ASLEFJOURNAL DECEMBER 2020 The magazine of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers & Firemen Equality is the soul of liberty

‘There is, in fact, no liberty without it’ said Frances Wright

We celebrate 20 years of ASLEF’s equalities committees – The train drivers ’ BAME, Disabled, LGBT+, Women’s and Young Members union since 1880 railway enginemen’ s tax fr ee saver plans

tax fr ee savings plans for anyone who works on the railways... we don’ t mean just train drivers..! tax fr ee policies fr om 70p per day , £5 per week and £20 per month

for further information call us on freephone 0800 328 9140 visit our website at www.enginemens.co.uk or write to us at Railway Enginemen's Assurance Society Limited, 727 Washwood Heath Road, Birmingham, B8 2LE

@RailwayEnginemens Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authorit y. Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authorit y. Incorporated under the Friendly Societies Act 1992 ASLEF GS Mick Whelan JOURNAL Fair warning: now The magazine of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers & Firemen is not the time to ‘The biggest villains of the piece are the DfT try and take us on and the companies’

T IS difficult to think about the future when, due to the pandemic, everything is so uncertain and varied depending on which sector of our I industry we find ourselves in. The difficulties of providing services to keep the country running whilst the various governments bring forward five-tier systems, firebreaks, lockdowns, and very little joined up or mutual thinking. Geographical or local lockdowns do not assist trains that do not see real, or perceived, borders so we rely on the measures and risk assessments we have in place to remain secure. None of this will be of much reassurance to those in the News open access operators, and the operators of trains with already low passenger l What the government has in mind for the railway 4 numbers, and we continue to raise these issues continually wherever and whenever we can. l Lines in the Landscape photographs of Britain’s 5 The train operating companies have had also to react to the lockdown railway network plus Off the Rails: John Crace; instructions and so where we were running, on average, 93% of daily services, Rick Wakeman; Gyles Brandreth, Ken Branagh, this will reduce to an average 85%, and may change further as restrictions affect and Ian McKellen; Rachel Johnson on brother staff numbers. Boris; and Cornelius Lysaght on James Purnell The freight sector has many traditional flows not running, and others l DO8 Finn Brennan on what the TfL funding deal 6 oversubscribed, but we continue to keep the country running. means for train operators on London Underground We welcome the government bailout of the Tube in London but there are strings, including a working party on driverless trains, that offers no economic or l DO2 Kevin Lindsay on members’ generosity for 7 the Stonehaven fund for families of the bereaved operating benefits, as recent internal TfL reports have shown. We now need the government to look at the needs of other operators, in similar situations, in the l Train saved by sculpture at a whaleway station 8 north-west, north-east, and elsewhere, because they should also be part of the wider debate, and that should include open access. Features Compared to many other industrial sectors we are not as impacted or l Gregor Gall explains why the government has 9 uncertain. To read the industry press, though, apparently this is the time to take pulled the plug on the Union Learning Fund us on and end rest day working . Let’s remind them that the cessation of compulsory or voluntary overtime based on full employment has been our policy l Strange days: Chris Proctor reflects on 2020 10 for three decades. l Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s Memo from Turner 11 The biggest villains in the piece has been the DfT and the companies themselves in failing to have, or allow, proper succession planning. We are the Equality is the soul of liberty: we celebrate 12-16 l ones who only agree to it based on strict recruitment criteria. 20 years of ASLEF’s equalities committees It is also strange that those who have been in the industry for years and with Ross Bland, Floyd Doyle, David Jones, benefited from in-house training wish to single out drivers for paying for their Susan Greenwell, Debbie Reay, San Senik, own training. That’s worse than hypocrisy, but puts any pretence at diversity or James Sutherland, and Tony Venson career mapping in this industry back 100 years and won’t be happening. l Justice (of a sort) for Scotland’s miners 17 Normal negotiations on our aspirations are not happening at this time, for obvious reasons, but we will be looking at what we do going forward post- Regulars pandemic. l Branch Lines 18 As a craft union, we do not get great churn in membership, or in good representatives, but two are now standing down. l Obituaries 19 I want to pay tribute to DO7 Brian Corbett . He has been active since before l Letters and Classified Advertisements 20-21 becoming a driver at branch, AAD, local and company representative, executive committee and district officer. Heart and belief personify Brian and many owe so Points and Crossings: Ghulam Khan on covid-19 22 l much to his strength and commitment. In normal circumstances I know many l On Track: Reading tribute to Brian Corbett; 23 branches would be saying goodbye and thank you between now and January. our Prize Christmas Crossword; Legal Services; Equally passionate, not leaving the industry but standing down as a trustee, is and members’ Change of Address form Ian Smith , whose record as a representative and trustee is unsurpassed. When we had dark times he stood strong and helped this union survive and prosper. He’s EDITOR Mick Whelan, general secretary l DESIGNER Michael Cronin never been afraid to ask the difficult question but has been staunch and true in a PRINTER College Hill Press, London, SW19 4HE l ADvERTISING ASLEF world where loyalty and honour are not always recognised. Simply, I want to Journal, 77 St John Street, London, EC1M 4NN. Contact Keith Richmond thank you, Ian! on 020 7324 2407 or [email protected] l CLASSIFIED ADS [email protected] or call 020 7324 2400. The acceptance of a display And so we move forward, first with Steve Austin , who is taking over as DO7 or classified advertisement does not necessarily imply endorsement of and, based on his record at Paddington branch, and as company council, I am that product or service by ASLEF CHANGE OF ADDRESS Please post sure will do a great job. John McCue won a well-contested trustee election and your details to ASLEF, 77 St John Street, Clerkenwell, London, EC1M 4NN replaces Ian. John, from Glasgow branch, is another who works hard for the membership in Scotland and will also do a great job. I look forward to working The ASLEF Journal is published every month by: with you both. ASLEF, 77 St John Street, London, EC1M 4NN Please stay safe . Tel: 020 7324 2400 l email: [email protected] website: www.aslef.org.uk l twitter: @ASLEFUnion Yours fraternally, Mick Whelan, general secretary, ASLEF

December 2020 l The ASLEF Journal 3 News

Midlands Trains from vertically-integrated Shapps paves way 19 September 2021; modern railway, fit for Southeastern from the 21st century, and for direct awards 17 October 2021; run as a public Chiltern from 31 service, not for private December 2021; and profit. HE DfT has March 2023, and East Midlands ‘It is also strange T paved the CrossCountry, which Railway and the West that Mr Shapps is way for has a direct award Coast partnership trying to smuggle the direct awards – to which began in from 1 April 2022. recommendations of replace ten rail October, are also The Department for Transport is set to Mick Whelan, the Williams rail franchises in England excluded. replace the Tories’ failed franchise model general secretary, review through – with the TOCs are in with a series of new ‘public service’ contracts said: ‘While we will be without proper publication of an discussion with the glad to see the back Parliamentary OJEU prior DfT over the reversion to the shareholders happy. of the failed franchise scrutiny. What is he information notice. transition of the terms of the old ‘We’re not in a system, we believe trying to hide? Why is The notice covers affected franchises franchise agreements position to play we should bring the he frightened of train operations not from the current would, with hardball,’ one wheels and the steel doing it properly, and overseen by the EMAs, and passenger numbers admitted privately. back together as one transparently?’ devolved ‘compensation’, as falling off a cliff The companies governments in the RDG somewhat during the pandemic, and franchises Scotland and Wales optimistically puts it, see the companies affected are QUOTE… or regionally for the termination of collapse. TransPennine ‘MPs and commentators keep asking, managed existing franchise They are also Express; South archly, “But what does Boris want?” concessions. GWR, agreements due to trying, privately, to be Western Railway; and Jesus, guys, catch up. He wants a shag which has a long- be agreed by the amenable in the c2c (Essex and some attention and someone else to term emergency middle of this month. hope of getting a Thameside) from 1 make his problems go away, like he measures agreement Whatever the RDG management April 2021; Greater always does.’ – Marina Hyde , The running to June likes to claim, the contract on Anglia; Thameslink, Guardian 2021, and a direct TOCs are not in a favourable terms to Southern, and Great …UNQUOTE award contract until strong position as a keep their Northern; and West

