Deltic

[Silver Fox Phil]

You know we all had a grand time as steam was close to being a thing of the past. I am really thankfully I was Born in 1950 and managed to experience the end. Living inLincoln had its advantages especially during the times the ECML was under maintenance and so we would see some grand eastern locos of all classes easing through our city. When the Deltics started to slowly take over from the A4, and other wonderful Pacifics we still had a ball spotting. It was a good time to be a spotter but you had to adapt from steam to diesel. We would bike from Lincoln to Tuxford and spend all day watching the mainline for both Steam and Diesel. Them were the good days and boy did we have fun.
I have last month managed the York trip to see the last remaining A4's and that was very special to me. What a brilliant sight! All six together. ( got some images in the gallery if you wish to view them, and without the crowds)
Anyway guys nice chatting and hope you continue to enjoy your hobby, I do!
All the best
Phil

[locojoe]

Originally Posted by Silver Fox Phil

Living in Lincoln had its advantages especially during the times the ECML was under maintenance and so we would see some grand eastern locos of all classes easing through our city. When the Deltics started to slowly take over from the A4, and other wonderful Pacifics we still had a ball spotting. It was a good time to be a spotter but you had to adapt from steam to diesel.
Phil

Hi Phil I remember one freezing cold night when the ECML was under maintenance. After leaving Doncaster with a Type 4EE and a pilotman aboard we were routed through Lincoln. We had a problem with the our steam heating boiler, so at Grantham we changed our Type 4EE for an A4. So instead of sitting on my backside all the way to Kings Cross I had to do some shovelling.

[hereward]

Pre65 - I knew Brush made milk floats, but didn't know they made locos, I had delivered stuff there a couple of times. Talking about shovelling, Joe, I had seen firemen shovelling frantically as trains went by and wondered how they managed to keep it up, wonder how many could do that today.

[Silver Fox Phil]

Nice memories Joe and what a wonderful experience you have had by working on the railways. As I've said befor I joined the Army at16 and though I ended up at Longmoor in 1968. I had missed the steam era within the Royal Engineers. Pity because I could have been trained as a driver! Oh we'll trained to build bridges instead!
As for shoveling Hereward, I never fail to admire the very hard work these dedicated and proud men who were in control of a full rake of carriages full of passengers. It must have been so hot during the summer months. Plenty of drink on the footplate too I imagine. ( non alcoholic naturally). Thanks Joe for your stories, always enjoy your tales.
All the best
Phil

[locojoe]

Originally Posted by Silver Fox Phil

Nice memories Joe and what a wonderful experience you have had by working on the railways. As I've said befor I joined the Army at16 and though I ended up at Longmoor in 1968. I had missed the steam era within the Royal Engineers. Pity because I could have been trained as a driver! Oh we'll trained to build bridges instead!
As for shoveling Hereward, I never fail to admire the very hard work these dedicated and proud men who were in control of a full rake of carriages full of passengers. It must have been so hot during the summer months. Plenty of drink on the footplate too I imagine. ( non alcoholic naturally). Thanks Joe for your stories, always enjoy your tales.
All the best
Phil

Hi Phil it certainly was hot working on steam locos during the summer months and it was thirsty work. Having small sips of cold tea was what many footplatemen did in hot or cold weather. The tea in the teacan got very stewed if left too long on the shelf over the firehole or left hanging from the guage glass handle. The tea to be drank cold was made at home and usually poured into a flat medicine bottle with a cork stopper.
In the middle 1950s I worked with an old driver who worked on the military railways in WW1. His name was Jimmy Hill who wrote a book "Buckjumpers Gobblers & Clauds" in the first part of the book he tells of his time in France working on the military railways.

[Silver Fox Phil]

I remember the old medicine bottle with tea in it, as you say with a cork stopper! Forgot all about that. My dad worked on the railways as a parcels delivery driver. (Later to become National Carriers Ltd.) in Market Rasen, then moved to Lincoln followed by a move to Peterborough. He knew many a local footplate crew and also had free rail passes for our family. So it was I used to go with him to work during our school holidays and met his many mates. They had the bottles of tea, just as you described. Happy memories.
Cheers
Phil

[DSY011]

A lot of Ex-pat drivers from the UK used the medicine bottle with a cork stopper for their tea on the Rhodesia Railways. Most of the South African, Greek Italian & Rhodesian crew members used a Billy Can, normally with black coffee in it. We did not like cold or stewed tea. We all had canvas water bottles which were hung on the hand rail. The water got quite cold as the air passed over the wet canvas.

[bramleyman]

A treat for you gents, with a B&W photo of 55 001 St. Paddy on the Up road at Peterborough back in the 1980's.

http://i910.photobucket.com/albums/a...001StPaddy.jpg