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  #11  
Old 12th October 2006, 01:01
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locojoe locojoe is offline  
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Hi Trev
I was a fireman at Enfield shed in North London 1954/9 then at Kings Cross for a couple of years.
Cheers Alan.


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  #12  
Old 12th October 2006, 01:12
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Thanks Alan. Apart from my Uncle, my other railway connection is that of my paternal grandfather. He was a 'wagon checker' for the LNER up here in Hull. What did a wagon checker actually do?
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  #13  
Old 12th October 2006, 01:20
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locojoe locojoe is offline  
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Hi Trev
I can't really tell you what a wagon checker did as it's a new one on me.At a guess what about a man checking goods lables on wagons making sure they went to right destinations when train was made up.Probably completly wrong.
Alan.
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  #14  
Old 12th October 2006, 01:28
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I reckon that's pretty near the mark Alan. From what I've been told by my dad, my grandad worked at the Saltend/BP branch so I guess it was a case of making sure that trains were made up in the right order.

I'm sure that all of the members would like to hear of your experiences as a fireman if you would care to post them up for us.

Have a look at this thread...

http://www.railwayforum.net/showthread.php?t=305

Ignore the 'trainspotting' bias at the beginning, it's also for memories of people such as yourself whose recollections are invaluable.
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  #15  
Old 12th October 2006, 01:28
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locojoe locojoe is offline  
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Hi Trev
When I was in the army my best mate was called Trevor Knight and he came from Hull.Also my late Mother was a Yorkshire lass from Goole.
Alan.
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  #16  
Old 12th October 2006, 22:25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by locojoe
Also my late Mother was a Yorkshire lass from Goole.
That makes you an honourary Humbersider Alan.
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  #17  
Old 13th October 2006, 08:36
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Talking

Quote:
Originally Posted by locojoe
Hi Trev
When I was in the army my best mate was called Trevor Knight and he came from Hull.Also my late Mother was a Yorkshire lass from Goole.
Alan.
Well at least your name isnt John , this forum seems to have endless Johns.
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  #18  
Old 13th October 2006, 16:03
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Hello All
When working expresses from Kings Cross it was just like leaving from some other London stations uphill. After we were coupled to our train and waiting for right away the engine had to be kept quiet no blowing off, but on starting off the loco would have to be worked very hard most of the way to Potters Bar. What I did before starting off was build a big fire at the back of the firebox nothing at the front. On leaving
before we got to gasworks tunnel the fire had to be spread all over the firebox,then I would close the firehole door flap.By the time we were through Copenhagen tunnel the fire would be very hot and steam pressure nearly at maximum.This was where the real work started. I would make sure we had a good fire all over the box and then start filling the back corners.I found most of our Pacific and V2 engines responded well to this type of firing.
Alan
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  #19  
Old 13th October 2006, 18:40
pavorossi pavorossi is offline  
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Hello and (a belated)welcome Alan! Hope you enjoy the forum.

Adam
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  #20  
Old 13th October 2006, 20:35
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Hi Alan (Locojoe)
Reading your story of working an express out of London reminded me of working trains along the Dett straight in old Rhodesia. Down trains would change crews at Dett, and with a clean fire and full water tank, head off down towards Bulawayo. If we were on the main line and it was night, we could see the light of a train over 87 miles away. The track is straight, but dose go up and down. Firing would be light most of the way until we reached Gwai. At Gwai we would clean the fire and take on water, then a uphill pull to meet up with a train coming up from Bulawayo. They would have stopped at Sawmills and also serviced their loco. We would meet up somewhere along the line, normally at a place called Umguza, where we would swap over trains. Heading back to Gwai, I would start banking up the back of the firebox, with a bit down the front to keep it covered. On a Rhodesian 15th class loco, the grate area is 49.6ft. As we ran down hill into Gwai and stopped for water, I was putting coal in by hand around the firebox door and with the blower just on to keep the smoke out of the cab. The smoke would roll out of the stack and was a thick yellow/brown. As the water bag was thrown out of the tank. by the Garratt Boy (a man who 's job was to push coal forward), I would turn the blower on full. The driver would whistle away and the guard would wave the green. A very heavy pull out of Gwai and onto the straight. One stop for water just over half way, a light fire and home we went. By the time we arrive back at Dett, the fire at the back of the firebox was down to normal. That would have been a 8 hour shift, Fire cleaned twice (once at Gwai and at end of shift) 18,000 gal of water and 11 ton of hand fired coal. They were great days, wish they had never ended, but the time comes when they want you in the drivers seat. I forgot to say that it was all single line working.
SYD
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