NR boss lined up as Fat Controller TWEETS OF THE MONTH

According to a report in the Sunday Telegraph , Boris Johnson strongly urged to hire a which is usually a reliable guide, as Grant new social media manager: Have I Shapps’ spin doctors have Oliver Gill’s mobile Got News For You @haveigotnews number on speed dial, ‘the boss of Network Rail is being primed to lead an all-powerful Fat We finally have a vaccine! Huge Controller body in the biggest shake-up of congratulations to Britain’s train network since the 1990s’. Pfizer/GlaxoSmithKline/Sanofi/Novartis. The Torygraph reports that Andrew Haines Andrew Haines set to be Tories’ Fat Controller (Karen – please delete as appropriate, has been asked by the DfT to begin reviewing thanks) @BorisJohnson train lines as if he had already been awarded main line which Richard Branson’s Virgin and control of a railway ‘guiding mind’ body. Brian Soutar’s Stagecoach badly mismanaged. That sound you can hear is the ‘The body is one of two major reforms ‘We would like to make clear that the government preparing to give £300 proposed by an as yet unpublished root and review should be undertaken from the billion to roll out the vaccine to a company branch review’ writes Gill. ‘The other is the perspective of a neutral single guiding mind,’ that makes hats, run by someone who abolition of rail franchising.’ they say indiscreetly. ‘Not in your capacity as doesn’t even know what a vaccine is, but is The paper said it had seen a letter – a CEO of NR.’ married to a Tory MP. @davidschneider euphemism for being briefed by the Transport The ‘guiding mind’ or Fat Controller – Secretary’s team – from Ruth Hannant and named after the character in the Thomas the The Tory candidate for London Mayor Polly Payne, DfT directors general rail, asking Tank Engine stories by the Rev Wilbert Awdry – is boasting about his party having cut Haines to conduct an analysis of Britain’s most has been designed to ‘prevent meddling by firefighters’ pensions. A strange thing to be troubled train lines, including the East Coast ministers’. proud of. @FinnBrennan Panorama examines effect of Virtue signalling isn’t an objective AUSTIN POWERS IN FROM concept. It’s a weird alt-right insult. climate change on earthworks PADDINGTON AS DO7 Pandering to it deserves no place in public Steve Austin, of Paddington broadcasting. The BBC’s flagship current affairs programme branch, has been elected James Wong @Botanygeek Panorama is expected to broadcast an edition on unopposed as ASLEF’s new Monday 7 December, in the wake of the tragic accident District 7 Organiser. Brian at Stonehaven, when the 06.38 ScotRail service from Corbett, the current DO7, WE PUT OUT TRUST IN GLASGOW JOHN Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street hit a landslip retires next year. Steve will be John McCue, of Glasgow branch, has received obstructing the track between Carmont and in position for a five year term a simple majority of the votes cast in the Laurencekirk, about the crash, in which three people which starts on Monday 1 election for an ASLEF trustee. He takes up died, and the impact of climate change on earthworks February 2021. position immediately, and will be in post until on the railway. 2 July 2023.

4 The ASLEF Journal l December 2020 News

in a collection of images that will last Picture this forever and will Off the Rails testify to the UK OUR and is designed to being one of the evocative showcase cityscapes, most beautiful JOHN CRACE laments the absence of former F railway as well as landscapes, countries in the Transport Secretary Failing Grayling from pictures have all around the UK. world.’ frontline politics. ‘I know it’s unfashionable,’ mutters the elegant wordsmith, ‘but I rather been acclaimed in ‘The landscape of n The winning the Landscape the United Kingdom entries in Landscape miss Chris Grayling. Not just because he was Photographer of the is amazingly rich and Photographer of the always good value to sketch, but because Year competition. diverse with vast, Year 2020 are on there was an integrity to his commitment to never finding a Brian Nunn’s deep, expanses, and show at London job he couldn’t do badly. Having warmed up by undermining photograph, which small, intimate, Bridge station until the justice system with a disatrous part-privatisation of the won the Lines in the cameos,’ said awards Friday 12 February. Probation Service, he set to work at Transport, where his Landscape award, founder Charlie An accompanying crowning glory was to award a ferry contract to a shell shows smoke Waite. ‘The book, Landscape company that had no ferries. During his time in office, Grayling billowing from a photographs, coming Photographer of the cost the country more than £3 billion. If we had been paying steam locomotive from the craft and Year: Collection 13 (AA him to do nothing, we’d all have been better off.’ crossing the expertise of every Publishing, £26) is Ribblehead viaduct photographer, results also available. RICK WAKEMAN , who played in North Yorkshire. with folkies The Strawbs and Criss-Crossing by the prog rock group Yes before David Queenan, with becoming the caped crusader its geometric of the keyboards with The Six patterns, an unusual Wives of Henry VIII , Journey to image of the bridge the Centre of the Earth , and The across the Firth of Myths and Legends of King Arthu r and the Knights of the Round Forth; John Table , was pulled over by police at 4am on his way home from Davidson’s shot of a a gig after the veteran rocker was spotted going round and two-car service at round a roundabout. ‘Can you tell me when you had your last Criccieth in drink of alcohol, sir?’ asked the officer. ‘August 5, 1985’ replied Gwynedd; and the the piano player promptly. ‘Ah, in that case, sir, it should have photo by Ron Tear – ‘a cleared your system by now.’ born and bred Cockney’ – of GYLES BRANDRETH , writer, broadcaster, Battersea at Dusk , after dinner speaker, and, from 1992 to 1997, were all shortlisted Conservative MP for Chester, has always been runners-up. a bit of a luvvie. Which is why he was the The competition, perfect plum to edit The Oxford Book of open to amateurs as Theatrical Anecdotes (OUP, £20). He reminds well as professionals, us that thespians are obsessed with their place in the pecking is now in its 13th year order, citing Kenneth Branagh’s tale of overhearing a conversation about Ian McKellen and his theoretically egalitarian Actors’ Company. ‘Isn’t it marvellous about McKellen,’ Ken heard someone proclaim. ‘He’s playing Hamlet QUOTE… this week and a footman next.’ ‘What’s the other play called?’ ‘Populism is asked a chum. ‘ The Footman ’ was the reply. democracy’s ugly sister’ – RACHEL JOHNSON , sister of the David PM, and not a fervent admirer of Marquand , her sibling, reveals in Rake’s The Guardian Progress (Simon & Schuster, £8.99), …UNQUOTE a rollicking account of her ill-fated attempt to become an MEP for Change UK, that although the man christened Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson likes to trade as Boris his family still, as they always have, call him Al. Remember Paul Simon? ‘I can call you Betty, and Betty, when you call me, you can call me Al…’

CORNELIUS LYSAGHT has kept his counsel since being fired as BBC racing correspondent, but reached for the whip when James Purnell, director of radio, announced his own exit. In a peerless Twitter Award-winning images (from top): Ribblehead in North Yorkshire; assassination, he said no one was even ‘vaguely sorry’ to see Battersea at dusk; the Firth of Forth; and Criccieth in Gwynedd Tony Blair’s one-time bagman leave, pointing up Purnell’s 500 CLUB: Michael Roads, with number 078, won the November draw, ‘talentless contribution’ to the corporation. scooping the Retired Members’ Section jackpot of £492.

