a Half – Life of the Oldest Railwayman Living

I have chosen this title (with due deference to A A Milne) as a way of recording the stories of men and women who have worked on Britian’s railways and, in particular those whose time was spent on former Great Western lines. I would like to express my gratitude to them all for telling their stories. This month’s story is slightly different in that it features the Leicester and Swannington Railway. I have taken the liberty of including it as it tells the story of a railwayman in the 19th century

Life of The Oldest Railway Man Living*

When we look round upon the present perfect system of railways, the fact can hardly be realised that the Liverpool and Manchester line was only opened in 1830, and that in 1829 it was a question whether the locomotive engine should be employed or not. Neither can it at first sight appear possible that such perfection can have been attained in the short period which is in the memory of living man.

There lives in Leicester to-day an old railway man named Thomas West Smith, more familiarly known to his numerous friends as “Old Tom Smith” who can, it is believed, claim the distinction of being the only man now living who actually worked traffic on a railway fifty-six years ago. A representative of the press considered the chance of conversing with an intelligent man who could give such interesting recollections and details of the changes he has

Map of the Leicester and Swannington Railway

*This article was published originally in the Locomotive Engineers & Firemens Journal, September 1888 Volume 1 No 9 pp 278-280 (ASLEF). An early drawing of West Bridge Station

witnessed, was a chance not to be missed. Mr. Smith has therefore been, as the Americans would say, “interviewed," and in a journey over the old line he has pointed out the various places where interesting events occurred.

Mr. Smith was born at Braybrooke, in Northamptonshire, on the 7th of October 1808; consequently, he will now have attained the age of 80. He began his railway career in his twenty-third year, by becoming a “porter” at the West Bridge station at the opening of the Leicester and Swannington Railway, on the 17th of July 1832; and in January 1833, the company, having increased its stock of engines, he was promoted to the locomotive department.

The first engine he cleaned and fired was the “Comet” built by Stephenson, of Newcastle, and shipped by sea to Hull, and thence by canal to Leicester, her first driver being Robert Weatherbum. The tender did not arrive for some two or three months afterwards, and the supply of water was for the time being carried in a large cask on a coal waggon. Mr. Smith gives very full details of all the other locomotives, which were the “Phoenix”, “Samson”, “Goliath”, “Hercules”, “Ajax”, “Atlas”

Travel in 1835 - This is from a picture by C. Hamilton Ellis and is No1 in a set of 24 L.M.R. “Travel-In” prints. It portrays a Leicester & Swannington Railway train hauled by “Samson”, the first locomotive in the World to be fitted with a whistle, then known as a “Steam Trumpet”.

and “Vulcan”, all of which at various times he was engaged upon, either as cleaner, fireman, or driver. He also mentions with pride the runs made when Mr. George Stephenson and Mr. Robert Stephenson rode upon his engine or, as Mr. Smith says, “Old George and Young Robert, as we us't to call them.”

The signals were of a primitive description, consisting of a pole with a pulley at the top, and the rule was to “go ahead” unless a red flag was flying, or a red lamp shown from the top.

The engines in those days had no “whistles,” so the drivers were provided with bugles, which they tootled whenever they felt inclined, and when they were coming to a station or crossing and, if that failed to attract attention, they adopted the simple plan of raising the safety-valve lever.* However, on one occasion

A later picture of Leicester West Bridge Station with all the staff on parade!

*According to Clement Edwin Stretton, in his History of the Midland Railway, published in 1901, on almost its first run, at Thornton crossing, “Samson” collided with a horse and cart on its way to Leicester Market with a load of butter and eggs. Although the engine had a horn, it clearly was not loud enough, and at the suggestion of Mr. Bagster, the manager, the engines were provided with the first steam whistles.