R h n hardy collection
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- Geoff Parslew
- Dick Stockings
RH353 A Lloyd-Davies, doyen of the coal trade at Kings Cross and carefully nurtured by Geoffrey Wilson and myself, was like all the coal-boys, very quick on the uptake! We loved him dearly and here he is fulfilling his ambition as did so many people. He should have gone to Bournemouth but something was wrong and we had to change over at New Milton. Hence the station seat as we wait for the up train. Bert Hooker, Lloyd and Alan Newman who was with Bert for over a year, a rarity in those last days of steam at Nine Elms, while he was waiting to reach the minimum age to be passed for driving. He became an Inspector At St Pancras and was involved with the Marylebone-Stratford-on-Avon steam work in the eighties and early nineties. RH354 Victoria Eastern awaiting departure of the 1030 boat train (R) about 1964. The strong man in the middle is the legendary Sammy Gingell now an outside porter well over 70. (L) is David Ruddock of Boothby Graffoe and (R) is Alan Parker, Passenger Manager, Doncaster, one of our few Etonians. He had a devilish sense of humour which he used when in a tight corner. Having elected to be brought to Court for illegal parking, his simple defence, aided by an ingenious smile, was that “He was a bad Parker”. The court may have dissolved in laughter but sadly justice had to be done! RH355 Peter Hardy (aged 7) having an afternoon on the “Winkle” in 1964-5 which was quite something especially when Bert Hooker allowed him to “drive”. Bert and his mate, Alan Newman, on the right. RH356 “The Shakespeare” has long gone and what remains of the Golden Arrow stands in No 8 at Victoria (E). The train now goes once more to Dover Marine leaving London at 1030. The Dover men shown have no doubt come up with the “Blue” and probably with the same is E5000 electric locomotive. They were master of the Night Ferry although they had some trouble, I believe, with the gaps on the climb up to Sheperdswell from Dover. RH357 I had long left Stewarts Lane and Jack May was well established in the Boat Train link at the remains of the Lane. He was the perfect LDC Chairman in my time and we worked closely for the good of the depot, its staff and the Southern Region. It would not have done for us to be photographed together when I was shedmaster but this was 1961-2 not long before Jack retired. About this time, the Lane, so staunch a Chatham shed, was transferred to the Central section under the Divisional Manager CROYDON, the crowning insult! RH358 I was Divisional Manager Liverpool from May 1968-Oct 1973, the experience of a lifetime. We took my Saloon out on working inspections which were hard but necessary and very enjoyable. We shared the coach with the District Engineer, Hubert Roberts, and it was also used by the Divisional Officers. This is Aug 1973, my last outing before leaving the Division and a happy day to see many of our more wide-spread staff. This is Delamere, CLC when the station had a signalbox and a species of yard which was a convenient place for lunch before moving on by stages to Skelton JC. It was also the last saloon lunch before alcohol was banned as a sensible form of entertainment for our guests and also the crew. The group are: (L-R standing), Arthur Williams, my Deputy and a truly good one who ought to have been a Divisional Manager; the incomparable Danny Whelan, Operating Supt; Arthur Behrend who lived near us on the outskirts of our Wirral village of Burton. He had been an LNWR Improver before the ’14-18 war, but then joined the Liverpool family firm of Shipping agents, Bahr Behrend. He left me his medal for “working” in the General Strike when his contribution was to sign on at Chester (with the strike all but over) and take a luncheon basket 200 yards to the shed foreman. Ken Lord, our Maintenance Engineer and reared on the Southport electrics and later on the MS&W section under Alec Emerson. Roland Lancaster from Saughall, the first commuter to rumble me (the service was so bad from Chester to Rock Ferry that I did not disclose my hand at once). Denis O’Reilly, Area Manager, Northwich, once S M Mullingar before emigrating to Liverpool where he was Chief Traffic Inspector. Very Irish, a good operator and even better kidologist. Jack