December 2020 l The ASLEF Journal 5 News

be many issues to deal with in the The TfL funding deal – short- and medium- term. It is clear that a funding model based so heavily on fares income what it means for us is not sustainable and that there will be massive pressure to cut costs. Staff terms and conditions FINN BRENNAN , ASLEF’s catastrophic fall in TfL revenue. will be targeted, and we have to organiser on London Without government funding be ready to deal with that. Underground, analyses the there would have had to be huge That means not burying our recent deal between the cuts to services. The Department heads in the sand and thinking for Transport commissioned a government and TfL over that things will just go back to report on options and then not ‘normal’. They won’t. There will be funding for the rest of this only refused to publish it but financial year changes. Our job as a union is to wouldn’t even share it with senior make sure those changes bring management. DO8 Finn: ‘The massive Yes vote long-term benefits for our HERE has been a stark After weeks of public in our ballot meant management members. T difference between the wrangling, a deal for the rest of backed off from trying to break While many things in the Tory government’s this financial year was agreed. A agreements’ future are uncertain, we can be attitude to the privately-owned revised budget for 2021/22 will be sure that Underground services train operating companies and published in January. sop to the Prime Minister’s ego. will be key to London’s recovery the publicly-controlled Transport Despite the many public calls No transport expert has ever been from this pandemic and that its for London. from the Tory candidate for Mayor found – or ever will be – who staff – and the strong effective While TOCs have been given of London, and from the Prime believes that driverless trains on trade union that protects them – management contracts that Minister, to attack staff pensions London Underground make any will be as essential as always. guarantee their shareholders a and conditions, there is nothing in economic or practical sense. As profit, TfL has had to cope with a the agreement that will documents released by ASLEF series of short-term funding deals, immediately do so. showed, it would cost around £7 ringed around with political TfL will still have to make billion to implement and deliver QUOTE… strings. There continues to be a around an extra £160 million no real savings. The funding ‘Why does Robert Jenrick very transparent effort by the worth of cuts, but these will be agreement is also explicit that attack Sadiq Khan for government to use the crises spread across the entire operation there is no money in the TfL not getting enough caused in public transport and are a relatively small part of budget for this. homes built yet delay funding by covid-19 as a stick the overall budget. None of this means that we planning consents Khan with which to beat the Labour Although there is a clause in can be complacent. While the has approved?’ – Dave Mayor and, it seems, to punish all the agreement that says an ‘expert massive Yes vote in our ballot Hill , ex- Guardian , now Londoners for having the temerity review’ will be set up into the meant management backed off @OnLondon to vote for him. feasibility of driverless trains, it is from trying to break agreements, …UNQUOTE The pandemic caused a clear that this is simply a political there is no doubt that there will

‘They asked Welcome home, Doris me to RIA has equality change my Diana Dors, the vivacious movie star better name. I known for her rackety private life than for the suppose films she made as a Rank starlet, was born charter – at last they were Mary Diana Fluck. Her father Bert Fluck afraid that if Prompted by ASLEF, and other rail unions, the worked in the accounts department of the my real Railway Industry Association and Women in Great Western Railway. When she was invited name, Diana Rail have, finally, launched a charter to back to her home town to open a fête, the Fluck, was champion equality, diversity, and inclusion in vicar, predictably terrified that he would up in lights the UK’s railway industry. mispronounce her name, promptly and one of The charter – published 18 months after mispronounced her name. But not as you the lights ASLEF launched its diversity report at the might expect. ‘We are fortunate to have with blew…’ Houses of Parliament, and GS Mick Whelan us today Diana Dors, whom many of us here in called for the industry to take action – is a Swindon will fondly remember as Doris Klunt.’ commitment to work together to build a ‘more balanced, higher performing, sector’. The charter’s commitments include making NETWORK RAIL SETS SCIENCE-BASED TARGETS recruitment and progression processes Network Rail has committed to ‘independently-verified, science-based targets’ to accessible and attractive to all to attract, help in the process of climate change mitigation. It wants to reduce absolute scope retain, and develop people of all backgrounds, 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 46% by 2029; reduce absolute scope 3 ages, genders and identities; creating a culture indirect emissions by 28% by 2029; and ensure that 75% of its suppliers by that fosters inclusion and providing a safe emissions (covering purchased goods and services and capital goods) have space for all employees to talk openly, science-based targets by 2025. including at industry events and in meetings; ‘Rail is already the cleanest and greenest mode of transporting large numbers providing opportunities for training and of people and goods,’ said NR chief executive Andrew Haines. ‘But we’re committed education; and supporting the progression of to cutting our carbon footprint even further. That’s why we’ve set carbon reduction diverse individuals into senior roles to improve targets backed by science rather than simply ones we think are easy to achieve.’ diverse representation at senior level in the UK railway industry.

6 The ASLEF Journal l December 2020 News Stonehaven fund for the families

OLLOWING the tragic accident at the families, their loved ones who died at Stonehaven, ASLEF and the RMT set up a Stonehaven, it will help them to deal with many of F joint fund to help the families of those who the practical matters and difficulties they will face. died. That fund has raised a staggering £142,000 in a ‘And I am determined, with my colleagues, to little over two months. The fund will now be split pursue the causes of this accident, and get the equally between the families of Brett McCullough, 45, answers everyone wants, for the bereaved families, Donald Dinnie, 58, and Christopher Stuchbury, 62. and for every other railwayman and woman.' GS Mick Whelan said: ‘We have been overwhelmed Mick Hogg, the RMT organiser, said: ‘This is a true by the response from rail union members, from testament to the solidarity of railway workers, their branches, from fellow trade unionists, and from the families and friends. The money may help the public.’ families but we will continue to campaign to make Kevin Lindsay, ASLEF’s organiser in Scotland, said: the railway safer.’ DO2 Kevin: ‘Humbled by a ‘I am humbled by this total, which is a magnificent ASLEF and the RMT have expressed our gratitude magnificent effort by effort by our members, our branches, and our fellow to Alan Rodgers, of Thompsons Scotland, who has members, branches, and trade unionists. Whilst money will not bring back, to independently verified the accounts. fellow trade unionists’ ‘Gormless’ Gav ‘extremely foolish’ Shaken and stirred Employers have Employers’ Federation, their decision. condemned the and the Food and The Union Learning and very well read government’s Drink Federation, said Fund, run by the TUC, decision to axe the his ideologically- has helped more than Sean Connery was workplace learning driven decision to 200,000 workers build born at programme as withdraw the £12 on their skills, from Fountainbridge in ‘extremely foolish’ as million-a-year funding basic literacy and Gavin Williamson: Edinburgh and left the pandemic pushes to Union Learn would numeracy to stupid man, stupid Darroch secondary people to try to add to undermine attempts professional decision school at 14 to work their skills. to increase skills in the development. economic recovery, so as a milkman, In a joint letter to workforce. Ian Wright, chief it is extremely foolish bricklayer, bouncer, the hapless Education Ministers admit executive of the Food to stop funding Union lifeguard, and coffin Secretary, Gavin they did not bother to and Drink Federation, Learn with its proven polisher before trying Williamson, the consult employers said: ‘The government contribution to skills his luck at acting. An Engineering before announcing says skills are vital to in the workplace.’ American friend told him to tone down The first – and the accent and to arguably the best – Tories give green light for start reading the James Bond in classics. Having little Goldfinger money, he did this in longer and heavier lorries public libraries, lending library of A new generation of mega-lorries could take to the devouring the every town and city roads under government proposals. Ministers are complete works of he visited on his about to unveil plans to allow longer, heavier, HGvs George Bernard travels. ‘It’s the books, to operate across Britain’s roads. The Department for Shaw, Oscar Wilde, the reading, that can Transport claims the idea is to cut the number of Henrik Ibsen and change one’s life,’ he Mick: ‘We don’t need more lorries, we journeys needed to move goods around the country James Joyce and, said. ‘I’m the living need to move more freight to rail’ but critics say it will simply lead to more accidents, later, would raid the evidence.’ more deaths, and more damage to our transport infrastructure. GS Mick Whelan says: ‘The forward-looking solution to moving goods around our country, in the 21st century, is to take freight off our roads and put it in our railway.’ Chicken flies coop Kevin Maguire, Tinker, tailor, soldier, spy – but associate editor of QUOTE… the Daily Mirror , which one’s the Chatty Rat? ‘While tens of thousands waspishly Security boffins have been dispatched to the homes of lose their lives, grieve lost suggested that the loved ones, make huge cabinet ministers and their advisers to examine their mobile finest moment of Lee Cain followed phones and laptops as part of an inquiry into government sacrifices, and suffer Lee Cain’s career – enormous hardships, the Cameron around leaks. Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Cabinet Office minister the Prime Minister’s dressed as a chicken Michael Gove, and Chancellor Rishi Sunak are among the Tories are using this crisis director of senior figures told to hand over their devices. The Prime as a get rich quick communications until he was fired last Minister was furious when reports of an imminent national scheme for their cronies, month – was not as press officer, under his lockdown bounced him into making an early announcement mates, and families’ – mentor Dominic Cummings, for the Vote on Saturday 31 October. The mole – dubbed Chatty Rat by Angela Rayner , deputy Leave campaign but the weeks he spent Downing Street – is thought to have briefed confidential Labour leader during the 2010 general election information to journalists within hours of a chaotic …UNQUOTE shadowing David Cameron while dressed coronavirus crisis summit meeting at Number 10. in a hot and sweaty rubber chicken suit.

