THE BRITISH OVERSEAS RAILWAYS HISTORICAL TRUST
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Kevin Jones' Steam Index
There is a fairly extensive biographical literature on engine drivers. There are a few autobiographies in the form of books (either written by themselves or with the assistance of professional writers) and there are the footplatemen who became general writers notably McKillop, (Enginemen Elite, Ace Enginemen and Western Rail Trail) and the Essery brothers (e.g. Firing days at Saltley. Truro: Bradford Barton, [1980])R.H.N. Hardy also wrote extensively about the footplatemen whom he encountered as he rose from being a fitter who enjoyed riding on the footplate to becoming in charge of large motive power depots. The Railway Magazine during the 1940s included a series Top Link Drivers based on about four photographs per issue with very brief biographical notes: Issue No. 570 included Numbers 78 to 81 Vaughan in his Grub, water & relief includes anecdotes on drivers back to the beginning of the broad gauge. Some important material is contained in Gooch's diaries and in Joy's diaries.
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Adair, James
Pullman link driver on G&SWR. Drove Royal Train from Renfrew to
Glasgow for 1888 Exhibition. Locomotive
Mag., 1926, 32, 331-2. .
David L. Smith Tales of the Glasgow
and South Western Railway
Adams, Jimmy
Of St. Enoch: worked the diner 13.30 to Carlisle for St. Pancras and
the return working which left St. Pancras at 13.30. David L. Smith
Railway Wld., 1979, 40,
618
Addison, Thomas A. (LMSR)
Began railway career at Nuneaton in 1906, transferred to Leicester
mpd in 1925 and promoted to driver in 1928. Served in ROD on the footplate
in France during WW1. Top link drivers, No. 81.. Rly Mag., 1947, 93,
226-7.
Aitken, James
Driver on locomotive No. 602 which hauled Royal train onto Forth Bridge
for opening ceremony on 4 March 1890. NBR
Study Gp. J., 1983 (18), 9-12
Allan, John
Ex-Dunfermline Provost John Alllan was the son and grandson of railwaymen.
His father was born in 1850 and joined the railway at Alloa as a porter when
aged in his twenties. His maternal grandfather, James Ellis, was a waggon
shop foreman at Burntisland in 1848. His brother James was a driver at
Burntisland and later shed foreman at Perth and Thornton.
John Allan was born in 1882 and began work aged 11½ in 1894 firing a
stream crane for the contractor for Methil Docks, Sir John Jackson. In 1897
he became an engine cleaner at Thornton Junction on constant night-shift
work. In 1899 he passed out as a fireman, and in November 1906 a driver.
In 1920 he became a locomotive inspector stationed at Thornton. In 19237
he was promoted to district locomotive inspector at Burntisland. He retired
in 1946. He was Provost of Dunfermline and his memories are encapsulated
in this series. NBRSG Journal, 1998
(71), 36. Photographs and fuller biography which shows that he was an
NUR man who travelled to Russia in 1922.
NBRSG Journal (104) 26
Allsopp, V.
Midland Railway driver at Derby: group photograph of mutual improvement
secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Almond, Michael John (GWR)
Aged 15 in 1822. Began employment on pumping engines. Very calm practical
man. Probably arrived on GWR with the Sharp Roberts Lion. Involved
in a collision between West Drayton and Slough with
Appleby's North Star through negligence of
a policeman called BroomheadGreat physical strength and stamina. Survived
severral tyre failures. Allocated Great Britain of the Iron Duke class
in July 1847. Gained nickname of Mad Sandy. Regularly drove at 80 mile/h
and on 11 May 1848 drove the 53 miles from Paddington to Didcot in 47½
minutes: an evarage of 67 mile/h. He became Foreman of Paddington shed and
retired in 1873. Vaughan, A.
Grub, water & relief: being tales of the Great Western,
1835-1892. (1985). Summers. Early
footplate days... Backtrack, 1993, 7, 300.
Andrews, Bill
Photographed alongside Merchant Navy class No. 35026 on down Golden
Arrow at Victoria Steam
Wld, 1993, (74) 34
Appleby, Harry (GWR)
Dour, surly Geordie: regular driver of North Star..
Vaughan, A. Grub, water &
relief: being tales of the Great Western, 1835-1892. (1985).
Axon, John
Born in Heaton Norris on 4 December 1900. Died 4 February 1957. Joined
LNWR 12 December 1919 and became a driver on the LMS. He died as a hero when
the steam brake pipe fractured on the 8F he was driving. He told his fireman
to jump off, but he stayed on to warn of the appoach of his uncontrollable
freight train on the decent to Chapel-en-le-Frith where he was killed. He
was awarded the George Cross. The Ballad of John Axon was produced
by Euan MacColl and Peggy Seeger. ODNB entry
by Philip Carter. Memorial in NRM see
Humm J. Rly Canal Hist. Soc., 2015, 38, 252. See also
Jeffrrey Wells in Backtrack, 2008,
22, 387and Andrew Dow
in Steam World, 2005 (221) 28.
Barfield, A. (Tony)
When there was steam: memories of a Western Region
fireman. 1976
Barker, J.W.
Midland Railway driver at Stourton: group photograph of mutual improvement
secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Barlow, Bernard
Born 1922. Didcot engineman. Didcot: Wild Swan, 1984.
Obviously a driver of first class passengers as book is rather rare
and expensive
Barnes, J.W. (GER/LNER)
Began as cleaner at Stratford 0n 27 September 1899, made a driver
in July 1919. During WW1 worked as fireman on trains through to LTSR, LSWR
and SECR. He worked many Royal Trains and other important specials. Employed
as Acting Inspector frequently. Maintained a record of each day's work, including
the number of locomotives worked on. Portrait. Top link drivers, No. 107.
Rly Mag., 1949, 95, 309..
Baron, Thomas
Born on 5 April 1835 at Adlington, Lancashire. Became a cleaner at
Preston LNWR shed in 1855 where he beacme a fireman and was moved to Crewe
in October 1861 and in September 1862 to Abergavenny where he became a driver
for fifteen years until being promoted to night foreman. He kept a diary
which is kept in the National Archive.
See E. Talbot and H. Jack (compilers)A London & North Western
Railway engineman at work: the Diary of Thomas Baron 1855 - 1862. London
& North Western Railway Society, 2019 wih Edward Talbot as author &
Harry Jack (contribution): reviewed by AD in
Backtrack, 2020. 34,
253, Simmons' Express
train.
Beale, Donald
The footplate work is recorded in a thoughtful contribution by Neil
Burgess in the defunctLMS Journal
No. 38 p. 42 et seq
Somerset and Dorset: Somerset and
Dorset Footplate Memories from the Pen of Donald Beale
1996. Keith Miles
notes importance of Beale's comments on SDJR 2-8-0s in the Midland Record 33-69
Beers, A.T.
Midland Railway driver at Wigston: group photograph of mutual improvement
secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Beeson, Ray
Based at Guildford which he joined in 1950 as a cleaner. Worked on
M7, U and Q classes and progressed to fireman and driver: noted that stopping
freights especially on hilly routes called for skill.
Quinn, Tom. Tales of the old
railwaymen. pp. 104-14.
Beet, Alfred Leslie
Born in Nottingham in October 1904. Began work as a cleaner in about
1918 at Colwick and promted to driver in about May 1941.
Backtrack, 2017, 31,
753
Begg, Sandy
Born in Kintore; started work as a cleaner at Kittybrewster; worked
on NBR 0-4-0STs at Leith Docks, frove K3 class and finished on Glasgow Blue
Trains. Quinn, Tom. Tales of the old
railwaymen. pp. 168-78.
Berridge, F.
Midland Railway driver at Bedford: group photograph of mutual improvement
secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Bird, Terry
Bishop, F.C. (LMS)
Queen Mary of the iron road,
as told to M.C.D.Wilson and A.S.L. Robinson.(1946): A "ghosted"
autobiography of Driver Bishop — the driver who accompanied the
Coronation Scot to the New York World's Fair. See also
Essery, R.J. and Harris,
N. LMS reflections: a collection of photographs from the Hulton Picture
Company. 1986.: Contains several pictures of locomotive "6220" with
bell and headlight and of Driver F.C. Bishop and Fireman J. McKinnon Carswell
whilst on exhibition at Euston prior to trip (page 55). Bishop drove the
special train organized for the Institution of Locomotive Engineers for their
summer meeting in Glasgow: Locomotive
Mag., 1938, 44, 206..
Blackett, Tom
Carlisle fireman who worked as "extra fireman" on No. 6100 Royal
Scot on its North American tour in 1933.
Locomotive Mag., 1934, 40,
20 or Backtrack, 2015,
29, 134.
Blair, Donald
Fireman on high pressure locomotive No. 6399 Fury which suffered
boiler explsion at Carstairs on 10 March 1930: he jumped from footplate and
was slightly injured. See
Carney Fowler's Fury: LMS 6399. Southampton: Noodle Books, 2011. 96pp.
Blanchard, T.J.
Midland Railway driver at Bourne: group photograph of mutual improvement
secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Bollard, George
Driver at Wellingborough; also his sons Charlie annd Bernard. Incident
of push & pull which ran away recounted by
Thorley A breath of steam. Vol. 1. London: Ian Allan, 1975. 199pp., page 49
Bolster, Philip
See Locomotive Mag.,
1908, 14, 110
Bowker, Thomas
Retired April 1922 having worked at Vauxhall, Mnument Lane, Walsall
and Dudley. Father (Christian name not yet known) shown on photograph of
McConnel single No. 189 at Vauxhall shed in
Locomotive Mag., 1923, 29,
191.
Brewer, Joe
Driver at Stewarts Lane whon liked speed (ex-Chatham man):
Steam Wld, 1993, (74)
34
Brock, Peter
Carlisle-based from a railway family: latterly worked at the Canal
MPD: Hazardous experiences (blowback, collisions)
Railway Wld., 1985, 46,
6). Firing fitted freights on the Waverley Route.
Railway Wld,
1982, 43, 62-71.
Author of book Calling Carlisle Control: tales of the footplate. Ian
Allan, 1990. 112pp. reviewed by ERJ in
Backtrack, 1991, 5, 243
Brooker, Frank
Possibly born 1888; joined LNWR 1904; firing from 1907; driving from
1919. Retired 1953. Drove rebuilt Scot on Southern Region during 1948 locomotive
exchanges. See also Norman Harvey. Locomotive causerie: recollections of
Driver Frank Brooker. Railway
World, 1960, 21, 227-30; 253 (includes portrait)
See also Harvey: Railway Wld.,
1968, 29, 358
Brooks, Arthur
Driver at Ipswich shed and member of ASLEF LDC. Portrait
Steam Wld., 1995 (102),
33
Brown, Geoff
Riding the midnight hour: drama, excitement and fun on the footplate,
1914-54. Didcot: Author, 1958.
Bruce, Sam
Portrait of him on front end of NBR Atlantic showing kilted child the Worthington
feed pump: see NBRSG Journal,
2009, (105), 37
Bushell, George
LMS locoman: Willesden footplate memories, Truro: Bradford Barton. 112pp.
