Number 65 December 2017 Patrons Honorary Members Anti-Metrication

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Number 65 December 2017 Patrons Honorary Members Anti-Metrication The Yardstick Journal of the British Weights and Measures Association Number 65 ISSN 1361-7435 December 2017 Anti-Metrication History Patrons BWMA in its present incarnation was established in 1995, but Kate Hoey MP other organisations came before it. There was the Anti-Metric Philip Hollobone MP Society during 1991-1992, and the Anti-Metrication Board during the 1970s. In this Yardstick John Green recalls the Anti- Honorary Members Metrication Board. Peter Alliss, CBE Christmas puddings Clive Anderson Asda, Tesco and Waitrose currently sell Christmas puddings in Christopher Booker quantities of 454 grams, i.e. 1lb, but Sainsbury's Christmas Sir Ian Botham, OBE puddings weigh 450 grams. This slightly reduced weight will Gyles Brandreth not be noticeable to consumers, but it breaks the link to the Lee Child traditional 1lb Christmas pudding, and leaves the way open for Jilly Cooper, CBE future downsizing. We shall write to Sainsbury’s for an Bernard Cornwell, OBE explanation, and publish their reply in the next Yardstick. Prof. Richard Demarco, CBE Rt Hon Frank Field MP Wall Street Journal Sir Ranulph Fiennes, OBE In mid-October 2017, a reporter from the Wall Street Journal Edward Fox, OBE accompanied activist Tony Bennett on a “weekend of action” in Sandy Gall, CBE Burnley, during which 13 unlawful metric footpath signs were Dr Sean Gabb amended to imperial. The WSJ published a favourable piece Neil Hamilton AM with photos in their edition of 23 October 2017. Simon Heffer Peter Hitchens A Guide to Customary Weights and Measures Jools Holland In 2001, Vivian Linacre produced the original “Guide to Conn and Hal Iggulden Customary Weights and Measures” at his own expense on Richard Ingrams BWMA’s behalf. As Vivian is downsizing house next summer, Hugh Johnson, OBE he wants to make the remaining copies available to Yardstick Dr James Le Fanu readers. The Guide provides articles, tables and notes to define Jonathan Lynn and comment upon the modern uses and relationships of Dr Richard Mabey imperial units. Price per copy of this 75-page book is £5 which Alexander McCall Smith, CBE includes postage and packaging. Send a cheque or postal order Reverend Peter Mullen payable to Vivian Linacre, to 21 Marshall Place, Perth PH2 Micah Nathan 8AG; or email Vivian on [email protected] for alternative Robin Page means of payment. Additional copies may be purchased at Andrew Phillips, OBE reduced rates: £12 for 3; £18 for 6; or £24 for 12 copies. R W F Poole, MBE Sir Tim Rice John Gardner, Director Prof Andrew Roberts J K Rowling, OBE BWMA is a non-profit body that exists to promote parity in law between British and metric units. It enjoys support from across Britain’s political Sir Roger Scruton spectrum, from all manner of businesses and the general public. BWMA is Quinlan Terry, CBE financed by subscriptions and donations. Antony Worrall Thompson Membership is £12 per year. Cheques or postal orders payable to “BWMA”, 29 Chart House Road, Ash Vale, Surrey GU12 5LS Railways – mile, chain and yard Why has RSSB acted in this way? It cannot be because we are not RSSB members, as the Enquiry Desk would BWMA letter to Mark Phillips, Chief Executive have said so; and RSSB was quite happy to answer our Officer, Rail Safety & Standards Board (RSSB), 31 questions the year before. For example, Mr Woods August 2017 responded to me in December 2014 when I asked for a In late 2014, our Association made enquires with copy of the RSSB report on metrication. Moreover, we RSSB regarding its report “Analysing the risk of hav- had an express invitation to follow up; Diane Lucas, ing a mix of imperial and metric measures on the rail- Corporate Communications Manager, said in an email way” (report T1013). It was explained to us that initial dated 19 February 2015: “I suggest you come back to parts of the report were complete, and that RSSB us (using the Enquiry Desk email address) later in the would be conducting the concluding parts in due year for an update”. course. We were told to approach the Enquiry Desk at Perhaps there is another explanation. Despite starting a later point for an update. its safety research in 2014, RSSB abandoned the later On 27 December 2016, we duly requested an update stages in June 2015, citing as its reason, “... the lack of (quoted below) from the Enquiry Desk, but received no direction from [the rail] industry regarding implemen- response or acknowledgement. On 17 January 2017, tation of metrification”. we re-sent our request to the Enquiry Desk, but again A policy of metrication is not undone by a “lack of received no response or acknowledgement. direction”; either metrication is proceeding, or plans On 30 January 2017, we re-sent