Mayor’s visit in April 2008

The Mayor of Rotherham Councillor Allan Jackson,

accompanied by the Mayoress Yvonne Jackson, visited the

Victoria Park site on the 30th April 2008, to officially open the

Societies ground level track and to name the new petrol

hydraulic locomotive. The name for the locomotive had been

selected from a list of names submitted by Ryecroft Infants

School. The winning name of "GREEN DRAGON" submitted

by class 4 at the school, was announced at the unveiling of the

loco nameplates by the Mayor. There had been a bit of a

problem in selecting the winning name, as class 5 at the

school had submitted "The Green Dragon" as one of there

nominations. Subsequently it was decided that the fairest

solution was to have joint winners but with "Green Dragon"

chosen for the name plates.

The event started at 1pm with the pupils from Ryecroft

Infants School taking part in a number of activities in

conjunction with the Park Rangers and Jenny from

Groundworks Dearne Valley. Our involvement was to give

rides to the pupils with Pete Farrar driving his Holmside and

Mike Thomas driving his LNER V4.

The Mayor and Mayoress arrived at the site at 1:30pm and

were met and escorted around the site by our Chairman

Dennis Meares and Treasurer Ken Staniforth. They were

shown the Gauge One layout before moving on to look at the

two workshops.

Promptly at 2:30pm approximately 150 pupils from the school

congregated around the station area ready for the naming

ceremony. After the naming, presentation of a plaque was

made to two pupils from the school by the Mayor, followed

by the presentation of a framed photograph of "Green

Dragon" to two more pupils. A short speech, thanking the

Society for inviting the school, was made by a pupil  from the

school and by the Headmistress Mrs Etchell. Dennis then

presented the Mayor with a framed photograph of "Green

Dragon" with the four new coaches and finally two pupils

from the school presented a basket of flowers to the

Mayoress.

The Mayor and Mayoress were invited to take a ride on the

train together with pupils from the two winnings classes.

Dave Batchford was in charge of the train with its VIP's.

Finally the party inspected the display of both train and a

variety of other models, together with a look at the

photographic display depicting the history of the site.

Unfortunately at this point the rains came to put a damper on

proceedings, with the school having to hurriedly retire back

to school. At least we were able to get through the important

part of the programme before the rain came.

At 3:15pm after a well earned cup of tea, the Mayor and

Mayoress left for the Town Hall. All we had to do then was

clear everything away in the pouring rain.

Mayor & Mayoress with Dennis Meares

Children, Mayor & Mayoress taking a ride