LNER Footplate Memories

[v3man]

Calling Carlisle Control by Peter Brock, footplate memories of the Waverley Route, appears from time to time on Ebay. I think he was based Carlisle Canal depot of the NBR/LNER.

[71B]

A few weeks ago the bookshop in Grosmont (sorry don't know the name) had a copy of "2750" complete with dust jacket, advertised at about £40. The shop is adjacent to the station same side as Railway Club (lots of real ale). What more do you need to visit!

Did you buy it Harvester? I'm looking on there site on there list and I can't find it?

Tom

I've just tried all my usual 2nd hand online sites and drawn a blank!

[Tom F]

A few weeks ago the bookshop in Grosmont (sorry don't know the name) had a copy of "2750" complete with dust jacket, advertised at about £40. The shop is adjacent to the station same side as Railway Club (lots of real ale). What more do you need to visit!

The shop has responded to me....sold about a month ago....

[Solario]

I'm interested in you say it's not for everyones tastes, what would the reason be for this?

They are very easy reading with fairly naive story lines ( I do not want to be unkind to the author). I enjoyed the footplate and shed work descriptive passages and, because I am from Eastern Yorkshire, it was amusing to pick out the locations.

I read and enjoyed "2750: Legend of a Locomotive" when I was about 12, I would have read and enjoyed the Raymond Flint books at the same age. I hope this conveys some idea of what you should expect. Try one for yourself!

[Tom F]

I'm interested in you say it's not for everyones tastes, what would the reason be for this?

They are very easy reading with fairly naive story lines ( I do not want to be unkind to the author). I enjoyed the footplate and shed work descriptive passages and, because I am from Eastern Yorkshire, it was amusing to pick out the locations.

I read and enjoyed "2750: Legend of a Locomotive" when I was about 12, I would have read and enjoyed the Raymond Flint books at the same age. I hope this conveys some idea of what you should expect. Try one for yourself!

Cheers Solario, I've just ordered North Eastern Engine Men and just won the Bill Hoole book on ebay for £3.99.

I'll keep searching for 2750....

[harvester]

B1 Tom,
No I didn't buy it, probably missed a good opportunity, the book was in good condition. Last time I read a copy was from the school library in 1959. On the way back to school I left the copy on the local sweetshop counter- it was never seen again! The headmaster I think fined me 1/- at the time. All those with a copy could check to see if its stamped "Clare Hall School"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[redtoon1892]

Couple of these on Flea Bay at the moment.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300592298191? ... 1423.l2649

[Tom F]

Couple of these on Flea Bay at the moment.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300592298191? ... 1423.l2649

Hmm look interesting, anyone have these?

[redtoon1892]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300594590111? ... 1423.l2649

[71B]

Couple of these on Flea Bay at the moment.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300592298191? ... 1423.l2649

Hmm look interesting, anyone have these?

Yup. Got all the footplate ones listed there! And can recommend them as well.

[Tom F]

Thanks for those links.

I've now picked up a good few on ABE books, not too expensive each....it's added up them all together though!

Thanks

Tom

[brsince78]

Can I also recommend "Steam Days at Haymarket" by Harry Knox. Published by Irwell Press in 2007. Very good narrative backed up with excellent photographs (mainly from the Transport Treasury).

[71B]

And, although not LNER, Laira Fireman, Didcot Engineman, Swindon Engineman and From Booking Boy to Bulleids. All slightly larger format and more illustrated than the earlier style of reminiscence. Oh, and Saltley Firing Days 1 & 2 has just been re-released as a combined volume to keep the LMS boys happy (it's also a good, tongue in cheek read!)

[billdonald]

I bought and read just about every railway (auto)biography published in the past, even those for railways/regions other than my own NER/LNER interests. The quality of the writing varied enormously, with many being instantly forgetable. I found that the actual railway location became irrelevent if the book told a good human story together with factual information. For the LNER, Charlie Meacher and Dick Hardy's works are very good. On the LMR, the two two books by Terry Essery are outstanding - anyone who has read these will never forget the drive Piggy Traynor and his antics, as well as the heroic accounts of firing 9Fs on the Birmingham (Lawley Street) - Carlisle freights. Another couple that spring to mind are the Mendips Enginemen series based on the S&DJR in the fifties. For the signalling fraternity, you really can't go wrong with Adrian Vaughan's trilogy of life as a WR signalman, even if they are a little politicised.

I think the big problem with biographies that deal with working life is that for many men, the occupation was simply a means to an end. The vast majority of railwaymen had little or no interest in their job. Thus the few who were interested in their job may have been persuaded to produce an account of it, but unfortunately fewer still are able to write this account in a readale form.

For example, we have had accounts from the footplate, signal cabin, and management - but very little from say platelayers, shunters, and the multitude of other occupations on the railways. I know when you talk to older railwaymen about their working life, they generally fall into two camps - the first is who would be interested in my life, or secondly they don't want to talk about it. I gather from the military history boys, it is much the same hurdle. I find this a great shame since vast areas of our industrial history of steelmaking, coal mining, manufacturing, and transport are being lost forever.

I know from my own past research projects that documentation such as a sectional appendix or a working timetable is extremely useful, but when the information is supplemented by someone who actually worked the line in some shape or form, the accuracy of the research is increased by a magnitude.

Bill Donald

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

One of my favourites is "Small Coal and Smoke Rings" by Derek Brock is a tale of human life and the funny side of what was a hard and dangerous job despite the fact that the shed described is Barry Island and me a GWR anti-fan if you get my drift.

I did one read a book regarding footplate life at Didcot which included a tale of woe when the fireman was rescued from the ultimate indignity - unable to keep steam on a stationary locomotive heating coaches - by an Italian prisoner of war and how a driver "got his own back" on the Restaurant car staff.

Anyone know more details? I'd love to read it again.

I got a copy of "Small Coal and Smoke Rings" for Chrimbo - must re-read it!