| HOW IT ALL STARTED |
| First impressions. "A bell was ringing nearby, and it was getting closer. My father braked, and we stopped. A powerful "Woompf Woompf" accompanied the bell, and suddenly a huge black monster slowly passed in front of us. It hissed steam and bellowed smoke. The car vibrated, and every wheel of the passing freight juddered into my head as I cowered in the rear seat, peeking at this vision of might through frightened and awed eyes....." I have no idea where this was. I suspect it was in Cologn, Germany, but it may have been the Hook or even Harwich. I was between three and five years old as the goods train passed in front of us. The steam locomotive was huge. There were no crossing gates or lights, the locomotive bell being the only warning. It was a tremendous experience. Shortly after My 'Nana' lived in Wembley, and during a visit to her in the early sixty's I stood on an old iron and wood footbridge that was miles long over hundreds of railway lines (as seen through the eyes of a very young boy remember!). Steam, smoke and diesel fumes scented the air, and my head was filled with the sounds of tons of steel pounding along on never ending journeys .... And then, as already mentioned, at the end of the 1960's. I think it was 1969, but it could have been 1968. The primary school were going on a day trip to London, and the "Flying Scotsman" was the transport. "Doggy" Daniels, the Head Master, and Mr. Vickery, our straight out of the factory teacher, had been priming us for weeks. A visit to the Science Museum and Madame Tussauds were on the agenda............. "The ice and cold made the wait at Saxilby station worse than it really was. A road tanker was waiting to replenish 4472 upon arival, but where was the train?. The Station Master informed us that the points at Doncaster were frozen, and there would be a delay. There was. A forgotten amount of time later 4472 eased into the small siding between the station and the signal box. I was duly impressed by the sight, sound and smell of this medieval monster that was going to pull me to London. The footplate visit only hightened my interest in the mechanical nightmare of such a beast, as did the "Castle Class" locomotive and "Deltic" on display in the Science Museum. I bought the obligatory postcard and a yellow duster (which still exists somewhere) from some geezer (the owner I think) in the buffet car. I can't remember how we got back, due I think to a teachers knack of wearing down kids in exchange for peace. It was a day not to be forgotten." Followed by..... I passed the "11 Plus", and was sent to "The City School" in Lincoln. The school was fairly new, and had been built next to the Cleethorpes to London line. My classroom overlooked the line, which was extremely busy at this period. My mild interest in trains suddenly took off as classmates pulled me into the sphere of .. dare I say it ... trainspotting. What did I spot? Without leaving my class room, 3 car Swindon DMU's traveling to and from Crewe (with the now closed buffet cars) would share the tracks with Brush 4's taking oil tanks to/from Immingham, iron ore off to be turned into steel and Lincoln based Derby DMU's going to and coming from Newark Northgate. In the periods left the Cleethorpes/Kings X intercities would be pulled past, usually by a Brush 4, but sometimes with a Peak, EE4 or even a Deltic in charge. Test trains from Derby RTC would sometimes be pulled through by the Metro Vickers or the Baby Deltic, while Derby Works would occasionaly send overhauls past. Add to this the other freights, with Brush 2, EE1, EE3, Sulzer or Peak power and you can understand perhaps why I grew up stupid. Our maths master would make the boy caught spotting trains square the number. Those who spoke the number were greated with murmered thanks from the rest of us. |
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