RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted September 7, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 7, 2012 What a great thread, especially to an 'outsider'! No matter how much we think we know, we can only ever be on the outside looking in. Its the daily grind that we can never appreciate, everything that goes on 24/7 to keep the railways running. Wot he said. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Leading Porter Frank Charteris, Paisley St. James station, summer 1965: Frank joined the G&SWR at Gretna about the start of WW1. He saw the fire at Quintinshill from the top of a signal post at Gretna. He had been a signalman at various boxes in the southwest of Scotland - he worked the box at Walkinshaw West junction while it was still open. In 1965, I think he was older than 65 but had been asked/allowed to stay on as a porter due to staff shortages. A real old-school gentleman. (He would not have been happy about that undone button.) What is really scary about that photo is that I am rapidly approaching the age Frank was when I took it! 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 Minehead last June, and a bit of discussion as to how the run round will be done with two locos... Waiting... ''Are we in clear mate...?'' Oxford, January 2010... Bishops Lydeard... 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judge Dread Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Here's my modest contribution. 1, I'm straight from school in July 1959, joining the Signal &Telegraph dept. based in Hull. Here I am on the right by the way, with my ganger, the now late Laurie Fairbanks on the steps of the control tower at the New Inward yard in Hessle, near Hull. The second photo was taken some four years later inside the workshop yard alongside Hull Paragon station. Now promoted to an assistant tech. class 3. I'm still on the right wearing the very latest fashion, the cut down great/car coat. It should be noted that in those days my meagre pay did not allow me to sport a beard. 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 Like the smiles JD The lonely traveller at Paddington... 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judge Dread Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 "Like the smiles JD " Wind, pure wind. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 In 1965, I took this photo of a crew filling the tank on 34005 at Basingstoke: 46 years later, I found out through this website - http://svsfilm.com/nineelms/ that the driver (on the platform) was Alfie Sutton of Nine Elms! By the way, that website is great for the 'human side of the railway'. 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
62440 Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Penton Station on the Waverley Route - August 1967 With the imminent closure to freight of the Langholm branch and the closure of Riddings Junction signal box, his tomato plants were being transferred for safe keeping to Penton. And a quote I got that day, "Son, Liddesdale without a railway would be like hell without a fire!" Bruce. 17 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 (edited) Fantastic pics chums, keep 'em coming! A big thanks to Russ Perry and Barry Lewis for allowing me to post this historical gem here, a day never to be forgotten in certain circles... Saturday 26th February 1977, D1023 Western Fusilier (with D1013 Western Ranger couple to it out of shot) poses with some of the early turn fitters at Old Oak before moving off to Paddington light engine to work the 'Western Tribute' railtour on that final day. Driver 'Gunner' James and Secondman Chris Guntripp are in the cab. Gunner was a lovely old character and I was lucky enough to work with him a few years later, at the end of the Summer timetable in 1983 we worked a SO Padd - Newquay train as far as Exeter and went to the nearby chippy for our snap, my abiding memory of this particular day was following behind Gunner down the path as he waddled along swinging his driver's bag and whistling a happy tune, and on the way back to Paddington he let me drive 50 042 all the way while he made the tea and tucked into my Cornish pasties. Good times, never to be repeated! Edited September 10, 2012 by Rugd1022 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roythebus Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Note you said he tucked into YOUR cornish pasties.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 (edited) Seemed a fair swap at the time, two baby sized pasties for 173 and a bit miles of 50 thrash...! Edited September 10, 2012 by Rugd1022 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingsignalman Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 (edited) A couple more pics. Billy Walker cautions the Driver of 2 type 2s (for Bidston Dock) over the MDHB lines about 1975/6 Class 73 002 at Hooton on a crew training run, Norman Jones in the doorway and the other driver is called Billy, I think. Taken sometime around 1990-93 (I've got the date somewhere.................) Edited September 11, 2012 by flyingsignalman 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Simon Lee Posted September 12, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 12, 2012 More people as part of the railway this one, and a reminder of how things used to be Crew change at Doncaster, note the 3 lads just relieved, no HV (as was normal then) just crossed the up fast, crossing the platform road, heading for the messroom. Crew reliefs on the fasts at Doncaster were the norm until the late 70's normally done at a signal by the north end of the platform,but as it looks to be raining in this shot sometimes done nearer the mess room...!! Regards Simon 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Simon Lee Posted September 12, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 12, 2012 Couple more :- The guard of the last up Hull Pullman completes his book just before departure. A few years later at Dover Town yard we had a visit from the Class 33 loco club, which it fell to me and the AFI to escort round. Only names known are - extreme left Simon Moore now a driver at Hither Green, next to him Dick Matra Freight Inspector, and extreme right me !! Simon 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bon Accord Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 In a similar vein, I saw a photo once of a fireman crouching on top of a tank engines water tank, with the 'bag in', nothing unusual in that you might think, but the reason he was crouching was the presence of live OHLE a few feet above! Anyone else seen such a photo, or remember where it came from? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggesford box Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 The one of the lonely traveller reminds me of a B&W photo in Amateur Photographer many years ago. A misty, dull, miserable day. The end of a platform with a Crewe nameboard, a few BRUTEs and sat on a seat, back to the photographer slumped down and shoulders hunched despondently a lone passenger. The caption....'Never on a Sunday' 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Token handover at Lostwithiel - Aug 2005 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vac_basher Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 I really enjoyed going through this topic. It was very interesting to see this aspect of the railway which we (on the "other side", as it were) rarely have a chance to appriciate. It should be noted that in those days my meagre pay did not allow me to sport a beard. Was having a beard a luxury back in those days? (This is a serious question) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingsignalman Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Two more......... First, the the locking fitter in Canning Street North painting levers white on 8/8/1979 Second, Sandycroft with Dave (Beast) standing and Gerry crouching photographing trains on 16/2/1980 . 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted September 14, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 14, 2012 The bobby opens the gates - but not for much longer* - as 1R72 approaches 12 September 2012, Eccles Road * notice the barriers bagged out of use, the grey smudge down and to the right of the 158s headlights is the new signal which will eventually replace the semaphore, and the box. 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted September 14, 2012 Author Share Posted September 14, 2012 SP Steve's Bristol shot has prompted this one - 50 049 brings it's empty stock into Goodrington Carriage Sidings after working a tour from Brum to Paignton... it's a wonder there were any other trains running at all that day as half the railway were aboard this tour...! 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivercider Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 (edited) At this date the staff list at Bridgwater was still pretty much a full set, Chargeman, Ticket Collector/Red Star, Booking Clerk, Platform Railman, Shunter, TOPS Numbertaker/Checker, and Carriage and Wagon Examiner, and a friendly bunch they were. The Shunter, Ron I think was his name, goes out to start work with 08281, 12/9/80 cheers Edited September 15, 2012 by Rivercider 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DY444 Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Live rail, what live rail ? The shunter at Bournemouth connects the ETS jumper from 4REP 3002 to 4TC 402 on a Saturday morning in 1983 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted September 16, 2012 Author Share Posted September 16, 2012 A certain 'Big T' of this parish and Bardon Hill Shunter (also ex-Croft Signalman) Dave Partner in fine repose at Bristol Temple Meads during a break on a railtour to Penzance... Time for a chinwag at Toddington... 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted September 16, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 16, 2012 Liverpool docks, May 2001 The shunter directs 60014 back onto it's train of empties. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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