The Society Heritage Collection

[JulienW]

As the person responsible for the 009 Society's display at the Warley show I can confirm that the heritage items didn't leave the cases during the show.  I unpacked the models when Geoff Bowyer delivered them to the stand on Saturday morning, and repacked them on the Sunday evening when Geoff took them away with him.

Had any damage occurred in this time it would have been noted by me and Geoff Bowyer - present on both days of the exhibition - would have been notified.

As the person responsible for the 009 Society's display at the Warley show I find it somewhat disappointing that Rod has seen fit to announce on the forum that heritage items sent for display at the Warley show appear to have been damaged at the show rather than to contact me in the first instance to ascertain the facts before making accusations.

As the person who unpacked the models when Geoff Bowyer delivered them to the stand on the Saturday morning, put them in the case and repacked them at the end of the show Sunday evening the implication is that I have damaged these locos and have not owned up to it.

In making these accusations on this forum Rod has a published false statement - that I am, or someone in the West Midlands Group is responsible for the damage and have not owned up to it -  that is damaging to a person's reputation (i.e. mine).  This is the very definition of Libel, i.e. a written defamation against me as an individual and the West Midlands Group members who helped to man the stand, unless I have misunderstood Rod's posts.  If that is the case perhaps Rod would like to either clarify his statement that I or a member of the West Mids Group have damaged these locos, or offer an apology.

It is a fact that the Warley show took place on the 25th and 26th of November, so one is left to wonder what happened in the 11 weeks between me packing them up in an undamaged state at the show (roughly 5 pm on November 26th 2017) and handing them back to Geoff Bowyer for their journey south, and Rod's announcement at almost 5 pm on March 12th.  

In that 11 weeks if there had been a problem Rod and/or other Committee members / Officers could have contacted me via e-mail or approached me in person when we were all at the Ilton members day on Jan 13th, or asked to attend the Committee / board meeting held on the 14th Jan to acretain the facts and to account for the damage.

It is a fact that none of the Society officials, elected or appointed, have chosen to contact me directly or indirectly on this matter in any way in that time, and Rod insinuations are the first that I have heard of the matter.

The fact of the matter is that at some point in the 11 weeks between me packing the locos away in their mix of tissue paper and bubble wrap at the NEC and Rod's announcement 2 locos were damaged. As they were apparently undamaged when I received them and they were in the same condition when I packed them in the same manner  (as far as I could ascertain) as when they arrived this would suggest that the damage occurred at some point between Geoff Bowyer taking them away with him and Rod's Announcement yesterday evening.

On the basis that no enquiries have been made in my direction at any point prior to Rod making his causations I'm assuming that the damage was noted by Rod when he unpacked them yesterday.

I am therefore somewhat concerned that it seems to have taken 11 weeks for items sent out to be checked on their return for damage, as the overly long time interval makes it that much harder to pin down when the damage occurred, and who may or may not be responsible for it.

[rod335]

Unfortunately because of someone behind the scenes the Heritage collection has become a political football. This and the point you are complaining about is under discussion by the Directors. In the present instance, I merely replied to an enquiry from a member. The facts as I stated them ARE indisputable. The items were OK when they left me. They were damaged when returned. I consider it impossible that the damage, by its nature, could have been caused in transit. Therefore it must have been caused by persons unknown whilst at Warley. I cannot see anything will be gained by continuing this discussion and do not propose commenting further.

[rod335]

Julien, the only comment I will make is that I did not libel anyone as I did not and could not identify anyone. I have no way of knowing who handled the items at Warley. I will add that I have considered your posts in this connection and the unsolicited scree you submitted to the directors to be an unpleasant and unwarranted public and private personal attack on me. But apparently in your book that is all right. May I suggest that if you want to continue this discussion further it is done in private?

[Hobby]

Unfortunately because of someone behind the scenes the Heritage collection has become a political football. This and the point you are complaining about is under discussion by the Directors. In the present instance, I merely replied to an enquiry from a member. The facts as I stated them ARE indisputable. The items were OK when they left me. They were damaged when returned. I consider it impossible that the damage, by its nature, could have been caused in transit. Therefore it must have been caused by persons unknown whilst at Warley. I cannot see anything will be gained by continuing this discussion and do not propose commenting further.

You have no proof that we damaged them and went much further in your earlier posts by accusing us directly, as you have done there. As another member of the Group that looked after the Collection and saw no damage being done to it I regard that as out of order and would like you to remove all your posts in this respect. I have reported your posts to the Moderators.

[JulienW]

Julien, the only comment I will make is that I did not libel anyone as I did not and could not identify anyone. I have no way of knowing who handled the items at Warley. I will add that I have considered your posts in this connection and the unsolicited scree you submitted to the directors to be an unpleasant and unwarranted public and private personal attack on me. But apparently in your book that is all right. May I suggest that if you want to continue this discussion further it is done in private?

Rod, what is the point of discussing this in private seeing as you have decided to open the matter in public?

You chose to state that items were damaged at Warley whilst in the care of the group and individuals manning the 009 Society's stand at the Warley show on this forum without having the good manners to contact any of those individuals or the group concerned first to inform them that items had been damaged or to ascertain what may have happened to said items whilst they were in their care to cause such damage.

I apologise yet again if you have seen my posts on the subject of the heritage collection on this forum and the item I submitted to the January Committee meeting as a personal attack on you.

Despite my apologies you seem to have taken it upon yourself to retaliate by making vile insinuations that a group of members of which I am a part have damaged Society assets and then tried to cover it up rather than own up.

Apparently this is acceptable behaviour of an Elected Officer/Director of this Society...

[garrywhiting]

 Gentlemen,

This topic is now locked.

Garry Whiting
Content Moderator