Signalling.

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thesignalman
GCR D11 4-4-0 'Improved Director'
Posts: 450
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 4:37 pm

Re: Signalmen's tales.

Post by thesignalman »

Micky wrote:Nice to see you on the thread John i remember you being over on the Marylebone area as a relief Signalman i believe before you came over onto the North London line sometime around 1983 was it?. Obviously you worked Gerrards Cross so you would have known the signalman involved in the accident.

This is just a general observation but what has always got up my nose on the railway in the past after any sort of incident that anyone has been involved in is THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WILLINGLY TELL YOU WHAT THAT PERSON SHOULD HAVE DONE?. Funny that because these same people who are now telling you what that person should have done usually you findout that they weren't that hot themselves in the past?. Funny that is?. :wink:
Well, when a subject is hot everybody has their own ideas but in my experience you never get the full facts until many months or years later, if at all. I am always very unwilling to condemn anybody because we are all human and subject to all sorts of influences. Nothing of this sort is simple and straight-cut.

Yes, I was at Marylebone on the Relief after St Albans and before going to Broad Street and then Watford. In those days we were rostered on a Divisional basis so your actual base was not significant and I still returned to the GC from Broad Street. My favourite tale is two successive Christmas Eves late turn at Aylesbury South and with no public transport back to Broad Street at 10 pm I had to book walking time. The accountants weren't too pleased but they had to pay me!

Best wishes,

John
"BX there, boy!"
Signalling history: https://www.signalbox.org/
Signalling and other railway photographs: https://433shop.co.uk/
Mickey

Re: Signalmen's tales.

Post by Mickey »

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Mickey

Re: Signalmen's tales.

Post by Mickey »

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Mickey

Re: Signalmen's tales.

Post by Mickey »

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Attachments
JUNCTION ROAD JUNCTION S/BOX IN THE SPRING OF 1982
JUNCTION ROAD JUNCTION S/BOX IN THE SPRING OF 1982
ERNIE TUBLE'S RETIREMENT Ernie was the signalman at UPPER HOLLOWAY (old box).
ERNIE TUBLE'S RETIREMENT Ernie was the signalman at UPPER HOLLOWAY (old box).
In the picture: Roy Johns Roger Taylor Mike Scott Ernie Me & Fred Wells
In the picture: Roy Johns Roger Taylor Mike Scott Ernie Me & Fred Wells
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hq1hitchin
LNER V2 2-6-2 'Green Arrow'
Posts: 1162
Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2008 8:32 pm
Location: Newbury, Berks

Re: Signalmen's tales.

Post by hq1hitchin »

Micky wrote:Pictures taken at JUNCTION ROAD JUNCTION in 1982 & in 1984 on the occasion of Erni Tuble's retirement

In the pictures JACK TURNER Signalling Inspector ROY JOHNS Ops manager MIKE SCOTT Ops manager ROGER TAYLOR Ops manager FRED WELLS Signalman & me the Signalman on duty.
Excellent - Jack Turner aka The Gannet (don't know why, but I can guess), Freddie Wells, a legend and Roy Johns, also worked in Oz, where they were allowed wear shorts when on duty on the railway, before he came back to the UK. Lovely man, died far too young
A topper is proper if the train's a non-stopper!
Mickey

Re: Signalmen's tales.

Post by Mickey »

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Anthony Tubbs
NER Y7 0-4-0T
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2011 11:23 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Signalmen's tales.

Post by Anthony Tubbs »

G'day there

This thread brings back some memories for me.

I went through the LMR signalling school during Feb/Mar 1982 with Lew Thomas as instructor, Another signalman in the same group as me was Finn Dowling he went to Acton Canal Wharf then Kensal Green Jn after that I lost track of him.

Jack Turner qualified me as a signalman during March 1982 when I was still 17 yrs & 11 months, Jack then sent me Upper Holloway to learn the box. I was given to Ernie for a couple of weeks to learn Upper Holloway, Jack came along on my 18th birthday and passed me on the box, at that point I was very briefly the youngest signalman out there.

The only incident of note during my stay at Upper Holloway was when a Guard/Shunter? got whacked in the face by a brake pipe and was carted off to hospital. I used to live off Green Lanes in Harringey and usually walked along the line to work for the early shift popping in for a cuppa at Harringey Park box on the way.

My next box was a stint at Acton Central, there was a grotty chap who worked there who everyone called Catweazle, I think he arrived at Acton Central from West Hampsted PSB, got demoted for something I think. :?:

After Acton Central it was off to Marylebone as a relief signalman working the boxes between Marylebone and West Ruislip which was about the time Bill Wright would have become an Inspector, Sudbury Hill was best box in my opinion , 12 hr split shift, just a couple of switches for the signals and gas mantle lights.

Steve Wood is a signalman I remember from my days at Marylebone, he went to Miles Platting & I went to the tube, there is a photo of Steve working at Edgeley Jn No1 box out there on the net.

Anyway I hope I haven't bored you too much.

Cheers
Anthony Tubbs
Melbourne, Australia
Mickey

Re: Signalmen's tales.

Post by Mickey »

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Mickey

Re: Signalmen's tales.

Post by Mickey »

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Mickey

Re: Signalmen's tales.

Post by Mickey »

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Mickey

Re: Signalmen's tales.

Post by Mickey »

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Mickey

Re: Signalmen's tales.

Post by Mickey »

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Anthony Tubbs
NER Y7 0-4-0T
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2011 11:23 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Signalmen's tales.

Post by Anthony Tubbs »

G'day Micky

My memory for names is rather rusty, but yes I do remember going to Juction Rd on occassions, but for the life of me I cannot remember the names of the signalmen there. :roll:
Obviously you were one of them, I got sick of the tube (and the UK in general) and returned to Australia in 1993, however I still pop up each year to visit the rellies and friends, my next trip will have me in the UK 20/2 - 14/3 2011.

Drinks anyone, maybe a T&H get together?

Cheers
Anthony
Mickey

Re: Signalmen's tales.

Post by Mickey »

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Mickey

Re: Signalmen's tales.

Post by Mickey »

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