Burgess
Born on a Shropshire farm in 1852. Started work at Crewe in 1866,
and took part in the Anglo-Scottish races of 1895 as a top-link driver, retiring
in 1922 as footplate inspector for the Crewe-Carlisle line.
Burgess Working with LMS
steam
Burgess, W.L.
Midland Railway driver at Shoeburyness: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in
1921.Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Byford, Harry
Camden driver who during the Locomotive Exchanges of 1948 attained
88 mile/h near Hook on an up express from Exeter to Waterloo.
See Harvey: Railway Wld.,
1968, 29, 358
Cage, Arthur
Based at Ipswich, but one of the star performers on the Cromer Expresses
in the 1890s when oil firing assisted in achieving timings of 175 minutes
for the 138 miles. See Locomotive
Mag., 1936, 42, 264-6. C.J. Allen puts a footplate trip with
him on the famous Norfolk Coast Express non-stopo from Liverpool Street to
North Walsham ahead of everything else.
Railway Wld, 1968, 29,
346
Carr, John
Driver on the Dublin & South Eastern Railway see letter from him
in Locomotive Mag., 1946,
52, 112
Carr, T.H.
Midland Railway driver at Kettering: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Carswell, J. McKinnon (LMS)
Essery, R.J. and
Harris, N. LMS reflections: a collection of photographs from the Hulton
Picture Company. 1986.: Contains several pictures of locomotive "6220"
with bell and headlight and of Driver F.C. Bishop and Fireman J. McKinnon
Carswell whilst on exhibition at Euston prior to trip (page 55).
Castle, A.T.W.
It was a red-letter day for Driver A.T.W. Castle when locomotive
Aden was named, for not only was he selected to man No. 5633 for the
ceremony, but it was also his 44th birthday. Driver Castle entered the railway
service in 1917 and has been a driver for ten years; in September, 1945,
he returned to the L.M.S. after 6 years Army service, in the course of which
he became C.S.M. of an Indian Railway Operating Unit, and spent some time
at Aden on his way to India. Assisting Driver Castle was Fireman J. Page,
who entered the railway service in 1934 and became fireman in 1937.
Locomotive Mag., 1946,
52, 132.
Caudle, Samuel Rowland
Born at Avening near Stroud in Gloucestershire: probably joined Midland
Railway in South West and moved to Carlisle to work Settle-Carlisle Line.
Died in 1922. Unfortunate driver of train which ran into the rear of another
train at Ais Gill on 2 September 1913 and subjected to show trail at Carlisle
Assizes where even the Judge was critical of his own sentence and led to
a Royal Pardon. It seems that drivers were required to lubricate the motion
during the climb to Ais Gill in spite of working in the dark and without
proper lighting and in this way a key signal was missed. Whole unhappy incident
considered in great depth by the late Peter Robinson in
Backtrack, 2014, 28, 666
and 2015, 29, 46.
Chadwick, John
Fireman based at Oxford
16XX Hinksey to Abingdon Great Western
Rly J.,2017, 13, 422
Chicken, John GWR)
Perhaps not a good example as not reprimanded for drinking on duty
(was the GWR Board occupied by the brewerage?).
Vaughan, A. Grub, water &
relief: being tales of the Great Western, 1835-1892. (1985).
Clarke, Thomas James
Many lesser authorities omit the "e" from the Clarke, but The Times
gave his name when reporting his award of the OBE (issue 13 July 1837).
He joined the London & North Western Railway Company (LNWR) in December
1888 in his home town of Crewe, working from cleaner to driver at Crewe North
shed. In 1936, the LMS was contemplating a six hour non-stop service between
London and Glasgow and needed to ascertain its practicality. On 16 November
1936 a special with No. 6201 Princess Elizabeth at its head, Tom Clarke
and Fireman Charles Fleet and Passed Fireman Albert Shaw reached Glasgow
Central in 5 hours 53 minutes 38 seconds. The following day they did it again
in the reverse direction in 5 hours 44 minutes 14 seconds. On arrival the
crew were taken to Broadcasting House and interviewed by the BBC. Driver
Tom Clarke and Princess Elizabeth grabbed the headlines and in 1937
Hornby, the famous Liverpool manufacturer of O gauge model railways, choose
the locomotive for its most prestigious project. This locomotive was only
produced for two years and was not reintroduced after the 1939-45 war. To
publicise the new model when it was launched on 1 May 1937, Hornby arranged
for a photograph to be taken at Edge Hill depot, Liverpool with two school
boys holding a model alongside the real locomotive. Also in the picture were
Tom Clarke and his regular Fireman Charles Fleet. He was reported as saying
"It's grand" a well-known Crewe expression at the time. Tom Clarke also
was involved in the press run of No. 6220 Coronation on Tuesday 29
June 1937 when he set a new speed record of 114 mph on the approach to Crewe
and then ran to London in 135 minnutes.Less than a month after claiming the
world speed record, on 12 July 1937 Tom Clarke drove the Royal Train from
Crewe to Euston. On reaching the terminus, King George VI who had been travelling
with Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret summoned Tom
from the footplate. Unwashed and still wearing his overalls, the King conferred
upon Tom the Order of the British Empire, for his record runs to and from
Glasgow in 1936. Tom retired in 1938 and continued to live in Crewe,
pursuing his interests in fishing and snooker. He died aged 80 in January
1954, after a short illness. See Internet,
Allen British Pacific
locomotives and
Lcomotive Mag., 1936, 42,
375.
Clow, Peter
Based at Rugby: drove Precursor No. 7 Titan during trials between
LNWR locomotives and LBSCR superheated tank engines: had four brothers who
also worked on the footplate. See letter from Albert E. Clow, a nephew in
Cape Town. Locomotive Mag.,
1946, 52, 48
Cockram, F.
Fireman on 28XX from Swindon for tests on Glenfarg Bank on North British
Edinburgh to Perth line in 1921. See
Locomotive Mag., 1921, 27, 26
Collins, Bert
Between 1947 and 1956 writer worked on "Big Mets". He was examined
by Inspector Mitchell at Top Shed to becoame a passed cleaner. He found it
difficult to cope with left-handed shovelling. He, and the next writer, both
fired on the freight trains which ran from Highbury Vale up the 1 in 60 gradients
to Highgate and then on to Edgware, High Branet and Alexandria Palace, The
less favoured individual locomotives were allocated to Hornsey where some
locomotives were equipped with Detroit hydrostatic lubricators, rather than
the Wakefield type. The Detroit type was located under the fireman's seat
and impeded the shovelling path. He discovered that the pull out cock for
the injectors was easier to use than the brass wheel and handle type. The
Oakleigh Park to Luton working was very popular where it was known as "over
the hills and far away". One driver took his twelve bore with him which he
used in the fields whilst waiting at Ayot. He greatly enjoyed firing to Driver
Bert Sims, who was the ASLEF Branch
Secretary, Geoffrey Hughes A
Gresley anthology, p. 71
Collis, F.
Worked King George V Funeral Special which left King's Lynn for London
behind B17 No. 2847 Helmingham Hall crewed by Driven F. Collis and
Fireman E. Foiser of Cambridge depot.
Locomotive Mag., 1936, 42,
42.
Compson , A.G.
Midland Railway driver at Kentish Town: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Conduit, Tom
Began engine cleaning at Hereford c1939; moved to Whitland in 1941
and in 1942 became a fireman and moved to St. Philip's Marsh. After a period
at Bath Road he moved back to Wales at
Carmarthen.Tim Bryan's All in
a day's work
Cook, Francis (GWR)
Great grandfather of Adrian Vaughan. Joined GWR at Chippenham as a
cleaner in March 1875 when fourteen. He became aa fireman when seventeen
at 3/6 per day. Career troubled by excessive drinking. By 1891 he was driving
at Southall, but in June 1892 he was fined for putting drink before duty
and was dismissed in 1899, but the brewerage took care of him, firstly at
Simmon's brewery in Reading an then as landlord of the King's Arms in Wantage..
Vaughan, A. Grub, water &
relief: being tales of the Great Western, 1835-1892. (1985).
Coote, Reg.
Joined Southern Railway in 1941: had previously worked on a Thames
barge: on page 24 refers to Sammy Jingle presumably
Gingell. Quinn, Tom.
Tales of the old railwaymen. pp. 16-32.
Cottrell, Tom
Driver ae Ebbw Vale in 194 7: portrayed
in.Tim Bryan's All in a day's
work
Cowie, William
Died 1939, retired Locomotive Inspector of the Highland Railway. He
was 68 years of age and had 48 years' service when he retired in 1936. Cowie
had charge of the Royal Train on several occasions between Perth and Inverness,
and could boast that he had driven at one time or another almost every engine
of the old Highland including singles Nos. 12 and 32. An exception was the
Findhorn Branch tank. Portrait with No. 14402, Ben Armin
Locomotive Mag., 1939,
45, 123
Cowley, John
Died at West Hartlepool on 31 December 1927 (eve of his eighty-sixth
birthday). Born in Ireland on 1 January 1842. Fireman on Stephenson's
Locomotion, has recently died at West Hartlepool on the eve of his
eighty-sixth birthday. His parents had moved in 1849 to Durham City, and
at the age of fourteen years, while working for a contractor at Durham, obtained
employment as fireman on Locomotion, which had been lent to the contractor
to convey stores from Leamside to Durham. During the Empire Exhibition in
1924, Cowley visited Wembley as a guest of the L.N.E.R, and was photographed
on the footplate of the engine of the first passenger train in the world,
the engine he fired seventy years previously. Later in life Cowley moved
to West Hartlepool, where he worked in a shipyard.
See Locomotive Mag., 1928,
34., 39
Cox, Percy
P. Ransome-Wallis. Men
of the footplate (1954).
Crone, Wattie
LNER fireman photographed at Craigentinny Carriage Sidings with Scott
class. NBRSG Journal, 2020, (141),
7.
Crump, Bob
Long autobiographical letter in
Great Western Rly J., 2016,
13, 246. Started work in 1944 at Pontypool Road and glad that
he moved elsewhere as was spared working on LNWR locomotives
Curgenven, A.G.
Midland Railway driver at St. Albans: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Currie, James
Polmadie driver on footplate of Cardean when on 2 April 1909
it broke driving axle and this led to derailment of train. Allen
Railway Wld., 1960, 30,
6-9
Dalglish, Sandy
Based at St. Margarets: photograph with Scott class at Perth.
NBRSG Journal, 2020, (141),
5.
Dalling, James
On 6 November Jarnes Dalling;, who had for the previous 21 yeat:s
acted as assistant.foreman at Perth South locomotive shed, retired after
44 years of railway service. He joined the service of the Caledonian Ry.
in November, 1865, at Holytown Bridge, rose through· the many grades
o£ the service, and before being appointed assistant foreman at Perth
was one of the drivers regularly selected for the Royal train of QueenVictoria.
Dalling took a prominent part in the formation of Mutual Improvement Classes
on the system, and on his retirement: a large gathering,of railwaymen, presided
over by John Keydon, met in the Palace Hotel, Perth, to present him with
a :token of esteem and to wish him prosperity in his retirement.
