Live Pigeons for Liberation

[inglenookfan]

Hello

 

I was talking to dad the other day about a racing pigeon, a few years ago, that decided my workshop in Berkshire was more inviting than its home in South Wales. To be fair the pigeon was released from France into a storm over the channel and was a week behind his other birds, according to the owner i returned the pigeon to.

 

Anyway....dad mentioned trains back in the days of steam being loaded with pigeons. In my ignorance I thought that a load of crates bundled into a parcel van, or maybe 2, was what he meant. Out of interest of not remaining ignorant I googled racing pigeons and railways and now I am amazed!

 

There are pics of pigeon specials with umpteen converted/not converted vans/coaches and platforms with thousands of pigeons being released. It is fascinating.

 

So....here are my questions that I haven't found exact answers for...

 

1. I saw a luggage label asking the stationmaster to release the live pigeons within. Did the Stationmaster get paid extra for releasing thousands of pigeons and covered in poop or is the label i saw just for the odd crate of pigeons and not a platform full of them?

 

2. I have seen pics of pigeons being liberated from platforms and elsewhere. I understand that anywhere without overhead obstructions would have been ideal but were there any dedicated sites(maybe a siding in a goods yard) used by clubs/pigeon specials etc?

 

3. How much pigeon traffic was there? I am guessing there was quite a bit in the traditional pigeon racing areas.

 

 

Thank you

 

Carl

 

 

[br2975]

May not answer all your questions, but pigeons have been mentioned here before.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/8027-pigeon-traffic/

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/78099-racing-pigeons/

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=39350

 

Brian R

['CHARD]

Here's a Full Brake/ Pigeon Van thread from an earlier incarnation of RMWeb.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12714

[The Stationmaster]

Nobody was paid extra for releasing racing pigeons - part of the job for staff at amany statiions.

 

When I was a youngster the junction station for our local branch regularly received baskets of homing/racing pigeons for release - they came in the vans of ordinary passenger trains.  Baskets were put out on the platform, usually on a 4 wheeler barrow and then opened to release the birds with the release time duly entered on the return label which went back with the basket.  If you were well in with the station staff you might well get a chance to 'help' - great fun.  Yet another part of the vanished 'old' railway.

[inglenookfan]

Nobody was paid extra for releasing racing pigeons - part of the job for staff at amany statiions.

 

When I was a youngster the junction station for our local branch regularly received baskets of homing/racing pigeons for release - they came in the vans of ordinary passenger trains.  Baskets were put out on the platform, usually on a 4 wheeler barrow and then opened to release the birds with the release time duly entered on the return label which went back with the basket.  If you were well in with the station staff you might well get a chance to 'help' - great fun.  Yet another part of the vanished 'old' railway.

 

Stationmaster - thank you for that bit of info.

 

I wish i had been witness to the 'old' railway. Looking back it wasn't too bad for kids in the earl-mid 70's as i would ride with drivers up and down the Reading-Guildford line in the DMU's and when the grass cutters came along, to cut back the grass by the line in summer, they would haul me over the fence to 'help' them and be close to the trains. Like you say - great fun.  

 

Inglenookfan