Personal memories of the GNR and early LNER

[Cock o' The North]

No, not mine, but those of my father. I am just saying hello at the moment. I dropped on this forum by accident while looking for something else, and I have to say that it looks great.

My interest in railways would have been generated anyway seeing as we lived by one, but more especially my interest in the LNER, seeing as we have never lived anywhere near LNER territory, being firmly in the opposition's camp, came about directly from my father, who would enthuse over the sights and sounds on the East Coast Mainline at Harringay, Hadley Wood, and Potters Bar, often accompanied by Argo Transacord's "Great Northern Engines" and "Gresley Pacifics".

The rather remarkable thing is that he can remember (just about), such wonderful things as "Great Northern" as 1471, with GNR on the tender, Large Atlantics on "The Flying Scotsman", "Long Toms" on goods trains, standing on the footplate of 4472 at Top Shed, and as time went on, the whole works, 2509 when brand new, 10000, P1's and P2's etc. Much of this, he captured on film, and I still have a number of great negatives and glass quarter plates which he took.

The rather poignant side of all this of course, is that it seems likely that he won't have much longer to go, as indeed it catches us all in the end, and the mind is getting woolly.

While no doubt many of us have relatives who could recall such things themselves, there can't be many people still alive today, able to recall direct memories of the GNR, and for that matter, direct recollection of seeing Zeppelins over London in WW1. It gives you a buzz to ask questions about this era of someone who has direct memory of it. This is something special as I am sure can be appreciated. I suppose as the end draws nearer, now seems a good time to reflect on all this. He isn't about to depart directly, and I suppose he could go on a while yet, as he is only 96 after all, although having worsening health and no real quality of life any more, the writing is on the wall. As has been highlighted by the passing of all remaining WW1 veterans, not for much longer shall we be able to enquire about the GNR and early LNER from those who new it directly.

[sir visto]

Have you considered recording, perhaps in written form, your father's memories. Such direct recollections together with the photographs you mention would be of great interest, I'm sure, to many.

[Solario]

Have you considered recording, perhaps in written form, your father's memories. Such direct recollections together with the photographs you mention would be of great interest, I'm sure, to many.

I agree with Sir Visto. Maybe an audio/video recording would be nice for you in the future and could form the basis of a write up. I wish I had recorded my parent's voices, you tend to forget what they sounded like after they have been gone for a while.

[Cock o' The North]

Thanks for your suggestions chaps. I am glad that you consider this to be interesting. I had considered the idea of recording, but he was always one of those sorts that "don't have time to do that now; we'll do it again sometime." I in turn did not press the point, and so it never happened. This is a shame and now unfortunately it is too late to do this. He is not able to do it any more.

I had thought as well, of putting it down in writing, and this is still on the cards. I have even had the idea of writing it in a quirky story form rather than a starchy life story; in which I find myself going back in time through some "low level space-time disruption" in the wilds of Hadley Wood, which is not made into a big issue seeing as it is a life story and not a sci fi story, and meet him in his early years, befriend him unknowing until a later realisation, who he was, relive these life experiences and record them factually at the same time. This of course, would be illustrated with the actual pictures. I guess this might have some mileage in it. I can certainly remember enough of his tales to make it interesting, I think.

I tried attaching an image as a taster, but it tells me it is invalid. Is there a limit on size or something? No; I see it has appeared after all!!

[61070]

I do like the idea of a written account of your father's recollections perhaps, as you suggest, recounted to someone as if he were still a young man.

Perhaps you could weave in other details of contemporary life that would have appealed to him at that time? Were he still around now my own father would have been 93. If Dad's occasional recollections were anything to go by, when your father and mine were young men there was much going on in terms of high speed exploits (in motor sport, aviation, powerboating, railways etc.) that boys of the era found so exciting. Periodicals such as Railway Wonders of the World, Shipping Wonders of the World and Wonders Of World Engineering were at their height and they do capture that spririt. Just a suggestion, but recognising that you may not be looking for a task that will take you until your 90s to complete!