December 2020 l The ASLEF Journal 7 News Saved by a whale’s tail

EW people – the tale in the Old Testament of Jonah and the Whale notwithstanding – have had their lives saved F by an enormous whale. But a metro train driver in the Netherlands did after his service overshot the stop blocks at the end of the line at De Akkers station in Spijkenisse, on the outskirts of Rotterdam, shortly after midnight on Monday 2 November. The train would have plunged 32ft into the river if it weren’t for a giant marine sculpture. The artwork, called, appropriately, Saved by a Whale’s Tale , which is made of reinforced polyester, and was put there in 2002, lived up to its name by ensuring that the driver, the only person on board, wasn’t injured. Maarten Struijs, the architect and artist who made the sculpture, which depicts two tails emerging from the water beneath the elevated railway line, said he was surprised it had held the train. Who feels Moby Dick? ‘I am amazed it proved so strong. I could never have imagined Metro train at the it that way, but it saved the operator’s life. When plastic has stood whaleway station in for 20 years, you don’t expect it to hold up a metro train.’ Holland

lockdown will bring GRENFELL SHAME OF COSY RELATIONSHIP Grand Central locks an inevitable fall in BETWEEN BIG BUSINESS AND REGULATOR passenger The Fire Brigades Union has called on the Grenfell up in lockdown numbers, meaning inquiry to investigate the ‘revolving door’ between it is not possible to manufacturers and regulators after it was revealed Grand Central union continue operating. that Digby Harper, chair of the board of a supposedly joined Hull Trains in representatives, it’s ‘With no trains in ‘It’s not possible to independent regulator which issues safety certificates suspending clear that the service, some of our continue’ says GC for construction products, is a former chief executive services from Friday difficult but crew and of Celotex, the firm which made the flammable 6 November during necessary measure business model associated staff will insulation which helped the fire at Grenfell Tower Boris Johnson’s of taking a short means that, unlike be supported by spread so quickly. second lockdown. period of most train the government ‘After careful hibernation is our operators, we rely furlough scheme. DECARBONISING BRITAIN’S RAILWAY weighing-up of our only course of exclusively on We thank staff for The House of Commons Select Committee on options, and action,’ said MD income from ticket their Transport, in a virtual meeting on Wednesday following Richard McClean. sales, with no understanding, 11 November, questioned David Clarke of the Rail discussions with ‘Grand Central’s subsidy from professionalism and Industry Association; Mark Gaynor of the Rail Delivery the DfT and trade open access government. The commitment.’ Group; Paul Smart, former MD of Freightliner; Mary Grant of Porterbrook; Chris Smith of G-volution; and Swampy’s at it again Stonehaven line reopens Leo Murray of Riding Sunbeams about the challenges of decarbonising the rail industry and the Dan Hooper, the eco-warrior better The railway line between Aberdeen and government support needed to make the change. known as Swampy, who became the Dundee, closed after the tragic accident at poster boy for protest when he was Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire on Wednesday CROYDON TRAM INQUEST SUSPENDED arrested in the 1990s for 12 August, reopened on Tuesday 3 November. The inquest into the Tramlink crash at Sandilands, East campaigning against the Newbury Three people – the driver, Brett Croydon, in November 2016, in which seven people by-pass in Berkshire, and the McCullough; the conductor, Donald Dinnie; died, has been delayed until next year because of the expansion of the A30 in Devon, is and a passenger, Christopher Stuchbury – coronavirus crisis. A 12-week hearing into the still an environmental activist, and died, and six other people were injured, when derailment, in which 61 people were also injured, was still getting nicked. the 06.38 ScotRail service from Aberdeen to due to start on 19 October. It will now begin in spring Swampy – who, after living in a Glasgow Queen Street struck a landslip 1.4 2021, according to South London coroner’s court. tunnel to stop the dual carriageway miles north-east of Carmont. link road in Devon being built, An interim Rail Accident Investigation turned down a shedload of money Branch report said the train struck a landslip – to record a new version of The several tons of washed-out rocks and gravel – QUOTE… Southlanders’ hit I am a Mole and I and derailed. ‘Few in Europe seek to submerge their Live in a Hole – was charged with Network Rail has been working ‘around the country’s national identity in a federation. trespassing after he and eight others clock’, said Alex Hynes, to lay hundreds of Instead, they seek to pursue their own were removed from a tree on the metres of replacement track as part of a national interests constructively within a HS2 route. ‘complex’ repair operation. co-operative European framework. Perhaps They had set up camp in a tree NR has admitted that the impact of climate Britain should have done the same’ – Vernon house at Jones’ Hill Wood, between change on the rail network ‘is an area Bogdanor , Professor of Government at Wendover and Great Missenden, in accelerating faster than our assumptions’, King’s College, London, and author of Buckinghamshire – the wood that adding that the derailment shows the Britain and Europe in a Troubled World inspired Roald Dahl to write industry must improve its response to …UNQUOTE his children’s story Fantastic Mr Fox . extreme weather.

8 The ASLEF Journal l December 2020 Platform The English Civil War

GREGOR GALL , an affiliate research associate at the University of Glasgow, and editor of the Scottish Left Review , is writing a book about the music and the politics of Joe Strummer and The Clash. He dials down the volume of Combat Rock to analyse why the government Shirley Handsley of ASLEF Education and DO5 Nigel Gibson watch Steve Murphy, managing has pulled the plug on Union Learn director of MTR Crossrail, sign the ASLEF charter for apprentices as part of Union Learn in 2018

