A letter from the Branch Chairman
In March 2007, I was elected chairman of the East Midlands branch of Railfuture to succeed Roger Skilton, who had moved to North Yorkshire and as we now know sadly died on August 3rd after a short illness The branch owes a huge debt to Roger for his work over many years with Railfuture and, in particular, his tactful handling of the merger of the North and East Midland branches into the new coherent East Midlands branch. I believe I inherit a new enthusiastic committee, which will continue to campaign for rail development throughout the region.
The AGM was well supported with about 50 attendees to hear both Dave Scarth and Spencer Gibbens from Network Rail, who outlined current and proposed work to enhance the local rail network over the next 5 years. Projects include the new Signal Control Centre in Derby [under construction], the East Midlands Parkway Station at Ratcliffe on Soar [due to open Dec. 2008], a new additional platform at Chesterfield, Trent Junction improvements, and Erewash Valley and Trent signal renewals. I was not alone in leaving the AGM with some optimism that, at last, the East Midlands is receiving not just maintenance, but also some capacity enhancements- thank you Dave and Spencer !
During the next 5 years, subject to overcoming some local objections, we hope to see Lines 2 & 3 of the Nottingham Tram [ NET ] and, with it, some regeneration of Nottingham Station. However, a few words of caution - a few schemes remain on our wish list with neither rail industry nor government commitment. These schemes include Loughborough station facility improvements, Castle Donington freight line upgrade to accelerate the Nottingham / Birmingham service, the Ivanhoe [National Forest] Line opening, a direct service from Oakham and Melton Mowbray to St. Pancras [Possible when the new projected Corby Station is opened], a new Saxondale [Bingham Parkway] Station, a new station at Ilkeston, and, not least, a new simple fare structure ! All these proposals present a serious challenge to rail campaigners. The Government White Paper on the railways [July 2007],although welcome, is a bit like the curate's egg. It demonstrates a paucity of ambition with line re-openings and as yet, the impact on the East Midlands is not defined.Finally, should you, as a Railfuture member, have local rail issues which you wish to address, please feel free to contact us. Our campaigning ability is supported by the strength of our membership-please enrol a friend to the cause !
Terry HoltTribute to Roger Skilton 1938 - 2007
It is with deep regret that we heard the very sad news that Roger Skilton had died at his home in Wensleydale on Friday 3rd August 2007 after a short illness. Many of the East Midlands branch committee attended his funeral at Leyburn church on the 9th August.
Roger had been actively involved with the East Midlands branch since 1988 and for over sixteen years from 1990 had been either secretary or chairman. Together with wife Mary they had only moved to North Yorkshire last November and typically Roger was already very involved with the Wensleydale Railway and Leyburn station.
Roger’s interest in railway campaigning began shortly after he moved to Leicester Polytechnic to teach electrical engineering and had to travel throughout the UK to visit his students during their year out in industry. Roger could have gone by car but chose to travel by train and realised then that much work was needed to improve the railway network after years of decline.
That the East Midlands branch is a successful rail lobby group is due a lot to his endeavours over those years and the unassuming way he encouraged many of us to become active railway campaigners. Both the current secretary and treasurer were brought into the committee by Roger and many others were encouraged to become involved. Upon his resignation as chairman last March he left a branch that was better organised and stronger than ever and we owe it to him to continue our work to improve the passenger and freight railway network in the UK.
I visited Roger in hospital in mid July and took him copies of both the latest Rail and Modern Railways magazines. Needless to say he had already read both and was thoroughly up to date with the latest railway news.
Finally then our thoughts are surely with Mary, daughter Penny and son James and their great loss. If you care to make a donation in memory of Roger, the family were very grateful to Herriot Hospice Homecare, Zetland House, Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, N Yorks, DL6 1JG.
Roger Bacon 14th August 2007
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Branch Chairman Roger Skilton (right) thanking Tony Wrighton, Interim Customer Service Director of Midland Mainline for his talk to the branch on November 12th 2005 at Derby