As I was born in 1936 most of my youth was in steam. Dad was a steam engine driver on the LNER before, in 1938, transferring to London Underground Tube on the Northern Line. I spent many hours collecting engine numbers at New Barnet Station and underlining them in my Ian Alan book. To me, there is nothing better than hearing a steam engine working hard (as a 11 minutes in the video)
I can almost smell the sooty smoke - luverly! Reminds me of going train spotting as a nipper with my two teenage uncles. Those were the days when a train engine was a thing of beauty and spotting something like the Flying Scotsman was a real treat. So was being allowed on the footplate of one because of a near relative pulling a few strings. Sadly, I can't remember which one it was. Lost in the mists of time.
I have an anorak friend who continued spotting into his late fifties then gave up. I asked him why he stopped, thinking it must've been pretty boring by now looking at the same old same old functionality. "Because I've got them all now, every number" came his reply.
Great-grandfather started out as a messenger, then brakeman, fireman, and finally engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad. Have a lot of old train photos I'm wondering what to do with.
As I was born in 1936 most of my youth was in steam. Dad was a steam engine driver on the LNER before, in 1938, transferring to London Underground Tube on the Northern Line. I spent many hours collecting engine numbers at New Barnet Station and underlining them in my Ian Alan book.
ReplyDeleteTo me, there is nothing better than hearing a steam engine working hard (as a 11 minutes in the video)
Thank you, James.
Racking my brain a little, I believe that the little book was published by Ian Allen (not Alan). Does anyone remember?
DeleteThis them DAD? https://www.ianallan.com/
DeleteThat's the company.
DeleteI can almost smell the sooty smoke - luverly! Reminds me of going train spotting as a nipper with my two teenage uncles. Those were the days when a train engine was a thing of beauty and spotting something like the Flying Scotsman was a real treat. So was being allowed on the footplate of one because of a near relative pulling a few strings. Sadly, I can't remember which one it was. Lost in the mists of time.
ReplyDeleteI have an anorak friend who continued spotting into his late fifties then gave up. I asked him why he stopped, thinking it must've been pretty boring by now looking at the same old same old functionality. "Because I've got them all now, every number" came his reply.
http://flyingscotsman.com/#
DeleteWell, I just had to look it up, didn't I?
Great-grandfather started out as a messenger, then brakeman, fireman, and finally engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad. Have a lot of old train photos I'm wondering what to do with.
ReplyDeleteCopy a few and send here, we’ll run a gallery. Alternatively, run one at your place.
Delete