Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
I failed my medical on the railway last Wednesday, which put me on a bit of a downer for the rest of the day, in the sense that I can`t do anymore climbing up and down freight vehicles, examining them, and coupling up and piping loco`s etc, with lifting problems and odd dizzy spells. Looks like I`m being retired early. I`ve got mixed feelings about it all. I`ve always liked my job, which has involved working all hours of the day and night, in all weathers, and most days of the year, including Christmas day. After my sickness time off last year, I discovered that practically most of my working life has been work, and I`ve had little time with home life including the kids growing up. I was always tired and never managed to take them out as much as I`d have liked to. Sadly, I should imagine this a common thing perhaps that some members on here will have experienced? I`m looking on finishing up early as a blessing in disguise, as I`m sure if I didn`t have my illness, I`d have gone to 65. Anyone out there like their job, but would like to finish up early if they had the chance? Anyone now retired who liked their job, but wish they could have finished earlier? Anyway, I won`t be sitting at home bored, I`ll be out there getting a life.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
sorry to hear that colin, having met you briefly a few times it is clear that you are
a very bright and positive individual, i will try to forget your jokes.
just carry on as you are, brightening up dover forum with your pictures.
it is now nearly summer, events will happen supported by our army of volunteers, just enjoy.
you will get to meet forumites like ian, terry nunn, phil eyden, paul(scotchie) wells, stewart dimmock, chris precious, mandie and sid at carnival time and many others.
i forgot blue barry with his world war two weekend, that is always a "must see".
now you are part of the dover forum family, just enjoy.
Colin, Having taken early retirement (fortunately in my case by choice) a couple of years ago I have no regrets.
I have a part time job to keep things ticking over whilst the offspring are still depleting my resources and life has never been better.
Sold the car and stopped buying quite so much unnecessary 'stuff'.
My father always said that the graveyard was full of supposedly indispensable men, and he was right!
Still too much to do and far too little time.
Enjoy.
Bob
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Bob is right on this one,and Colin as you know I have asked you to join me in a event I am hoping to put on in the next few weeks and there will be other ones to and if I get to
be Dovers next MP the event will still go ahead.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
I retired early from NatWest in London after just over 24 years and came to Dover to run a guest house and that's how I fell in love with Dover (I still love Jean of course) and woke up to the importance of tourism.
Since selling the guest house, I have worked on many initiatives and projects to improve tourism here and to help the businesses here and move the Town forward.
From the projects I developed years ago to now, I have always been stopped by people, not because my ideas are bad or even unworkable, they've been described by some (and some of those people have been from around the country - local authorities and TCM type of bodies) as brilliant and should make a tremendous (positive) difference to the Town and the businesses here.
I've never been able to work out the real reason why they have always been turned down.
I always remained positive and after a short time later, came up with a new initiative or project, like the Dover Loyalty Scheme I ran for two years - very successful, but never as successful as it could have been, if I had had offical support - moral or financial.
When I was appointed Dover Business Support Manager last November, I thought "this is it, now I can really make a difference".
After four months and no pay and then sacked (not really sure why) and then lied about, it really has killed my enthusiasm and the message has got through at last - no one really cares.
I was told the other day that trying to work for others. as I had done for many many years, is like peeing in your pants when you're wearing black trousers - you get a warm feeling, but no one notices.
I've now stopped peeing in my pants.
Roger
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
I go along with Roger on most of his points has done alot and I am hoping he will come in with some of the events I am looking at,but I do not think he will gave up nor will I, he has done alot more then myself,and there is still a place for him working for the town, but like most things it is geting funding to push ahead with.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
Many thanks for your interesting and pleasant comments above, and I must say I am looking forward to a life of freedom, to get out and do lots of walking and travelling about. Last year was a real eye opener for me, which I find very difficult to put into words. Jobs at home sometimes needed doing, but were usually put on the back burner as it was work that night or in the early hours. What days off I had were usually either worked, or sat about reading and dozing, no possibility whatsoever of walking miles round Dover or anywhere`s else for for that matter. Free travel on the railway very rarely used and just wasted. Loved the job I`ve always done, lots of great people I`ve met over the years, most happy and cheerful, some miserable, moany etc. Yes, it`s been great, but now I`ve found another life, two in fact, the freedom to get out and about with no commitments, and somewhere`s to talk about it all, the forum. Long may it continue, and thank you each and everyone.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
You are a fortunate man to be so wise, Colin, and we are fortunate to have you as our friend. Good luck to you in your new adventures!
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
Thank you Bern, and hope to meet you one day.
