overalls and jackets. The train was booked away from Paddington at 10.40. The engine was 5056 Earl of Powis. We were instructed not to exceed 10 mph until we were clear of Westbourne Park, to pass through Slough station at 40, 75 through Twyford and a stop at Reading with the footplate opposite a white post set up on the platform. With all that delay, we only had 67 minutes to pass Oxford. A week later I got a letter from Paddington thanking me for my work, a gratuity’ of ten bob and we hand to hand in our new overalls and jackets! At the time I met Don, his fireman was a Scot, redundant in Glasgow and so came to Oxford. The pair of them were in Challow box one evening with me. In my great ignorance, I was explaining to ‘Jock’ that between Swindon and Bath, there are two one in one hundred gradients. Jock, who was reclining almost full length in my armchair with his legs resting on the long stool, looked very puzzled, and said politely, “We dinnae fash ourselves until they get into double figures.” I was able to accompany him to Basingstoke, Reading, Swindon, Bletchley, the Abingdon and Witney branches and just once, to Paddington. The only passenger train he drove when I was with him was the first Up commuter train, 7.10 a.m. Oxford to Paddington with 14 coaches behind a ‘Hall’. That was a truly awesome job for his fireman. The weight of the carriages was 470 tons tare (empty). The train was booked to stop at every station to Reading except Appleford Halt. At each station, the platforms had passengers and from Didcot the platforms were crowded. The stations were between 2½ miles and 5 miles apart, and the train had to average 30 mph from start to stop. Getting away from each station was done at 75% cut-off and main valve of the regulator. Don had just reduced the cut-off to 30% when it was time to shut off for the next stop. His fireman was skilled enough to keep the pressure gauge needle on the red line and water at least up to half a glass. I stood back against the column of the handbrake on the tender and soaked up the experience, full of admiration for the fireman We were non-stop to Paddington from Reading, allowed 47 minutes for the 36 miles. The timetable gave 18 minutes to heave the train packed to the doors, out of Reading for the 12½ miles to Maidenhead. We passed there at about 60 mph, Slough at maybe 65, no more. The last nine miles from Southall to Paddington was allowed 13 minutes. So, depending on how well we’d been doing, firing could stop between Ealing Broadway and Acton, five miles out, easing off passing Old Oak Common to stop on time in Paddington at 9.10 with the fire down and the boiler taking more water to keep the engine quiet in Paddington. They were great guys, these footplatemen! The 9.15 p.m. Oxford Fish was favourite. I was 22-23, young and fit and could do a night with him and then on to early turn 6a.m – 2p.m at Challow. I did three nights in a week when he was 52
GREAT WESTERN STAR MAGAZINE
Spring 2021
on that turn. The loco was always a Bournemouthbased ‘West Country’ class ‘Pacific’ hauling 12 or 15 insulated fish vans. We would take it as far as Basingstoke and bring back a ‘full digger’ freight out of Southampton docks hauled by an LMS ‘8 freight’. I always fired on those trips. The ‘Pacific’ was as good as a ‘light’ engine’ with 15 fish vans so there was very little firing to do. Don liked me to put fresh coal all along the front of the box, being very careful to fill the back corners and then all along, under the firehole like a bolster about 2ft wide. That gently shook down towards the front and more or less did us until I put some more on for the relieving crew at Basingstoke. The only other thing to do was to keep the water level high in the boiler gauge glass. But coming back with the 2-8-0 with its long, narrow, traditional firebox it was necessary to feed coal in a bit more often, especially as we had to hand the engine over to Saltley LMS men at the north end of Oxford station and they had the 10 miles climb to Tackley ahead. I could do this successfully because Don was such a skilful driver. We kept time with the minimum of steam. We would stop at Hinksey North box anytime between 3 a.m. and 4, fill the tender, have ¾ glass of water showing in the gauge and pull through the station to North Junction. One morning Don was anxious to get away and the usual banter was cut short. As we walked down the path to the shed, the Brummy driver called after us. ‘That’s roight. Booger off. That’s all yow Western men think of – Grub, Water and Relief’. (To be continued in the July Issue.)
Japanese High Speed Trains