ITHOUT any consultation or prior introduce further restrictions on the right to man behind Asian Babes , Mega Boobs and Big notice, the Tory Education Secretary, strike. Which came to fruition when the Trade and Black . W Gavin Williamson, has announced he Union Act (2016) was passed. Tory governments are paid to promote and is to end the funding for Union Learn In It was – rightly – deemed by critics as ‘a defend what Joseph Conrad, in Nostromo , England . Established in 1998 and supported – solution looking for a problem’ because, in the refers to as material (economic) interests; that until now – by governments of all parties, the preceding 20 years, there was only one year is, capitalists and capitalism. Sometimes they money has provided the means for learning in when more than 1 million days were not differ on how best this should be done – Brexit the workplace and training in literacy, worked due to strikes. You have to go back to being the latest example – but, normally, there numeracy, and digital/ICT skills for the benefit the miners’ strike of 1984-1985 or the early is an alignment of material interests, power, of 200,000 workers every year. 1970s to see strike activity of any magnitude. and ideology. Its annual cost? Just £12 million! Meantime, And, of course, there were new anti-union and Their interests are defended by power, hard this Tory government is borrowing more than anti-strike laws pretty much every couple of or soft, and guided by an ideology of free £1 billion every day to fund off-setting years during the 1980s to deal with what market theory. Political and social power arises measures arising from lockdown restrictions. Margaret Thatcher saw as the ‘problem’ then. from the ownership and control of these And doing so when interest rates are almost material interests, while the ideology attempts negative and financial markets are very much WEALTHY LANDOWNERS, VICTORIAN to justify the concentration of that power. pro-borrowing. MILL OWNERS AND PORN BARONS That’s why Thatcher wanted to smash the Williamson’s decision was made just days Thatcher made membership of a union at NUM in 1984 – just as Earl Grey wanted to after Boris Johnson promised a ‘lifetime skills GCHQ in Cheltenham unlawful in 1984 break the Tolpuddle Martyrs in 1834 – because guarantee’ in order to ‘give people of all ages because she deemed it ‘a threat to national the idea of workers standing together in the means and the confidence to switch and security’. Ironically, the civil servants affected solidarity was, they thought, a threat. The to get the skills they need’. were amongst the most moderate in the trade Trade Union Act (1984) was designed to Major employers such as Tesco, Heathrow union movement and, effectively, offered her a diminish our power. airport, and Arla Foods support the campaign ‘no strike’ deal – but that made no difference. to retain Union Learn funding because it has Having unions at GCHQ was an affront to her LIFE IS CRUEL BUT IT’S UP TO US TO helped improve basic skills – and productivity notions of loyalty and right and wrong. CHANGE THIS TOWN CALLED MALICE – in their workforces. After the nine-day General Strike of 1926 Because, at heart, the boss class – and the another Tory Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin, political party it pays to enact legislation on its HEINEKEN OF ADULT LEARNING GETS banned the extremely moderate civil service behalf – dreams of a return to the high days of TO PEOPLE OTHERS CANNOT REACH unions from affiliating to the TUC and having Victorian Britain when they could hire and fire Frances O’Grady, general secretary of the TUC, any political objectives by enacting the Trade at will and pay as little as they needed. says Union Learning is ‘the Heineken of adult Disputes and Trade Union Act (1927). Bad bosses and bad companies don’t like learning – it gets to people other approaches There are plenty of other examples of employment tribunals and trade unions. They cannot reach’. How can we explain this turn of spiteful – and unnecessary – actions against don’t much like employees, either; they prefer events? Is it the case that Dominic Cummings’ trade unions by the Tories and their chums in a pool of notionally ‘self-employed’ contractors call for ‘weirdos and misfits with odd skills’ to the ruling classes dating all the way back to they can use as they wish. work in Whitehall has led to a young policy the Tolpuddle Martyrs in 1834, when six Unions which negotiate for good terms and wonk slipping past his master such an idiotic agricultural workers in Dorset were conditions, decent wages, and proper health initiative? No, the answer is much more prosecuted, convicted, and transported to and safety provision, are anathema to the straightforward. It is that the Tories hate the Australia for having the temerity to form a Tories and their chums. That’s why they do trade unions and will take every opportunity trade union to press for a living wage. everything in their power to do us down. And to stuff them. The Tories, as the premier party of every that’s why they are withdrawing funding from The Prime Minister has made a fist – a merchant adventurer, capitalist, and conman, Union Learn. It’s irrational, of course, but it’s proud proclamation – of never having met always act for the rich and the powerful. That designed to denigrate and diminish trade any of the rail unions during his eight years as used to mean, in the 18th century, wealthy unions and to make a political point. It doesn’t Mayor of London, when he was responsible landowners; then, in the 19th century, matter that it’s not practical – people will suffer for London Underground. That kind of Victorian mill owners; in the 20th century, big and be less well-educated – but that’s because attitude underscored his continued calls for business; now it’s dodgy Russian oligarchs and it’s an act of ideological malice. But then that’s David Cameron’s Conservative government to porn barons such as Richard Desmond, the the Tories for you.

December 2020 l The ASLEF Journal 9 Review of the Year

That was the year that was

CHRIS PROCTOR had a short-lived career as a stand-up comic – telling jokes at a working men’s club in south Wales – before deciding to write for the page rather than the stage. He has written for The Guardian , The Times , Morning Star , New Statesman and Tribune and for eight years worked for ASLEF, helping the GS to put together the Journal each month, and handling press and publicity for the union, and now amuses fellow hacks with his ‘And Finally’ column in the NUJ’s magazine The Journalist

ORMALLY (whatever that means) if I’m happening. It quickly emerged that I might as asked to write a review of the year, it’s a well ask our cat. Boris Johnson or some other N pleasant and not over-demanding task. professional bumbler emerged with a serious I flick through my diary, or look back at articles expression, and a shifty look, and pretended to I’ve written, and topics pop out. I write a few have a plan. paragraphs about them, and Bob’s your uncle. After the initial lockdown there would be a Job done. Where’s the corkscrew? rise in cases or a fall in cases which might be 2020 was different. It’s tricky to write about a followed by a second spike or, possibly, not. year consisting of ‘Went home. Stayed there. Why didn’t they admit what we already Repeated.’ My 2020 diary has been pristine since knew? ‘I don't know what’s going on or what to happens next. March. After that it looks very much like the new do. I haven’t got a clue what to do.’ Boris blames it on the virus. Everything, it one that arrived with last month’s Journal . If we’d It might not have been encouraging, but at seems, would have been OK except that the talks known what was going to happen we could least it would have been honest. Do politicians had to take place via a video link. If we’d chatted have saved thousands by not sending out a have something against honesty? Are they to those funny foreigners face to face, it would 2020 version. allergic to it? have all been sorted. Anyone buy that? Looking at the pages up to 23 March is like 2020 was the year that politics and the media On the bright side, though, we have signed a peering into an alternative universe. ‘Lunch with lost the final vestiges of trust they might once trade deal with Japan. Liz Truss was thrilled and NW,’ it says. ‘Jazz Cafe’. ‘Arsenal v West Ham’. have enjoyed. We no longer believe anything. trilled about a ‘ground-breaking, British-shaped ‘Stanhope Arms’. ‘Kassy visiting’. ‘Wellcome deal’ with this close neighbour of ours. The Library’. I can hardly remember what these CROSS YOUR FINGERS AND HOPE agreement could increase our trade levels by up entries mean. And who’s NW? When the Prime Minister said he had the plague to 0.07%. But it’s difficult to share her enthusiasm and went off to hospital, half the country put it when you think that, last year, EU trade I DON’T BOOK TO GO TO THE PUB down to a publicity stunt. You can hardly blame accounted for 43% of UK exports and 51% of our The worse thing was when, in early summer, them. This was the man who claimed, on 12 imports. Way to go, Liz… they said, ‘OK, you can go out now.’ That’s nice, I December last year, that he had an ‘oven-ready’ thought. And then discovered there was Brexit deal. Twelve months later there’s no smell LET THE CHILDREN STARVE nowhere to go. I got as far as the door of the Bull of cooking. All that’s happened is the kitchen’s There were times in 2020 when I thought it was and found the entrance blocked. ‘Have you caught fire. The cabinet are crossing their fingers all just a terrible dream and I’d wake up later and booked?’ Booked? I don’t book to go to the pub. I and hoping that the plague will hide the smoke. discover reality. One day I discovered a football turn up. The doorkeeper said I should decide One of the few certainties is that 2020 will be player had became a national hero for advancing when I’d like to have a pint, and ring them. Best the last year that the United Kingdom is in the the theory that it might be civil to give food to to give them a week’s notice. European Union. There are a few things to sort hungry children. I mean, good on Marcus It’s not human. You don’t think to yourself, ‘I’d out, we’re told: like regulations on workers’ Rashford, even if he does play for Man U, but it all like a Guinness at a quarter to five a week on rights, the environment, and financial assistance sounded so desperately obvious, like suggesting Tuesday,’ do you? Yes, there’s a fair chance you by government to businesses. that mass murderers could possibly be will, but that applies to most days. These are the basics! The recipe book, not the imprisoned; huge metal vehicles travelling at choice of garnish. And, with only weeks to go vast speeds might benefit from a driver; or that NO NEWS IS STILL CONFUSING before we leave the club, and head for the ‘sunny you should stop at a red light. For the first few weeks of lockdown I made the uplands’, self-isolated from the EU, and the rest of It was ludicrous. And yet it was debated. In mistake of looking at the news to see what was the world, this government has no idea what Parliament. They actually discussed the notion