Locomotive
Mag., 1909, 15,
222
Davidson, Alexander (Sandy)
An employee of the North Eastern Railway, but at St. Margaret's Edinburgh
where he started as a cleaner and became a junior driver there before transfer
to Haymarket in 1904. He was a very reliable driver and always ran to time,
but never attempted to recover any. He had three Gresley A1 Pacifics allocated
to him and took part in the non-stop Flying Scotsman workings.
He retired in 1935. See Knox North British
Rly Study Gp J, , 2015 (124) 6
Davidson, George
Went in 1838 with locomotive Samson from New Shildon
to Nova Scotia where he remained.
Locomotive Mag., 1935, 41,
247 and Locomotive Mag., 1929,
35, 229for Davidson on footplate of Samson.
Davies, Walter S.
Of Crewe North depot taken to Perth Royal Infirmary as result of being
scalded on footplate of Royal Scot locomotive when boiler pierced by connecting
rod on 19.30 Euston to Aberdeen on 28 February 1936. Although badly scalded
he brought train to halt. Driver Morris fatally wounded in accident:
(Scotsman report)
Deal, Bill (BR)
Essery, R.J. and
Harris, N. LMS reflections: a collection of photographs from the Hulton
Picture Company. 1986.: contains (pp 85-90) "day in life of" Driver
Bill Perry and Fireman Bill Deal based on Bletchley for Picture Post
in 1949.
Dean, Henry
Fireman on Windsor to Paddington express on 18 July 1898 when connecting
rod broke on No. 238 and pierced the boiler barrel.He and Driver Peart applied
the brake and stopped the train, but succumbed to their burns.
See Locomotive Mag.,
1898, 3, 128.
Dearden, J.
On 18 June 1897 the French Ambassador was driven by Driver Dearden
from Dover to Victoria in 85 minutes.
See Locomotive Mag., 1897,
2, 113
Deveraux, J.
Bangor driver mentioned in connection with fast running:
Locomotive Mag., 1935,
41, 139
Dobson, David
Son of Jimmy (below) driver at Eastfield, then Running Foreman and
latterly an Inspector in Glasgow NBRSG
Journal, 1991, (43), 4. David was aged 83 in 1991
Dobson, Edward (Ted?)
Based at St. Blazey driver of Castle class on Royal Train 9 May 1956
during Royal Visit to Cornwall see
Great Western Rly J., 2017,
13, 423
Dobson, James [Jimmie]
Originated in Tillicoultry where he started work in 1899, but moved
to Cowlairs in 1901. In 1906 he was snowbound at Steele Road. In Falkirk
Tunnel a rail displaced off another train pierced the cab narrowly missing
Dobson. When driving A3 Spearmint in November 1939 he was seriously
injured as the train was leaving Polmont by an open carriage door on another
train. NBR Study Gp. J., (40), 25. NBRSG Journal, 1991, (43), 4. reveals
that Jimmy was a photographer of locomotives, but faiiled to keep his negatives
and prints NBR Study Gp. J., 1990,
39, 24 notes that he
drove the train norrmally worked by a Glen 4-4-0..
Dobson, Percy
Skilled driver who drove counter pressure converted NER 4-6-0
see Rly Wld., 1981,42,
540. Acknowledged in ILocoE Paper
441.Present in dynamometer car on Mallard record-breaking run according
to Andrews (Backtrack, 2018,
32, 472)
Doncaster, B.
Midland Railway driver at Manningham: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Dougan, Ross
Running foreman at Haymarket. Had started in 1906 as a fireman at
St. Margarets. He was stocky and strong and had driven Royal Train conveying
King and Queen in 1922. McKillop
Enginemen elite.
Drayton, John
Born in 1907. Driver at Pontypool Road. Author of two books: On
the footplate: memories of a GWR engineman. (Truro: Bradford Barton,
1976. 112pp) and Across the footplate years. (London: Ian Allan, 1986.
128pp). Also Locomotive Express,
1949, 4, 9. which reprints a report in Yorkshire Evening Press
of Drayton speaking at the York Locomotive Society about his footplate Journey
on A4 No. 60001 Sir Ronald Matthews from Kings Cross with a 15 coach
train
Dron, T.
Gatehead driver who drove Silver Jubilee set to Edinburgh and
back on 26 September 1936:
Locomotive Mag., 1936, 42,
324
Duff, Robert (GWR)
Driver on standard gauge Shrewsbury & Chester Railway absorbed
by GWR in 1854. Went to Egypt in June 1860. Returned to GWR in 1862 and in
October 1888 became shed foreman at Corwen..
Vaughan, A. Grub, water &
relief: being tales of the Great Western, 1835-1892. (1985).
Earl, Lawrence .A.
Retirement from Camden shed in 1946:
Locomotive Mag., 1946,
52, 189. Author of Speeding north
with the 'Royal Scot' OUP, 1939, and Engines I Have Driven in
Trains Annual, 1948,
81-9.
Ellis, Harry G.E.
Engineman at King's Lynn from 1936, starting as engine cleaner and
where his father was a fireman. See
Railway World, 1986, 47, 40.Latterly Running foreman at
March MPD and before thgat at King's Lynn where new depot had been built
just before closure (but did have asbestos cladding).
Railway Wld, 1983, 44,
73.
Eltringham, Charles
Son of John (below): a tall strong looking fireman: photographs with
father working No. 10000 on pp. 36 and 44 of
Brown's Hush-Hush:
Eltringham, John
Father of Charles: photographs with father working No. 10000 on pp.
36 and 44 of Brown's
Hush-Hush:
Emmerson, J.
Midland Railway driver at Skipton: group photograph of mutual improvement
secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Escott, B.
Midland Railway driver at Bromsgrove: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Everton, Teddy
Nickname Toffee. Based att Ryecroft shed, Walsall: died in 1956.
Territorial army man with prodigeous appetite for beer. Served in South
Staffordshire Regiment in
WW1.Midland Record, Issue 18
page 78
Falkinder, James
Death of James Falkinder, of New England, Peterborough, who was driver
of Great Northern. Ry, 8-ft. single engine, No. 668, for years in 1933. He,
with his fireman, John Bean, drove that engine In the memorable race on three
nights in August 1895, from King's Cross to Grantham, in 101 minutes. They
passed Hatfield in 16¾ minutes and reached Peterborough in 72 minutes.
Mr. Bean, now a retired driver, is still living Peterborough. See obituary
Loco. Rly Carr. Rev., 1933,
39, 82.
Fearn, Edward (Teddy)
Durran Hill (Carlisle) driver of Compound No. 1008 in 1923/a trials.
Fenwick, David
David Fenwick, having mounted the tender to adjust the communication
cord, was unfortunately struck by a bridge near Cove and instantly killed
when driving No. 779 Breadalbane, the leading engine of the Queen's
train from Aberdeen to Perth on the occasion of her journey south on the
21 June 1898. See Locomotive
Mag.. 1898, 3, 97.
Floyd
Fireman, from Kings Cross, on non-stop Flying Scotsman see
Livesey Locomotive Mag., 1938,
44, 337.
Foiser, E.
Worked King George V Funeral Special which left King's Lynn for London
behind B17 No. 2847 Helmingham Hall crewed by Driven F. Collis and
Fireman E. Foiser of Cambridge depot.
Locomotive Mag., 1936, 42,
42.
Fowler, F.C.
Writer also describes Edgware workings over the sharp gradients, as
steep as 1 in 59, and of banking stalled trains out of Gas Works tunnel (where
the train was located by the exploding detonators placed at the rear), and
of assisting trains which could not restart having come out "the hole", and
of the difficulties experinced on the Hotel Curve. The gas-lit Quad-Arts
were easier to haul than those with electric lighting.
Geoffrey Hughes A Gresley
anthology, p. 97
Friend, Harry
Young Consett driver: working vacuum fitted freight up to Consett
on Christmas Eve. Railway World,
1991, 52, 490
Froggatt, Harold
Fireman at Crewe who was also a professional boxer, later wrestler.
Left footplate work when diesel traction took over. Noted the large number
of lodging turns, the fairly miserable hostels, eating and drinking habits
on and off the footplate. Comments on coal pushers on the Stanier Pacifics.
The Crewe to Perth job, and one highly memorable return trip where they ran
into snow and out of coal at Preston and had to switch to a Class 5 for the
final leg to Crewe. Backtrack,
2011, 25, 276.
Gardner, Claude.
Portayed as driver of Pendennis Castle in
Tim Bryan's All in a day's
work
Gasson, Harold
Series of autobiographical works published OPC: Firing days
(1973: Ottley 12009), Footplate days (1976: Ottley 12010) and
Nostalgic days (1980: Ottley 12012). Extracts in
John Farrington's Life on the line (1984)
and Tim Bryan's All in a day's
work
George, Thomas
Driver of North Star on the Liverpool & Manchester Railway.
Dawson. Backtrack, 2019,
33, 493-5.
Gibson
Driver of Cardean: anecdote about hot box: Allen
Railway Wld., 1960, 30,
6-9 and temperamental nature
Railway Wld., 1970, 31,
18.
Gilbert, C.A.
Midland Railway driver at Sheffield: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Gilbertson, William
Carlisle driver who worked No. 6100 Royal Scot on its North
American tour in 1933. Locomotive
Mag., 1934, 40, 20 or
Backtrack, 2015, 29, 134.Retired 14 May 1939 aged 65
(Locomotive Mag., 1939,
45, 154.
Gimbert, Benjamin
Born in Ely on 6 February 1903; died 6 May 1976. Buried Eastswood
Road Cemetery in March. Awarded George Cross for his bravery on 2 June 1944
when he risked his life to lessen the impact of a fire in an ammunition train
whien he was driving WD 2-8-0 No. 7337. The incident happened at Soham. His
fireman James Nightallwas killed.
See Andrew Dow in Steam World,
2005 (221) 28.and Memorials in Red Lion Square, Soham and in village
church and in Community College. The George Cross awarded on 25 Jukly 1945
and the nameplater from No. 47 574 Benjamin Gimbert GC are on display
in the March Museum see Humm J. Rly
Canal Hist. Soc., 2015, 38, 252 Also
RCTS Locomotives of the LNER Part
6B page 133. Also awarded LNER Medal for Gallantry
Locomotive Mag., 1944,
50, 180
Gingell, Sam (SR)
Remarkable man mentioned many times by R.H.N. Hardy. Began work on
a coal lorry in South London, and then became a coal miner in South Wales,
to which he cycled. Joined SECR at Battersea. Never off work for illness.
Portrait of Sam pulling a face alongside Sir Harold Macmillan:.
McKillop, N. Ace enginemen (1963);
Kenneth H. Leech. Rly Wld,
1957, 18, 307.See
also Sam Gingell in R.H.N. Hardy's Steam in the Blood
Glover, George
Engineman at Plodder Lane shed (joined in 1942), Bolton then at
Patricroft. See
Backtrack,
2001, 15, 592
Gourlay, George
Driver involved in Elliot Junction accident and harshly sent to prison
for being "drunk" on duty. Accident took place during mismanagement of line
during a blizzard. See Nisbet, Alistair.