Appleby, pillar of the Mail Room and excellent relief Steward. Peter Summers of JS&S, now part of BSC, the only one of the three Summers sons to make a career in steel making, and a good friend to say the least. Jack Berry, our Guard and Inspector for the day - the best, and Fred Lancaster, a hunting farmer and brother of Roland. (L-R front), Alan Newitt, Passed Secondman at Edge Hill with the “Extra” link; John Connolly, our Steward and what an asset he was to our guests and to us. George Bordessa, Driver now at Garston but ex-Edge Hill LDC. We first met at an LDC meeting chaired by Danny Whelan which I visited for a few minutes, and finally the remarkable Reg Holmes, Signalman and character now approaching ninety, a widower and still in first-class form. RH359 Another Inspection, in April 1964, a month before I left Lincoln for Kings Cross. Again this was business but with a special purpose for the benefit of Reg Munns, on the eve of his retirement as Freight officer at ER HQ, a dedicated operating man of great knowledge. We are at one of the extremities of the Lincoln District, Waltham-on-the-Wold, deep in the Leicestershire countryside where the acres of rolling grass and splendid hedges make perfect hunting country. Reg started as a boy at Waltham as a clerk and climbed the ladder – he was a Railwayman. Left, is Norman Micklethwaite, acting as DMPS. We worked together at Stratford from 1959-62 after I had appointed him Shedmaster, the right man for the years of the “Human Revolution 1959-62”, the c/o from Steam to Diesel and for the endless problems we faced and decisions we had to take. The two enginemen are from Amos, acting DMM. Jack was Chief Traffic Inspector and brother of Bill Luty, Running Foreman at Kings Cross who fired on 2509 for A J Taylor on the first high-speed Silver Jubilee run in 1935. He and Jack came from Immingham. Harry Amos became DMM Sheffield a very good operator who had come up the hard way; we had much in common. We had arranged for the Station Master, one Angus ? (who lived the life of Riley) to present Reg with a Stilton cheese of enormous proportion and powerful aroma. Had we been on our own, we should have been the recipients! RH360 Dover Marine in 1973 when James Hardy was in his second summer vacation at Sheffield University, both of which he spent as a steward on the Invicta living with Stanley Gardiner now a widower. S, L-R: Bill Thomas, a great friend and a good man to take to France on the footplate; “Tug” Wilson, ex LT&S section fireman turned BT Policeman who used to see me by HM Customs if he was on duty; James and Stanley. RH361 Preparation for an Eastern Region Board visit is bad enough but when they are accompanied by two ferocious BRB members, Philip Shirley and Fred Margetts, men wanted to put up the shutters. So one goes over the route beforehand which involved this sort of preparation. We are at Collingham (ex Midland) and the end of the Lincoln District Nottingham. The Board arrived from High Marnham (where I joined them) and we came in on the LDEC via Skellingthorpe to Pyewipe and Lincoln C where the Station Master, Mr Chadwick, and I successfully weathered a Shirley inquisition, the secret being not to answer every one of his barrage of questions but to batten on by good luck or a trust in God to the right ones which we did. Then to St Marks via the East Yard where Shirley pinioned me in a corner with the unanswerable question “Why have you got two stations at Lincoln, Hardy? Get one closed at once.” En route once more, we passed the carefully screened 1874 Midland Pullman doing duty as a messroom (thus avoiding another Shirley outburst) and we set off for Collingham where I left them to it. Our little team had done a good job and the visit was a success. Once at Doncaster via the two Newarks, the Board had an excellent dinner after which the BR Members refused to go to bed and went on the rampage with the Traffic Manager to the Power Box at midnight. The single-needle telegraph, a wonderful medium for all-line communication, was said by Shirley to be years out of date (which it was). He insisted that these instruments must be replaced at once by telephones. In fact they remained until electrification! The BR network was impossible and when the ERHQ moved to York in 1966, it would take 203 hours to get a call from KX. Thus