æ‹DŠ DEGRADATION š THE MODEL RAILWAY

Continued from February

Everything worked splendidly at first. All four tracks in operation, and the points functioning properly. You could say everything in the garden was lovely.

Then things started to go wrong. The point giving access to the branch line did not respond to its controlling switch. Its position on the layout made it virtually impossible to repair or replace. The result was that the branch line became inoperable.

It is surprising how when things went even mildly wrong, the consequences could be disproportionately serious. For example, sometimes train and locomotive would become uncoupled. The engine was then free to career round the circuit on its own until eventually it would catch up with the rear of its train and there would be an almighty pile-up. Sometimes it almost seemed as if the engine had a mind of its own and thought that if it went off the rails in the tunnel nobody would notice. Fortunately the original design of the layout provided for panels in the scenery over the tunnels to be removable so that the coaches or trucks could be extracted and the line reopened for normal service.

Then from time to time the track would become dirty so that the locomotives could not pick up a steady flow of current from the rails. A tedious track cleaning process was

necessary to put this right. And thick dust would settle on the roofs of the stations and of the buildings of the model village.

These are just a few of the things that could, and did, go wrong. It is quite amazing how a project that started off in perfect condition and with such high hopes could so soon go so disastrously wrong. Of course, it would be possible to get everything back on track, but that would require a lot of time and an immense amount of dedication. Perhaps a superhuman effort would be needed.

Robert M Forrest

 

 

 

MEET P.C. JO ALLEN

Ickenham‰s New Beat Officer and P.S.O.

Jo has been our regular Beat Officer since last July and is getting to knowæ folk in Ickenham. She is based, part-time, at Ruislip Police Station. Her daily beat covers the entire village including Austin‰s Lane, Long Lane, Swakeleys Park, our shops and right up to both intersections with the A40.

 

She has a host of policing duties, in Ickenham, which most of us do not get to hear about. Because of these duties she doesn‰t often get to meet the overwhelming majority of friendly, and law-abiding, locals. So for Jo‰s sake, when you see her out and about, either walking, on her bike or in her car, take the trouble to give a friendly wave, say hello and make her welcome.

 

Jo would like you to know that she is here to help solve any policing problems we might have. If you need to contact her, or have any information for her, please call on 020 8246 1818.

Editor

 

DOUAY MARTYRS GRAFFITI BUSTERS

 

In addition to our local Council doing all it can to keep our village free from graffiti and rubbish, the problem remains a daily one.

 

It was good, therefore, to hear of an excellent initiative by some of the environmentally conscious, and socially aware, youngsters at The Douay Martyrs School in Edinburgh Drive, who want to play their part in keeping our community clean and tidy.

 

Taking time out from their studies the young folk armed themselves with rubbish sacks, brooms and graffiti busting equipment designed to remove the mess from walls, fences and telephone boxes.

 

With everything organised, and everyone knowing where they were needed, the action plan was put into place over a two-day period.

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Teacher Anthony Little said of the project ‹It was hard work but well worth the effort. The students were really pleased with the difference they made to the Village. I am sure we would be happy to carry out further work in the futureŠ.

 

We would be happy too to see more of these initiatives, and appreciate, greatly, their assistance to keep our community looking neat, tidy and a place of which we can all be proud.

 

Well done to everyone involved!

 

Perhaps the other schools, and young peoples organisations within our parish, might wish to take note of what has been done, and what might be possible.

 

It was a worthwhile project giving pleasure to those who live locally and to the volunteers a sense of pride and achievement in a job well done.

Editor

 

 

REFLECTION

I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing, therefore, that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to my fellow-creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.

Requested by Alan Robins, formerly of Burnham Avenue, in memory of his late wife Ann.