Elliot Junction [accident] 1906.Backtrack, 2005, 19,
455-62.; Major Pringle's Accident Report (published 20 April 1907)
and Niall Ferguson; The Elliot Junction
accident Br. Rly J., 1992, 5, (44) 178and in
Rolt's Red for danger(pp. 121
et seq) and very sympathetically by
Hamilton Ellis in his North British
Railway and probably by John Thomas.
Gray, A.E.
Midland Railway driver at Saltley: group photograph of mutual improvement
secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Gregory, John N.
On footplate of No. 5616 when renamed Malta GC: he had been
in Dunkirk evacuation. Holder of Military Medal from
WW1. Locomotive Mag., 1943,
49, 159.
Gregory, R.
Midland Railway driver at Wellingborough: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Gregson, Albert
Driver at Doncaster who did running-in trials on new locomotives at
Doncaster in 1930s, mainly to London and back.
Gulliver, Vinsun
Aged 109 when interviewd by Quinn. Born at Upton in Warwickshire in
1889. Started work as an engine cleaner on 3 September 1907. Conscientious
objector during WW1. Moved to Gorton on the LNER where he served as a driver.
Died August 1997. Quinn, Tom. Tales of the
old railwaymen.pp. 66-9.
Gumbrill, Bill
Trials driver at Brighton Warks at same time as Fred Rich circa 1949.
See Railway Wld., 1983,
44, 62.
Gutteridge, Harry
King's Cross Driver who was at controls on A3 Papyrus when
it went north to Newcastle before record southbound run with Sparshatt in
charge see Locomotive Mag., 1935,
41, 93.
Hailstone, Ted
See Steam Wld, 1998,
(138), 40 for Bradford to Doncaster footplate work on
Immingham 4-6-0.
Hall, Donald
Polmadie driver of high pressure locomotive No. 6399 Fury which suffered
boiler explsion at Carstairs on 10 March 1930: he remained on footplate and
was very slightly injured: and travelled back to Glasgow by train.
See Carney, Fowler's Fury: LMS 6399. Southampton: Noodle Books, 2011. 96pp.
Harris, Walter T.
Began on GWR at Taunton in 1908 as a cleaner, when his parents were
living in Wellington. Old Oak Common:
P. Ransome-Wallis.
Men of the footplate (1954).and
Kenneth H. Leech. Rly Wld,
1957, 18, 307.and H.G. Forsythe
Men of steam
Harrington, Ralph
Perceptions of the locomotive driver: image and identity
on British railways, c.1840-c.1950. paper given a Occupational
Identity and Railway Work conference held on 15-16 September 1999 at the
National Railway Museum, York
Harrison, J.W.
Midland Railway driver at Carlisle: group photograph of mutual improvement
secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Harry, Evan (GWR)
Born in February 1841, joined South Wales Railway at New Milford
in 1855. After many adventures involving excessive drinking became the driver
of the Malmesbury Railway when the line opened in Deceember 1877 and survived
until retirement in January 1908. .
Vaughan, A. Grub, water &
relief: being tales of the Great Western, 1835-1892. (1985).
Hayden, Joseph "Charlie"
Retired 1949. Nickname Kay Don, after motor racing driver. Noted for
high speed running. Probably based at Swindon. Pictured with streamlined
King class No. 6010 in Peter Timms In and
around Swindon Works.
Haynes, G. H.
Midland Railway driver at Worcester: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Hayton, Brian
Driver of NRM No. 46229 Duchess of Hamilton: two photographs
Railway Wld, 1985, 46,
361
Hayward, Jim (NER>BR)
Joined NER as a cleaner at Tyne Dock. Involved in derailment on a
coal staithe when working on FGH shunter. Also told McKillop of his very
rough treatment as a fireman by some of the drivers. Spent his driving career
on heavy freight at Tyne Dock. Portrait.
McKillop, N. Ace enginemen
(1963)
Henderson, James
Fireman on broad gauge train carrying Sultan of Turkey to Windsor.
Noted points at Slough incorrectly set which led to his early promotion to
driver: later a Locomotive Inspector at Swindon:
British Rly J. 1986, 2,
172
Henderson, Robert
Driver of NBR 4-4-0T No. 103 Montrose at Stephenson Centenary
celebration in Newcastle in 1881: see Locomotive Mag., 1911,
17, 121.
Henderson, Tom
Haymarket driver noted for his work in the Newcastle with his Atlantic
No. 878 Hazeldean. On one northbound run he recovered 38 minutes of
lost time. He took part in the non-stop Flying Scotsman workings.
See Knox North British Rly Study Gp
J, , 2015 (124) 6
Herwin, John Rufus
Norwich driver who helped to instigate sub-three hour timings for
Cromer expresses from Liverpool Stree in 1890s.
Hibbs , John [Jack] William
Born 3 December 1882, but service history state 3 September
1882. (Birth registered in Chapel-en-le-Frith District). Son of engine
stoker John Hibbs and his wife Mary Ann. In about 1888 moved from Buxton
to Rowsley with his parents. In 1891 living with his parents in Little Rowsley.
Father John (33) was an engine driver (Census information). In September
1898 he became a caller up at Rowsley, paid 9 shillings per week. 1901 census
shows him as an engine cleaner, On 24 July 1907 he married Florence
Annie Pidcock (22) of Upper Hackney in St. Helen's Church, Darley Dale, by
then. John was a Fireman. Midland Railway driver at Rowsley. On 6 December
1908 a daughter Lexey Elizabeth was baptised in St. Helen's Church, and they
were living at 5 Stancliffe View. On 12March 1911 a son John Reginald born.
1911 Advised by grandson Roger O'Leary in 2009 that he had a gold medal engraved
"Presented by His Grace The Duke of Devonshire J.W. Hibbs Rowsley Rifle Club
1911". In 1915 he was second subscriber to Rowsley Locomotive Department
Mutual Improvement Class. Proposed by T.J. Smedley and seconded by T. Moseley
at a meeting of the Rowsley Branch of the NUR that three 3 NUR members, 3
ASLEF members (including Hibbs), and R. Buckle Junior be presented with
medallions for services rendered during the 1919 strike. Between 1915 and
1938 he was Secretary of the Rowsley Locomotive Department Mutual Improvement
Class. Staff Side Secretary of Motive Power Department LDC from 1924 to 1930.
He participated on local politics and at one stage he was an Alderman on
Darley Dale Council. During WW2 he was running shed foreman. Group photograph
of mutual improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921 included Jack.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57. All additional information from Glynn Waite recceived
via e-mail in 2021.
Hinchliffe
Great Central driver who worked through from Leicester to Plymouth
in 1904. See Rly Wld, 1988,
49, 546
Hinder, W. [Bill]
Swindon driver who had Gordon Shurmer as fireman and worked to Cardiff
and Leicester. Tim Bryan's All
in a day's work
Hine
Lived at Southsea: drove J. Beattie 2-4-0 locomotives see
Locomotive Mag,, 1932, 38,
185-7
Hodgson, Stan
See Steam Wld, 1998,
(138), 40 for self-portrait. R.H.N. Hardy noted that he
joined GNR in December 1922. Died November 1997.
Hooker. Bert
Author of Nine Elms engineman (Truro: Bradford Barton [1985]
notes that he was born on 2 July 1916 at Dartford: his father worked at
Slades Green and other members of the family worked on the railway. The book
describes his activities as a fireman, mainly during WW2 and importantly
during the 1948 Locomotive Exchanges when he fired the Bulleid Pacifics through
Woodhead Tunnel, over the Highland line and over Shap. The book contains
several errors: The Red Knight is descibed as an LN, and the asbestos
works which employed him when the Southern Railway laid him off for the winter
was presumsably in Erith, not "Frith" Working 800 ton coal train from
Feltham Marshalling Yard to Durnsford Road power station with N15 4-6-0 No.
30755 The Red Knight which retained its large diameter cylinders,
but was liable to prime and unbraked wagons had to be capable of being slowed
for junctions and stopped at level
crossings.see Railway Wld,
1986, 47, 470
Hoole, William [Bill]
Born on Merseyside on 27 July 1894; died 7 June 1979; buried at Minffordd
near Festiniog Railway where he worked after his retirement. Joined Midland
Railway when aged thirteen and became a cleaner on the CLC before volunteering
for Royal Field Artillery in WW1. Became a drver at Neasden in 1926, but
had to transfer to King's Crrss in 1927. Famed for 112 mile/h attained by
No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley on 23 March 1959.
Kenneth H. Leech. Rly Wld,
1957, 18, 307.Norman Harvey, Driver Hoole and the "A1" Pacifics.
Rly Wld., 1960, 21,
131
Hopkins, William
Worked at Parkhead as a driver. He showed commendable initiative
in preventing a serious accident by warning the driver of an approaching
express that the line was blocked by derailed vehicles at East Fortune on
1 November 1906. See Knox North British
Rly Study Gp J, , 2015 (124) 6
Horsley, H.
Midland Railway driver at York: group photograph of mutual improvement
secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Horton, E.J
Midland Railway driver at Toton: group photograph of mutual improvement
secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Howland, Philip
LNWR driver International Telegraph special on 19-22 June 1903 No.
1966 Commonwealth driven by Howland
(Locomotive Mag., 1903, 9.
3-4,
Hubbard, Fred
Died on 24 February 1917 when only 57. Norwich driver on GER. who
managed to stop up train from Cromer before encountering wreckage of down
Cromer express at Witham in 1905. See
Locomotive Mag., 1917,
23, 62
Hurst, Jim (GWR)
Friend of Daniel Gooch: Was born in Astley, Lancashire in 1811. Enjoyed
driving fast, but was frequently fined for misbehaviour and had to be sent
to Totnes. Ended as a labourer in Swindon Works and retired in May 1876 aged
64. His son with same name was an apprentice
at Swindon Works and ended up being its Foreman. For a time he was Locomotive
Superintendent of the Jersey Railway.
Vaughan, A. Grub, water &
relief: being tales of the Great Western, 1835-1892. (1985).
Summers. Early footplate days...
Backtrack, 1993, 7, 300.
Hutton, Bert
Nickname Doggy: top link at Stewarts Lane. See R.H.N. Hardy. Attention
to detail. Part 4. Steam
Wld., 1995, (96) 27
Isles, Peter
Began on Dundee & Arbroath Railway, but moved to Edinburgh &
Northern Railway at Burtisland. Drove last train over old Tay Bridge to survive
and first northbound train over the Forth Bridge. See
NBR Study Gp. J., 1996, (65),
21
Jackman, Michael
Cleaner at Bricklayers Arms from 1947. Left in 1962. Thirty years at the
Bricklayers Arms. David & Charles. Railway Wld, 1986,
37, 487
Jackson, John
Carlisle fireman who worked No. 6100 Royal Scot on its North
American tour in 1933. Locomotive
Mag., 1934, 40, 20 or
Backtrack, 2015, 29,
134.
