Footplate Memories

[locojoe]

I think instead of Steam Traction of 112 mph. a new thread should be started called footplate memories. Here's one to start the thread going.
When we cleaned fires at Enfield one of the tools we used was called a slice, a slice was a long handled shovel made of steel. If the fire you was cleaning was hot the end of the slice got red hot and the tip of it would curl up. What we did was while it was hot beat the end fairly flat with a coal hammer and then place the end on the rail and run the loco over it. After that run cold water over it from the injector overflow pipe to quickly cool it, this made the slice usable again.

[60800]

I have a fair few cab ride memories, but so far I only have two 'working' footplate memories, both being at Railfest and not without their mishaps.

The first was on Cheltenham, when events led to me being given the chance to fire her. The footplate was fairly crowded and I'd never done this before, so you can probably guess what followed, an attempt to pile the shovel (the tender was fairly empty so just filling the shovel was a problem in itself) then swing round and smoothly deposit the coal. Errrr, well I nearly hit my mother with the shovel and twice I clanged the firebox door, watching the coal slump off into the firebox. I finally got it right and deposited a fair little amount in the right place.

The second was on City of Truro. I've mentioned a few times that I've driven her, but what I haven't told anyone is that upon setting off, I opened the regulator a little bit too much (being used to seeing 'pull' regulators and not 'side swingers') and had to immediately close off. Regardless, Truro shot off and plodded along with the regulator barely open for most of the way up to the the makeshift level crossing, still going faster than the runs I'd seen and cabbed previously. I was allowed to open her up a bit over the level crossing though, with the whistle howling

[locojoe]

We had an old tight fisted driver at Enfield who never brought tea to work but would drink the firemans. He used to go in the messroom and look for any food scraps that had been left and if he found any he would eat whatever it was. At that time we were issued BR yellow soap for washing our hands awful stuff it would not lather. One day one of the lads made what looked a cheese sandwich with the soap in the middle and left it for the driver. The tight fisted driver took a large bite out of the sandwich and spat it out and a good laugh was had by all.

[manna]

G'Day Gents

I to, was at Kings Cross but in diesel days, you can find out what went on then, here viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2586 should give you a laugh, if it don't work, look on, Railway chat, page 13, Memories.

manna

[strang steel]

We had an old tight fisted driver at Enfield who never brought tea to work but would drink the firemans. He used to go in the messroom and look for any food scraps that had been left and if he found any he would eat whatever it was. At that time we were issued BR yellow soap for washing our hands awful stuff it would not lather. One day one of the lads made what looked a cheese sandwich with the soap in the middle and left it for the driver. The tight fisted driver took a large bite out of the sandwich and spat it out and a good laugh was had by all.

Ha, ha. Brilliant.

I have known people like that.

One person where I used to work would get all the used tea bags out of the bin, take all the tea out and spread it on a tray then put it in the oven on very low for an hour or two to dry it out. He would then mix it with tobacco and smoke it in his pipe. It saved money on tobacco apparently.

[Mickey]

Deleted

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

I remember doing summat similar at Uni.

We had a practical joker in the class so a few of us collaborated to bake him a choccy cake using Ex-Lax. In the cake, in the filling, in the icing. It helped that he was a greedy sod so took the cake, retreated to his room and locked the door.

We didn't see him at all for a couple of days but heard regular sound of loos being flushed.....

[sandwhich]

I seem to remember a Driver at top shed who was always scrounging for food, I think at that time there were many older members of staff that did much the same thing. I know its easy to have a good chuckle, but we should remember that they were brought up in a world of much hardship that some had difficulty in moving on and away from. As my Mother used to say "waste not, want not" and that is the way it was.

[Mickey]

Deleted

[locojoe]

I seem to remember a Driver at top shed who was always scrounging for food, I think at that time there were many older members of staff that did much the same thing. I know its easy to have a good chuckle, but we should remember that they were brought up in a world of much hardship that some had difficulty in moving on and away from. As my Mother used to say "waste not, want not" and that is the way it was.

I knew plenty of old drivers in my time on BR but the tight fisted driver at Enfield was the only one who searched for and ate food leftovers. I can't make any excuses for him and personally I think his eating habits were disgusting. I know what hardship is having been brought up during WW2.

[locojoe]

Enfield Driver Stewart Harrison or Stewpot was one of my regular drivers at Enfield. He was a big bloke with massive hands, he was a good driver and I got on very well with him. We had a turn where we travelled passenger to Liverpool Street and from there we worked a train to Hertford East. The locos on this job were usually L1s or it could be an N7 but one day we had a tender engine, it was a 2-6-0 class 4. At Enfield we only had N7 Tanks so I had never fired a tender engine before. Drivers in those days were expected by British Railways to drive whatever engine was available,

All Stewpot did was moan (what have they given us this effing thing for,) but as for me I was delighted, I felt so proud when some Enfield men saw us and gave us a wave. All Stewpot did all day was moan about the engine. At Hertford East the Shunter pulled the points over for us to run round the train. The shunter called out to Stewpot to set back just as he was struggling to move the reverser. Stewpot stuck his head out the side and shouted "what do you think I've got here an effing wheelbarrow" me and the shunter had a good laugh about Stewpots remark and I had a grand day on this big loco. (well at that time as a young fireman it was big to me).

[sandwhich]

Fair comment locojoe and mickey, there are always exceptions to the rules. (YUK!)
But on footplate memories I can remember many an old driver complaining about anything and everything, some others moaned a bit, others very rarely and would laugh at the real moaners that sometimes started the anything and everything lot off again "Its not funny Bill" and Bill would laugh even more. If us youngsters started to even raise a smile we would sometimes get a retort of "You kids dont know what it was like". Bring back the call up was heard on several more occasions. My earlier point of some moving on and many others not seeming to be able or even want too would also apply here I think.

[locojoe]

I knew a fireman at Topshed Jim Baker who was in the No 2 Hull, Leeds and York goods lodge link.I think it was him or maybe it was another ex Enfield fireman called Townsend who was always on about Mrs H who lived in Hull. Kings Cross men lodged in her house when they worked Hull fish trains and British Railways paid her for the lodgings. She was legendary for giving men huge portions of fish and chips, many of the older drivers found the meals too big. Sometimes three large pieces of fish but the hungry firemen would usually eat some of the drivers fish. By all accounts she usually cooked very large portions of fish and chips many times a week.

[sandwhich]

Yes I remember the Hull lodge job, although I never went on the job, one night the fireman rostered on this turn booked in sick and the only fireman available was someone almost the same seniority as myself and he agreed to go (16 years old). I remember some footplate crews talking about the amount of food served up. It is also a fact that the lady the crews lodged with refused to accept black members of staff and they lodged at another place. This lodge job finished in early 1963. The train was always hauled by a B1 4-6-0 steam loco.

[locojoe]

Yes I remember the Hull lodge job, although I never went on the job, one night the fireman rostered on this turn booked in sick and the only fireman available was someone almost the same seniority as myself and he agreed to go (16 years old). I remember some footplate crews talking about the amount of food served up. It is also a fact that the lady the crews lodged with refused to accept black members of staff and they lodged at another place. This lodge job finished in early 1963. The train was always hauled by a B1 4-6-0 steam loco.

Good memories "sandwhich"] Yes I seem to remember being told about Mrs H not accepting black crew members, there was still a fair amount of colour prejudice in those days. B1s were used on the fish trains because of their light axle loading. Nice job for the 16 year old eh.