The human side of the railway...

[beast66606]

This is a special photo for me. Take a look at a few thing's. The most obvious is the two illuminated signalbox diagrams, also the door is off the relay cabinet and the chap is fiddling with a lock economizer contact. There are works in progress in connection the abolition of Horsemoor box with March South taking control of that section of line. This photo captures the very moment i decided i wanted to become a new works tester, with the biggest obstacle at the time was me not working for the railway. I am now a Signal Works Tester, specialising in mechanical signalling. It's been an interesting journey.

 

Link on Horsemoor

[stadman]

And as a young spotter in the 70's, I didn't take enough photos either

Also, I didn't take enough photos of 37's on coal trains in South Wales etc etc.....

 

You are not the only one not to have taken enough photos,

but you at least have the memories of being there

 

Cheers

I'm sure we'd all like to go back in time, especially with today's cameras, phone's, laptops etc?

Not just digital but Westerns in medium format as I never had a camera then and not doing a trip on the Torrington line because advertised motive power was a DMU.

Kev S

[LNER4479]

Preparing to leave Rheine for the north - 1971

 

Preparing to leave Rheine.jpg

 

Brit15

 

Waiting to leave Wernigerode (Harz) for Berlin - 2012

 

 

LNER4479

[LNERGE]

A quiet moment at March East and the signalman is having a good chinwag on the 'bus..

 

[Nobby (John)]

I must go to specssavers, I can't even see the signalman.......

 

Nice atmospheric photo though, spent many an hour at March in my younger days.

[62613]

As part of the works mentioned above this signal became redundant..

 

013.jpg

 

The gas axe has done it's business..

 

002.jpg

 

and gravity takes over with a little help from the gang..

 

003.jpg

 

004.jpg

 

and the gas axe finishes the job..

 

005.jpg

The two subs on the left-hand doll controlled entry to the goods loops at March South? I'm still trying to get my head round the crossing at Badgeney Road - I don't remember it at all. There was Upwell Road Crossing on the St. Ives line, Horsemoor, and Creek Road at March South but deffo can't remember that one

[LNERGE]

Bageney Road crossing was on the junction of the St Ives line, released by lever 47..

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pwayowen/7340930244/in/set-72157627782450647

[62613]

Bageney Road crossing was on the junction of the St Ives line, released by lever 47..

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pwayowen/7340930244/in/set-72157627782450647

I see now. I don't think I ever used the Badgeney Road crossing, even though it was only about 1/2 mile away from where I lived, as the station and Norwood Road bridge were bigger magnets.

[Eggesford box]

The redundant post of Stoke Cannons up home meets its end on 02/05/1985

[Eggesford box]

Putting the slides away I realised I had two more photographs taken at Stoke Cannon on the same day relevant to this post. Two signalmen both recently displaced with the closure of Cowley Bridge Junction box.

Michael Hayman (and his trusty bike)

Slightly blurred, unfortunately. Norman Bartlett looks happy, perhaps the fact that he retires in two days time may have something to do with it.

[stewartingram]

I see now. I don't think I ever used the Badgeney Road crossing, even though it was only about 1/2 mile away from where I lived, as the station and Norwood Road bridge were bigger magnets.

 

 

Last day railtour joins the Ely line from the St.Ives loop, 04-03-1967.

 

 

Stewart

[Steve Williams]

Happy in his work

 

 

Kidderminster (06.12.12)

[newbryford]

Apologies for another Westerleigh shot.

 

After running round, 60007 buffers up to the incoming 6B13 from Robeston. As the shunter couples up, the driver swaps cabs to draw the train forward before shunting back into the unloading sidings.

 

 

Cheers,

Mick 

 

[Not Captain Kernow]

^{"You want one of these?  Gonna cost you then Guv innit!"}

^{Peter Foot and Amira El Kheir from Thameslink meet with some Merseyrail staff to inspect some stored Class 508s to see if they could be adapted for Thameslink use on the Wimbledon loop.  Peter was Area Freight Manager at St Blazey when I first tried to join the railway and he directed me to London Waterloo where they were awash with vacancies.  Five years later I was sat in front of him and Jim Collins at Friars Bridge Court being interviewed for my first management job with Thameslink.  I seem to remember telling them I was busted before I started because they had already turned me down in Cornwall, and then spending the entire interview talking about railways in Cornwall!  Must have made an impression as I got the job and Peter went on to teach me all about capacity planning.  He did a pretty good job with that as well as I ended up getting his job a few years later!}

