Page 4 - More Stories of My Life on British Railways

have a 350 shunter but tonight pure luxury a ED loco, we are having a cup of tea

and a bite when the station foreman comes up in a right state there was a
problem at Charing Cross a EMU unit had failed in the platform and there was
no stock available to move it so we set off arrived at Charing Cross hooked up

to the unit and dragged it to Grove Park depot ran round it and shunted it back

into the depot light engine back to Holborn and carry on having a cup of tea and
a bite then told we had to go wrong road down the hole as a midland freight
going to Hither Green had failed we were to hook up on front and take it back to

Hither Green Yard. Then a problem the Midland crew could not leave the
engine at Hither Green it was needed back at Camden depot. So, we took it back

to Camden depot with the Midland Driver acting as pilot as we had not been
into the depot before. Uncouple the dead Loco light engine back to Hither Green

book off and wait for the first train home to Tonbridge “More overtime”.

So, life went on at Hither Green but some of us were having a problem with

head aches after working on the Crompton Diesel Loco’s. It was found that the
seal round the door to engine room at both ends was not sealing when closed

therefore diesel fumes were leaking into the cabs. It had got so bad I went to the
doctor it was found that I had become allergic to diesel I had to leave the

footplate and transfer back to Tonbridge as a Timekeeper at Tonbridge Loco
Depot was not very happy about that. But at least I would know what shift I

would be on normally it would be a 3shift system except at holiday times where
it became a 2 shift.

So normal shift would be 06am to 14:00, 14:00 to 22:00 22:00 to 06:00am

2 Shift was 06:00am to 18:00 18:00 to 06:00am

And one other plus was home was in Vale Road 5 minutes’ walk from the
depot.

Things were changing on the Railway got offered redundancy took it end of
railway career. But still love Railways & Trains and still drive them only it is

virtually use Dovetail Games Train simulator.

In the process of creating a route based on a model railway I use to help a friend

operate at Model Railway Shows It’s Called Upinghamdown. Just got the track
laid so it will be about a year before it is competed as it is rather large.