CONGRATULATIONS to all who helped to construct the extended track in Vivary Park which was used in anger for the first time on Sunday 3 May when we carried some 400 passengers. In spite of snow at one stage, every planned working party since Christmas was able to get on with the work although we just missed our target date for completion at Easter weekend. At that time the majority of the new section was in place with about 25 feet each side to complete once we broke into the old circuit. This work commenced on Monday 20 April and the final weld was made on Thursday 30th when I was pleased to sign off the new circuit as fit for purpose. Our thanks are due to Phil Mortimer and his team – David Spicer, Gerry Willis, Tony Gosling, Andy Cooke, Ian Grinter, Barry Baxter, John Pickering, Fred Stops, Roy and Diane Fathers (Creosote, Tea and Coffee lady), and the Hartnell brothers. Maurice’s and Mark’s splendid efforts behind the scenes resulted in us having all the new concrete posts made by Maurice and the new sleepers cut by Mark before site work commenced in the park. What with this contribution and the work they have done at Creech recently I was very pleased to be able to give the TME ‘Member of the Year’ award to them on a joint basis at the latest AGM.

With all the effort going into Vivary, progress at Creech has slowed but mention must be made of two items. The first concerns trees (the full story appears elsewhere) but our thanks are due to Gerry Willis through whose efforts we were given 81 saplings by Monkton Elm Garden Centre – of which he then planted some 75 – and to the Hartnell brothers (again!) who took a day off Easter Week, hired a digger and a dumper and with Alan Wellesley Miller spent a day during which virtually all the remaining earthworks were put in place. Our thanks are due to all for their contributions.

The AGM passed off peacefully with no major issues raised and no changes to your Committee – so you know you’re going to get more of the same! The Committee did take note of the points made for having more meetings with opportunities to see work in progress and hear how things have been done (or should be done), and with opportunities for our less experienced members to draw on other’s experience and knowledge. Hopefully you will find the Autumn programme begins to address these issues.

We are now into the new running season and it was a pleasure to see how much the public enjoyed the extended track in the park on 3 May when we had three steam locomotives running and a healthy number of stewards to look after their safety and wellbeing. However we have much to do to build up similar support for Creech running days, both in terms of publicity and sustaining a regular service. Although we ran Easter Monday with three locomotives available we are limited to the same few people turning out each time. We do need to identify another two, three or more members who are prepared to open up at the appointed time and ensure at least a basic service can be run using Alan Miller’s petrol hydraulic locomotive which is kept on site for Club use. We can soon arrange advice on the site security arrangements and for training on the locomotive as soon as candidates come forward please.

With that I’ll remind you that Ian Grinter is entered as the Taunton ME representative for the 2009 IMLEC competition at Bristol’s Ashton Court railway over the weekend 4/5 July. He will no doubt be pleased to see TME members who join him over the weekend and give some support, moral or otherwise. I’m sure we all wish Ian well.

Mike