Journal 167

We are once again significantly behind schedule in getting the October issue to members.  We trust however that it will prove to have been worth waiting for.  The 50^th anniversary of the final break-up of the Great Northern is commemorated by memories of that company recorded from the distant location of Australia by Laurence Liddle, whom we believe to be our most senior member in age, if not necessarily in years of membership.  This article is also in tribute to the late Norman McAdams, who commissioned if from Laurence before his own untimely and premature passing.

John O’Meara takes us on the first part of a journey over the Horseleap Branch, that little known and seldom travelled byway, and, as was found in preparation of this feature, was even more seldom photographed.  This article will be completed in a future issue of the Journal.

Our main feature by Oliver Doyle completes his series of contributions covering the ongoing modernisation and resignalling of the main radial routes extending from Dublin, with comprehensive details of the changes made earlier this year on the Rosslare line.  This former Dublin and South Eastern main line retained many remarkable and unusual survivors from pre-GSR days and Oliver has recorded these with his customary thoroughness.

The News section as always provides extensive information on current events, as well as advance details of ongoing plans and future developments.

Subscriptions

Subscriptions are now due and we would greatly appreciate your forwarding your subscription as speedily as possible.  As has been the practice every second year, there is this year an increase in rates, which we have held to the most modest levels feasible in the face of cost increases, especially in postage.

Early receipt of subscriptions will ensure the Society’s financial wellbeing and will also facilitate the work of our ever diligent Membership Secretary, Kevin Walker.  With over 1,100 subs in diverse categories to process, your timely response will ease Kevin’s task substantially.

We believe the Society continues to offer good value and an interesting and worthwhile publication, and trust that members will therefore renew their subscriptions.

Please note the following points made by Kevin:

Membership Renewals.

All memberships fall due for renewal on 1st October each year and subscriptions cover until 30th September the following year. This applies regardless of when subscriptions are paid within a year. The usual method of advising members when subscriptions are due is to enclose a Membership Renewal Form and envelope with the October Journal unless a subscription has been received by the day prior to the Journal being posted. Therefore if you receive a form with this Journal, your subscription is due for renewal.

Please put your Reference No. on the form, as it ensures that a subscription is credited to the correct member. Your Re.f No. is shown on the address label on the Journal envelope.

Please ensure that cheques are dated and signed correctly and put the full name of the Society on cheques, bank drafts and postal orders. Euro cheques should be drawn on an Irish bank. Euro bank drafts should include a reference to an Irish bank, as otherwise a collection change is applied and the Society does not receive the full amount. This reference is put on by the issuing bank. Sterling cheques should be drawn on a UK bank.

Deceased Members

We regret to have to report the decease of three members.

DENIS MORRIS

Journal No. 2 published in January 1948 recorded the establishment of the Junior Branch of the Society, with the first Hon. Secretary of the Branch being recorded as J.J. Dowling of Blackrock, the initial subscription being 3 shillings (about 20 cents).  By Journal No. 4, January 1949, Denis Morris, also of Blackrock, had taken over as Hon. Secretary, and his name will be recalled by those sadly few surviving members who were active in the Society in those days.  While Denis later ceased to be active in the Society, his contribution to the early life of the Junior Branch was significant and led to the Junior Branch becoming a key element in drawing to the Society, many members whose contributions to the Senior body became significant, including inter alia the late Norman McAdams and David Murray.

The “Irish Times” of 19^th October 2008 contained an obituary for Denis, who went on to a most interesting life in Ireland and Hong Kong as a parliamentary draftsman, and latterly, following a happy marriage late in life, in Portugal.  Denis died on 13^th October 2008.

I am grateful to Jack McCullagh for drawing attention to Denis’s passing.

DAVID WHYTE

David was also a former member of the Junior Branch, of a more recent vintage.  He worked in the Library and assisted with catering, as well as being a member of the RPSI carriage team in Dublin.  He will have been well known to many Dublin members, especially those who are present regularly at Library nights.

Sadly, David was the unfortunate victim of a violent assault, resulting in his death at an early age.  There was great shock and sadness at this unhappy event and sympathy and support was extended to David’s family by the Society.

 

PADDY THORNTON

Paddy was regular attended at Library nights and meetings for many years and again will be known to many Dublin members.

The Society has in this case also expressed sympathy to Paddy’s relatives on his passing.

 

John Gillham

On a happier note, we are pleased to make specific acknowledgement to legendary railway and tramway cartographer John Gillham, for the two maps specially prepared by him for the article on the Cork City Railways which appeared in Journal 166.

John was producing work of this calibre as long ago as the 1940s and age has certainly not diminished his competence or enthusiasm.

Students of British and Irish tramways will be especially familiar with his work, because for very many years, just about every tramway history was accompanied by a John Gillham map.  His techniques and style set a standard for clear and comprehensive depiction of every aspect of tramway networks.

John has provided a full list of his maps, all of which are available from him.  The list includes a number of items of Irish interest.  A copy of the list will be made available at the Premises for members interested in making purchases from John.

London Area Booklist

Members are particularly asked to note that this facility is temporarily not available.

For Dublin members, Mr Flewitt’s ISPS sales stand continues to operate at Society events in Dublin, but no postal service is offered.

Annual General Meeting

It will be seen from the Dublin Programme that the AGM, which has habitually been scheduled for January, is being deferred to 26^th March 2009.  This date is within the extended statutory period from the 2008 AGM.

The reason for the deferral is that we have been advised by our Auditors of the necessity for Area Accounts to be included in the Annual Reports and Accounts to be circulated to all members in accordance with the statutory requirements.

In order to enable London Area details to be thus included, it has therefore been necessary to allow extra time, having regard to the London Area AGM date of 15^th January 2009.

We are grateful to our London colleagues for facilitating compliance with this new audit requirement.

Annual Reports and Accounts

We again is expect that this statutory material, which is required to be circulated to all members under the Society’s Rules, will be posted separately from the February Journal, unless the combined weight of the Journal and reports will be such as to offer better economy by combined posting.

We are currently actively investigating the potential for electronic distribution of this information, which would lead to a useful reduction in the Society’s outlays.  However, members will retain the option to receive a printed copy, should they so wish.

 

Membership of London Area

London Area Chairman Tim Morton has asked that the following be advised to all Society Members:

The London Area of the Society brought in new Rules in August 2007 which introduced the concept of Membership of the London Area. Members of the Area are entitled to serve on the London Area Committee, call a London Area EGM etc.

At the Area AGM in January 2008, Membership of the London Area was redefined as being paid up members of the Society who are on the London Area mailing or e-mailing list. However, anyone who has an interest in the affairs of London Area is entitled to join our mailing lists. If you are a paid up member of the Society who is not already on one of the Area’s mailing lists and would like to be classified as a Member of the London Area (no extra subscription payable), please e-mail the Area at irrslondon@hotmail.com or write to the Area Secretary at 43 Beechmount Avenue, LONDON W7 3AE.

Seasonal Good Wishes

The delayed issue of this note enables however the Committee of the Society to wish all of our members the compliments of the Christmas season and every good wish for 2009.

We trust that current financial constraints will not deter members from renewing.  We are especially grateful for the loyalty of members down the years – we have an exceptionally high level of annual renewals compared with many other similar societies – and we would hope that our members will feel able to sustain that loyalty into the future, and of course our railway scene retains much interest and we expect will provide many new developments to be recorded as our Society moves into it’s 63^rd year.

MICHAEL J. WALSH,

Hon. Chairman.