10 The ASLEF Journal l December 2020 Cuttings Brunel’s Memo from Turner

OSEPH Mallord William Turner, one of Britain’s greatest artists, was at J the peak of his powers at the height of the industrial revolution and a new exhibition at Tate Britain – which opened, somewhat unfortunately, on Wednesday 28 October, just three days before Boris Johnson announced another lockdown – celebrates the painter’s modernity. It includes, in Steam and Speed, the standout room, Rain, Steam, and Speed – The Great Western Railway (1844) which depicts a locomotive hurtling through a gloriously realised damp mist across a railway bridge, designed and built over the River Thames by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, between Boris Johnson hoped to reap from Rogue Trader has come Maidenhead in Berkshire and Taplow in bumbles and unstuck. Can I have my money back?’ Or buying Buckinghamshire. If you look carefully you blusters and hasn’t a motor from Honest John on tick and, realising can see, ahead of the train, running at full a clue what to do; its defects, saying you wouldn’t be paying any pelt, a hare – famously a symbol of speed in Marcus Rashford further instalments. the natural world. scores for Aren’t investors supposed to take a risk? Isn’t Manchester United that the point? J ohn Major’s franchise system and this country’s means if they win, they win; and if they lose, they kids; while a pint of win as well. the black stuff in And this is the good news. splendid self- isolation is just AT LEAST LABOUR DIDN’T GET IN begging to be The only other positive thing about this year was drunk relief that Labour didn’t win the general election a year ago. Can you imagine the outcry if Labour had that no child should go hungry during school come up with the expenditure that the Tories holidays. Unbelievable! have authorised this year? If John McDonnell or And then 322 Conservative Members of Anneliese Dodds had come up with the support Rain, Steam, and Speed – The Great Western Parliament voted against – it was their Marie packages of Rishi Sunak? Railway by JMW Turner Antoinette moment, not ‘let them eat cake’, but The Tories and their media chums would have ‘The world has never seen anything like ‘let the children starve’ – and the measure was had a field day. It would have confirmed all their this picture,’ said William Makepeace lost. We had a majority in favour of hungry kids. views about foolish irresponsible spending by Thackeray, author of Vanity Fair , at the time. That was when I decided 2020 was definitely a disgusting extreme socialists. They’d all be ‘He has made a picture with real rain, behind bad year. parroting Theresa May’s adage that, ‘There is no which is real sunshine, and you expect a magic money tree.’ rainbow every minute. Meanwhile, there GOOD NEWS FOR RAILS IN WALES The reds would be ruining the country! Every comes a train down upon you, really penny spent supporting broken firms, penniless By now I was growing desperate to find moving, at the rate of 50mph, and which the unemployed workers, and vital public utilities something resembling good news. There was reader had best make haste to see, lest it would have been met with a wailing and a the fact that the railways in Wales are back in should dash out of the picture, and be away gnashing of teeth. public control: but even this is insane. up Charing Cross through the wall opposite.’ Wild reckless spending! Money we haven’t For a kick-off, half the firm that was running Turner’s contemporary – and rival – John got! Nanny state! Bloody commies! the KeolisAmey franchise was Keolis, a Constable described this picture – one of multinational company based in Paris. 150 works in the exhibition – as being Unsurprisingly, when the profits started ARMS FLAILING, BOOTS FLASHING ‘painted with tinted steam’. dropping in Wales, the Keolis crew were ‘not But it would be an exaggeration to say that 2020 There are echoes, in the swirling colours, prepared to shoulder their share of the pain’ went well for Jeremy Corbyn. It ended with him of the thunderous skies and stormy seas according to Welsh Deputy Transport Minister being set upon by Dame Hodge, arms flailing familiar from many of his landscapes, but Lee Waters. He explained that ‘their business and boots flashing. Exhausted with the effort of mostly we have a vivid sense of a train on model collapsed in the face of covid because her assault, she could hardly draw breath when God’s Wonderful Railway in thrilling and the revenue was not coming in’. she was asked about her motives. dynamic motion. Well, that’s fine, then. They weren’t making as ‘Tolerance,’ she gasped. much money out of Wales as they’d anticipated, It’s all too much for me. I’m going to have a n Turner’s Modern World is at Tate Britain, so they were off. Au revoir, mes amis! lie-down until the New Year. The only good thing lockdown notwithstanding, until Sunday It’s like you sticking a tenner on a pony that about 2020 is that it’s going to end: and surely 7 March. Adults £22. comes in last at Chepstow and popping back to 2021 can’t be any worse. Paddy Power next day. ‘The investment I had Can it? Keith Richmond

December 2020 l The ASLEF Journal 11 Equalities

ASLEF, the train drivers’ A train driver is union, is equally driven, a train driver is whether you are male or a train driver female; black or white; lesbian, gay, It is 20 years since the first bisexual, three of our five equalities transgender, committees were set up. or straight; LEE JAMES , ASLEF’s disabled or equalities adviser, able-bodied; introduces our four-page special report young or, er, not so young marking that anniversary

AD 2000 was a big year for ASLEF; the year conference adopted rule changes A which saw the formation of our trade union’s equality structures. We introduced three consultative committees representing women, minutes of AAD, and back copies of the Journal , The committees have grown with Young race, and sexual equality, with an elected some of what I read is astounding; even more so Members and Disabled Members from three to delegate from each of our eight districts. Their when you consider it is not all that long ago. five. The visibility of members from minority primary aim was to ensure that the voices of In contrast, our recent history shows the groups has increased, as has the attention given these minority groups would be heard within progress this union has made in the last 20 to issues specific to them; would ASLEF have our union’s structures. years. The committees have become, in the most argued for trans rights or launched a Mick Rix, the general secretary, told part, a respected and valued part of the ASLEF menopause campaign had these issues not conference: ‘It is time to challenge the ignorance structure. Delegates at AAD no longer seek to been highlighted by the committees and prejudice within the union. We are going to remove them; instead their work receives praise representing the people affected? follow the equality agenda even if it sometimes both from the floor and the top table. Ultimately, the success of our union’s seems shocking to men’s sensibilities. This is a In 20 years of organising for equality, the list equality structures will be measured in their fundamental issue for the progress of our trade of achievements is long, and if you are interested demise. The day that ASLEF sees a female union.’ in reading about them in more detail you can general secretary; an assistant general secretary And – boy oh boy – were some people’s visit aslefequalities20.com. ASLEF has published open about having a disability; a president from sensibilities shocked! In the early years many two On Track with Diversity reports, respected the LGBT+ community; someone from an ethnic attempts were made to remove the committees throughout the railway industry, examining the minority on the executive committee; or a from the rule book, to stifle their voices, and lack of diversity in the driving grade, which have young member elected as a district organiser; there was hostility towards committee held the TOCs and FOCs to account over poor will be the moment we can sit back and say, members. Honestly, looking back at verbatim recruitment practices. ‘We got there.’

