee on a bouncy wicket just wanted to hit me on the head; Andrew Flintoff was a pretty special cricketer, shame he had to retire. He told me he was going to bounce it and still got me out.”

Who’s the best captain you’ve played under?

“Shane Warne at Hampshire, he taught me a lot and is a very good man manager too. And Andrew Strauss will always be remembered for winning two Ashes series.”

Final word: Sledging?

“You can’t sledge or swear – it’ll cost you too much money!”

Chris Tremlett was brought to us at HBBC Cricket Club by Nat West, who run the annual Cricket Force days. These aim to inspire volunteers to pick up a paint brush or trowel for the local club and help rejuvenate its facilities for the coming season. This prize was just one of many offered by the NatWest Cricket Club this summer. Members have been able to access all sorts of rewards, from tickets to every NatWest ODI Series and NatWest T20 International match this summer to NatWest current account holders having the chance to enjoy exclusive experiences such as meeting and training with England players.

Chris also signed and personalised a brand new Kookaburra cricket bat for one lucky raffle winner – who turned out to be James Phillips. Nat West then presented Chairman John Underwood with cricket bat signed by the current England team, which will be raffled next season.

If you’d like to find out more about your local cricket team in Medway and Maidstone, visit the HBBHCC website here and when the new season starts,  do as Chris tells you below 😉

DSCN9101 from Jaye Nolan on Vimeo.

Chris said: “Every international cricketer starts their career playing for their local club, and the role community cricket plays in growing our love for the game is vital. I’ve had a great time here at Holcombe and Blue Bell Hill Cricket Club this evening celebrating their good season and saw some real talent in their young bowlers during the competition earlier.”

John Underwood, Chairman of Holcombe and Blue Bell Hill CC, said: “We’ve had a good season and enjoyed our cricket, so it was great to be able to celebrate all of our successes with an Ashes winner in Chris Tremlett. We’re all delighted Lin entered the competition. All of our members, young and old, batsmen and bowlers have had a night that they won’t forget.”

The club would like to thank both Chris and Nat West for making this wonderfully enjoyable evening possible.

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Cross the tracks: Full steam ahead for the Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light Railway

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The Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light Railway came to the end of its first season back on the full track this weekend, after being closed for four years. Volunteer press officer, Paul Best, invited me along to tell me more about it.

Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light Railway: Triumph

I arrived early and already a large queue was patiently waiting: families and couples, old and young individuals – everyone clearly excited to see the steam locos back where they should be, on track.

As each train departed, so another queue formed – Paul and I only just squeezed into the third one for our journey to Kemsley. An enthusiast for 25 years and in his second stint as press officer, Paul told me: “We always plan a busy timetable, but we can be flexible and run more passenger trains and less freight if need be.” He then went on to give an impromptu commentary for those lucky enough to be in our compartment; this man knows his stuff!

Press Officer, Paul Best, Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light Railway

Alighting at Kemsley you can take a break in very reasonably priced and friendly Footplates Cafe, enjoy a stroll around the Wildlife area, let the children play in the garden or find out more about these iconic locos and their working home in the museum. The Saxon Shore Footpath runs right alongside, offering gorgeous views across Milton Creek – it’s no wonder there were many cameras to hand, especially on such a beautiful day.

While closed, the line had been subject to vandalism and theft. Consequently nothing is left on site; even the ticket office is a temporary structure, set up each morning. They opened fully again at the end of May this year, after running a limited service from Milton last year.

Paul said: “We’re preserving the history of paper making in Sittingbourne through the operation of the original locos on the original track – probably put in by Bowaters Paper Mills.” (A detailed history can be found here).

“It’s one of only three 2ft 6 gauge railways in the country (the others are in Whipsnade Safari Park and Welshpools, Llanfair.) Swale council donated some money to buy the saddle tanks needed for the Leader and Premier locos, but apart from that, it’s self funded by paying customers and run completely by volunteers. Just maintaining the viaduct has cost £100,000 in the last ten years. Unfortunately, we don’t actually own the land so we don’t qualify for Heritage Lottery Funding.

“We’ve a separate 100 year lease with Kemsley Mill on one mile of track but new developers Central Land own the line. While the legal wrangling over the land being sold was ongoing we weren’t able to run but they’ve been brilliant; they said “why would we want to do away with a tourist attraction in the middle of our development?” They’re going to pay for new steps and a ticket office as part of the ongoing development of the old paper mill land. There’ll be a supermarket, car park, housing, park, shops and restaurants – effectively another town centre and we’ll be right in the middle of it.”

Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light Railway: Superb

There are twelve locos now owned by the railway. Among them, Superb, a Bagnall 0-6-2T steam locomotive, made her debut again this weekend, the first time she’s run this decade. Alpha, another of the same, will be the project for young volunteers to practice on and restore fully to operations. Currently interchangeable with Superb, only one of them runs at a time. Paul also mentions a link with Medway. “The four passenger coaches came from Chattenden and Upnor Admiralties Railway, with location names still relevant today: Upnor; Chattenden; Lodge Hill and Four Elms. They didn’t have doors originally but we lent them to another railway for a while and they put them on for us.”

The summer season now over, the hard work of restoring and rebuilding begins, stopping only to open up again in December for the Santa Specials. Next season should see them operating from Easter through to the end of September (watch out for special events involving Jack Station Cat and Ivor the Engine).

The enthusiasm of the volunteers adds to the whole experience, they clearly love being involved and sharing their passion and knowledge with a receptive audience fascinated by these venerable locomotives.

Paul had one last piece of news to share: “Milton Regis viaduct was built in 1915 so we’re soon to be celebrating its centenary: I’m planning on lighting it up!”

Now wouldn’t that be a sight to see?

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