the forums

[Splodge]

So watch this space.

Good man!

[Injector]

Well done old son there's not many old ones out here, it would be very lonely for me without you.
so keep a wisp of steam from the safety valve and RIGHTAWAY

[vilesa.freeserve.co.uk]

Thank you for your support ,once I get going I don"know I am not using good english it just comes out of my head but I will try to do better.
There will be a little break before the next episode.So watch this space.

Please keep it up I'am looking forward to the next installment

[jules]

Yes indeed. There are some of us still out there on the railway today who daily fight NR, HSE, HMRI and the whole lot of them to keep, in my case, the specials running. Against all odds usually, I might add.

To hear what you faced back in those days anfd how you handled it is hugely valuable, because the issues may not be the same troday, but I know I'm following a long line of true professionals and most of all dedicated people.

Next time we hit a snowstorm, I'll probably be on the phone to you for advice! Keep writing mate, it is *very* appreciated, probably more today than ever ....

[tugboatcharly2]

The next instalment will be along very soon ,got a little job to do first. However it is very gratifying to learn some of you are interested its history now but it was how it was in those days ,we did"t not know any different loved what I was doing and I could have gone to work in the local factory for a much bigger wage , but money is not everything and look at the great men I have met,,express top link drivers and others who could handle unbraked trains with no problem!any way as Arnie says "I will be back".

[tugboatcharly2]

To remind you that the inspector wanted Clive to go back to Cheddar in the blizzard with the token which was a very bad ideal, so how to get the token back to Cheddar? well a signalman who lived at Draycott was going to try and get to relieve his mate at Cheddar and said he would take the token and guide the inspector who very quickly agreed! So off they went and no time disappeared from view.
The snow was falling thick and fast and Clive and me made ourselves as comfortable as we could we took the smoke plate out and fitted it upside down and built up a nice fire, it was about three-o clock when the snow stopped and now we were really in deep right up tp smoke box.Whilst we were viewing the situation a young kid came along side and "his mum would cook a chicken for us if we would give her some coal" agreed and later he turned with a hot chicken and some bread so with the fresh water i got at Cheddar we had tea and at least something to eat. As you might agree the novelty was waring off.However we managed to get to the pub, the landlady made some tea and she had some cheese and stale bread .That was our supper lol.more later

[tugboatcharly2]

There is nothing going on all day Thursday just more snow and some more coal for some food. Then at about 60 o clock the chicken farmer came down to our locos and invited us to his home for some hot food to which we were very grateful so we followed him to the the farmhouse which also was almost buried and when we entered the kitchen there was before us a spread for more than four. the lady of the house asked where are the rest of us we said there were only us ,well!she said on the West of England news they said there were over 100 men digging us out (good old journalist ) always getting it right.Well eat up lads. Thanking her for her kindness we made our way back to engines and in the still off the night we could hear a engine having a go then it all went very quiet and later we were told that another engine was stuck but that was not so.

[jules]

I know tugboat. Great to have you writing again.

Not quite the level of your story, but I bought a brand new flask (being prepared) for a job I had two Saturday's ago.

It is currently lying in smashed pieces on Morpeth Up Goods Loop in Northumberland, as my bag fell over and the flask smashed on the railhead as I was climbing into the brake at 5am.

Net result - on a train with 400+ *ladies only* to Kings X, with no catering on board and only alcohol for sale (which of course we could not touch), my guard and I had no hot drink until we reached London at 12:30.

I recall my grandfather's words "Always accept a cup when it's offered Jules, because you never know where the next one might come from". A bit like your chicken dinner I guess and a lesson well learnt indeed. I bet you can still taste that chicken

At least we found a Fish'n'Chip shop just outside Ferme Park where we spent a miserable 3 hours on a wet Saturday afternoon fuelling the locos and generally sitting around. It sold Rock Eel and Chips (Mmmm ... A real treat.)

But the long journey home with those 400 Geordie girls is another story completely, which I am probably too embarrased to tell!

As ever, we got 'em all home safe and spot on time

J.