Light at the end of the tunnel Equality is the GS MICK WHELAN England, Scotland, and Wales celebrates the work of are women; just 8% are from soul of liberty ASLEF’s equalities an ethnic minority; and only Frances Wright, who committees 15% are under 35. These was born at Dundee figures do not represent the in 1795, and moved SLEF is committed to communities we serve to the United States equality and has been because 51% of the people in in 1825, where she A at the forefront of this country are female; 20% in established a promoting diversity in the rail the last census identified as Mick with Dawn Butler at the Utopian commune, industry. But, as a trade union, ethnic minority; and 23% are launch of On Track with was a feminist, we can only recruit as aged 18 to 35. Frances Diversity at Westminster socialist, and vocal members people who have We believe that a train advocate of Wright been employed as drivers by driver is a train driver is a industry and the change will progressive causes (1795-1852) the privatised TOCs and FOCs. train driver – regardless of benefit everyone. such as birth control, universal So we work with these gender, sexuality, race, or We’ve come a very long way education, equal rights, and the companies every day to ensure religion – and as part of our in the last 20 years – thanks to emancipation of the slaves. ‘Until they encourage women, as over-arching policy we’ve the work of this union and our women assume the place in society well as men, and black and been pushing the train equalities committees – but we which good sense and good feeling minority ethnic, as well as companies, for instance, to still have some way to go. And I alike assign them, human white, and LGBT+, as well as allow more part-time and can see light at the end of the improvement must advance but straight, people to become flexible working, because the tunnel – especially if the feebly,’ she argued. ‘Equality is the drivers. lack of such agreements has recommendations in our On soul of liberty. There is, in fact, no The harsh facts are that only been a barrier, in the past, to Track with Diversity report are liberty without it.’ 6.5% of the train drivers in people coming into our implemented.

12 The ASLEF Journal l December 2020 Equalities

2000: AAD votes to create our ‘We don’t need committees – we’re first three equalities committees – representing Black & Ethnic Minority; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual all ASLEF.’ That’s what they said… & Transgender; and women members FLOYD DOYLE – a driver with Great Northern and member of Cambridge branch – has represented District 5 on ASLEF’s Black & Minority Ethnic Representatives’ Committee since it was established 20 years ago. In 2017 he was invited to chair the TUC Black Workers’ conference at Congress House in London. ‘A big honour,’ notes AGS Simon Weller. ‘Floyd was the first member of ASLEF to chair a TUC conference since Ray Buckton, our GS from 1970 to 1987, back in the 1980s.’ The first ASLEF delegates attend the TUC Women’s conference

WENTY years ago I was black faces in the ticket office, and Floyd at Congress House with 2001: The first ASLEF delegation attends the TUC Lesbian & Gay active in the union, but at the barriers, but not in the Frances O’Grady, general secretary conference T hadn’t held an elected driver’s cab. And this was in the day of the Trades Union Congress position, then Andy Yates, the when a train driver was someone The first ASLEF delegation Cambridge branch secretary, said to look up to, up there with the forward that we should set up attends the TUC Black Workers’ this new BAME committee was station master, and there was, I these committees, people were conference being formed, and twisted my arm. think, a certain incredulity. ‘This very hostile. ‘We don’t need It was quite daunting, to be honest. black person can’t be a driver.’ committees, we’re all ASLEF’. That 2002: The work of each Mick Rix was the GS and I was I joined the railway in 1986 at was the attitude. consultative committee is responsible for – and giving reports the age of 25. I’d been working at I think we’ve successfully published in our annual report to – 21 depots in the district. In the an engineering factory and was changed that mindset. ASLEF – and for the first time beginning people were not, frankly, made redundant – it was last in, the railway – is more diverse, with 2004: AAD adopts a rule to allow that interested in the plight of black first out – and now I was on twice more black people, and more the committees to send a men and women on the railway. the money, on the railway, as I had women. And I think people, in delegate to annual conference At stations like King’s Cross and been in engineering. I worked as a general, are far more ready to Liverpool Street, when I was carriage cleaner, shunter, and accept the minorities the equalities Branch equal opportunity reps getting into the first class carriage, guard, before becoming a driver – committees represent. are added to our rule book on the old slam door trains, to go more money, and warmer – for It’s an incremental process of on into the cab, I would get some British Rail, Network South East, education. And there are a few Paul Patmore is the first ASLEF funny looks. I was wearing my Prism, Wagon, First Capital more hearts and minds to be won. member elected to the STUC uniform, but passengers would say, Connect, and Govia Thameslink But now, I think, and this is different Black Workers’ committee ‘I didn’t realise you were a driver.’ It Railway. from 20 years ago, if you don’t like 2005: Neil Adams is the first me, it’s because it’s me, not because reflected an attitude prevalent at Attitudes have definitely ASLEF member to sit on the the turn of the century. There were improved over the last ten years. At of the colour of my skin. And that, I TUC’s Lesbian & Gay committee hardly any black drivers. You saw first, at AAD, when it was put suppose, is progress… 2006: Pauline Cawood (second right below) is the first ASLEF member elected to the TUC’s Power of the union Women’s committee SUSAN GREENWELL has represented District 4 on the LGBT+ committee since it was formed in 2000. She drives for LNER from Newcastle south to London, and north to Aberdeen and Inverness Susan ‘I blew the blimming doors off!’ Greenwell with ’ve been in the industry all my adult life – I Rachel Harper, Angela Rayner, Matt Whyte, Hugh was born in 1961 and joined the railway in Cumming, David Jones, and Darran Brown I 1979 – at Gateshead, in the days of British Rail, 2007: ASLEF wins a landmark but I’ve been all over the place, working out of driving grade, they wouldn’t change my name on my case at the European Court of Darlington, Wimbledon Park, and back to Newcastle, pass. ATOC said it had to be the same as on my birth Human Rights following the for Regional Railways North-East, InterCity East Coast certificate, but the GS, Mick Rix, phoned up ATOC – and expulsion of a fascist active in the first time, GNER, National Express, InterCity East got it changed. That’s the power of the union. the British National Party Coast the second time, Virgin, and now LNER. The Things have changed over the last twenty years – logos, livery, and uniforms change, but the lines remain things like the Gender Recogniton Act, civil 2010: Ben Wallington is chair of the same. partnerships, and civil marriage, and it’s easier to come the SERTUC LGBT network The equalities committees were definitely needed out – but there’s still a lot to do over the next twenty because it was hard, if not impossible, to come out as years – such as PrEP, so people with HIV can have sex – 2012: ASLEF gay as a driver – there was a real stigma attached to it – and sometimes it’s like we’ve taken a step back. and the IER and when I did one of my colleagues said, with a nod to People are coming up in my own depot – there are publish the first Michael Caine, ‘You didn’t come out of the closet – you seven or eight gay drivers at Newcastle now – so there On Track With blew the blimming doors off!’ Originally you couldn’t will be someone to follow on, and carry on the fight for Diversity report get passes for your partners. When I came out, and equal rights. But I’m not looking to step down quite yet there were only two or three of us on the railway in the – I’d like to serve one more term.

December 2020 l The ASLEF Journal 13 Equalities

I was encouraged to become We need an officer who is not a active in our union because, they said, ‘You’ve always got white, straight, middle-aged man something to say.’ I’ve been branch equality rep, District 7 DAVID JONES , a driver with GWR for 16 years, is LGBT+ rep, and chair, which I Swansea High Street branch secretary, chair of our enjoy very much, as well as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender+ branch secretary at Swansea, and on the drivers’ divisional and Representatives’ Committee, and HSS DDC rep for company councils. Bristol Temple Meads, Bristol Parkway, and Swansea A key moment, I think, was when LGSM – Lesbians and Gays F YOU look at ASLEF’s change that. When Darran Brown, Support the Miners – seeing how annual report right up of District 3, stood for the EC, he the Thatcher government was I the front is a glossy was the first out LGBT+ candidate Debbie and David wear a popular oppressing the miners – a story photograph of the GS and the to stand for election. He didn’t Stonewall tee: ‘Some people are told in the 2014 film Pride – officers of this union. They’re all win, but until that photograph trans. Get over it!’ supported the miners financially, white, male, middle-aged, and properly represents the ASLEF and the miners supported them identify as straight. membership, with a gay, or forbid, a woman, until we have politically. The National Union of Our next, really important – bisexual, man; or someone of normalisation, then there is still Miners, back in the day, were the and achievable – target is to colour; a Chinese person; or, God work to be done. first people to take a motion to

