Rugd1022 Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 This very subject came up in conversation between me and my colleague Roger Howe today as we were waiting for a taxi to Bardon to start our respective jobs.... once upon a time Roger had put in for Old Oak and St.Pancras in that order, a vacancy duly arose at St.Pancras and Rodge was asked if he wanted to go there or hold out for Old Oak, he ummed and arred for a bit then plumped for St.Pancras. Talking about what a grand place Old Oak used to be in the taxi, he admitted slightly regretting his move to the Midland terminus! A few months after I started at Stonebridge Park back in early '83 I filled out a transfer chit with Old Oak as my first preference, followed by Laira and St.Blazey, a vacancy at OC came up within two weeks and off I went, happy as a sand boy, but looking back I've often wondered how life in general would have turned out if a vacancy at LA or BZ had arisen first... you never can tell can you! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted August 20, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 20, 2012 A few months after I started at Stonebridge Park back in early '83 I filled out a transfer chit with Old Oak as my first preference, followed by Laira and St.Blazey, a vacancy at OC came up within two weeks and off I went, happy as a sand boy, but looking back I've often wondered how life in general would have turned out if a vacancy at LA or BZ had arisen first... you never can tell can you! If it had been LA you would probably have still been there a few years later when the Driving date opened up by a jump of several years and a bunch commonly referred to as 'the Lavender Hill mob' arrived from various sarf Lundun booking-on points with some very different ideas about a Driver's job from the ways of the Western. I understand that it was not at first a happy marriage 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roythebus Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Like the secondman at Kings Cross who applied for a driving vacancy, his fourth preference was surprising as he lived on the Seven Sisters Road, a couple of miles from KX. He thought he'd got a job round the corner, but then found himself travelling saarf o' the river to somewhere near Epsom Downs .... He got made up to driver at Tottenham Corner so he thought. :scratchhead: Tattenham Corner. :locomotive: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted August 21, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 21, 2012 When I was at Grove Park in the mid-70s, we had at least one driver who lived at Peterborough. The days of staff living in rented BR cottages round the corner were distinctly numbered even then. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 96701 Posted August 21, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 21, 2012 I suppose anybody who knows me would guess that I'd show a photo of Stratford's 76t crane in action with Breakdown Supervisor Pete Robinson in the orange coat. This view clearly shows the angle of the breakdown crane's superstructure. The driver had opened the cab door to ask Pete why he'd been told to stop. The track panel that I'm standing at the end of is the one that tipped the 12t crane over. The panels had been cut into 30 foot lengths, but they hadn't bothered undoing the fishplates, and 60 foot panels on a single fall hoist (SWL 6 tons) just didn't work. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted August 23, 2012 Author Share Posted August 23, 2012 Some preservation / railtour shots.... one or two being quite well known faces... Driver Neil Carter & Mark Taylor (I think that's his surname...?) at Bridgnorth... Tom Sawyer of the DTG... Not a very clear shot but Driver / Inspector Nick Edwards is in the chair at Moreton-in-Marsh with Western Champion... Nick passed me out for driving... 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivercider Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 At Kingsland Road Yard, Bristol Area Relief Freight Supervisor H J (Jack) Hyde strikes a pose, 20/9/83. When I was a, (very) wet behind the ears, new TOPS clerk in 1978 Jack was one of the senior men in the area. He always had patience with us TOPS clerks, something that was not universal at the time. Also, in quiet spells, he had plenty of tales to tell. He had been on duty alone at night as a porter at Bristol St Phillips Midland station during the Bristol Blitz, and later worked as a guard on the North end of the S&D cheers 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roythebus Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Note the abundance of hi-viz in those days... 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted August 26, 2012 Author Share Posted August 26, 2012 (edited) Just came across this memory jogger on flickr, featuring an Old Oak crew I think I recognise... I'm pretty sure the Driver with the flat cap on was a Londoner called Phil something, but the young secondman looks to me like John 'Flapper' Gladwin, who I believe is now an Acton or Wembley man.... http://www.flickr.co...57624052765052/ The pic was taken on 24th June 1984 which was a Sunday, the 16.10 for Hereford being a nice gentle Old Oak afternoon turn as far as Oxford I think. 31 117 certainly was one of our 'pet' engines at the time, along with it's 'twin' 31 121 which was also usually kept very clean. I feel old looking at this... it was taken twenty eight years ago but I can remember quite vividly cleaning the cab floors of both of these locos with cotton waste many times on Old Oak Shed! Edited August 26, 2012 by Rugd1022 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Phil Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 (edited) Nice bit of human activity in that piccie Nidge. The blokes in their "summer plumage" of slop jackets. At least they were regarded more as a summer jacket round our way. Edited August 28, 2012 by Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted August 28, 2012 Author Share Posted August 28, 2012 Aye Phil.... I still wear my 'summer jacket' occasionally, had it thirty years and it still fits! