Friends of the Rail Forum

Very short notice, but for those of you who avidly monitor this forum I've just been told that there is a programme on heritage rail on Radio 702 (FM106) from 1000 to 1100 today. Tom and I will both try and listen and post something later. Likewise any of you who manage to listen, please comment.

Can this programme not be recorded in one of Windows Media Audio file formats, or mp3 or mp4 and have it placed on the formum later for other to listen to?

Gabor

I managed to listen at Hercules, with my portable radio jammed to my ear, with a back actor working on one side of me and five 18Es whining away on the other side in the TFR marshalling yard.

Overall it was not very exciting for those like the members of this forum who have an interest and specialist knowledge of heritage railways. However it was good to get some public exposure, and the presenter of the show was very sympathetic.

The main expert was "heritage consultant" Dr Robert de Jong. He made a lot of general points about heritage issues, but very little specifically relevant to railways. It was good that representatives of Damrail and SANRASM spoke with some more practical insights. Les Pivnic phoned in with some historical background. Stargely the Millsite saga wasn't mentioned at all.

The problem of bureaucracy came up often - dealing with many different government departments and parastatals which often do not coordinate with each other, and the difficulty in actually getting a decision from any of them. The point that we need proper business plans, not just sentiment, also came over strongly.

All in all it was probably good for the general listener but not so good for rail enthusiasts. But thanks to 702 for airing it, and may it be the first of many.