B1, 1406, our inspection coach and, L-R: SM Collingham; Jack Luty; Harry Amos; Derek Burton, Commercial Manager; Norman Micklethwaite; Sheila Hazard, my splendid secretary; Ernest Needham, Chief Clerk; Bill Boothright and three enginemen and a goods guard. What this lot cost was nobody’s business but homework had to be by a rooky Traffic Manager. It made Shirley’s day when I told him that Skellingthorpe was to close traffic on 30/3/64 and was currently a store for inwards traffic. Outward receipts for the current year amounted to £5. After Skellingthorpe, we passed a large house set back in some trees. It belonged to the Chairman of the local Conservative party whose son married R A Butler’s daughter. This idiotic piece of information could be used to change the subject if cornered but Shirley was facing the other way and was haranguing me on this and that. RH362 Archie Hastie had been Railway Transport officer at Carlisle during the war. He was a great friend, a very untypical Wykehamist. He knew his railways and railwaymen, a man of the world with a supreme command of English in his letters and of the spoken work (when it suited him). He also had a great sense of humour and of the ridiculous. A Barrister who never practised and who preferred the very useful life of a country gentleman in the best sense. During the war, George Tatterson (Friar Tuck fringe) had been Asst DOS to Richard Bagwell at Carlisle. They worked wonders of operation at the Citadel and elsewhere, forging a lifetime friendship. Tatt left the LMSR after the war and joined John Summers & Sons at the suggestion of Sir Richard Summers (a Director of the LMSR), retiring as Transport Director BSC at Shotton. Our party is completed by Danny Whelan and Pass Inspector, Bill Coffey, our regular on such occasions. RH363 Hooton, this time with Danny on the right, then Frank Harrison who was a most unlikely Industrial Relations Manager at BRB HQ. Frank’s father was Driver Herbert Harrison of Lincoln; His brother a GN man, but Herbert, who I met on 6097 “Immingham” on my second day on the LNER, was a “Poggy” man par excellence. Bill Coffey, Inspector; John Connolly, Steward; and Don Wyman, Area Manager, Birkenhead. RH364 Lime St Station after the inspection with George Tatterson and Archie Hastie (see 362 for details of both men). Chief Inspector Jack Johnson, ASM Eric Steward (ex Kings Cross), Extra Link Driver Tommy Peacock, Passed Secondman John Benson, GT, AHH, RH and Bill Coffey. Both he and Jack Johnson are wearing the sensible old BR Inspectors hat still on issue in 1970 and Bill is still carrying the scroll with the LM red background. RH365 Our old 1406 on which my chauffeur, Bill Boothwright, had his first and last trip on a steam locomotive. A quiet word from me to the driver resulted in 70 mph between stations and Bill said “Never again”. We are on a tour of unusual corners of the District (at Mablethorpe) not long before I left for Kings Cross in June 1964. Our Lincoln driver and fireman and goods guard are in charge but do not know Mablethorpe so the severe gent in the cheese-cutter has come from Immingham, Louth or Boston. Centre is Harry Amos and on the right, my old Assistant from my Liverpool St days (1959-62), Bert Webster, an LNW Lancastrian and what a man and companion for he complemented me so well. He was 57 when I was 35, a wealth of experience, judgement and humour and he deserved this day on the bummel. RH366 See 361 which is a better photo. RH367 The interior of the old GN Directors coach used by the GN Line Manager and later by myself when I was DMKX. Cyril Palmer is taking Colin Scutt (R) on an inspection of the Lincoln and Doncaster Districts. Colin Scutt is now Chief Mechanical and Electrical Engineer, a good friend on the job and he had come a long way since he started in the Plant some ten years before I did. His father was Head Shunter at the Carr Loco. Cyril Palmer, Motive Power Officer GN, was my foreman when I was an apprentice at the Carr and he dies far too young, another fine railwayman. RH368 Has Bert Webster dropped off in our old GN saloon. I very much doubt it! RH369 This happy crowd were some of my RH men in my short stay of 7 months at Lincoln preparing the District to enter (against its wishes) the new Doncaster Division in June 1964. It was very much a learning