Last updated 22:00, Wednesday, 08 October 2008

THERE has been lately some slight skirmishes between the advanced post of the belligerents – the main bodies have not as yet taken the field.THE death occurred at his residence, The Schoolhouse, on Friday morning, of Mr John Howie, rector of Langholm Academy.THE Eskdale Car Club held a touring rally on Sunday, when 14 cars competed.MR GORDON BOWDEN, Durdar Road, Carlisle, has applied for a road service licence to operate a public bus service between Langholm and Longtown.

Eddie Armstrong boards a 95 bus to Carlisle in June 1983

THE RAILWAYS

Some important facts however have come to light since our last.

The half-yearly meetings of the Caledonian and North British Companies have now been held, and judging from the speeches of the chairmen of these respective companies all hope of a fair and reasonable compromise is cut off.

The former company in accordance with the views we formerly took, stand staunch to their local allies, and resolved in that alliance to apply again, with every hope of success, for a bill for the Carlisle Langholm and Hawick Railway.

Looking at the principal features of the case and the purely speculative and daring nature of the Liddesdale scheme, we cannot have a doubt that any Committee which the House of Commons may appoint will ratify their former decision, and give the preference to a scheme, rational in its nature and based on local wants and requirements, and check the advance of one which for wildness of enterprise and absurdness in speculation has not since “forty-five” been surpassed, nay we might almost say equalled.

The true secret of the North British adhering to the Liddesdale route is their having lost their footing in this district.

THE DEATH OF MR HOWIE

Mr Howie’s illness has been of several months’ duration, and was of a very painful nature.

He tried with characteristic pluck to do his work till after the examination in July, but at length was obliged to give up.

Since then he has been confined to the house except when on a visit to Edinburgh to consult physicians.

The doctors whom Mr Howie consulted attempted to operate, but when they discovered the exact nature of the disease they decided to abandon the operation, and gave no hope of recovery.

Since then Mr Howie has been confined to bed, and after many weeks of suffering his death occurred as stated.

Mr Howie’s life has been a strenuous one in the cause of education.

He came to Langholm 30 years ago, and since his advent he has earned a name, not only for himself, but for his school, which time will never efface. This and far more Mr Howie achieved, for since the inauguration of the Hannahfield Bursaries nearly twenty-five years ago, his pupils never failed to carry off one or more of these Bursaries.

Indeed, no school in the country has such a record as Langholm Academy in this way.

All of the distinction gained was due to Mr Howie, for the Bursary classes were always taught by him, and as is so well-known he spared no effort to bring his pupils to the highest pitch of efficiency.

ESKDALE CAR CLUB

Starting point was the Kilngreen and the route taken was up Wauchope to Waterbeck then through Corrie and Wamphray to Moffat, thence to Tubbie Shiels for tea.

Letters to form the sentence, “He taught the wandering winds to sing”, were posted along the route and other clues, and an anagram for Moffat Ram provided a few brain teasers.

At Tibbie Shiels navigators were given the task of bursting three balloons whilst the car was moving, then there was a quick reverse into a narrow opening, to come back to a flying finish.

Another novelty test was to keep an empty cardboard container on the bonnet during a short sprint.

After tea competitors set off for Mosspaul via the Gordon Arms and Tushielaw.

Various tests were given for this route, which included the sum of the public telephone numbers passed on the way.

First was Mr A. Bell, second Mr T. Lunn, and third Mr A. B Little.

NEW BUS SERVICE

The committee agreed to support the application.

Mr Bowden presently operates on behalf of the Regional Council a stage carriage-school contract service between Rowanburn, Canonbie and Langholm, at school times on school days only, primarily for the transport of pupils to and from Langholm Academy.

This service has operated since the withdrawal of Western SMT services in this area on 11th April, 1983.

In addition to this work Mr Bowden also undertakes a workers’ contract service between Longtown, Canonbie, Evertown and Langholm on behalf of Langholm’s major employers before the morning school journey and following the afternoon school journey.

Mr Bowden has progressed the licensing of these works contracts journeys in order to allow further public transport provision between Canonbie, Evertown and Langholm.