My Dad's photographic hobby began in the mid-1950s, and I have some lovely pictures by him of steam and diesel on the ECML in the early 1960s which I treasure (I've put quite a few onto the forum and have received most generous assistance with identification of dates and other information). However your father's pictures will be in a different league in terms of rarity and interest.

By the way, info on sizes and types of attachment for this forum can be found at:

attachment-management-t1726.html

All the best,

[sir visto]

The photograph you've uploaded is excellent. I, for one, would love to see more.

[Flamingo]

Yes please for both the stories and the pictures. Anything to do with the southern end of the GN main line is of interest to me, I can never get too much of that kind of thing. Hadley Woods etc. is where I cut my teeth on railway enthusiasm.

[Cock o' The North]

Crikey I had better get weaving then hadn't I! I have scanned a handful of negs, but there are loads of them living in a wooden box. They have always lived in that wooden box ever since they were taken. They were put in individual envelopes, one per negative, and filed in this box. At the start there was comprehensive details of the pics, but as time went on it seems, much of the detail wasn't recorded. A shame, but it won't spoil the result I don't think. Before now, they were only ever contact printed. It's a big job though, scanning them all, so that and the rest of the story will take a little while!

[manna]

One of the best pictures I've ever seen of a C1. manna

[sir visto]

If the rest of your photos are of the quality of the two that you've posted then we're in for a treat. Happy posting !

[hq1hitchin]

The photograph you've uploaded is excellent. I, for one, would love to see more.

Yes, that goes for me, too - never seen a shot showing one of these in the Passenger Loco at KX, and we even get the sign on the building advertising the Culross Mission (which is still about today - not sure about the building itself)

[giner]

Crikey I had better get weaving then hadn't I! I have scanned a handful of negs, but there are loads of them living in a wooden box. They have always lived in that wooden box ever since they were taken. They were put in individual envelopes, one per negative, and filed in this box. At the start there was comprehensive details of the pics, but as time went on it seems, much of the detail wasn't recorded. A shame, but it won't spoil the result I don't think. Before now, they were only ever contact printed. It's a big job though, scanning them all, so that and the rest of the story will take a little while!

And I wouldn't worry too much about missing details. There are some sleuths in matters railway on here who'd give Sherlock Holmes a run for his money. Have a look at the thread on 60001 to give you an idea of some of the minds at work.

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=2570&hilit=60001

[Cock o' The North]

Thanks for all the info and comments. The info on 60001 is indeed comprehensive.

Location wise I am pretty ok in the main, apart from a handful of pics. Locations are mainly Kings Cross, Hadley Wood, or Potters Bar. It is dates that are the main problem. There are pics from 1930 which are specifically dated, but there are a great many which are earlier and these are not.

For example, I have a pic of Long Tom No. 3404 at Hadley Wood. I know that this engine was withdrawn in April 1929, so all I can say is that it was taken before this, but probably not long. Maybe 1928.

There are lots of pics of A1's with the numbers on the tender. I believe that numbers on cab sides was the standard from 1928, but is it known when each of these engines was refinished like this? This again would point to a "must be before" date. I suspect that many of the pics were from about 1927 - 1930 but if some engines are known to have been refinished in 1928, then they would obviously have been on the earlier side.

[52D]

Bring em on im a member of the LNER detective society but im afraid the GNR is a bit off my patch. We have members that will no doubt be able to fill in absent info for you.

[Cock o' The North]

Well now the Indian Summer is breaking down, some time can be put into some inside pastimes. Therefore during the bad weather on Saturday, I managed to scan about 50 of my Father's negatives.

This one is very interesting. It appears to show digging out for construction of the sidings which appear in so many of the other pictures. Note the severed culvert in the excavation left centre. It must be dateable with some accuracy. Any views?