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Staff Change - theblackwatch

ainsworth74

Forum Staff
Staff Member
Global Moderator
Joined
16 Nov 2009
Messages
27,542
Location
Redcar
Dear All,

Forum member and Staff Team member @theblackwatch will be stepping down as a member of the Forum team and be handing in the ban hammer. He has a message for you all which follows:

When I first informed the other Forum Staff that I was planning on stepping down, I was advised by Mojo that is was back on September 23rd 2006 that I joined the staff team - 13 years ago. I suspect most people don't stay that long in a paid job! The forum has changed beyond recognition since then - I think we now have more posts in an hour or two than we did in a day (or even a week) back then. Having found our feet in the early years, our specialist areas are now well-established.

With such a busy forum, keeping every member happy when doing moderation is an impossible task - so if I have ever upset you by deleting a post or whatever, please don't take it personally! There are all sorts of different things we have to deal with, from simple ones like moving a thread because it's in the wrong area, to more complex ones involving transferring a load to another thread. The strangest thing I can remember us having to look into was the (ex)member who faked their own death online. We've also had numerous people who say they're leaving the forum, and a week or two later, they are back.

There is much more to running the forum than just keeping an eye all the posts. We need to ensure we have the software which suits our needs, and then there is the cost of hosting - which is why we have some unobtrusive adverts to cover the costs of these. One of the great successes of the forum has been that we've been in a position to give away surplus revenue on occasions. It was fantastic to be in a position to make a sizeable donation to the 125 Group's depot appeal earlier this year - this goes down as one of the highlights during my time in the staff team.

Over the years, I've made many friends via the forum, both within the staff and the wider membership - I'm sure these will continue and I will see you out and about. Another success has been the forum pub crawls, which I've often been involved in arranging. These aren't major drinking sessions, just leisurely days visiting an line or area, combining transport interest with a few pub visits, and I realised we'd hit on the right formula when we started having non-drinkers who regularly turned up for them! Hopefully, such events will continue.

Anyway, now I've decided, after my 13 years, it's time for me to take a bit more of a back seat - it might even give me time to contribute a bit more as an ordinary member! Thank you to everyone for your support.

I'm sure you'll all want to join me in thanking him for his tireless efforts over the years and wishing him well for the future.

We will make a separate announcement regarding any other changes to the Forum Staff in the near future.

Regards,

The Forum Staff
 
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RailUK Forums

fishquinn

Established Member
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4 Oct 2013
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6,643
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Thanks for all the effort you've put in over the last 13 years, helping the forum become as successful as it has :smile:
 

hexagon789

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2 Sep 2016
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Thanks for all your tireless work and efforts over those 13 years, all the best for the future :)
 

Mag_seven

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1 Sep 2014
Messages
9,994
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here to eternity
I echo all the comments so far. I have also attended a couple of his splendidly organised pub crawls. Indeed on one of them he invited me to make a couple of suggestions as to which pubs to include in the crawl. I was relieved when they turned out to be good on the day and therefore met with his approval! :D
 

Peter Mugridge

Veteran Member
Joined
8 Apr 2010
Messages
14,753
Location
Epsom
The strangest thing I can remember us having to look into was the (ex)member who faked their own death online.

I think I remember that; the one who got caught out after having posted identical circumstances elsewhere but with a very noticeable time difference...?
 

Cowley

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Staff Member
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15 Apr 2016
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15,688
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Devon
@theblackwatch - thank you for your help, support and friendship since I’ve joined. I hope you enjoy posting still and that you’re not faking your own death. :lol:
Well done for all the work you’ve put in to this over the years. You should be very proud of what you’ve all accomplished.
See you in the history and preservation sections. ;)

Edit - (and the pub of course...)
 
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Ash Bridge

Established Member
Joined
17 Mar 2014
Messages
4,043
Location
Stockport
Will they be dragging him off to the Doncaster Works scrapline soon then or does a life in preservation beckon? ;)

Seriously though @theblackwatch l wish you all the very best and we are all most grateful for the great work and effort you've put into RUK, hopefully see you on a forum meal sometime in the not too distant future :)
 
Last edited:

Starmill

Veteran Member
Fares Advisor
Joined
18 May 2012
Messages
23,224
Location
Bolton
Thank you to @theblackwatch for so many years of positive contribution to events and other matters. I quite agree with your summary of the forum's pub crawls, and I would like them to continue just as much as you!
 

AntoniC

Member
Joined
28 Dec 2011
Messages
862
Location
Southport
@theblackwatch ,
Thank you for all your efforts in making this place such a great place to hang out and make friends.
I have always enjoyed your company at Forum events - and I cant wait to meet you again !.
 

Iskra

Established Member
Joined
11 Jun 2014
Messages
7,787
Location
West Riding
13 years is very impressive in internet terms. Well done and enjoy your retirement ;)
 

tbtc

Veteran Member
Joined
16 Dec 2008
Messages
17,882
Location
Reston City Centre
Only just seen this news.

For me - the requirements of a Moderator/Admin are much like those of a referee in football:

  1. Do the job diligently, so competently in fact that people don't even notice that you are there because they are able to focus on the action due to the strings that you are subtly pulling
  2. Looking good whilst running backwards and wearing a black shirt

I can confirm that @theblackwatch meets at least one of these criteria...

break him up for spare parts to keep the rest of the moderator fleet running. ;)

:lol:

I'm sure someone will be quick to suggest a cut/shunt upgrade to convert him into something convoluted...
 

Crossover

Established Member
Joined
4 Jun 2009
Messages
9,247
Location
Yorkshire
Can only really echo the thoughts of the other posters here and thank @theblackwatch for his contributions over the years. Hope to continue to see you about in the future :)
 

theblackwatch

Established Member
Joined
15 Feb 2006
Messages
10,714
Thanks folks, I am posting this from the retirement home for forum moderators. (Actually I lie, I am sat behind D1015 as they let us out occasionally.)

As I said, it's been a good time but I'm now enjoying a back seat - hope to see many of you around in the future!
 

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