Ancient stuff
A collection of past railway sleeper memories
06 November 2002 / Posted in: Ancient stuff
Nov 2002. It's been so wet and windy. Stoical professional landscapers have to carry on (heroicly wading in their flooded trenches) but most home gardeners are battoning down the hatches untill better weather. So, a quieter period for us, and space to create new sections on the website
BBC Pebble mill have used our new 6" diameter poles on 'Housecall' (21/11/02) for a tree house. 'The Times' also rang up wanting to know more about our sleepers and where they come from, for an article on recycling materials, and a student from Oxford enquired about the life of a railway sleeper, for a thesis or whatever. Another natonal journalist consulted us about a rumour that the Government is stockpiling sleepers for a potential foot and mouth outbreak. So, Kilgraney is clearly in the public eye, and readily available for any measured comments, whether on the firefighter's strike, impending war on Iraq, or celebrity 'Big brother'. Incidently we've had many requests for wood from striking firefighters, but none for help with wage negotiation (Kilgraney Industrial Conciliation Service). Just ring us!!
Nottingham Forest FC are successfully performing with confidence and flair, and are making up for many dismal afternoons watching them in the last two years. Kilgraney are negotiating with Forest to take over from Pinacle Insurance as the club's principal sponsor in the Premiership. Talks are taking place at the highest level. Rumour has it that the quiet 'Bridgford End' stand will soon be renamed the 'Sleeper end'. Special season ticket deals may be available to Kilgraney customers. We'll be in touch.
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06 October 2002 / Posted in: Ancient stuff
Oct 2002.
Never try a backwards freefall dive off a stack of sleepers. (Me trying to load up the trailer with scant regard for health and safety) It's still exceptionally painful after 3 weeks, & visits to hospital, chiropractors etc.. Joking apart I was lucky not to break my hip, back etc... Still at least I can contact a 'no win, no fee' agency, and sue Kilgraney for negligence.
We've spent several weeks re-designing the web-site, with hopefully beter pictures, and more areas of interest. Soon we will be offering you railway carriages, sleeper furniture, sculptures etc.. followed by Kilgraney food, cars, financial services, crude oil, processed uranium... and finally world domination. What comes after world domination ? Retirement I suppose.
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07 September 2002 / Posted in: Ancient stuff
Sept 2002
Season of mist and mellow fruitfulness. Why didn't I get all those jobs done in the summer ? As usual I intend more than I achieve ! Good news - the BBC are putting us in a forthcoming landscaping book as one of their suppliers. Quite a relief, I've been expecting them to sue us any moment. See public apology in earlier blog.
Pepsi, in all his exhuberant glory has left us. He's bitten Bray several times and is not interested in being his soul mate. Sad, but he'll live happily within his new one dog family, with no competition. Bray has blossomed in his absence. Peace has returned to the farm.
Business news: There are no immediate plans to float Kilgraney on the stock exchange. We've turned down a merger with Marconi. Just as well. Rumour has it they'll soon go into liquidation.
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07 August 2002 / Posted in: Ancient stuff
Kilgraney goes to Monte Carlo! August 2002
Annual holiday - a wonderful week of warm azure seas, delicious harbour restaurants, and life with an energetic and uncrowd-pulling Renault "twingo" that valiently managed breathtaking mountains and impossible parking amidst the rich and exotic of Monaco. Treading water and facing those vacational musings: why do I work, why do I live in Nottingham, why am I getting older, why have I ended up with a Renault "twingo" ?
My relaxed state of being predictably disappeared in 24hrs following return, amidst e-mails, faxes and frantic messages of Rock festivals wanting telegraph poles, lorry drivers getting lost and 'Pepsi' eating my boots, lunch, and biting Bray.
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07 July 2002 / Posted in: Ancient stuff
Sad goodbyes and hectic hellos. July 2002
Jet, our supposedly ferocious guard dog died of a kidney failure. A laid-back gentle being, certainly more effective at sleeping than guard duty. Much missed. Held him as he was put to sleep - a moving gentle moment that made me wish that maybe some human suffering could end in a similarly dignified way. Pepsi, an abbandoned two year old Labrador has joined the Kilgraney empire, armd with wilful enthusiasm, an ability to steal my lunch, and endless energy. I fear he has been sent to test my patience to breaking point. Bray seems to agree. He eats the post, chases after cars, and shows little respect either his elders or the established English way of doing things. He humours me.
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07 June 2002 / Posted in: Ancient stuff
US spy planes over Kilgraney 'front' June 2002
Reports from our website show that we've increased from about 1,000 'hits' a month to 37,000 in May. The print-out also shows that 174 'visits' were from Belgium, 2 from Denmark, 31 from the US government, and 72 from the US military. Explain THAT please !
We've already passed the longest day of the year, England are out of the world cup, and Wimbledon is upon us. E-mails have come from as far away as Canada and Estonia, and Edinburgh airport even sent someone down to pick up 6 sleepers. (Can you believe that ?) Our fame obviously proceeds us ! Generally we've had more and more enquiries from outside the midlands, and correspondingly more long distance deliveries. This month we've sold to scultpers, golf pros, chief constables, football managers and many other dodgy characters.
We've brought in several new types of sleepers, including some brand new industrial oak from France, and some attractive reclaimed Norwegian pine sleepers. We've even been offered half a million sleepers from an enterprising person in the Czech republic. Can you imagine the pile ? Maybe that's why the US is interested!
On a sad note, Jet our ferocious and loveable labrador is ill, suffering from kidney failure. Bray seems very lonely, and we are seeking a new friend for him. Equally ferocious of course !
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07 April 2002 / Posted in: Ancient stuff
April 2002
BBC's 'Homefront' programme used 120 of our new oak railway sleepers recently to create a multi-decked affair, by Duirmid Gavin. Here, courtesy of their website are a few pictures. It's curious how visitors to Kilgraney have responded to the BBC's bit of theatrical landscaping. Either adoration or bitter scorn... 'fantastic','inspiring' or 'ridiculous', and 'a waste of money' ....a bit like their reaction to the royal family !
Dear Duirmuid was heard to say that they were 'fine oak railway sleepers' (clearly a personal recommendation !!) an opinion not shared by those unloading the lorry, who laughingly complained that they were 'bloody heavy', and must be at least 100 kg each. Actually only 70kg, but who cares ! The finished glittery project, so amazingly expensive, would not have been out of place on a west end stage, yet perhaps a little strange in the chosen setting. Still, hats off for daring imagination and ...oh yes.. for buying from us ! Thankyou.
The man speaks:
"Kilgraney Farm is one of the finest suppliers of railway sleepers I have ever met, and every one of my projects in future will include them. The web site is so amazing that it taught me more in an hour, than I've learned in years. It is to Kilgraney that I owe my success.."
Duirmuid Gavin
Public apology
We apologise unreservedly. The above comment is fictitious and we regret any offence it may have given to Mr.Gavin or his family. What he indeed said was that the railway sleepers were "heavy" and "fine oak sleepers" and this in no way meant we could gratuitiously peddle his name as supposed recommendation and hope to con a few sales out of it... not to mention 'borrowing' artwork off the BBC's website. Sorry. There is, we hope, no connection between this and the current investigation of Kilgraney, by the US military.
And finally. We've bought a newer JCB forklift to accompany our trusty 1960's Bonser, Volvo and Massey Ferguson. It's got unheard of luxuries like windscreen wipers and heater. Clearly we'll all become soft in our now pampered state.
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