British Railways Form One - Did it actually exist?

[The Pilotman]

On 04/10/2022 at 13:25, The Stationmaster said:

I'd known Tony from back in the days when he was Relief Signalman on what was called the 'Divisional Tamping Gang' which was something of a misnomer because although they were a small pool of Reliefmen for various duties in connection with tamping possessions they were also very wide ranging Relief Signalmen used all over the London Division in mechanical 'boxes.  I reckon you must have upset him a bit but I also know that he was getting a bit 'crochety' in his opinions in that job.  And, not that you'd have known it, he would have been under pressure from above regarding delays as they had become a quite hot subject by then.

The “Tamping Gang” was still very much in existence when I started as a signalman. By then there were five relief signalmen in it, mostly men displaced from closed boxes on the Berks and Hants as I recall. As far as delays (and any other minor misdemeanours) were concerned, it was drummed into me at an early stage that if you’d made an error of judgement, it was best to own up straight away. If Tony heard about something via loose tongues at the Reading branch of the BRSA, the consequences would have been far less agreeable. 

[Mark Forrest]

In the mid 90s, my first proper job was with Exel Logistics, which could trace its parentage back through the National Freight Corp, to the days of BRS.  Just like BR, the formal writing warnings there were referred to as a Form One.

[The Stationmaster]

19 hours ago, The Pilotman said:

The “Tamping Gang” was still very much in existence when I started as a signalman. By then there were five relief signalmen in it, mostly men displaced from closed boxes on the Berks and Hants as I recall. As far as delays (and any other minor misdemeanours) were concerned, it was drummed into me at an early stage that if you’d made an error of judgement, it was best to own up straight away. If Tony heard about something via loose tongues at the Reading branch of the BRSA, the consequences would have been far less agreeable. 

Good to see that you were well aware of the BRSA link in connection with Tony.  Was Stan ?? (also off the Tamping Gang) supervisor in Reading panel in your time or Ron Blackall who was someone else I'd known for a good many years?  Bob Bowden was another member of the Tamping Gang back in the late '60s and i'm not sure if he hada superviusor's job in Reading panel at some time but I was quite surprised to find him sitting in the chair at Old Oak panel when I walked in one day in the '80s.  Bob was the Signalman at Hungerford the night a stone train demolished most of the box. - leaving him clinging to the back wall.

[The Pilotman]

5 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

Good to see that you were well aware of the BRSA link in connection with Tony.  Was Stan ?? (also off the Tamping Gang) supervisor in Reading panel in your time or Ron Blackall who was someone else I'd known for a good many years?  Bob Bowden was another member of the Tamping Gang back in the late '60s and i'm not sure if he hada superviusor's job in Reading panel at some time but I was quite surprised to find him sitting in the chair at Old Oak panel when I walked in one day in the '80s.  Bob was the Signalman at Hungerford the night a stone train demolished most of the box. - leaving him clinging to the back wall.

You’re probably thinking of Stan Thompson. He was one of the Reading PSB supervisors when I started along with Bob Bowden, George Hawkins and Terry Richardson. Ron Blackall had gone by then but I remember his name being mentioned. As a new “Bobby”, listening to some of their stories from their combined decades of experience was most educational.

And I think everyone knew that Tony had contacts aplenty in the BRSA club 😆

Edited October 6, 2022 by The Pilotman