Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul Frankland
Hi Philip
I was at Kessingland. Romney Hythe to Dymchurch miniature railway ran past the camp. I can hear the whistle now. I was into trainspotting then - I must have been 7 or 8 so around 1954-5? I loved hanging over the Queens Road bridge and the one on Highams playing field near the cricket ground.
Trains were something in those days; even the "mile long" coal- pulling work horses, belching out dirty smoke and grey tinted steam, but more excitingly the dark green and polished brass of fast, named passenger engines. One regular was "Vernon" - I believe it was one of several Admirals. Didn't they look great on the viaduct?
I imagine you found Switzerland different in many ways.
All the best
Paul
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Hi Paul,
It would seem that our paths did cross at Kessingland, sorry but the only thing that I vividly remember were the salmon fish swimming upstream and leaping over the smaller types of waterfalls.
Train spotting:
A school friend of mine did a lot of train spotting as a kid, in fact I read somewhere that he still does, and is (I think) the president of the “Train Spotters Club” of Accrington & district. His name is Albert Wilkinson.
Switzerland:
After arriving on the 1st September 1967 it was indeed a cultural shock in some ways such as:
- The language. Not many people could/would speak English only Swiss German
- The longer working hours from a 40 hour per week to a 44 hour per week
- The resentment to “Foreigners” which you were made to feel on a regular basis
After a while however and after getting acclimatised things got a lot better:
- Got married 1968
- Our Daughter being born in 1972
- Speaking the language
- In around 1971 it became a 40 hour per week
- Climbing the ladder into a managerial position (After Sales Service Manager) on a worldwide basis
- Taking out Swiss nationality
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All in all I wouldn’t contemplate ever moving away from here, in particular at my age (now 72).
A very merry Christmas and all the best to your family in 2016
Cheers
Philip