|
Coming down the Lickey was always a nightmare. We would stop at the top and the guard would walk up the train to speak to the brakesman who was stationed in his cabin at the top of the bank.As he walked along the train he would drop all the brake handles ready to be pinned down. The brakesman would normally say "every 3rd wagon",and with that we would pull away as slowly as possible. The guard and brakesman would then pin down as hard as possible every 3rd wagon brake. This involved holding the brake arm down as hard as he could,whilst putting the holding pin in place. Together the two men would do the whole train - whilst we on the front kept the speed down as best we could - on a falling gradient of 1 in 37,with possibly over 1000 tons of train pushing us !!
When the guard reached the rear of the train he would jump on the brake van (handbrake screwed on as hard as possible),give us a signal (flag or handlamp) and we would fight the train for the next two miles downhill. 9 times out of 10 the signalman would put you into the down goods loop at Bromsgrove,where you would stop (if possible) and the guard would walk along the train picking up the brakes.
Quite often this was done during the hours of darkness,in pouring rain,fog,snow - whatever.
Imagine Health and Safety getting involved with that !!
By the way,if I remember correctly,the speed into the goods loop at the bottom of the Lickey was 25 m.p.h. I can testify that it could handle speeds a little higher than that.
No doubt a few of the ex Saltley men on here have a few tales to tell.
|