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The human side of the railway...


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  • RMweb Gold

A lovely shot at Shrewsbury Michael, and so obviously taken during the panic years of railway photography circa 1966. The Manors had gone and even the 'Standards' were losing their plates.

Peter Shoesmith took some great shots both in the West Midlands and further afield from the late 1940s through to the Inter City era. the originals are now in the possession of Geoff Dowling who regularly adds then to his Flickr site. 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/geoffsimages/albums/72157627418868930

 

This is one of the earliest

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40745 Birmingham 1948 by geoff7918, on Flickr

 

Peter lived next to Kings Norton station and travelled daily into New Street so there are plenty of shots at those two locations.

 

Well worth a look as are Peter's bus, tram and trolleybus photos https://www.flickr.com/photos/geoffsimages/albums/72157629141104119

 

This shows an Ashton under Lyne trolleybus in Manchester

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Ashton in Manchester by geoff7918, on Flickr

Edited by TheSignalEngineer
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The colour photo of the two gents I think is a great photo of two friends also the 1963 photo is good because it shows how we have changed over time.Then it was a smart suit or coat and notice how everyone is so much slimmer than now ,somehow don't think that we moved on for the best .

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  • RMweb Gold

The colour photo of the two gents I think is a great photo of two friends also the 1963 photo is good because it shows how we have changed over time.Then it was a smart suit or coat and notice how everyone is so much slimmer than now ,somehow don't think that we moved on for the best .

I like the railwayman on the platform in the Kings Norton picture.

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A couple of shots at Abergavenny in the eighties.

 

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The pilotman climbs aboard the loco whilst the handsignalman clips the crossover. I cannot remember the name of the pilotman. He was a supervisor at Hereford and was not there long. My only abiding memory is that there was a feud going on between him and the local ganger (who bore an unfortunate resemblance to Rolf Harris, though that was all in the future!) about car parking of all things.

 

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Derek Needs the local per way section supervisor relaxes in the armchair. The banned (and almost obligatory!) radio is in clear view. Cannot remember the name of the young chap. Judging by the paraphernalia their presence has interrupted my Sunday cleaning routine.

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  • RMweb Gold

Another one from Peter Shoesmith, this time in colour. In this 1959 shot at Ashchurch the lad in the first coach appears to be looking out for something on the main line, whilst beyond the barrow the Driver and Fireman of 41900 take a break in the shade of the trees before heading off to Tewkesbury

 

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41900 at Ashchurch by geoff7918, on Flickr

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Another of Peter Shoesmith's Kings Norton pictures, this time early in the Corporate Blue era

 

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Kings Norton station Summer by Geoff Dowling, on Flickr

Wonderful to see photos of Kings Norton - It's where I started trainspotting at about the time these were taken! Thanks for posting and looking at your Flickr site there's loads more of places I recognise from this era which I've never seen published before. A group of like minded lads made regular visits to Kings Norton, the 'Iron Bridge' at Northfield, Halesowen Junction (the old Halesowen Branch left the 'main' here and went right through the Austin Factory!) and of course, Blackwell and The Lickey, Great memories. Andy

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The Flickr site with Peter Shoesmith's photos belongs to Geoff Dowling. Another good one to look at is Bill Wright, otherwise known as Barking Bill, who worked at Snow Hill in the 1960s.

 

Eric Steele

Hello Eric, thanks, will look him up. Best wishes, Andy

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