[tugboatcharly2]

Jules you must share your experiances with us or we can only imagine you lucky man!

[tugboatcharly2]

At about 10-0 clock it was freezing but a crystal clear night and the silence was disturbed by the sound of a diesel away in the distance so Clive and me decided to walk on the very crisp snow towards the distant signal and we got there to our amazement was a 7000 Hymek bashing it the snow piling it up in front of it eventually getting stuck and to top it off was off the road the bogie was riding on the sand boxes quite steep. The inspector the told us the good news that there was another engine behind a 22xx so whilst Bill Farr who was the diesel driver made it safe . Clive and me went back to secure our engine it was not going any where in fact it was over a week before the line was cleared 3-0 clock time we all got on to this engine and we made our way , it is said that I dropped into the corner and was woken at Yatton at 7-0 I gave Clive the ticket to finish off when he got to Bath Road. The inspector did not think much of that ,to bad. We were on duty 42hrs and 35 Min's and to top this story off we were all booked absent by the idiot time clerk. Hope you enjoyed the tale But there was sting in it for me. on the following Monday I had something wrong with my blood too cold said the doctor so that was a week in bed to make up for the snow and by the the way Idon"t like snow any more lol

[AndyK]

That's a marvellous story, and strangely enough it is familiar to me because I have seen photos of the incident. They are in a book called Steaming Through the Cheddar Valley by Derek Phillips (Oxford Publishing Co. 2001).

There are eight pictures showing 2277 with a snowplough, Ivatt mogul 46506, and Hymek D7046 all stuck in the snow, and the final rescue train hauled by 2217. There are quite a few people visible in some of these pictures but the only one that is named in the captions is Jack Whitney, an inspector from Bristol.

[tugboatcharly2]

All the men are gone now and Inspector Whitley is his corect spelling.I have the book and some other sheets of the same pictures. I only wish i could put them on here but Idont know how and I expect the is a copywright on them, but as you say they are in the book.I am glad it was a good tale to remember and I am pleased that some of you enjoyed Sorry about the queens english though lol

[AndyK]

I only wish i could put them on here but Idont know how and I expect the is a copywright on them, but as you say they are in the book.

I have scanned them (rather crudely) and posted them at http://andy-kirkham.fotopic.net/c1417325.html , for just the participants of this thread to see.

I will remove them after a couple of days, as I'm sure I have infringed copyright by doing this.

[Injector]

Hi All
Tugboat I had only just left the railway before Christmas 1963 and I marred Fred Vowels daughter in the March, there was still snow on our back lawn.
Was a very cold winter snow started on Boxing day if I remember right .
Looking at those Pictures reminded me of what it was like back then and the good times we had, if that was today there would be panic everywhere
where we took it in our stride as a little adventure.
Keep the stories coming brings back lots of things I had forgotten all about

[vilesa.freeserve.co.uk]

Tugboat
I really enjoyed your memories of the snow on the C.Valley in 63 There seems to be 2 other incidents when trains & locos got stuck on the C.Valley during this winter, I have a copy on a article from a GWR society magazine wrote by a gaurd (R. Harding) working the same turn as you were on, & they seem to have got stuck at the seem place as you,but they had a train in tow I take it in your case it was 2 LEs, anyway after they got stuck they throw the fire out & walked back to Cheddar & caught the train back which was the first passenger from Yatton in the morning that had to terminate at Cheddar because of the blockage, there is no date given, the loco was possibly 3218, a D70xx was also sent down to get them out this also got derailed.
The other incident was on 8.1.63 it was a snow plough duty leaving Barrow rd. 8.15am Driver D.Gardner & fireman A.Durrel with 2277 & I think was coupled to 3218 & a 3xxx pannier anyway they got stuck in Easton cutting (between Lodge Hill & Wookey) & left the 3 locos here overnight, next day Driver Gardner & fireman S.Winter worked down on D7055 to get them out.
Also when you were finally rescued did you all get into the cab of the 22xx or did it have a brakevan, if you were on the engine I bet it was cold as you would have been probably been working tender first.

Andy