^{The only thing I am not sure about here is the location.  I think we were at Kineton but all these visits to secure sites have merged into one in my memory.  I remember it was a job to sneak a few pictures and it was only because our escort vanished for a few minutes that I managed to take three or four on this day.  I think Peter and the Merseyrail chap are looking out for his return!}

Edited January 23, 2013 by Not Captain Kernow

[The Stationmaster]

^{"You want one of these?  Gonna cost you then Guv innit!"}

^{Peter Foot and Amira El Kheir from Thameslink meet with some Merseyrail staff to inspect some stored Class 508s to see if they could be adapted for Thameslink use on the Wimbledon loop.  Peter was Area Freight Manager at St Blazey when I first tried to join the railway and he directed me to London Waterloo where they were awash with vacancies.  Five years later I was sat in front of him and Jim Collins at Friars Bridge Court being interviewed for my first management job with Thameslink.  I seem to remember telling them I was busted before I started because they had already turned me down in Cornwall, and then spending the entire interview talking about railways in Cornwall!  Must have made an impression as I got the job and Peter went on to teach me all about capacity planning.  He did a pretty good job with that as well as I ended up getting his job a few years later!}

^{The only thing I am not sure about here is the location.  I think we were at Kineton but all these visits to secure sites have merged into one in my memory.  I remember it was a job to sneak a few pictures and it was only because our escort vanished for a few minutes that I managed to take three or four on this day.  I think Peter and the Merseyrail chap are looking out for his return!}

 

Excellent stuff Chris - nice to see my old pal Peter, the man who managed to stay in a smashing niche in Cornwall for many years then jump straight through several grades to his inevitable job in the London area.  He and I always used to meet for an evening drink at The Wheel Inn in Tresillian in the days when we regularly holidayed just outside Falmouth.  Alas haven't been in contact with him for many years.

[unravelled]

A couple from the Swanage branch 1964,

 

 

 

Thanks

 

Dave

[Oldddudders]

Excellent stuff Chris - nice to see my old pal Peter, the man who managed to stay in a smashing niche in Cornwall for many years then jump straight through several grades to his inevitable job in the London area.  He and I always used to meet for an evening drink at The Wheel Inn in Tresillian in the days when we regularly holidayed just outside Falmouth.  Alas haven't been in contact with him for many years.

One of many downsides to the complete de-construction of the industry we knew. Chris also mentioned Jim Collins - he had been Deb's predecessor as filing clerk in Passenger General in Central Division, Croydon in the early '70s. Was he AM at Plymouth at some stage? I last saw him in 1994 when he was heading up Thameslink, but I think Cliff Perry (?) was in charge before Euan Cameron took over at franchising. I think there were many brutal moves in that era that saw decent men ousted. The industry was surely the poorer.

[The Stationmaster]

One of many downsides to the complete de-construction of the industry we knew. Chris also mentioned Jim Collins - he had been Deb's predecessor as filing clerk in Passenger General in Central Division, Croydon in the early '70s. Was he AM at Plymouth at some stage? I last saw him in 1994 when he was heading up Thameslink, but I think Cliff Perry (?) was in charge before Euan Cameron took over at franchising. I think there were many brutal moves in that era that saw decent men ousted. The industry was surely the poorer.

 

Jim was AM at Plymouth at one time and then took over Cornwall as well before he moved on to pastures new (NSE?).  I'm not sure if Cliff was in charge at Thameslink but might well have been and at one stage he was Thameslink Traction Engineer although he'd moved to something else after that although I can't remember what - I think the last time I saw Cliff was in Bob Treacher's shop in Alton and Cliff doesn't seem to come to some of the WR reunions although he might well go to the mechanical engineering types' shindigs?

[unravelled]

A pair from Oxford North Junction/Walton Well Rd bridge, 1964.

 

 

 

Workers wait for passing trains. I think in the second, the driver has stopped well in advance of the signal, so that the wagons will not obstruct the workers. Not that they seem to be taking advantage of the fact...

 

Thanks

 

Dave

[Captain Kernow]

Putting the slides away I realised I had two more photographs taken at Stoke Cannon on the same day relevant to this post. Two signalmen both recently displaced with the closure of Cowley Bridge Junction box.

Stoke Cannon 03.JPG

Michael Hayman (and his trusty bike)

Stoke Cannon 04.JPG

Slightly blurred, unfortunately. Norman Bartlett looks happy, perhaps the fact that he retires in two days time may have something to do with it.