James, S.
Midland Railway driver atWesthouses: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Jamieson, A.
Fireman at Patricroft at beginning of twentieth century. Liked Webb
compounds, but disliked Whale's 19 inch or Experiment 4-6-0s which they called
Mankillers as they burnt so much coal, Like the Swammy four-cylinder compound
0-8-0s especially whenn working over Shap
Jenkins, Jack
Electric Jack of Landore: see correspondence from Bill Crosbie-Hill
and letters inspiring it and following it up in
Great Western Rly J., 2013,
11, 357.
Johnson, 'Piccolo Pete'.
Through the links at Crewe: top link footplate
memories. Vol 1. Truro: Bradford Barton. 1980.
Through the links at Crewe: more top link footplate memories. Vol
2. Truro: Bradford Barton. 1981.
Ottley 16695
Jones, T.
Midland Railway driver at Staveley: group photograph of mutual improvement
secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Jones, W.
Midland Railway driver at Walsall: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Kay, Jimmy
Driver: see NBRSG Journal,
2020, (141), 46 (portrait)
Keir, Alexander
Died at Kirn on 14 November 1920. Former well-known personage on the
Great Eastern Ry. Mr. Keir had reached the great age of ninety-four. He was
a driver on one of the Scottish railways until he joined the Eastern Counties
Ry. in 1850. He became locomotive foreman for the London district in 1866,
and retired at the end of 1897. See
Locomotive Mag., 1921, 27, 51
Kennett, Harry
Driver at Bricklayers Arms: see Norman Harvey Locomotive causerie.
Railway Wld., 1960, 21,
323
Kew, Thomas
Awarded rare Edward Medal for bravery for shunting wagons loaded with
ammunition on 1 October 1917 during the major explosion at the White Lund
munitions factory,
King, George
Photograph of him in classic drive pose ready to haul Royal Train
with the Emperor of Abyssinia aboard from Portsmouth Harbour to Victoria
Steam Wld, 1993, (74)
34
King, Tom
Born in Walsall on 25 June 1898; died 23 March 2002. Driver at Bristol
Barrow Road from 1936. Started work as a cleaner in 1915. Obituary
Midland Record, (17), 33.
. See series in Midland Record
starting in Issue 10 page 5.
Kinnear
Fireman, from Haymarket, on non-stop Flying Scotsman see Livesey
Locomotive Mag., 1938, 44,
337.His wife and wee baby boy were on northbound train
Knapp, W.
Camden driver mentioned in connection with fast running:
Locomotive Mag., 1935,
41, 139and LMS Journal,
2004 (7) 2
Knights, Anthony
Died in April 1917 aged almost 91: born 27 April 1826. Engine driver
based at Colchester who regularly drove 07.50 to London. Obituary states
retired "forty years ago".
Locomotive Mag., 1917,
23, 106
Knowles, Jim
Joined LMS on 3 March 1941 at former Midland shed at Carnforth and
moved to LNWR shed at Christmas. Remembered the gauge glasses on S160
2-8-0. Passed for driving in 1955 and was working steam specials from there.
Railway Wld., 1984, 43,
30
Landry
Fireman on the Great Southern & Western Ry, who according to
Joynt (Locomotive Mag., 1918,
24, 34)patented a device located in firebox to enhance combustion
and reduce spark throwing.
Lapham, W.
Camden fireman mentioned in connection with fast running:
Locomotive Mag., 1935,
41, 139
Last, Bill
Born Stnham Aspall near Stowmarket. Son of a steam haulage contractor.
Father moved to Cambridge. Bill started work as an apprentice fitter at Cambridge
LNER shed in October 1932, but moved to being a cleaner in July 1936. Became
a fireman in May 1942 and a driver in October 1954. Worked Royal Trains and
took early retirement in April 1982 then worked for Alan Bloom at Bressingham.
See Ian Allen 55 years of
steam
Lawson, John
Had been fireman on Wylam Dilly in 1822 when a driver on a mail train
on 9 October 1849 near West Boldon collided with a carriage containing workmen
and killed three of them and injured others which led to Lawson drowning
himself. Langham Early locomotives on the Stanhope & Tyne Railway,
Backtrack, 2019, 33,
588)
Lee, John
Died 20 February 1954 in Perth due to burns sustained from blow-back
on No, 72005 Clan MacGregor near Auchterarder on Aberdeen to Manchester
fish train. His mate John Lindsay died on 22 February.
Charlie Meacher Living with
Locos.
Leonard, John(GWR)
A driver who was involved in a contratemp with one of the GWR directors.
Vaughan, A. Grub, water &
relief: being tales of the Great Western, 1835-1892. (1985).
Lester, James (Jim)
Former South Western driver who drove preserved light Pacific No.
34067 Tangmere.. Autobiography Southern Region engineman and
Southern Way Issue 13 psge
28-
Lindsay, John
Died 22 February 1954 in Perth due to burns sustained from blow-back
on No, 72005 Clan MacGregor near Auchterarder. He was the fireman
Liver, John (GWR)
Mentioned on page 7 of
Vaughan, A. Grub, water &
relief: being tales of the Great Western, 1835-1892. (1985).
Loveridge
On 17 June 1897 Grand Duke Serge of Russia was driven by Driver
Loveridge from Dover to Victoria leaving at 16.00 and arriving at 17.40.
See Locomotive Mag., 1897,
2, 113
Lovering, Jack
Driver at Old Oak Common:
McKillop, N. Ace enginemen
(1963)
Lovesey, W.H.
Driver who travelled with 28XX from Swindon for tests on Glenfarg
Bank on North British Edinburgh to Perth line in 1921.
See Locomotive Mag., 1921,
27, 26
McCaig, Charles
Worked at Parkhead as a fireman. He showed commendable initiative
and courage in preventing a serious accident by warning the driver of an
approaching express that the line was blocked by derailed vehicles at East
Fortune on 1 November 1906. See Knox
North British Rly Study Gp J, , 2015 (124) 6
McClelland, Jim
Born in Newton Stewart; left school in 1944, and started as an engine
cleaner at the local shed. Moved via Stranraer to Carlisle and latterly worked
steam specials. Quinn, Tom. Tales of the
old railwaymen.pp. 134-44.
McEwing, Jock
Rememberances of Arran boat trains teraing through Ardrossan Town
station (the electric EMUs may tear along Locowinnock, BUT) David L. Smith
Railway Wld., 1979, 40,
618
McGregor, Joe
Driver during 1895 Railway Races to Aberdeen. A.W.
Miller NBRSG Newsletter, 1981, (13),
9
McIntosh, John
Fireman see NBRSG Journal,
2020, (141), 46 (portrait)
McKenna, Frank
The railway workers 1840-1970. London: Faber & Faber, 1980. 280pp. + plates
McKillop, Norman (NBR>BR)
McKnight, David
Of St. Enoch: worked the diner 13.30 to Carlisle for St. Pancras and
the return working which left St. Pancras at 13.30. David L. Smith
Railway Wld., 1979, 40,
618
Maguire
Driver, from Haymarket, on non-stop Flying Scotsman see Livesey
Locomotive Mag., 1938, 44,
337.
Maltby, S.W.
Midland Railway driver at Mansfield: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Manley, Ron
Southern Region fireman who fired Leader class: see Michael Harris.
Steam Days, 1995, (66)
115
Marshall, John
Fireman on No. 224 which went down with the Tay Bridge
See NBR Study Gp. J., (65),
28.
Mason, Harry (LNWR>LMS)
page 52 Essery, R.J.
and Harris, N. LMS reflections: a collection of photographs from the Hulton
Picture Company.1986: Driver Harry Mason retiring on 6138 London
Irish Rifleman at Euston on 26 May 1933 (joined LNWR in 1888).
Meacher, Charles (Charlie)
Started at St Margarets on North British Railway:
autobiographical books - Living with locos Truro: Bradford Barton, 1980. 109pp;
LNER Footplate Memories D. Bradford Barton Ltd. 150pp.
Merryweather, F.G. (GER>LNER)
Began railway career on 11 September 1901 on GER at Palace Gates.
Transferred to Stratford in 1914. Promoted to driver in 1920. Eventually
worked non-stop trains to Yarmouth, Lowestoft and Cromer, the Continentals
and the Eastern Belle. Top link drivers, No. 80. Rly Mag., 1947,
93, 226-7..
Metcalfe, John
Died at Redcar on 18 February 1927; aged 87. Born in Middlesbrough.
Worked as a fireman on the Stockton & Darlington Railway from age 14.
Drove the now preserved Derwent and worked on footplate for over fifty
years. Locomotive Mag., 1927,
33, 86.
Miles
Worked King George V Funeral Special which left Paddington on Tuesday
28 January brhind No. 4082 Windsor Castle at about mid-day for Windor
with Drivetr W.H. Sparrow and Fireman Miles..
Locomotive Mag., 1936, 42,
42.
Millman, Reginald(LSWR/SR)
Born on 14 May 1885; railway career began as cleaner on LSWR, appointed
fireman in 1906 and driver on 15 May 1919. Portrait leaning from cab of 21C141.
Top link drivers, No. 106. Rly Mag., 1949, 95, 309..
Mills, Leonard (GER>LNER)
Began railway career as a call boy on 13 June 1904; became cleaner
in 1906 and a driver in 1920. In express passenger link at Stratford and
duties included the Eastern Belle Pullman. In 1944 he volunteered for working
United States ambulance trains with air-braked B12 No. 7479. He was based
at Bournemouth. For his work with the American Forces he received a letter
of commendation from Major Paul Schultze of the Medical Corps. Portrait.
Rly Mag., 1947, 93,
300-1.
Mitchelll
Driver of No. 224 which went down with the Tay Bridge
See NBR Study Gp. J., (65),
28..
Moore, H.
Midland Railway driver at Leicester: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Moore, Herbert (GWR)
Began railway career as a cleaner on 2 January 1904 at Stourbridge.
Appointed fiireman at Landore on 8 January 1907 and promoted to driver on
16 June 1919. At time of publication was working express trains from Swansea
to Carmarthen, Cardiff and to Paddington.. Top link drivers, No. 79. Rly
Mag., 1947, 93, 226-7..
Morgan, Bill
Behind the
Steam. (1973). Autobiography of engineman
at Neyland depot between 1916 and 1864.
Morris, F.A.
Midland Railway driver at Peterborough: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Morris, George (LMS)
Of Crewe North depot died in Perth Royal Infirmary as result of being
thrown from footplate of Royal Scot locomotive when boiler pierced by connecting
rod on 19.30 Euston to Aberdeen on 28 February 1936. Badly scalded Fireman
Walter S. Davies brought train to halt:
see Scotsman report
Morrow, Robert
Driver on Stockton & Darlington Railway in early days:
see Locomotive Mag., 1928,
34, 63-4
Morton. W.J.
Midland Railway driver at Swansea: group photograph of mutual improvement
secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Moss, W.H.
Midland Railway driver at Buxton: group photograph of mutual improvement
secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Moxon, J.W.
