My Railway
 

I started work on the Railway in 1952 as a Signal Box Lad (a sort of Signalman's assistant) but the Railways influence on me goes back much further. My Father started in much the same way in 1924. I think he was some sort of messenger boy. My first recollection of him working was as a passenger shunter at Wakefield Westgate towards the end of the War. In those days the Leeds and Bradford portions of the London trains used to join up at Wakefield and I, as a small boy, used to watch as my Father climbed down to do his stuff. I was terrified seeing him underneath the train but I remember him telling me not to worry because if this pipe was apart (vacuum pipe) the train couldn't move. All the LNER famous locos were used to work this service and I remember seeing them all. Believe me the Mallard and the Flying Scotsman didn't look anything like they do now. They were just very dirty unremarkable locos in those days. It was almost impossible to tell what the livery should have been because they just looked very dirty and black!

My next recollection was of my Father working as a passenger guard out of the old Leeds Central to Kings Cross. I used to often ride up to London with him, sometimes on the Yorkshire Pullman. He used to buy me a piece of Madera Cake at the Kings Cross refreshment room and that was the best part of the trip to me! He went on to become at Station Inspector at Bradford, Huddersfield and Leeds.

I went on to become a Signalman after National Service and worked in dozens of different boxes throughout West Yorkshire. In 1969 I was promoted into the Control and worked in York, Wakefield and Leeds. Even after I retired in 1993 I got a job in Revenue Protection Office (Penalty Fares) in Cambridge. So the Railway is ingrained in me but Railwaymen tend not to be Train Spotters.

The saddest thing to me is the way the old stations have bee destroyed and replaced by what appears to be chrome and plastic.. I remember climbing up the old clock tower at Westgate Station with my Dad to wind up the old clock. Pulling that down along with the rest of the Station was a crime. And that is just one of many wonderful stations buildings that have been lost forever. Am I just a grumpy old man? John

You have a legitimate gripe about the distruction of certain buildings and you worked for the railway at a pretty bad time for it, so not a grumpy old man.
Richard

Hello John
I started on BR jn 1953 as an engine cleaner Enfield (a sub shed of Stratford 30A) and in1958 I transfered to Kings Cross. As you say John those Pacifics people see gleaming and polished nowadays were not like that in BR days. Steam locos as a whole ran in grimey condition although some express locos were kept reasonably clean. Some of the 9Fs and Austerity types looked filthy as did most goods engines.

Also John
Demolishing wonderful stations building was a crime, here's a before and after photo of Waltham Cross Station a mile or so from where I live.

What sacrilege! Who in their right mind would demolish brick, properly designed, buildings to replace them by glass and steel monstrosities - total philistines.

Whenever I pass the old Midland buildings with all the soot cleaned off at St Mary's Wharf on the way out of Derby, they just dont look right.

Now that just sums it all up. Two pictures and I know which not only looks the best but was a building to be proud of. Why oh why do planners allow such devastation? beyond me.
Cheers
Phil

Thanks. When I think of all the old stone and brick stations proudly constructed by the Victorians and which could and should have lasted forever, now swept away, it almost makes me weep. Sir John Betjeman tried his best but he even failed to save the old Euston.
The 1960s have a lot to answer for. What an awful decade!
I am a grumpy old man and proud of it!!! John

Welcome to the forum, dear John.

Mansfield Town Station is a good example of a lovely station ruined there used to be nice waiting rooms on all three platforms and a roof over the whole station. I went to Nottingham a couple of weeks ago and all there is on the platform for Nottingham is two bus shelters, with sub zero temperatures I was perrished. On the other platform you can sit in the booking hall but thats not much above freezing. When I look back with nostalgia at the many times I and my friends traveled to Nottingham in the steam days and compare it with today I don't very much like what we have today. But I must say two platforms with bus shelters on them is better than no station at all wouldn't you say?

Hi and welcome buddy...