Crash at New Southgate - 1948

[Mickey]

Bill going back for overtime?.

[hq1hitchin]

G'day Manna,

Re that crash with Driver Hoole.............Pete Green (for it was he) told me that when he was a fireman, he remembered Hoole going back to the cross that day looking for extra work!
Pete was a friend of the fireman killed.............And that, he caused a lot of ill feeling with other footplate crews.............

Marx

Yes, I remember Stushy Goddard saying something similar. He really liked Ted Hailstone though

[Mickey]

What about Bill Hoole?.

[Andy W]

When I was working in 125 West Side Offices, Bill Hoole was still alive although had suffered a stroke and was no longer driving on the Festiniog. He used to get visits from a few of the older KX drivers and TC supervisors who used to report back on how he was etc, etc.

I think it was fair to say he divided opinion amongst the KX drivers of the 1970's who had worked with him in their younger days. Some thought he had put many a fireman into an early grave and some thought he was just another "fast" driver who really knew how to handle a Gresley Pacific.

My reading of the man, through what others told me of him, was that he was perhaps a little bit over dedicated to his work. New Southgate was a good example where, others said, he thought that it was his duty to pitch up at KX and continue his shift, oblivious to the impression he was creating amongst certain colleagues. In other words, he could be a bit blinkered at times.

I do recall that some drivers said he was very generous at taking his turn with the shovel and letting his fireman do the driving.

[Postman Prat]

Hi

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned the reference in Peter Semmens book that when 60508 was put back on the rails the number 60507 was showing, due to the paint having been scraped off! As the book says - cab change? or did someone put on the wrong number which had to be painted over and corrected?

[52A]

Now days it ain't unusual for a driver to get a ''change of aspect'' and the driver WILL request driver relief which i believe they can do.[/quote]

Alas, boys doing mens jobs.

[Mickey]

There was something simliar that happened at a terminal station in north London about 10 years ago where a driver waiting to depart had a yellow aspect at the signal at the end of the bay platform then the signal went back to a red and without even moving the driver requested relief as he was 'shaken up' due to the change of aspect and the service was cancelled due to no other driver being available.

[52A]

Any excuse for a day off and their so called managers allow it.

[manna]

G'Day Gents

Didn't get that c*** years ago, when we got a 'Green' to 'Red' at Connington, (class 9 with 600tons on) we NEEDED to go home to change our pants !!!!!!


manna

[Mickey]

Lol ha ha ha...

[manna]

G'Day Gents

I found this the other day, again while looking for something else but I knew that I had seen a picture of this accident before.

Note the rail protruding from the cab (fireman's side)

manna

[sandwhich]

When a driver is involved in an incident, derailment or fatality, they will be relieved, as regards change of aspect to red or cracking deonators a driver is always asked if he or she is okay to continue, whilst some ask for relief the majority do not and continue on duty.

[Mickey]

Yes thats correct sandwhich.

[sandwhich]

Mickey the incident that you quote I will admit is a bit extreme, but if a driver is going along in thick fog sees a green and the next one is a red (and this happened to me) and you cannot see in front of you its heart in the mouth time and no I did not ask for relief.
This is just an observation on my part but after starting my railway service in 1962 some Drivers who remembered the 1948 New Southgate derailment did not speak too highly of Bill Hoole. Maybe it was genuine or it could have been envy because of his later exploits. I did not know or ever met him so I will make no other comment.

[Mickey]

Yes it was very extreme sandwhich but I reckon it's very rare though.