experience for here I was, a Loco man, following a legendary Traffic Manager and Commercial man, Harry Graham. Ernest Needham, Chief Clerk, Harry Amos once again and Jack Luty, District Traffic Inspector, brother of Bill Luty ex Immingham and now KX Running foreman. There was a degree of comfort in the old coach and it served us well; always know as the “Special”. RH370 The “Special”. A GN body and frames on Gresley bogies? Anyhow, the old coach rode very well and enabled me to see much of the district in a short time. Tim (FW) Shuttleworth will give you its history in greater detail. RH371 Derek Burton was our energetic and ingenious Commercial Manger, an ex-Traffic Costing Officer and very much a Beeching man in outlook, following the party line, which was not bad thing for us if uncomfortable at times. Derek was destined for great things which, for one reason or another and like so many of us, he never quite achieved. He left his mark on Lincoln and on me. RH372 In my 1934 LMS Saloon at Liverpool. George Tatterson and Archie Hastie have the best window seats. RH373 …and so does Edmond Godry, Chef Mécanicien at Calais on a happy visit to Liverpool, How he loved the railwaymen of this country who took him to their heart, for the feeling was mutual, and his smile got him everywhere. He took his job at Calais very seriously and was an Inspector of the highest class. RH374 Now we are at Burgh-le-Marsh on the East Lincs below Willoughby. Bert Webster and Harry Amos admire the work of the proud Station Foreman. B-le-M won every garden competition but Sleaford ran it close with Mr Stationmaster Rook’s railway paintings on the coping stones. RH375 See RH365, delete Amos and include Hardy in a trilby hat and smoking a Gauloise. We must have returned to Lincoln via the New Line and Tumby Woodside or possibly by Boston, Sleaford and up the Joint Line to Lincoln. RH376 Bold Colliery 1980. On the footplate of the Rocket is Driver Fred Dale, senior driver at Edge Hill/Lime St. Peter, our younger son, had a day at Bold and enjoyed seeing old friends. Fred was concerned because the engine was not in steam for the trial running that he needed to get used to the valve gear and reversing but by early afternoon all was well – up to a point. RH377 The instructor was none other than Mike Satow who saw to the building of the “Rocket”, and when he mounted the footplate of “Rocket” accompanied by Fred and his mate Jimmy Donnelly, some movement was confidently expected by the multitude. However, this was confined to half a revolution forward and ditto backwards with plenty of dirty water from the chimney for some ten minutes while Mike juggled with the levers and got somewhat heated. However, all was well until next day when she was withdrawn until repairs had been miraculously effected but thenceforth, Freddy, in his top hat, worked his magic. He became known as “Mr Pickwick” (just right in a topper) as well as his irreverent Scouse nickname of “the Principle Boy” derived from his frequent reference to “matters of principle”. Captain Bill Smith, owner of the old GN J52 4247 beating to windward in the foreground. RH378 Mostly Scousers at Bold Colliery 1980: Peter, Dr Tommy Perkins, Insp Eric White, Insp Harold (HG) Hale, Insp Ernest Hillyard, Dr Fred Dale, Psd Fireman Jimmy Donnelly, Dr Wilf Hume. RH379 Peter and Harold Hale with the old NB J36 “Maude” behind. RH380 Driver Stan Rimmer, now retired, a 1934 man with whom I travelled on many occasions. He was a remarkable man and humorist and enjoyed himself cleaning 6201 on which class of engine he suffered many miles of slavery. RH381 See RH378 but delete Jimmy Donnelly and include RH. L-R: Tommy Perkins, Wilf Hume, Peter, Eric White, “H G”, Ernie Hillyard, RH. RH382 Pillars of Preservation bar Peter Hardy (R). This was 23 years ago – Alun Rees, the late John Bellwood, John Peck, a pre-war Running Graduate, Kim, a cleaner and fireman at Sudbury and Cambridge. All LNER bar Alun. RH383 Zeebrugge. In 1960 Geoffrey Ford (L) and I took over in our respective Districts responsibility for the maintenance and staff of C&W, ODM and Road Motor Depts. In Oct 1962 Geoff, who had already been with me to France the conventional way in 1959, came with me for another visit. Here we are with our Wagon Foreman, Jack Cleaver and the SNCB Agent who spoke good