Railway

The other day I went to the local market store and saw the guy who first asked me if I was an ex footplateman. Anyway he told me he with his wife was going for a day out I think he said to Arundel. I know that he told me he was starting their journey from Skegness but it was being hauled by an old Diesel engine. I asked him if it was an old Brush Diesel and he concurred. He than asked me if I knew the wheel arrangement of diesel engines. I told him I did not mainly for two reasons. I was bought up with steam locomotives and secondly I was not really interested in other modes of transport on the Railway.
 I did mention to him that in the 50s. before I went into the Army there were proving trials by the first diesel engine. It ran each week day from Doncaster to Grantham and the name of the diesel was Falcon. I then told him that we couldn't see the future of steam was limited and the outlook for diesel was rosy. I then said to him that the onlooker sees most. He laughed heartily, but that statement is true.
 Anyway when I got home and was doing more block paving cleaning I was using a dustpan as a shovel. I just thought, if anyone asked me what I leaned during my life I would have to reply that I was good with a shovel. I started to laugh because I had so many folks try to talk me out of working on the Railway when I left school. Needless to say I took no advice at all. My Mother sat me down and had a good talk but couldn't persuade me to change my mind.
 When I started work I was put into the offices the reason they gave was that I was too intelligent to be a Cleaner. This is how one started and when you got to 16 you became available to be a Fireman. Eventually after many years becoming a Driver.
 Why they told me this was that as I was at a Secondary Modern pupil nobody had joined the Loco Department from that school. Mind you, a few did follow my footsteps and came to work for B.R. as it was known.
 I must admit they were the happiest days of my life on the Railway and wouldn't have missed it for the world and if it hadn't been for Dr. Beeching and his plan to cut the Railways down I would have stayed there until I retired.
 The good thing is that I had the chance to work for myself but all of the guys I worked with were made redundant a few years after I left so it worked out well for me.
 By the way, I can still work a shovel efficiently after all those years. More soon.