Midland Railway driver at Canklow: group photograph of mutual improvement
secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Munslow, Jack
Camden driver: see run on down Saturday afternoon express to Liverpool
behind No. 46228 with 530 tons see Norman Harvey Locomotive causerie.
Railway Wld., 1961, 22,
111
Nebbs, S.
Driver at Bricklayers Arms: see Norman Harvey Locomotive causerie.
Railway Wld., 1960, 21,
323
Nightall, James William
Born on 20 May 1922 in Littleport, Cambridgeshire and was killed on
2 June 1944 when acting heroically to save the town of Soham from a blazing
ammunition train being hauled by WD 2-8-0 No. 7337 driven by
Benjamin Gimbert. He was awarded a posthumous George
Cross. The George Cross was awarded on 25 July 1945; the George Cross and
other awards are displayed in Soham Village College. No. 47 579 James
Nightall GC marked the act: later No. 66 079 carried the name
see Humm J. Rly Canal Hist. Soc.,
2015, 38, 252 Also
RCTS Locomotives of the LNER Part
6B page 133. Also awarded LNER Medal for Gallantry received by his widow
see Locomotive Mag., 1944,
50, 180
Oakes, Wallace Arnold
On 5 June 1965 engine driver Wallace Oakes, then 33, left his home
in Sandy Lane, Sandbach, and boarded the train for work at Sandbach Station.
He joined his fireman, Gwilym Roberts, and took their allotted engine, Britannia
Class engine number 70051 Firth of Forth, at Crewe Station. Waiting
for them was the 14.05pm express to Carlisle. Below the chimney inside was
a petticoat that directed the exhaust out — with a blockage to the chimney
the exhaust would have no way of escaping. As the train entered Winsford
station the firebox door was open and suddenly part of this petticoat gave
way, blocking the chimney completely. This resulted, without any warning,
in a massive blowback engulfed both driver and fireman. Fortunately Roberts
was leaning out of the cab window and although his legs were very badly burned
he was able to climb onto the outer steps. There he put out his burning clothes
by rubbing them against the bodywork and then holding onto the outside of
the tender doors. He realised that the brakes were being applied and remained
there until the train came to a stop. Oakes was badly burned as he stood
in the midst of the flames that engulfed the footplate. He partially closed
the regulator, opened the boiler and pulled on the steam brake, bringing
the train to a halt. Only then, with his clothes almost totally burned off
and with 80 per cent burns to his body, did he fall from the footplate and
onto the embankment. He had almost certainly prevented massive loss of life
by averting the destruction of the train. Roberts was badly burned but able
to phone the signalman and raise the alarm. The southbound Royal Scot
was signalled to stop and take both men to hospital. Oakes was so badly burned
that a week later, after leaving hospital, he died of his injuries. For remaining
at his post, engine driver Wallace Oakes was posthumously awarded the George
Cross for gallantry and in 1966 he was also awarded the Bronze Medal of the
Carnegie Hero Trust. Off Internet Further, and more accurate information
noting new headstone for hhim in St. Matthew's church Haslington in February
2018. In 1981 No. 86260 was named Driver Wallace Oakes GC.
J. Rly Canal Hist.
Soc., 2018, 307.
Oakton
Of Kings Cross shed: series of photographs taken by and included in
H.G. Forsythe Men of steam which
shows footplate of A4 No. 60012 Silver Link en route to
Peterborough.
Oldham, H..
Midland Railway driver at Nottingham: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Oram, William George (GWR)
Began his railway career at Salisbury on 20 April 1903 as a cleaner.
Appointed fireman on 16 January 1906 and driver on 31 March 1919. In 1947
was in No. 1 passenger link working to Bristol and Cardiff (from Salisbury).
Portrait. Rly Mag., 1947, 93,
300-1.
Osborne, Wally
Driver at Swindon. Tim
Bryan's All in a day's work
Parke, W.T.
Midland Railway driver at Laacaster: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Pascall, W.
See Locomotive Mag.,
1914, 20, 96: after 48 years' service on the L.
& N.W. R., W. Pascall, of Crewe. had retired. He had been an engine driver
for 42 years. Pascall was driver of the pilot which preceded the Royal
train during King Edward's reign. He drove the Royal train during the first
visit ot King George to Ireland and also on the occasion of the Investiture
of the Prince of Wales at Carnarvon. On the return of the Royal party from
Wales, driver Pascall, with the engine Coronation, had charge of the
special, which came off the Cambrian system, from Whitchurch to Carlisle.
Portrait
Pawson, A.
Midland Railway driver at Hellifield: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Payne, Ernie
Driver at Ipswich shed and member of ASLEF LDC. Had been a Major in
the Home Guard. PortraitsSteam
Wld., 1995 (102), 33 and photograph in cab taken by Fireman Payne
of Driver Pinkney. Railway
World, 1978, 39, 483. Dick Hardy comments at length (online) on this
remarkable man who joined GER in 1911, served in France and promoted to Captain
on the battle field. He waas courteous and helpful.
Peachey, Charlie.
Joined GNR in 1895. Retired in 1942. Kings Cross driver who drove
non-stop Flying Scotsman and reached 104 mile/h whilst driving
Coronation. Lived in a house in North Finchley which was named
Fairway after the locomotive.
Geoffrey Hughes A Gresley
anthology, p. 71
Peachy, F.
See Batsford The book of
speed with contribution on
driving the non-stop Flying Scotsman.
Pearce, A.
Midland Railway driver at Kirkby: group photograph of mutual improvement
secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Pearce, Thomas
Great Western driver at Wolverhapton. Author of The locomotive:
its failures and remedies (Ottley 2977). Reviewed in
Moore's Monthly Magazine page
30.
Peart, Walter
Driver on Windsor to Paddington express on 18 July 1898 when connecting
rod broke on No. 238 and pierced the boiler barrel.He and Fireman Dean applied
the brake and stopped the train, but succumbed to their burns.
See Locomotive Mag.,
1898, 3, 128.
Penney, E.W.
Midland Railway driver at Bristol: group photograph of mutual improvement
secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Perry, Bill (BR)
Essery, R.J. and
Harris, N. LMS reflections: a collection of photographs from the Hulton
Picture Company.1986.: contains (pp 85-90) "day in life of" Driver
Bill Perry and Fireman Bill Deal based on Bletchley for Picture Post
in 1949.
Perry, H.
Midland Railway driver at Bath: group photograph of mutual improvement
secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Pibworth, Alf
See Hughes Rly Wld 42
638 for account of his skill in handing A1 4474 on the extremely
difficult GWR mainline to Exeter where the curvature was uncompensated during
the 1925 locomotive exchange. F.A.S. Brown (Nigel Gresley) called
him 'Mad Alf': certainly his work on the South Devon banks was superb. Portrait
of Driver Pibworth, Sir C. Batho, Lord Mayor of London in top hat, and Gresley
wearing a bowler both of latter on footplate on No. 4472 prior to departure
of inaugural non-stop Flying Scotsman
Locomotive
Mag., 1928, 34, 176. .
Pile, Leonard (Len) Y.
Camden top link driver responsible for the long Euston to Carlisle
trains, including the Royal train.
McKillop, N. Ace enginemen
(1963). On footplate of No. 5543 when named Home Guard.
Locomotive Mag., 1940, 46,
215,
Pile, T.B.
Camden fireman of No. 6200 The Princess Royal on Crewe to Willesden
Junction record high speed run:
Locomotive Mag., 1935, 41,
231.
Pink, A.
Driver A. Pink oiling LMS 4-6-0 with vacuum pump on "31 August 1927".
page 11 of Essery, R.J.
and Harris, N. LMS reflections: a collection of photographs from the Hulton
Picture Company.1986.
Pinkney, George
Driver of Ipswich shed who worked North Country Continental with B12
No. 8535: photograph in cab taken by Fireman Payne.
Railway World, 1978, 39,
483
Potts, G.C.
Bankers and pilots: footplate memories. Truro:
Bradford Barton, 1985: working life spent at Mexborough initially on steam
(including working Beyer Garratt up Worsborogh incline) and latterl as motorman
from Wath..
Pratt, H.
Midland Railway driver at Plaistw: group photograph of mutual improvement
secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Pullan, J.
Midland Railway driver at Normanton: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Quilter, A.P.
Midland Railway driver at Tilbyry: group photograph of mutual improvement
secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Rear, Bill
Some time fireman at Crewe North; had begun footplate work under J.M.
Dunn at Bangor mpd. Researcher on engine workings:
see NBR Study Gp J., 1990, (38),
6
Redpath, J.
Haymarket A4 driver (No. 60024 Kingfisher); criticed in his
youth as a fireman for failing to assist his driver in sighting signals on
a right-hand drive D11/2 (Linlithgow accident 19 December 1925 investigated
by Col. Mount) : see Knox NBR Study
Gp. J., 2016 (129) 28
Rees, T.
Midland Railway driver at Gurnos: group photograph of mutual improvement
secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Reynolds, Michael
Engine driver, later locomotive inspector during Stroudley's period
on L.B.&S.C.R. Author of several books: Locomotive engine driving
(see Ottley 4032); Engine-driving life (Ottley 4042); Real
railway anecdotes (Ottley 7676): all were published within the period
1875-1895.
Ralph Harrington: It is that extraordinary writer
Michael Reynolds who provides the clearest nineteenth-century formulation
of this relationship. In Engine Driving Life: Stirring Adventures and
Incidents in the Lives of Locomotive Engine-Drivers he depicts a railway
landscape which is as beset with peril and adventure as any storm-tossed
sea, and requires of locomotive crews that they 'exhibit heroism as genuine
as that which graces a battle-field: men who die at the post of duty, in
all the pride of manhood, turned by erring hands into the valley of the shadow
of death.' The key, of course, is provided by those words 'turned by erring
hands'; all the heroism and bravery of the best of engine-drivers is in vain,
warns Reynolds, if that driver or someone upon whom he depends has not done
his homework and is not following the rulebook: 'Discord and confusion underlay
all railway working, but the rightly-prepared mind and eye can steer through
the vague mass of points, and traps, and gullets, and signals, and 8 tunnels.
Reynolds urges upon enginemen the finest human qualities, but these alone
are not enough; 'that code of regulations which experience has taught us
is absolutely essential for the safe working of railway traffic' must be
followed, and while the most desirable solution would be 'to put the fallibility
of man out of the reckoning, and to substitute automatic devices' in all
possible aspects of railway peration, failing that the men on the footplate
must be as close to machinery in their own behaviour as possible.
He was author of Stroudley biography
in Rly Mag., 1900, 7, 251.
Inventor of peculiar locomotive (10 foot single driver with friction
wheels to add extra adhesion when required, patented in 1894: GB 7883/1894
Improvements in locomotive engines Priority 21 April 1894 (checked
Espacenet). Locomotive Mag.,
1903, 8, 446-7. Also contributor to Locomotive Magazine.
Brian Reed notes Reynolds reverential treatment of his boss in
Loco Profile 32.Extracts in
Ted Talbot's presentation of Baron's
Diary.