Maybe sometime I`ll get into politics, and start seeking out BarryW or Vic for advice, you never know what life has in store.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 643- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,321
Hi Colin,
My husband was a train driver for 39 years going from freight to mainline driving, he has also had to take early retirement on medical grounds (he has MS) so we know how you feel. Working on the railway is like being part of a big family, your colleagues would always be there for you, but that doesn't stop when you leave. We have been touched by the number of railway employees who ring or pop in to see how he is doing. He's also been told to pop in the lobby anytime to see the others. Although he's only been retired for 6 weeks he's found new hobbies and interests already and is so far enjoying the freedom. It's good for me too because it was hard seeing him struggle to walk to the car let alone to work, determined not to give in. His last few months were spent doing office work but that was hard after driving for so many years. He can now relax and enjoy his retirement and it's nice to have him home where I can keep an eye on him lol
Anyway what I'm saying Colin is enjoy your retirement, don't lose track of your old mates and keep taking those photos that we all enjoy.
Good luck, good health and congratulations.
Jacqui x
There's always a little truth behind every "Just kidding", a little emotion behind every "I don't care" and a little pain behind every "I'm ok".
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
Hi Jacqui, and thanks ever so much for your kind words and letting us know about your husband. I wish him all the very best in his new start in life. I`ve briefly looked online about MS, which I`ve heard of, but I wasn`t aware of all the complexities that go with it. Great to see his workmates standing by him, and there is a great loyalty amongst railwaymen which some may not understand. It used to be the same on the ferries, but unsure now. I`m actually still at work at the moment, and not yet officially retired, but not too far away. I will miss some of it, but not the hours of driving for hours. Thanks again Jacqui, and good luck to you both, and hope your hubby enjoys his early retirement. Colin. x
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 650- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 542
Good for your hubby, Jacquie, and I sincerely hope he really enjoys his retirement. You too, Colin! A newspaper editor up here told me, when he retired, that one of his greatest joys was being able to do jobs at home properly, and enjoy doing them. No rushing to get them finished because there was a six-day stretch of work ahead to do.
Coming from a railway family as I do, I can confirm that railway colleagues don't forget. There are so many people in Dover who remember my granddads and my uncles - even know of my great-granddads!
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
Thank you Maggie, it`s like being born again, but with the experience of the past life you`ve had to make a better job of the new one, without the same mistakes, and appreciate it more. Again, very difficult to put into words for me.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
What`s this got to do with my retirement? Firstly, it`s what I`ll miss at work. An example here of a few days lodging away up in Norfolk doing night work enabled me to go out in the daytime, (as I only sleep a few hours), to visit Bressingham gardens not far away from the hotel. Not typical, but made the job
that much more enjoyable. This is what I`ll be after now with the camera, COLOUR, be it plant life or buildings, colour brings it all to life.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
Working down Southampton with car trains or the Orient Express. QE2 in the background with less than 2 month`s to go before retirement. (Pun not intended). I`ll miss all this.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 694- Registered: 22 Mar 2010
- Posts: 778
Is it wrong that I am counting the years to my retirement? Ohh i can retire at 68.. yippeee....
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
jenni
try to comfort yourself with the fact that your hard work is financing my state pension and freedom to do what i want.
thought that would make you feel better.
Guest 694- Registered: 22 Mar 2010
- Posts: 778
thanks for that howard.. so next time i see you in the pub your the one buying that round then?!
Knowing my flipping luck a state pension will be cancelled by the time i get to that stage..
Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
Super photo, Colin. Here is one of yesteryear from the same location showing British Railways Southern Region loco "Sir Richard Grenville" heading a boat train out of the Ocean Terminal with the Queen Mary in the background.
How times have changed. Everything in the old photo was British owned and a source of national pride - a mighty British Railways express steam engine; the great Port of Southampton, home to the ocean liners; and the legendary Queen Mary of the Cunard Line.
Everything in the more recent photo is privatised and foreign owned. The loco belongs to EWS who carry most of the freight on British tracks and are now owned by the German national railways Deutsche Bahn, who also own Chiltern Railways and now Arriva; the Port of Southampton is one of the 21 ports in the ABP group, owned by a consortium of global infrastructure funds including GIS of Singapore, Borealis of Canada, Goldman Sachs of the USA, and Prudential. Cunard is now owned by Carnival of the USA, and the QE2 in the photo is now owned by Nakheel of Dubai.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
All of those overseas conglomerates are strong organisations I believe and run pretty successfully ?
So why is there such opposition to the selling off of the business of the Port of Dover, if done properly ?
Southampton is the most popular Cruise Port in the Country.
To get the Town we want and deserve, we have to think big and be brave - or do we not want to be bold, brave and progressive and still keep what's important - our history and character ?
Roger
