Hi Syd
Your railway and mine were very different,the trains you worked on I presume were mostly goods trains. Shovelling 11 tons of coal seems like hard work.Many trains I worked were expresses,but we also worked fast goods using V2s and 9Fs.What sort of mileage would you have done in an 8 hour shift.
Alan.

Hi Adam thanks for the welcome Alan

Hi Alan,

Welcome to the Forum. Will you be at K&WVR over the weekend?

Best wishes,

John H-T.

You are right Alan, the railways were very different. Only the Bulawayo/Salisbury line was double track. We ran on cape gauge but our rolling stock were 10' 6" wide. We had coal trains of 14,000 ton on 144 axles which a 20th class loco would pull up gradients of 1 in 64. Goods trains never went much over 35 mph and passenger trains of 16 coaches would run at about 55 mph. A lot depended on the area one worked. Umtali to Vila de Manica was only about 20 miles, but there are 365 curves and a climb of almost 1,000 feet. Trains went down at 20 mph and up the hill at about 15 mph. Two trips to an 8 hour shift. All main line drivers and firemen worked both goods and passenger trains. We had CTC signalling on all the main lines apart from the line through Botswana, which was ticket working. I never worked that line. branch lines were ticket or staff (token) working. We worked as a set team, Driver Fireman & Guard but we did not have our own locos. We just used that which had been rostered for the train. A working rota of 14 days with 2 red and 2 blue rest days. We were not allowed to work a red rest day and blue was voluntary only. We had 47 days A/leave which we could save up to a max of 6 months and 12 days when we could just take a days casual leave. The 12 days were not abused by most, in fact I never used any. In a land where we have to pay for health, the railways gave free medical service and as young firemen, we were the 2nd best paid in the world. At that time only the US army were better paid. Life on the Rhodesian Railways was great.
Syd

Hi Syd
When I think back to the old steam days it always fills me with nostilgia, I suppose you must feel the same. I was in number 3 link at topshed, this link was non lodge. Number 2 lodge link was Hull, Leeds and York goods. Number 1 link was Newcastle lodge.In number 3 link we did not lodge and the furthest we went was doncaster. Doncaster return trips were always express passenger work. Our goods trains were always Peterborough [ New England ] return jobs.These goods trains were fully fitted [brakes on all wagons] express goods run at just a bit less speed than passenger trains.
Doncaster was a 312 mile round trip,and Peterborough 152 miles round trip. On Doncaster trains we got mileage pay, for every 15 miles over 140 we got an extra hours pay, so these jobs paid very well.
Alan.

Hi John H T
Thanks for the welcome.
Alan. {locojoe}

Hello All
Can anyone tell me how to post messages on another part of the group instead of sending everything to. say hello.
Alan.

Alan,
To start a new thread:-
1. On the main page choose the section you want to put your new thread in e.g "Steam Discussion".
2. Click on the black "Steam Discussion" title and a list of all the threads already in that section will appear.
3. At the top left hand side of this page you will see the words "New Thread" in a RED box. Click on this.
4. A new page will open similar to the ones you have used previously to write messages. Just remember to give your new thread a title using the "title" section at the top of the form.
Hope this helps:)

Hi John thanks for the info on how to post I have already posted using the details you gave me thanks.
Alan.