Anybody on here worked on the Railway?


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I'm doing a bit of research about BR employees who worked on the railway between the period 1957 to 1987.

Did anybody on here work for BR in any capacity during this time?

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MY Grandad,Annesley wheeltapper and Shunter 1930s to 1965,also Secretary of NUR Bulwell,..........still got his plaque,presented in 1965.

MY Dad,shunter Bulwell Common and Annesley,plus Goods Guard,..40s to 60s.

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Sort of - Derby Carriage, and then Loco works - including the time when it was really BR, as well as after the works organisation was privatised. I was there 35 years from 1968 to 2003. (You'll know the old gag : "How many people work at the Carriage works?" Answer : "Not many of 'em.")

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I didn't but my dad worked at Derby Friargate, my Grandad was the signalman at Kimberley Station and my uncle was the stationmaster at Long Eaton.

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Thanks for your reply Bubblewrap, Benjamin 1945, StephenFord, ChrisB & Dave 48 !

When I get sorted I will PM you all with further details of what I am looking into and trying to achieve.

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People who worked on the railway would look upon it as just a job that they did. I would imagine that they'd also get an inner excitement from their involvment with the steam trains. There are quite a few of the Nottstalgians who either worked on the railway or were just steam train enthusiasts and there are many posts and threads on this subject. My only involvement with the steam trains, when I was a kid, was stood on the Meadow Lane bridge, near Daleside Road, with my trainspotting book in my hand. I can still feel the excitement and smell as my friends and I would get covered in steam as the train passed under us. I know nothing at all of the types and workings of the steam trains so I don't tend to read all the posts but I can look at the photos of the steam trains all day. There is just something that's beautiful and magical about the steam train, something that I don't feel with the modern trains of today. I hope your research regarding British Rail employees goes well Smiffy49 and, if it becomes a book, I'm sure it will generate a lot of interest.

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#2

Jobs I did whole working for B.R.

Signal Box Lad(Colwick North & Rectory Junction)

Switchboad operator(Colwick Yard)

Store man(Colwick Yard)

Signal lampman(Nottingham Midland)

Secondman(Nottingham,Hornsey,Kings + & Ripple Lane.)

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I started as a carriage cleaner at Nottingham Carriage Sidings in 1978. I applied for a vacancy as a Senior Railman Carriage shunter at the same location in 1980. I got the job and spent the next five years shunting the same trains I used to clean. Every week-day morning we dispatched two trains to Glasgow and five to London, mostly mark 1 stock hauled by class 45s. The London trains gradually acquired mark 2E and Mark 2F air conditioned stock. This as well as the summer holiday trains. As the sidings became run down during the early 80s, coal mines closed and all our freight diagrams were transferred to Toton. Nottingham became a depot for engineering trains and I was transferred to Derby Etches Park carriage sidings in 1985 which was larger and busier. I spent my last years doing supervisory work until I took early retirement in 2004.

My grandfather started after the Great War as an engine cleaner, working his way up the grades through Passed Cleaner, Fireman, Passed Fireman to driver. In his last years, because he was an Alderman on Nottingham City Council, he stuck with the job as 'Drop-pit Shunt' on night shift at the loco depot as it was easy to cover when he was doing council work. My Dad didn't work on the railway but his two brothers did, one as a clerk dealing with paperwork from the National Coal Board. The other was a General Purpose relief yard foreman, ending his railway days riding his Honda 90 from Nottingham to Rowsley covering nights in its final days.

My son started in 1990 training in all clerical work. He is now at the Travel Centre in Derby.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here goes - I worked on the Railway on four separate occasions - yes, four!

1) 1960 -Started in the Publicity and Public Relations dept. on Victoria Street Nottm. Then Alan House on Clumber Street; Furlong House, the Meadows; British Transport Advertising on Low Pavement.

2) 1988 - Platform Ticket Barriers at Coventry.

3) 1990 - Yeah, first proper Railway job at last -

Traincrew at Norwich a) Trainman on Ballasts

and freight followed by Senior Conductor on

intercity hauled trains to London Liverpool St.

4) - 2000 - Customer Services at Norwich.

Family connections.

Grandfather - BT Police Inspector

Aunt - Supervisor Nottm Mid Enquiry Office

Mother - Porter Burton Joyce Station during War

Father - Signalman Thurgarton and Burton Joyce

Daughter - Clerical Grosvenor House, Norwich

Self - as above

Micky P

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In the 50s and 60s, the railway was one of the biggest employers in most towns. Each station (large or small) had porters, shunters, signalmen, station master mostly for three shifts along with RD reliefs and GP reliefs. Not to mention Drivers, Firemen, cleaners, buffet staff and track men. Then there were fitters and engineers.

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Cleaner, passed cleaner, fireman. April 1948-Sept. 1963, so only the last 6 years count?

PS. Smiffy49 if you make your research into a book do justice to your photo's, not too small!

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Rest assured I am making a running note of all of your great replies and will get back individually via PM in due course.

This will not be a book Albert, but your valid point is noted as I agree with your observations ref photographic material.

So as not to exclude anyone interested I have expanded the period from 1948 (the start of British Railways) to 1994 (Privatisation).

Looking forward to going through all of this during the latter Summer months ready for the dark nights, so please do keep them coming !

Many thanks.

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I worked as a cleaner at colwick loco and then to passed cleaner from 1957 then left and came back as oil and greaser at colwick loco, still have my rule book somewhere. happy memories of steam. and the carbide lamps. the huts with the great big black kettle always on the boil. happy days.

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Can you remember mashing in the tea can. Just shoving everything in - tea leaves, sugar, milk and boiling water. Then having to spit out the tea leaves.

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  • 5 weeks later...

MY Grandad,Annesley wheeltapper and Shunter 1930s to 1965,also Secretary of NUR Bulwell,..........still got his plaque,presented in 1965.

MY Dad,shunter Bulwell Common and Annesley,plus Goods Guard,..40s to 60s.

was you grandad anesley related to a Chappell by any chance a Lilly Chappell perhaps

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I worked as a guard at Nottingham from 1977 to 1983. I worked with a lot of ex Colwick and Annesley men. I worked a lot of coal trains to Gedling Cotgrave and the Leen Valley. Now all gone. I graduated to passenger jobs working to Crewe and Birmingham. London Lincoln and Grantham.

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