A Railway Child
 

Hi, My Father, Grandfather and Great Grandfather were all locomotive drivers in the age of steam. My Great Grandfather and Grandfather were drivers at Kingmoor in Carlisle and my Dad at Motherwell.
I live about 400 yards from the West Coast Main Line in the village of Law which was also the home of the marshalling yard known as Law Junction.
I get very emotional when I see a steam loco - my childhood memories I suppose. The tourist trains often pass through the village some are steam hauled. Last week there was a steam hauled double header heading to the Highland passing through the village. Of course, I was there but when it arrived it was diesel hauled. What a disappointment!!!!
I am doing my family history and hoping that some members will be able to put some meat on the bones of my knowledge of my Gr. Grandfather and Grandfathers lives
Many thanks,
Dorothy

Hello Dorothy and welcome to the Railway Forum. I am also an ex-footplate man, but I worked on the Rhodesia Railways and so am not able to help you too much. The footplate is a hard job, but one that most men would not want to give up. There are a lot of ex-BR members on this site and they will be able to give you far more information about the railways of GB than I can. I arrived in the UK just after steam ended. Good luck with your family history.

Thanks for the welcome Syd. Yes, it was a hard job - Dad used to say "He never saw a skinny fireman"

Hello Dorothy and welcome to the forum, good luck with your family history and there are many people on here who would be very pleased to help.

Welcome to the forum from me too Dorothy, nice to see a Lady 'on board' with us.

Until just a year or two before I left school, I so wanted to be a train driver on the LT&SR - London, Tilbury & Southend Railway - where my Love of railways began, as they had steam. Sadly, this was changed to electrics before I eventually left school, so I ended up working in a factory.

I eventually joined the railway in 1989 and trained to become a Guard, first on DMU's, then loco hauled. During Steam Specials, I got to work as a Guard behind them, Very much to my delight. Unfortunately, I was 'Persuaded' to take early retirement at 55 years of age, through a health problem, but sure wish I was still at work. I have now officially retired.

Hi. I was on footplate at Stratford East London Shed late 40's early/mid 50's - far from your neck of the woods. Cannot help a lot but nice to see you and welcome aboard.

Thanks for the welcome. Yes, some folk look at me as if I was daft when I say I am going to see a steam loco

I don't care what people think when I say I am going to see a steam train. I used to travel miles, just to see one pass.

When I was on the railway, one guard Loved aircraft, and claimed he could tell where Any aircraft flying over, was going. I never believed him, whereas others may have done.

That guard was telling no porkies
In recent history it has altered but the airways over the UK were strictly regulated into special zoned routes so aircraft travelling a certain direction over a certain place meant they were going to a certain place and add to that if he knew the timetables he could probably tell you the airline too.

A very warm welcome to the forum, dear Dorothy.