JOHNMCDRAGON

I think I remember a case like that in the late sixties, maybe early seventies of a driver being killed leaning out trying to spy on a 'courting couple'.

Not really written, but I remember a radio commentator on the BBC in his hurry to introduce us to the highlights of an upcoming sports programme referred to the Euro-Nations Cup as the Urination Cup, or at least that's how it sounded.

One I saw back in the eighties, though I think it existed only briefly was at King's Cross on the departure board no less. When they had the older ones when the letters flipped over each other there was always one at the end that had n't worked for ages. One day when I turned up , Lo and behold! it was working and there was my train to Huntingdon/Peterborough stopping at Stephenage .

I always found it amusing when I was younger in the sixties that the Clyde Coast trains from St.Enoch had MkI non corridor compartment coaches with no toilets for a journey of say an hour and a quarter to Largs where we often visited. Whereas if we went to Queen St. the train to Edinburgh was not only an early DMU with toilets but also had coffee/tea served at seat by a waiter in white jacket for 45 minute journey. It seemed that the prestigiousness of the route/clientele also figured in the authorities minds when it came to on train catering.

My understanding of it was that in the early days of railways, the rich people travelled first class, their servants etc. second class and the common people third class. This continued for some time until the turn of the century/first world era when servants disappeared fairly rapidly with the changes in society. So the railways finding their was no great demand for this intermediate class meant to be used by the servants, abolished second class.

Real pairs: Wandering Wullie and Cock of the North

With regards the different classes, my understanding was that the well to do were in first class and their servants, maids etc accompanied them in second class with the masses travelling in third class. With the changes in society from the Victorian age into the twentieth century and the fairly sharp decline of sevants, maids etc the need for second class diminished quite rapidly and so was abolished , I may be wrong though.

Ok, thanks for clearing that up guys.

Ok, since I remember they used to operate under the wires in the Glasgow area, so I take it there must've been a bit more restricted clearance in some parts of WCML south of Crewe or possibly certain classes of locos , I would imagine mainly express locos. Steam locos under wires on Gourock/Wemyss Bay line and north Clydeside, but I suppose mainly mixed traffic 4mt's with lower chimneys etc.

Were yellow cab stripe steam locos forbidden under all ohle or only south of Crewe?

In the film Jack Warner was driving a GWR Hall class locomotive. It was called Evening Hall. (Old joke for which I claim no originality).

Re; SIGNAL ENGINEER and the tale of cars following other vehicles for guidance , the tramcars in Glasgow in the pea-soupers of the 1950's were popular vehicles for motorists to follow. My uncle would always tell the tale of the driver of one of those little blue 3 wheel invalid cars of the time, who got his front wheel caught in the tram line of a tramcar he was following. He kept going realising that this was actually no bad thing considering the conditions and all went well making progress through the south of the city , until the tram abruptly veered left into Larkfield depot with the 3 wheeler following it at speed.

IAN ALLAN some years ago used to do headcode books I think in their range of spotters books. Probably still available on e-bay I would imagine.

Many thanks for reply, RM Webbers always able to come up with an accurate and comprehensive answer. On looking at larger diagram , yes I think I can see what you mean, but have to study it again tomorrow when more awake ,off to bed now. Thanks again for taking effort to answer with diagram, thanks . Appreciate the effort.

Re; Manchester Exchange photo, are my eyes deceiving me or is that a double slip to the right of the engine. While I can see the need for changing from one track to the other for three of them, what is the need for the slip rails nearest to the engine, to change back onto the track leading back to the track it's just left, or are my eyes and brain just getting a bit befuddled as I get older.