Ricks, Clem
Driver at Swindon. Tim
Bryan's All in a day's work
Rinder, Harry
Probably based at Neville Hill: on footplate with Eric Treacy when he was
given a footplate trip on the North Briton to Newcastle.
Railway Wld, 1968, 29,
352-3.
Roberts, Alf
Joined LMS as signalbox lad in 1943, then became shunter and parcels
clerk before moving to footplate work in 1950. Experienced firing A1 pacifics
and Princess Royal class and the Duke of Gloucester over Shap (the
last being the hardest) and was firing preserved locomotives from Steamtown
including Lord Nelson.
Railway Wld., 1984,
43, 30
Robinson, Ben
LNWR driver presumably based at either Crewe or Carlisle. Portait
of Robinson on page 99 The LNWR
recalled.by Talbot (shown on the footplate of No. 1926 La France
possibly at time of his retirement) . International Telegraph
special on 19-22 June 1903 No. 1965 C.H. Mason driven by Robinson
(Locomotive Mag., 1903, 9.
3-4, Nock (Railway
race to the north)notes known as Big Ben — tall bearded
man.
Robinson, Tom
Caledonian Railway driver during racing period: based at Carlisle
and lived at Etterby. Nock (Railway
race to the north) includes a family group portrait which radiates
Victorian respectability
Roscoe, Bob (GWR)
Born Liverpool in 1818. Joined LMR in 1834 as a cleaner. Moved to
GWR where associated with locomotive Sultan. Noted for his good humour.
In trouble (annd fined) for arriving at Gloucester too quickly and in placing
excessive reliance upon Clarke chain brake, but rewarded fo stopping train
in time to save hounds of Old Berks Hunt. Beacame Royal Train driver (for
which he was paid an extra sovereign for every journey) and drove "Sir Daniel
Gooch's" 09.05 Windsor to Paddington.
Vaughan, A. Grub, water &
relief: being tales of the Great Western, 1835-1892. (1985).
Russell, Charles
On footplate of No. 5616 when renamed Malta GC: he had been
in Dunkirk evacuation. Locomotive
Mag., 1943, 49, 159.
Scott, Adam
LNER driver photographed at Craigentinny Carriage Sidings with Scott
class. NBRSG Journal, 2020, (141),
7.
Scott, Alex
Son of LMS horse cart driver; started work at Czmden shed as a cleaner
in 1938. Describes footplate experiences as a past cleaner: going through
Linslade Tunnel; smooth ride given by Pacifics; the heavy coal consumption
of the Turbomotive; the attractive streamlined casing on the LMS pacifics.
Then switched to Watford Junction as a fireman. Volunteer on North Norfolk
Railway. Book: A wartimr footplate man. North Sea Publishing (bought
NNR shop); Further material available online.
Selway, Harry
Originated on Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, but working at Holbeck
with Type 45 diesel electric on Thames Clyde Express between Glasgow
St Enoch and Carlisle when encounted by McKillop.
McKillop, N. Ace enginemen
(1963)
Short, Jimmy
Driver of Carlisle to Glasgow Corridor when Dunalastair II substituted
for Cardean: Allen Railway
Wld., 1960, 30, 6-9
Shurmer, Gordon
Great Western man who unusually spent his whole career at Swindon
(starting in 1937). Tim Bryan's
All in a day's work
Simmons, C.H.
P. Ransome-Wallis. Men
of the footplate (1954).
Sims, Ernie
Driver at Swindon.
Tim Bryan's All in a day's
work
Skaife, Thomas
Fireman of Surprise which blew up at Bromsgrove during teests
on Lickey Incline. See Backtrack,
2020, 34, 53
Slater, J.E. (Heaton Mersey).
Midland Railway driver at Heaton Mersey: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Slater, W.H.
Midland Railway driver at Hasland: group photograph of mutual improvement
secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Slowen, Joshua
Born in Leeds in 1830. Recollections extending from 1838 to 1903 published
in Sheffield Independent 9 October 1903; also
Rly Wld., 1983, 44,
350-1 noted by Simmons in Express
trains
Smith, Davie
Driver at Ayr who drove a special to Carlisle and returned
as pilot on the Diner to Kilmarnock not stopping at Dumfries, came off at
Kilmarnock and was back in Ayr within two hours of leaving Carlisle. David
L. Smith Railway Wld., 1979,
40, 618
Smith, H.P.
Camden driver of No. 6200 The Princess Royal on Crewe to Willesden
Junction record high speed run:
Locomotive Mag., 1935, 41,
231
Smith, Peter
The footplate work is recorded in a thoughtful contribution by Neil
Burgess in the defunct LMS Journal
No. 38 p. 42 et seq
Smith, S.
Midland Railway driver at Leeds: group photograph of mutual improvement
secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Soden, James
Seemingly based at Leicester commented on the difficulties experienced
with Stanier Jubilee class: very difficult to oil inside motion: Gresley
conjugated motion on A3 class Pacifics was vastly better. Disliked LNWR G2
class 0-8-0 but found Robinson O4 and Thompson O1 very strong and moderately
fast. Thhe WD 2-8-0s were disliked for very poor ride and filthy cabs due
to fuel spillage, especially if ovoids. B1 class were simpler to dispose
than LMS class 5 4-6-0s.Rly
Wld., 2010, (277), 40-5.
Sokell, J.
Grimsby man: see Locomotive
Mag., 1928, 34, 203 with portrait marked retirdment of a driver
on the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Ry., and latterly the L.
& N.E. Ry. He couldclaim a total of about 1½ million miles on the
footplate. :In 1884 Sokell was fireman to driver Fred Hargreaves on No. 221,
M.S. & L. Ry., which he states was a most satisfactory engine for fast
goods and passenger work. He had several adventures and experiences on this
engine as well as others he has driven. No. 221 engine, M.S. & L. Ry.,
was one of the first class of Mr. C. Sacre's goods engines. Sokell's last
engine was G.C.R. 427 City of London, 4-6-0 express engine, working
between Cleethorpes and Leicester, a 240 miles run, timed sharp with a heavy
train.
Soutar, John
Born in Arbroath in 1833; joined Dundee & Arbroath Railway when
aged 18. He drove the Royal Train; noted for high speed running between Perth
and Aberdeen (90 miles in 80½ minutes); retired in 1900 and died in
1912. Locomotive Mag., 1912,
18, 129. and. Locomotive Mag.,
1948, 54, 94-6.
Southgate, Albert
Driver Albert Southgate ran into the sand drag on a J39 at Shenfield
due to colour blindness and the reaction of Rupert Vereker Richard Hardy's
boss at Norwich..Steam Wld,
1996, (106) 26-30
Southworth, James
Wigan (Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway) driver who patented (KPJ
not traced) an improved sandbox: diagram and description
Locomotive Mag., 1922, 28,
183
Spalding, Charlie
Driver during 1895 Railway Races to Aberdeen. A.W.
Miller NBRSG Newsletter, 1981, (13),
9
Sparrow, W.H.
Worked King George V Funeral Special which left Paddington on Tuesday
28 January brhind No. 4082 Windsor Castle at about mid-day for Windor
with Drivetr W.H. Sparrow and Fireman Miles..
Locomotive Mag., 1936, 42,
42.
Sparshatt, William [Bill]
King's Cross Driver who was at controls when Mallard attatined
the world speed record and on A3 Papyrus when it achieved 108 mile/hour
at broadly the same location as Mallard's world record. Many images
of him, but basic biographical information lacking. see
Locomotive Mag., 1935, 41,
93.
Speed, R.W.
Camden fireman mentioned in connection with fast running:
Locomotive Mag., 1935,
41, 139
Stark, Walter
Employed by London, Chatham & Dover Railway; maybe visible in
two photographs in Backtrack, 2025,
29, 561.
Starvis, William T. (Bill)
Born Newmarket: left home in 1913 when aged 16 to work
at Camden shed. Latterly kept a diary from which extracts appeared in Steam
Wld.:
1996 (110) 16.
1997 (115), 16
Stephenson, James
Elder brother of George Stephenson Driver on Stockton & Darlington
Railway in early days: see Locomotive
Mag., 1928, 34, 63-4. Stephenson Locomotivbe Society website:
James , the eldest son, became an engine driver on the Stockton & Darlington
Railway when it opened in 1825. He drove Locomotion No. 1. In 1830
he moved to George's new colliery at Snibston on the Leicester & Swannington
Railway, where he was appointed superintendent. He stayed until his death
in 1847.
Stevenson, William
[Bill]
Top link driver at Haymarket. Has a Chapter
(9) to himself in
McKillop's Enginemen
elite which relates the hard work demanded from firemen when working
the heavy fish trains from Aberdeen hauled by NBR Atlantics; also running
into a gang of permanent way workers who were not protected by flagmen on
the NBR. Other tales relate to the loss of a tyre from A3 No. 2500 Windsor
Lad near Dunbar when working a return excursion from Newcastle. Close
association with Donibristle and HMS Merlin and his regular A4 No.
60027 Merlin. See also Harry
Knox letter in North British Railway Study group j100-118-51on unfortunate incident (not created by him) when Merlin
stalled on approach to Waverley with train carrying important visitors to
Edinburgh after HMQ's Coronation in 1953.
Stickley, F.E.
Somerset & Dorset driver: autobiography in
Oakwood Locomotion Paper No. 118.
Stokes, Ken
See his book, Both sides of the
footplate: started as a cleaner at Holbeck on 25 March 1924. Rose
to be an inspector with wide experience including the final period of steam
on the Eastern Region.
Stopford
Great Central driver who worked through from Leicester to Plymouth
in 1905 and on return journey hauled an additional six LNWR coaches from
Plymouth to Bristol unaided beyond Newton Abbot. See
Rly Wld, 1988, 49,
546
Stroud , A.E.
Midland Railway driver at Cricklewood: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Summers, Alf
Took him ten years to progress from cleanner to fireman at Old Oak
Common during the depth of the 1930s Depression.
His book, Engines good and bad;
also im Bryan's All in a day's
work
Swan, James [Jimmie]
Often known as Swannie. Top link
driver at Haymarket. Noted for running the non-stop Flying Scotsman
over the longer route via Falahill and the Waverley route through Kelso
withhout stopping for water. Has a Chapter (10) to himself
in McKillop's Enginemen
elite , but
this does not mention his involvement in a fatal collision at Haymarket in
1923: see Knox North British
Study Gp J., j100-119-3
Talbot, Tommy
Began his railway career at Taunton, worked as fireman at Old Oak
Common, and driver at Landore. McKillop,
N. Ace enginemen (1963)
Taylor, Arthur
Driver, from Kings Cross, on non-stop Flying Scotsman see Livesey
Locomotive Mag., 1938, 44,
337. Had an O.B.E.A personal account of the Siver Jubilee run in
Geoffrey Hughes A Gresley
anthology, p. 76
Taylor, Bob
Based at St. Margarets: photograph with Scott class at Perth.
NBRSG Journal, 2020, (141),
5.
