Oh dear, just endured a forty minute earbashing by the people that own a property next to Masbury. Despite an earlier phone call about a month ago where I thought I'd allayed their fears it was not to be!
The latest communication was thanks to some TV and radio publicity for the appeal. The callers seemed to think that we shouldn't be publicising this appeal, and they also picked up on some of the spin about when trains will actually be running at Masbury.
Don't get me wrong, I understand their fears of the place buzzing with people and the whiff of steam, I can understand the non-rail fan mindset. Except this rather benign image wasn't the one they had in their head. I used psychology and asked them what THEY thought would happen from 1 October if we get the site. 'Well you'll be running trains almost right away, and it will scare the horses and our house price will plummet'.
Let's analyse that. Even the most optimistic person (not me) doesn't expect trains of any sort to be running here for 4 years at least. Real through trains carrying freight and passengers are decades away yet. The first few years at Masbury will be gentle restoration.
Horses? Well any sensible horse will go to the other end of the field, and will soon get used to the occasional train.
House prices? ALWAYS go UP, and go up more the closer they are to a station, even a heritage station. Utility you see. The really interesting thing (and perhaps they shouldn't have told me!) was that they had an INSURANCE to cover any shortfall 'IF THE RAILWAY IS REOPENED'. They were more far sighted than most of us!!
They even dared to compare Masbury, that idyll of railway perfection on the finest line in England, to a SEWAGE FARM opening on your doorstep!
Their fears are not real. They will USE the railway when it's reopened, we all will as there won't be any other realistic option. Their house price will shoot up as the railway returns. And their horses will soon learn that trains are fun and will chase them the length of their field.
The world simply is not as many people see it - it is far nicer than that.
All that 40 minutes of nonsense did was to make me even more determined to GET THE STATION BACK!
5 comments:
This was bound to happen-it even happened in 1835. Cows were going to stop milking and people's hearts would stop if the trains went faster than 30mph!
What we have to concern ourselves with is the government's obsession with mass building. It would appear that localism is being eroded to the point that councils can carry out central governments bidding with absolutely no impedance from local opinion or desire. This is now the case since last week the House of Lords removed the right to referendum on local issues. Ironically they are still allowed in the area of 'planning' but if a local authority considers them to be too expensive(which of course they will)they have a get out clause. It seems that localism after all was a con to get votes. We in railway regeneration have now to be particularly vigilant that planning consents are not issued confetti like all over the UK on the valuable transport corridors which make up our closed railway system. 'Perchance it Sleepeth' is set to become not just a sentimental inspiration -but a battle cry.
It just annoys me that some people actually believe what they read in the press!! The press's job now seems to be to entertain rather than inform. By running sensationalist stories with only the tiniest link to reality they also manage to upset some people when they really have nothing to worry about. The people at Masbury are convinced that from 1st October we will be running trains at Masbury, and that I am lying to them when I tell them otherwise! The reality of restoration, track laying, loco acquisition, permissions etc is irrelevant to them, because they've read otherwise in the papers! My point that there's no point in worrying until we've got the station also seemed to carry no weight, as did my assertion that property values RISE the closer a property is to a railway station. The problem is people would rather take the easy option of believing rubbish in the papers rather than have to find out information for themselves. So we get loaded with a heap of nonsense - none of which is in any way relevant until 1st October anyway. These people actually said they'd prefer a housing estate to the railway. There are some VERY strange people out there!!
Hi, Steve. Sainsbury,
This. Type. Of. Opposition. Is. Only. To. Be. Expected.......it. is. Human. Nature. To. Be. Fearful. Of. Change. Look. At. The. Fuss. Hs2. Is. Causing!
Its. Amazing. How. Quickly. People. Accept. Things. Once. They. Become
Reality. Its. The. Idea. Which. Frightens. Them. Not. The. Reality.
Good. Luck.
Alan. Hayday
Hi Steve Sainsbury
I just read your blog regarding Masbury Re-opening, how silly are those people who think that as if by magic on the 1/10/2013 trains will Re-appear, Oh that it were that simple. I wish you all luck with this new endeavour, which with the passion the New S&D members have will soon be a reality.
I'm convinced 95% (or even more) of the population seem to live in a world of pure myth and magic, free from the laws of physics or economics, oblivious to all the realities around them, and their opinions are formed by tabloid papers, celebrity rubbish on TV and a virulent form of egotism. The Masbury nonsense is a splendid example of this, and they have made real fools of themselves. They even called John Baxter, chair of the SDRHT, a 'geek'!! John has dedicated about 30 years of his life to the S&D, until recently he had a very high up job, he is the least geeklike person in the UK, yet these two odd women had the cheek to call him that in response to a very polite and informative email he'd sent them. I despair or people sometimes!
Post a Comment