Mexborough Railway Life (1940s-1960s): Recent Episodes
Chris Brook
Alan speaks about Bob Turner whose commute was a walk from Wombwell to Mexborough - 6 miles each way!
Route learning Scarborough and Roger Hague's brother has an accident that stopped him from driving.
Mexborough loco drivers had to work some unusal special trains including circus trains, Carl Rosa opera company and racing pigeons.
Alan Brook speaks about his father, Percy Brook, who was a driver at Mexborough loco from 1914.
Families who moved from the port of Liverpool to the port of Hull (vice versa) had monthly direct services to visit relatives.
Alan discuss the merits of different drivers & even different coal in the performance of the steam locos
fire dropper : drops live fire by removing loosely fitting slotted bars from fire box and rakes ashes and cinders from fire box into ash pit with long metal rake, on arrival of engine at shed after journey; in small sheds also does work of ash filler q.v.; on some railways work done by fireman and occasionally by engine cleaner
Army leaders were often involved in crash investigations. Also after the war, they were drafted in to manage depots.
Alan Brook descibes how the railway helped to deal with sewage in South Yorkshire (approx 1950s)