Thomas, James Arthur
Died during night of 16 November 1952 due to accident at Reading shed
(Western Region). He had started work at Abercynon.
see Backtrack, 2014, 28,
346
Thompson, James
Photograph of man who drove on the opening day of the Liverpool &
Manchester Railway. See
Locomotive Mag, 1911, 17
pages 26 and 8 (for actual
photograph)
Thompson, 'Wor Bill' [William]
Mentioned on page 7 of
Vaughan, A. Grub, water &
relief: being tales of the Great Western, 1835-1892. (1985).
Summers. Early footplate days...
Backtrack, 1993, 7, 300. who stated that Thompson was very
strong and could push his engine.
Thomson, Hughie
Corkerhill driver who on one day found that they had only 12 minutes
left on passing Ardrossan South Beach to reach Fairlie Pier to connect with
the Campbeltown boat. The schedule gave c17 minutes but they made it but
were told off by a terrified passenger by the speed down from West Kilbride.
David L. Smith Railway Wld.,
1979, 40, 618
Thornton, John
Death in late 1892 of a retired G.E.R. locomotive driver, John
Thornton, who had a remarkable career. All his life was spent in locomotive
work, having commenced as a lad of 15 years of age under Stephenson
& Co. in October, 1822. He was employed as an engine driver during
the construction of the London and Birmingham, Great Western and Bristol
and Exeter Railways, and on the opening of the Northern and Eastern Railway
in 1840, he became a passenger driver on that system, where he remained until
its incorporation with the Eastern Counties in January, 1844, leaving the
latter line some time after for an appointment on the Londonderry and Coleraine
Ry. in Ireland. In 1849, he returned to the London and Blackwall Railway,
and was driver of the locomotive hauling the first train into Fenchurch Street,
on the discontinuance of the original rope working. On the taking over of
the Blackwall Ry. stock by the G.E.R., and their working of the line, Thornton
became a driver in the latter company's account of the locomotives service,
where he remained until retiring on a given of this railway in our pension
during Worsdell's superintendency in 1883. He was at the time of his death
in his 96th year.
Thorpe, Fred
Driver at Ipswich shed and member of ASLEF LDC. Had a spendidly fiery
nature according to Hardy Portraits
Steam Wld., 1995 (102),
33
Thurston, W.
Worked King George V Funeral Special which left Wolferton for King's
Lynn worked by B12 No. 8520 driven by W. Thurston and fired by A. Tobell
Locomotive Mag., 1936, 42,
42.
Till, George (SR)
Born in 1884 and joined LSWR at Barnstaple in 1898 as a cleaner. Appointed
fireman 1911, moved to Nine Elms depot and promoted to driver in 1917. During
WW2 in charge of many private and special trains. Top link drivers, No. 78.
Rly Mag., 1947, 93, 226-7.
Tobell, A.
Worked King George V Funeral Special which left Wolferton for King's
Lynn worked by B12 No. 8520 driven by W. Thurston and fired by A. Tobell
Locomotive Mag., 1936, 42,
42.
Todd, Arthur
Driver at Bricklayers Arms: see Norman Harvey Locomotive causerie.
Railway Wld., 1960, 21,
323
Topping, Brian
Fireman at Bury. See
Backtrack, 2018, 32,
38-41
Trowell, W.
Camden driver: see run on up Red Rose see Norman Harvey Locomotive
causerie. Railway Wld., 1961,
22, 111
Trower, G.W.
Joined GNR at Doncaster in 1893; passed to fire in 1897 and to drive
in 1911. Retired in 1940 after 47 years service. He accompanied Cock o'
the North to Vitry in France see
Locomotive Mag., 1941,
47, 2
Turner, Edward
See Gt Western Rly J., 2011,
11, 122: driver at Bordsley 1901-08
(portrait)
Turner, W.M.
Driver at Nine Elms: wrote to
Railway World: 1966,
27, 441
Twiggs, Tommy
Retired 1954 after 50 years service with SECR, SR and BR. Golden
Arrow driver at Stewarts Lane. Portrait.
Steam Wld, 1991, (53)
6
Walker, G.H.
Midland Railway driver at Carnforth: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Walker, Jock
On former NBR 2-4-0: NBRSG
Journal, 2020 (141)
Washington, George
Died in 1988 (cremated 4 February). LB&SCR engine driver who invited
Fred Rich onto his footplate whilst Fred was an apprentice at Brighton Works.
See Yesterday Once More.
Watkin, Ralph
Witness at arbitration Gray vs LNWR: formerly an engine driver on
the York &: North Midland Railway. He had driven the engines with Gray's
gearing and found tbem economical but not so handy for the driver; they
had a steadier and a sweeter motion and he thought they were lighter on repairs
and would take heavier loads. In cross-examination Knowles asked about his
present occupation and Watlcin replied: "I am a publican ... I shall be very
happy to make you c:omfortable if you will call at the Elephant and
Castle in Slceldergate at York".
Watt, James
One of the oldest, if not the oldest, of Scotland's engine drivers,
James Watt, died on 22 March 1938 in Craigie, Perth, after a very short illness.
Born in 1857, his father was a driver on the old Forth and Clyde Railway,
afterwards transferring to the Fife and Kinross. Railway, a short single
line connecting the Kinrossshire Ry. at Hopefield with the Edinburgh, Perth
and Dundee Railway at Ladybank Junction. On this line young Watt, then in
his early teens, used to fire for his father on either the Falkland Palace
or the Loch Leven, the two four-wheeled locomotives which comprised the stock
of the company. The Fife and' Kinross appears to have been one of the early
lines that existed in a chronic state of impecuniosity and Watt used to.
tell many very interesting tales of going with his father on one of the
locomotives, collecting what money was available in the tills of the various
stationmasters the day before pay day. Watt joined the North British Railway
in 1876, and drove one of the 185 class on goods trains across the first
Tay Bridge and later generally over the system, retiring in about 1923.
Webster, J.W.
Essery, R.J. and
Harris, N. LMS reflections: a collection of photographs from the Hulton
Picture Company. 1986: page 11 Driver J.W. Webster in front of 6164
at Euston
Whitty, Henry George (LNWR/LMS)
Began railway career in 1906, became a fireman in 1911
and driver in 1919. Always stationed at Camden. Had driven expresses for
twenty years. Duties included Royal Train and special trains for Winston
Churchill. Portrait. Rly Mag.,
1947, 93, 300-1.
Wild, S.
Midland Railway driver at Coalville: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Wildey, Kenneth (Ken)
Carlisle Canal fireman & driver; son of another Canal driver,
See brief obituary and tale of working on Waverley route with excessive load
of bananas and sticking on curves. NBRSG
Journal Issue 42, 15 et seq.
See also Spareman Issue 17 page
25
Wilkie, George
Driver at Burnisland who knew Marshall and Mitchell, the footplatemen
on the ill-fatted No. 224 which went down with the Tay Bridge. He had been
born on a farm and did not join the railway until he was 22.
See NBR Study Gp. J., (65),
28.
Wilkinson, F.C.
Midland Railway driver at Liverpool: group photograph of mutual
improvement secretaries at Derby in 1921.
Locomotive Mag., 1922,
28, 57.
Williams, John
Died 25 September 1917: locomotive inspector on the Great Central
Ry. He commenced work on the M.S. & L. Ry. in 1881, and was made fireman
in 1883 and driver in 1891. He was stationed at Staveley and Colwick, then
Gorton and finished driving at Leicester. He was promoted to locomotive inspector
28 December 1901, and eventually brought to Gorton on the headquarters staff
of the loco. running department. Williams was joint author of the book on
Locomotive Management from Cleaning to Driving,for the production
of which he collaborated with Hodgson, of
the Manchester School of Technology.Locomotive Mag., 1917,
23, 238
Williams, F.H.
Bangor fireman mentioned in connection with fast running:
Locomotive Mag., 1935,
41, 139
Wimhurst, W.
Jointed GWR in 1893; top link driver at Old Oak Common in 1927.
See Locomotive Mag,., 1928,
34, 15
Witkins, Sid
Driver who introduced David Joy to the footplate
(see Joy's Diaries)
Wood, Wilfred
Notable for having a locomotive named after him: No. 5536 Private
W. Wood, V.C. Two pictures of Driver Wood with Patriot class locomotive
named to commemorate his bravery on 28 October 1918 during WW1 in Italy.
He joined the LNWR at Stockport on 15 June 1914; became a fireman on 22 May
1919 and a driver at Newton Heath on 8 June 1936.
See Rly Mag., 1943, 89,
357. See also Jeremy Higgins.
Great War railwaymen which explains how he won the VC for brave
service at Casa Van in Italy on 28 October 1918 and adds that he retired
in 1960 as a supervisor at Longsight depot and died in 1982
Woodley, Thomas
Died at Lincoln in May 1907, aged 83. Was one of the drivers on Lord
Willoughby de Eresby's railway.. From some notes he left it appears that
Lord Willoughby applied to the G.N. Co. for an engine driver for his private
line and Sacre, District Locomotive Superintendent at Peterboro', offered
Woodley, who had been foreman at Doncaster in charge.of locomotive repairs,
the situation which he accepted. His lordship was seldom at home, and in
view of the unsatisfactory condition of the engines Woodley appears to have
given offence to the steward informing him of the true state of affairs,
which Lord Willoughby, with his practical knowledge of locomotives, would
have noticed at once. After eleven months' service, therefore, he was not
mu surprised to hear that another man was coming from the North of England.
Woodley went, back to Doncaster according to agreement, and whilst a driver
there S.W. Johnson, 1ater locomotive superintendent of the Midland Ry. was
his fireman, for six months, as a gentleman pupil of course. He was afterwards
driver on the South Yorkshire Ry., and took the first train over the Trent
Bridge at Gunness (G.C.R.) with the directors to Grimsby. So there is little
doubt he was a trusted man imd a good tutor, which the writer of the
"Reminiscences" of course had no means of ascertaining.See
Locomotive Mag., 1908,
14, 208.
Yates, Horace
Joined GCR as a cleaner at Birkenhead in 1918: transferred to Gorton
as fireman in 1922 and then moved to King's Cross as a young driver, but
it took him from 1927 until 1950 to get into the top-link. Includes log of
Flying Scotsman worked non-stop to Newcastle behind 60021 Wild
Swan (with fireman J. Stannard) (complete log). A highly cultured man
with interest in literature and music, and very fond of his yellow car. Portaits.
McKillop, N. Ace enginemen
(1963)
Young, Albert
Joined the LNWR as a cleaner in 1913 at Camden shed. He served in
the infantry during WW1 and was injured, but returned to the LNWR and was
made a fireman in 1919, He became a driver in 1935 and continued in that
capacity during WW2 having to suffer aerial attack from enemy aircraft and
creating a smokescreen to escape detection. Firing on the Euston to Carlisle
turns was considered the ultimate test of firing ability. He enjoyed working
at night and was appreciative of most of the locomotives upon which he worked
including the LNWR classes (the cab controls on the Experiments were abdured,
however). The Crabs and Compounds were well received, but his favourite class
was the Duchess Pacifics once the streamling had been removed (it caused
draughts and dust on the footplate).
P. Ransome-Wallis. Men of the
footplate (1954).
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