English. Jack spoke Railway Flemish, by no means an easy language even for a Cockney of inventive ability. We had crossed on the “Essex Ferry” which had two stroke reversible B&W diesel engines and had had a smooth crossing and a splendid breakfast. Geoff and I went on to Paris and, next day, after an enormous brunch at Andre Duteil’s home at Epinay-sur-Seine, caught train 19 from the Nord at 1230 for Calais. Our electric driver was Roger Lemaile of Fives and, at Amiens, we joined Henri Dutertre and Francois Veron on 2312E9. It was really a jolly for two hard working DRMEs, and Geoffrey returned to Norwich mentally and physically refreshed. RH384 HQ Inspector George Harland accompanied Philippe Leroy on the “Blue Deltic”, lunching at Grantham before returning with Driver George Piggins. On the down journey, Philippe had “Mallard” to Peterborough where she had run hot so the Peterborough pilot, a V2, took over. It was not a typical Station Pilot and did very well. More often, men preferred to stick to a dud-steamer rather than take the usually diabolical New England V2. RH385 Not many photos were taken in No 2 Carriage shop at Stratford for the place was firmly locked. Anyhow, this must have been 1964 or so and was a time-exposure with little light. One for the record which includes Ted Wade, Chief Clerk at Stratford and a tower of strength, afraid of no-one. We were on 17 x 12 hour nights together followed by a 12 hour day without a break and I got to know Ted and his many assets. Then Frank Mayes, another splendid man who, by now, was an Inspector, a Barnsley man who had emigrated to Kings X and on to Stratford. I still miss Frank for we became close friends; he died, as did his wife Iris, in 1997. He knew everybody and kept me up to date on the comings and goings of Stratford men. On the gangway is our Peter (6). The engines, an M7, Q6 and either a D11 or an 04, all alive today. RH386 to RH397 cover a period where I took few photographs on the job, other than those indoors, without a flash, and all are in a light-hearted vein, for we were working at high pressure for four years on end, running the railway to a high standard and masterminding “The Human Revolution” from steam to diesel and electric traction. RH386 Both my Assistant and I had a penchant for funny hats and here is Bert Webster installed at Hamilton House on the top floor looking out over Bishopsgate. Bert was 57 against my 35 when we both moved up and we were a great partnership though I say it myself. We could laugh and laugh fit to bust but at the same time our output each day of constructive uncluttered work was pretty big. We made things easy for ourselves and never a wrong word, however hard the going. Bert has my bowler, only worn (at work) on special occasions but as Bert came from the LMS, he was used to bowlers. Not until he came to the ER at March did he wear a Trilby at work. The Eastern favoured the Homburg or the Trilby and one thought the bowler and long dustcoat looked pretty daft but it was fashionable at the “Top Shed”, I believe. RH387 I took Bert to France twice and he enjoyed every moment of the journey on both the steam and the electrics from Amiens to Paris. Being outgoing in his comic Lancashire way, he made friends easily although he could only speak franglais. We went to Dover with the ex Stew Lane motorman of a 12 car boat train. RH388 In the summer of 1960, it was my turn and Bill Dixon’s from Lincoln where he was DMPS, to join the Sectional Council B summer meeting at Clacton. (A was clerical, B, Motive Power, mostly footplate staff, C was Operating and D was Terminal and Cartage). These are all old friends and colleagues. Bill was Darlington-trained and a character, always grumbling and one of the best, who died in his 91st year. Frank Longhorn was the Chief Staff Clerk of the GN Line. Appointed by Gerry Fiennes, who wanted a rascal a step ahead of everybody, he was good and amusing and got things done on his terms and by his own private means. Cyril Palmer was my Foreman at Doncaster Carr Loco in 1944 and very kind to me (when he could be, on the quiet so to speak). He was a good foreman and there was no rest when he was about nor when i/c the breakdown gang and crane. He had served his time at Wrexham GC and moved to KX as a fitter and No 2 Mech Foreman, Doncaster, to