Excellent - I remember Mike Hayman very well indeed, both from his days in Cowley Bridge Jct and latterly in Exeter Panel, until he retired.

 

When I was training, we had to do a week or so on 'Absolute Block' rules & regs, so the training manager in the Divisional Office in Transom House, Bristol, was happy for me to book into a B&B in Exeter and spend the week swanning around the boxes, using a bike borrowed from another trainee (a year ahead of me and who lived in Exeter at the time) for transport. I spent most of that week working Cowley Bridge Jct whilst Mike put his feet up! Happy days!

[The Stationmaster]

A pair from Oxford North Junction/Walton Well Rd bridge, 1964.

 

sca021.jpg

 

sca022.jpg

 

Workers wait for passing trains. I think in the second, the driver has stopped well in advance of the signal, so that the wagons will not obstruct the workers. Not that they seem to be taking advantage of the fact...

 

Thanks

 

Dave

In the lower picture the train is so far in rear of the signal it s either behind another (short) one or - if it is stationary (as it appears to be) it has probably stopped there for a reason - possibly to unload material and that is what the gang is there for as they don't seem to have any tools (or a Lookout Man!)

[andyrush]

A Helping Hand at Smeeth Road

With four months to go before his box and the station closes, the signalman assists a passenger with a pushchair as a DMU departs for Kings Lynn

04.05.1968

[Not Captain Kernow]

Excellent stuff Chris - nice to see my old pal Peter, the man who managed to stay in a smashing niche in Cornwall for many years then jump straight through several grades to his inevitable job in the London area.  He and I always used to meet for an evening drink at The Wheel Inn in Tresillian in the days when we regularly holidayed just outside Falmouth.  Alas haven't been in contact with him for many years.

I haven't seen Peter for many years but we still exchange Christmas cards and have a chat from time to time.

 

 

One of many downsides to the complete de-construction of the industry we knew. Chris also mentioned Jim Collins - he had been Deb's predecessor as filing clerk in Passenger General in Central Division, Croydon in the early '70s. Was he AM at Plymouth at some stage? I last saw him in 1994 when he was heading up Thameslink, but I think Cliff Perry (?) was in charge before Euan Cameron took over at franchising. I think there were many brutal moves in that era that saw decent men ousted. The industry was surely the poorer.

 

 

Jim was AM at Plymouth at one time and then took over Cornwall as well before he moved on to pastures new (NSE?).  I'm not sure if Cliff was in charge at Thameslink but might well have been and at one stage he was Thameslink Traction Engineer although he'd moved to something else after that although I can't remember what - I think the last time I saw Cliff was in Bob Treacher's shop in Alton and Cliff doesn't seem to come to some of the WR reunions although he might well go to the mechanical engineering types' shindigs?

I was privileged to have worked for Jim as Thameslink MD, then Cliff Perry who was our next MD, then Euan Cameron, then Keith Ludeman and finally Mark Causebrook. I last bumped into Cliff at the NRM at York a few years back. We once shared a taxi from our office to West Hampstead when there was some shambles in progress with the OHLE but instead of planning out possible train services we spent the time talking about potential improvements to his OO layout! I see Jim fairly regularly and also Mark, but haven't seen Euan or Keith for a long time.

 

You are certainly right about the loss of talent Ian, although quite a lot of them would reappear as consultants in due course!

[LNERGE]

Super picture Andy. Here's a little more on this outpost..

 

 

A Helping Hand at Smeeth Road

With four months to go before his box and the station closes, the signalman assists a passenger with a pushchair as a DMU departs for Kings Lynn

04.05.1968

GE66-04-18.jpg

[unravelled]

In the lower picture the train is so far in rear of the signal it s either behind another (short) one or - if it is stationary (as it appears to be) it has probably stopped there for a reason - possibly to unload material and that is what the gang is there for as they don't seem to have any tools (or a Lookout Man!)

There appear to be some tools behind the men. I had thought they were maintaining the point/signal works, but I think they might be stopped there for a break at a suitable seat. Perhaps they flagged the driver down for some boining water!

The line behind them is partially laid with concrete block sleepers, and although I can't absolutely date these films, I think it was relaid with wooden sleepers in 1965.

 

One of the other curious things in this photo is the regular patches of fresh ballast between the tracks, which show up over quite a few films.

 

Thanks

 

Dave