The LNER Encyclopedia

It is with great sadness that I post here to announce the death on Monday 13th May 2013, of my grandad Maurice Stockdale at the age of 91.
He followed his elder brother into the LNER in 1936 as an apprentice in the Civil Engineering department as it was then, subsequently moving into the Signal & Telegraph department upon its formation. His time was mostly spent around the Darlington district, including postings to Middlesbrough, North Road Works, Northallerton, Bishop Auckland, Tees Yard and Darlington Bank Top.
He leaves behind two daughters and four grandchildren and will be sorely missed.

If any of his former colleagues are on here and would like to pay their respects, the funeral will be at Darlington Crematorium on Tuesday May 21st at 11.15am

Please accept my sincere condolences. What an age he lived through and what stories he must have told you.

Have a safe drive up to Darlington next week.

Jim

Sorry to hear your news I was in Darlington over 30 years ago and remember your Grandad's name. He lived through a period of massive change.

My thoughts will be with you on Tuesday

thank you both. Yes there were some stories, for one who had very little time for loco (they break things) he did a very believable impersonation of an a4 driver at speed (cab-x taxi to the fault please - before the era of little yellow vans), he saw hush-hush as a bairn, he passed through the subway under a v1's trailing truck when Middlesboro' was bombed and attended post-raid faults at Stooperdale (don't go too close to the hole). Lineman for North Road Works (somebody in the offices knew how to wire/rewire a phone - A.C.Stamer etc had no idea), responsible man on the ground for getting Westinghouse to sort out "ship to shore" (harbourmaster to 08) radio at Tees Yard. Occasionally even fifteen years after retirement calls came in to ask about scheme specs. He was not unknown to go out and inspect a junior's installation and re-do it to his satisfaction. He made sure that what was his patch's task worked reliably and reassuringly. I have a profound respect for a proper job to "the intentions of spec" as a result. Perhaps the modern world could learn a little.

"Tell me what you want it to do?. What have I got to do the job? Now let me get on with it." - I paraphrase, but the intention is true.

As a bairn, while he was on call, (do not criticise, it was the changeover of one age to another) I attended many faults whilst he was on call. My grandad's father was a railwayman too and I am sufficiently aged enough to have, through practical instruction, been made aware of what to do and what not to do. I have still been up a far higher lattice than he ever did, but I will never face the traffic flows he did and for that I am profoundly thankful.

There was a right and a wrong. The needle or the bell, the gut or the meter rang true, but he was there.

I will miss him. With him and his generation go the real railwaymen, those trained with, and for, respect of the job.

I raise a glass to you all though you may now have rung out 7-5-5. Your names should not be forgotten. The nation may not accord you the merits of one who stormed a beach-head, bombed a dam or sank a battleship, but I will hold you all equal with them.


I spent my childhood in some strange places.