Charlie Walker was his first post. Later he was the last DMPS at Peterboro and then Motive Power Officer GN under G F Fiennes. He died in 1966, far too young. Colin Scutt has been mentioned before. He was our GE Line MPO and on his way up he had been ADMPS Worcester and ADMPS at Trafford Park but never a District Officer. He finished up a CM&EE ER, very, very, able. Bill Buxton was about to retire from Chief Staff Clerk GE Line and to be followed by Bert Newell off the Southern. Six good men. RH389 The rather upper-crust GEAAA sports to which the nobs were invited and at which Gwenda and my presence was obligatory was held at Loughton GEAAA ground mid-July to be followed next day by a much lower crust and very enjoyable entertainment known as the Stratford Loco Sports. Here we have Syd Casselton and Tug-of-War anchor man, Breakdown Foreman and the best I ever knew. Syd knew all our family and loved to find a little job as Foreman of the Crane shop that would take him our way. RH390 Bert Webster and the Traffic Managers Chief Clerk, Bernard Wilby, another charmer. Harold Few was our TM. He died in 2001 aged 95 and I will say no more than I tried, when my turn came to be a DM, to model myself on his methods. He never fussed; he was a good delegator but always there to take the lead over things that really mattered; he was straight and a true railwayman. Bernard came up from Frinton daily and was never late which says a lot for his stamina and the punctuality of the Clacton service once we had got some of the old-timers on to the electrics. RH391 The rest of our Motive Power team. Les Thorn, a Stratford fitter taken out of the Jubilee shed as a sort of unofficial technical assistant and came into his own with the diesels. We promoted him from class 2 to Special B and then Management range 2 on account of his specialist knowledge and he was our saviour many times with the new form of traction. He never had robust health and worried about the job. I could not do much about the first but plenty about the second. On the right is Ken Townrow who had come down in the world but he joined us in a general post when I took charge in Jan 1959. We found the secret of energising Ken, and he lived happily without ambition and worked hard for the rest of our time together. RH392 A meeting of the GE Line Motive Power Committee which met bi-monthly and was a pleasant affair with no time wasted and plenty of action. L-R: Frank Wilson, a very experienced Admin Asst to the Motive Power Officer, once Chief Running Foreman at Stratford. No foozleing with Frank. He had plenty of power and was one of the great L P Parker’s “young men” who made him a foreman from the clerical grades. Colin Scutt, Motive Power Officer and a top-class man to work with. He knew, that as DMPS, I had to bend all the rules at Stratford to bring in the diesels and get the best from steam and left me to it. “Dick,” he used to say “I don’t want to be involved”, which was just what I wanted. He became CM&EE ER and good for him. Geoff Parslew (Grock) is next, Cambridge DMPS and he came full of LM ideas from Kentish Town. It took hi time to get used to our way of doing things for the LM Officers were not allowed to take the decision as we could. Grock worried and yet was a most amusing man (Horwich trained) and son of a clergyman. He followed me to Liverpool St against his will and never came to terms with Stratford, a disappointing finish for a good old colleague. Dick Robson had been Shedmaster at Stratford, then ADMPS at Kings Cross and now Asst Motive Power Officer, GE Line. A Geordie and the nicest of men with a formidable sense of very dry humour. Then Dick Stockings who became one of us as HQ Diesel Assistant and had a love of steam which did not stop him railing at some of the decisions that we had to take during the “Human Revolution” of 1959-62. And Finally, Geoff Ford and what a lovely man, railwayman, cartoonist and loyal to the cause, and yet he worried over detail that others could have done for him willingly. He died around 62 with a cartoon half drawn depicting Colin Morris and me opening a bottle of wine on the footplate of a Chapelon Pacific. It would have been wonderful but Geoff died and it was never finished. Download 0.62 Mb. Share with your friends:
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