There seems to be an increase in the non-appearance of members who
sign up for walks and outings. Time is wasted waiting for them and
sometimes payment is not forthcoming. It would appear that new
members don’t realise that if they can’t attend they should inform the
coordinator.

Please will all members respect this agreement to attend!

A few members of the Digital photography group went on the YSP trip. As stated in early post, it was a good day, at a lovely place. The main indoor exhibit of Henry Moore’s small models and his ideas for his larger works were interesting, but no photos were allowed. some poems accompanied a few of the exhibits by Stephen Armitage, which I found very moving. Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth’s large pieces graced the landscape over the park. With many other works from old and new sculptors.

Elisabeth Fink is one of a group of artist who went though WW2, as a child or adult. She was a member of the Independent Group, some of whom also had work on show.

Tom Price is a young sculpture whose work always features Black Men. some are small works others are big, as is this one at nine feet tall.

The Santillana siblings come from a long line of glass blowers. This piece and others were mounted in an 18c. Chapel.

Rob Ryan works in paper, either as prints or papercuts. I liked the papercuts, they tell a story and are also lace like. Being a lace maker these appealed to me.

The next set of photos shows part of the new installation, which opened at the beginning of September and will be in place until early January. This one is well worth a visit.

The park is also a good place for a family day out, lots of space for the children to run about, have a picnic, or use their cafes. With lots of surprise exhibits, some of which I know I missed. Another visit is needed.

A recent sunny August morning saw a small group of us assemble at the Network Rail Signalling Control Centre, at Lincoln.  Numbers had been limited by our hosts, so as not to disturb the work of the signallers on duty.

Our host was the Deputy Operations manager, Simon Young, who welcomed us and gave an introduction to the signalling principles, in the Training Room.  Here new signallers are introduced to the system, which takes the form of computer display panels on which are shown the track layout at different points in the area covered by the Lincoln Centre. Existing staff are given regular training assessments and updates in the same room.  After lots of questions from us were asked and answered, we went into the actual live Control Room.  Here there are four positions at which the signallers work, covering an area from Peterborough through Sleaford to Lincoln; from Gainsborough; from Langworth; and of course the city centre itself.  They have cctv cameras to view the level crossings  –  including the High Street one which can cause irritation to some motorists.  The time scale for safety reasons needed to protect the crossings was explained, as was the principle of watching the progress of any train along its route – shown by a red colour along the displays, which are in green when unoccupied.

As the only ex-railwayman in the group, it was good to see current practice, which is really a computerised version of the manual signalling principles in which I trained back in the 50s and 60s.  In those days the cosy comfort of the old signal box, with its coal fire, the ‘tinging’ of the telegraph bells, and the clanking of the levers being pulled, was its own secluded universe.  Some such ‘boxes still remain around Lincolnshire of course, but in a few years they will have gone for ever.

Brian Ward.

PS: photos were forbidden inside the Centre!