the request to the have been suspended, or plans have been modified, or Enquiry Desk, and copied it into Michael Woods and there is some other explanation. A “lack of direction” Belinda Tucker, who had been dealing with metrication does not appear from nowhere. previously; we included an accompanying message We asked Network Rail itself to explain, but its per- saying that we had not received a reply to our previous sonnel at Head Office did not know the position, so our requests. request to RSSB of 27 December 2016 read as follows: Again, there was no response or acknowledgement. “Can RSSB help fill in some of the blanks? What were On 13 February 2017, we emailed a fourth time. Ania the circumstances of Network Rail not providing direc- Feranska at the Enquiry Desk replied on 14 February: tion; was there a formal closure of the issue, and was a reason given? Is RSSB aware whether ERTMS itself is “Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding still proceeding?” and not acknowledging your email more promptly. It seems that an automatic response was not issued as it These are innocuous questions, and could have been should have happened. Please accept this email as a reas- answered in a single email. Instead, RSSB staff have surance that we have received your questions and are engaged in the persistent evasion described above. currently consulting on those with our Research and De- The Office of Rail & Road have since advised us that velopment Team. Once again, I am sorry for the incon- Network Rail’s devolution of powers to the regions venience caused by the delay. Myself or an appropriate colleague will be in contact again as soon as we can with means metrication will be decided locally; metrication further information”. may proceed in some regions, but not in others. It strikes us that if RSSB had previously considered that Two weeks passed and still no update. On 28 February, safety research was necessary for Network Rail as a we asked by email, copied to Michael Woods and whole, then regional metrication represents a greater Belinda Tucker: “If someone at RSSB thinks this necessity, for not only are there the same risks enquiry is causing a problem, can the responsible associated with conversion, but additional and ongoing person please identify themselves so we can resolve it? risks arising from the interface of metric and imperial Thank you”. regions. A week later, on 6 March 2017, we received a second The unhappy conclusion we draw is that Belinda email from Ania Feranska: Tucker and Michael Woods have been negligent. At no “Thank you for your email and your patience. We are point could they have established which, if any, of still in the process of resolving this query which is being Network Rail’s regions were abandoning metrication, consulted with various colleagues across RSSB. I will be yet they terminated the safety research at a time when in contact with a response as soon as it is possible”. they should have been expanding it to consider the new The promised response was not forthcoming. Unless risks arising from different systems working the above mentioned members of RSSB staff are adjacently. Rather than defend their decision, Ms uniformly forgetful or incompetent, we have to assume Tucker and Mr Woods relied on the Enquiry Desk to that the ignoring of our requests was deliberate; in ignore us. which case, there would have been an agreement to this Perhaps you could explain what steps RSSB is taking effect between Woods, Tucker and the Enquiry Desk. to conclude its assessment of risks posed to rail and It must also follow that Ms Feranska’s subsequent passenger safety by (i) metrication and (ii) partial assurances that the Enquiry Desk was consulting with regional metrication. “colleagues across RSSB” are untrue. Yours sincerely, etc. Reply from RSSB, 14 September 2017 Letter from Member of Parliament Thank you for your letter of 31 August to Mark Phillips, Victoria Gardner received the following from Ian Liddell- Mark has asked me to respond on his behalf. It’s evident Grainger, Conservative MP for Bridgwater, 14 August on this occasion that we failed to provide timely 2017. responses to your queries through our enquiry desk for which I apologise. We operate the enquiry desk primarily Thank you for your letter dated 5th August, received for our members, but it does allow for non-members to today, about whether the Government intends to raise issues; we have taken steps to improve how this decriminalize and restore the use of imperial weights and service operates and more changes are planned. measures in the UK following our departure from the European Union. I know that some people feel strongly We undertake research and development activities on about this matter; there are many issues to consider when behalf of the rail industry.
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