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clive BRretired posted an update in the group
5 weeks agoOther Railway Adventures (The early 1960s to 1966/67) Was the change to diesel, A slow process, After the Southern region firing days You would sign on at Bristol Bath road ground floor! So many steps down from the elevated Bath road itself! Its still steam for most! So you sign on with driver and then walk a fair way through Temple Mead and follow the various rail lines to Barrow road steam sheds! Often dark or raining! You would find your engine allocated and start its prep’, Driver makes tea and chats to his mates while you wake your engine up! (Standards, Midland or G Western sorts), The 2nd scenario come late 1964, and you are given a twin engine Western hydraulic in the yard or waiting for relief out on Temple meads station, I remember maybe a dozen or so from Cavalier to Renown? You would learn its types of Train Heating boiler, Watch for signals or anything odd? The boilers maybe startle you on start up! Lol. I had escape plan up blind side of No’ 2 engine when they ignited! I had 2nd manned the 63 or (22class) at Laira but the (Western 52)? was a different ball game! You would do one or two days then steam again till it was all diesel! First time i climbed aboard, Sat down and said, This is all new to me! ‘Me Too’ said my driver! Which deflated me somewhat? But we all have to start somewhere! When not the Western sort then it was the 800 Warship or the 700 hymek! And the only steam firing jobs was to drag other engines to scrap on nights! Then come 1967 and the drivers all went out Single manned!! So all us fireman were not wanted anymore!! It was a lonely trek back up those many stairs, than the spritely ones i took 21/2 year before when i arrived there full of the joys of spring! Not much call for a knackered old fireman? This morning USA delegate J D Vance said ‘A I’ will be the greatest invention since the steam engine or Bessemer steel? Ive no idea what A I is? – I don’t remember a dull day on steam! Nor trying to board a Warship diesel! (Rails), The final frontier till Star Trek come along? And who on earth made all them sleepers?