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted August 28, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 28, 2012 Aye Phil.... I still wear my 'summer jacket' occasionally, had it thirty years and it still fits! You're a lucky chap Nidge - my uniform suits long ago ceased to fit (but they were more or less worn out anyway so no problem there) but my 'black mac' definitely seems to have shrunk and I do wonder about the boiler suit Jack Hancock gave me years ago (and he was a big chap) which I haven't tried on for quite a few years - in fact the last time I wore it was when I was fire-dropping on a 'Castle' (of the preserved variety I hasten to add!!). 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted August 29, 2012 Author Share Posted August 29, 2012 It's a bit faded Mike but it still looks the part! I was planning on using it on my Bardon - Washwood Heath - Bardon job tomorrow but the weather's not looking too good at the moment.... I've also still got my zip up Secondman's jackets and Driver's jackets tucked away in the wardrobe though. The BR leather kit back still sees a bit of action now and again too, as does my trusty enamel mash can when the mood strikes... Here's a couple more shots from the Cobbler / Richard Coleman Northampton archives... Stan Braybrook and colleague at Euston... No names here but this was taken on Northampton shed... note the (locally) famous hole in the fence by the canal... 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted August 30, 2012 Author Share Posted August 30, 2012 (edited) got linked to this pic today https://www.facebook...&type=3 Tim - just wanted to say a belated big thanks for posting that link... I had a proper look at it yesterday (for about four hours) and got in touch with an old friend I hadn't seen or spoken to in twenty eight years via the photo comments and the names, faces and happy memories came flooding back.... so thankyou again!!! Isn't RMWeb a smashing place to be...? Edited August 30, 2012 by Rugd1022 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted August 31, 2012 Author Share Posted August 31, 2012 Another gratuitous batch of 'pres people' before I get ready to depart for Mountsorrel Yard Nitey nite ;o) 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingsignalman Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Dave Marland at Canning Street North watches a Duke St to Fiddlers Ferry MGR pass the box in 1980. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingsignalman Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Token exchange at Welshpool Ca 1981 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingsignalman Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 A photo of Ken Norman in Bebington box 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingsignalman Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Hooton South 29th October 1975 with, myself (with more hair!), Harry Reade, Fred Stenhous, Kenny Langhorn and Barry Walker (a guard, with his back to camera) 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debs. Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Hooton South 29th October 1975 with, myself (with more hair!), Harry Reade, Fred Stenhous, Kenny Langhorn and Barry Walker (a guard, with his back to camera) That`s how I remember first seeing you! Do you have any pics of Raymond Dickie and Brian ???? (Elliot?).....`lovely chaps! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingsignalman Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 That`s how I remember first seeing you! Do you have any pics of Raymond Dickie and Brian ???? (Elliot?).....`lovely chaps! None of Brian but here's one of Ray with Reg Steele also in Hooton south 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Simon Lee Posted August 31, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 31, 2012 On the left my grandad a shunter at Hull Alexandra Dock this photo would be mid fifties. I true railway fashion, he was commended for removing a train of mines off the dockside during an air raid, several years later he got a Form 1 for sending a couple of wagons over the buffer stops and onto the pavement of Hedon Road !! Simon 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debs. Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 None of Brian but here's one of Ray with Reg Steele also in Hooton south One of my favourite 1970`s railway memories is standing on the interlocking-floor under Hooton South watching that 'wall of racking' in action, listening to the footfalls and block-bell/tapper working of the bobbies above! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted September 1, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 1, 2012 One of my favourite 1970`s railway memories is standing on the interlocking-floor under Hooton South watching that 'wall of racking' in action, listening to the footfalls and block-bell/tapper working of the bobbies above! Me too - and dodging the assister weights ! Sadly I never photographed the bobbies although I met plenty, I think I've got Keith in Port Sunlight and somewhere I've got one of your sister in Sunlight. I've got plenty of train registers with peoples names in of course - including Ray back in the 1950s (ex Spital), his entries are easy to spot, his writing was perfect. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingsignalman Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 An up train passing Bidston East's starter (with Birkenhead North No1's distant under) in Summer of 1980. The driver is Ralph Robbo (Robinson, I think) who was known as "The Owl" due to the large glasses he wore. 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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