Rugd1022

D'you know, I hadn't noticed that!! Ah well, the info on the blue plaque still needs updating!

Slight misnomer - Mick and Keith didn't form the Stones, they joined Brian Jones existing outfit which became the Stones, and the name was chosen by Brian. The line up shifted around a bit in those early days, but Brian took on Bill Wyman because he was the only one who owned his own bass amp!

I think I remember Gordon at Stonebridge Park, sadly no photos of him though. I was only there for a few months before moving over to Old Oak.

Dartford station, early 1962.... Shortly after the above photo was taken the two likely lads depicted answered an advert in 'Jazz News', placed by a chap from Cheltenham called Brian Jones who was forming a new R&B group....

Photo by Phil Clarke : probably taken at Bristol Bath Road in late '72 / early '73....

'In the pink' at Castle Brom Jcn and Tyseley this morning, I brought it down from Crewe so that it could be put on a low loader and taken to the NEC....

If it's any consolation, we're being encouraged to only use notch 8 when absolutely necessary, as going from notch 7 to 8 increases fuel consumption by around 30%. The problem is that a lot of our routes have deceptively steep gradients and we're still expected to keep to time and not incur any penalties for delaying whatever happens to be behind us.

Shades of 'Get Carter' in the first photo Dave, very nice .

The first loco I ever drove as a young secondman

There were definitely some great characters around in those days - at Old Oak we had Derek 'Fangs' Dyer, a jovial Welshman with very few teeth to his name, always good for a wind up and he gave as good as he got. He was one of those who came across as a bit intimidating at first but once you got to know him he was a real charmer, very generous and he was one of the first to put me in the chair when I arrived at 81A. Old Oak was full of blokes like that, most have gone to the great mess room in the sky now and are much missed.

Tyseley yesterday....

6G67 at Small Heath yesterday, waiting to get into Tyseley....

Photos by Ben Darby : Bordersley Junction in the late '70s with a local Rat taking the line round to Small Heath and beyond.... A Bescot bound pair on the Sutton Park line in the '70s....

These are all from the 'Saltley Seagulls' facebook group, photos by John Morris, Alan Willets, Ben Darby, Jason Pountney, Nev Sloper and Gordon Hopkinson....

Photo c/o 'Metroland' : taken c.1975 I'd say, heading along the Down E&C line for Old Oak....