ASLEF’s A railway for white men delegates at the TUC DEBBIE REAY , a Sometimes you need female eyes Women’s conference London Underground to look at female problems and provide the answers; that’s why we in 2019 Tube train driver, and tackle member of Northern needed a Women’s Representatives’ Committee. period Line North branch, is chair And we need more women train poverty (and since 2008 a member) of drivers. Why don’t we see more ASLEF’s Women’s women driving trains? People Representatives’ Committee gravitate towards jobs when they see ‘people who look like me’ so it’s HE railway was set up, in circular; as there aren’t many the 19th century, by and women drivers, we don’t attract brought up my own son very people. Collette Gibson, Alison T for white men. Which was enough women applicants. The differently. Twenty years on ASLEF Miller, and Lee James have worked fine because it worked then but, TOCs and FOCs have to do more. has excellent policies on domestic so hard, inspiring women, going with diversity, rail workers now have Parents, too, because some abuse; and menopause; a great into schools and talking about the different needs – male toilets have attitudes become entrenched in Mind the Gag campaign; and a job. Get them when they’re young! no sanitary bins – and men wouldn’t childhood. Boys get given little guide to working with women, It’s incremental, but we have consider – why would they? – trains, girls get given little dolls. about miscarriage and menopause; made a difference. Although there pregnancy and menopause. That needs to change, and I and we have helped empower is a lot still to do…

racists into my head Don’t let the racists into your headspace space. The equalities TONY VENSON is a freight driver, Rugby something back, and white English girl, and committees got branch secretary, the first black driver to became active. we have mixed race kicked back in 1999 – I was thrilled to be children. Her family there was a deep- chair AAD, and on the inaugural BAME elected branch accepted me from the seated reluctance – committee twenty years ago secretary at Rugby, to beginning, her but we won the day at have 70 members put grandparents with AAD the next year. JOINED a February 1991 and got their trust in me; I’ve minor reservations. People like Paul Tony venson: chair railway- my key in May 1992; been an EWS local Love Thy Neighbour Patmore, Floyd Doyle, of AAD in 2005 I based YTS at I’ve been a driver for level rep; done two and The Black and and Trevor Robinson 16, straight from 28 years. stints on FLHH White Minstrel Show people but, growing have real drive, and school, in 1986. My When I was treated company council; and were on the telly, I up, I saw teachers ambition, and have first job was in the very badly by a a delegate to ten grew up in a deliberately fail the grown. They’ve done mail room at London superviser, who did AADs starting back in predominantly white black kids. Their great things, and Midland’s regional HQ not like ethnic 1996. I was the first neighbourhood, parents would say, attitudes have got in Birmingham; junior minorities, and black chair of AAD in hearing the ‘n’ word, ‘You’ll have to work better. I didn’t join the railman; trainman; levelled serious and 2005, which was but we got on with twice as hard, just to committee because I guard; then driving untrue allegations special as ASLEF was people, people had stand still, but the thought we would school at Euston. I against me, I was 125 years in; and chair our backs, and I took storm will pass.’ People change the world. I joined ASLEF – the really supported by again at Swansea in that into my working are not born racist, it’s thought if we could lighted flame, the the DO, Fred Orton 2010. life. learned behaviour, change attitudes, one family set-up – in Jones, wanted to give I’m 50, married to a I like to see good in and I don’t let the person at a time…

14 The ASLEF Journal l December 2020 Equalities

Labour Party conference about and DO7 Brian Corbett, support Activism is more than just gay rights – a really significant us tremendously. Although the holding a position, shoving my 2013: social and political event. It was previous district organiser, Stan hand in the air, and offering an Separate so important that socialists, and Moran, was completely opposed opinion. It starts with the will of newsletters the labour movement, had policy to the committees. The vast the people, with an ordinary for each on gay rights and we were not majority of full-time officers, I member standing up and taking committee marginalised for our sexuality. think, see the value of the a position and saying, ‘That are replaced Twenty years ago, our own representatives’ committees, and language is not acceptable,’ to by Equally union, at the start of a new have a genuine desire to move back my colleague. Driven century, a new millennium, mindsets into the 21st century. As for the LGBT+ agenda, magazine seeing that people were still We’ve certainly moved we’ve seen real achievements being marginalised because of forward – visibility is important – with the first three letters, but ASLEF sends its first elected their gender, ethnicity, and but we need to see the there’s still a massive problem delegates to the Labour Party sexual orientation, set up the normalisation of women, and gay with transphobia, validated by Women’s conference equalities committees; that’s and lesbian and trans people, important people such as JK what drove it. and people of colour, holding Rowling, and I think, looking at 2014: Equal opportunity reps There was a lot of opposition – positions industrially – because it the anti-trans agenda, that’s the are renamed branch equality right up until fairly recently – but takes gender, race, and sexuality biggest fight we have on our reps and given a defined role we had support from the EC – away from being an issue. When hands. We’ve had a few little 2015: ASLEF publishes its and, in District 7, we’ve been very women vote now, they don’t talk wins, in a few battles, but we equality charter lucky, because EC7 Andy Hudd, about suffrage. need to win the war. The first ASLEF delegation attends the TUC Young Workers’ Fresh ideas and new faces conference 2017: The first Young Members’ The Young Members’ Committee – first Forum is held convened as a forum in January 2017 – represents train drivers aged 35 or ASLEF holds its first equalities weekend school under. YMRC chair JAMES SUTHERLAND , 31, who’s still young for a few The Mind the Gag campaign is more years, looks to the future launched at AAD First Young Members’ UR union is crewed by men and women who conference drive trains, but the operators have an ageing O workforce and, thus, the union ages, too. The 2018: ASLEF submits an point of the Young Members’ section is to help push ASLEF’s Young Members visit Parliament in 2018 emergency motion on trans involvement, bringing fresh ideas and new faces, so rights to the TUC’s LGBT+ young members can see ‘people who look like me’, I think we’ve proven our work through covid. We’ve conference which leads to the encouraging them to attend branch meetings, giving been banging on about the use of technology to TUC supporting self-declaration young members an opportunity, and encouraging increase branch meeting attendance for three years. for trans and non-binary people more young men and women to become drivers. Covid forced us to rethink. Newton Heath 143 has had Darran I started at 19, serving tea and coffee in first class as great success with Zoom meetings, people can drop in, Brown (left) a trolley dolly on the East Coast, becoming a driver at and drop out, when they’re sat spare in the rest room. is the first 23, with London Midland at Bletchley, moving after Let’s carry on, I think we have to now. out gay man three years to Northern at Manchester Victoria. I would like to see a direct line of promotion in the to chair AAD I’ve always been union. At 16, when I worked as railway, to increase the diversity of our grade. There are seasonal staff on a preserved railway, I joined the RMT. a lot of ex-plods, and ex-forces, who are pale, male, and My father was a rep for the Boilermakers’ union, before stale. Other areas – our colleagues on ticket barriers – 2019: A new edition of On Track it became the GMB, so I grew up with unions. My have a more diverse establishment. with Diversity is launched at the mother worked in the pharmaceutical industry and And, in our union, there are gatekeepers in some Houses of Parliament (below) was always complaining that more and more was branches who have been there for years and years – demanded of them, and dad would say, ‘Organise!’ and that’s not always healthy. More supportive workplaces ROSS BLAND , a driver with South Western Railway at Waterloo, and chair of ASLEF’s new Disabled Members’ Forum, would like people to stop taking the piss, please

SLEF has got all these with disabilities – we want that to other areas covered – stop, please, because it’s not very The DMF’s first meeting was held A this is the last one – and nice – and we’d like to achieve 2020: Inaugural meeting of our at A SLEF ’s head office in February it’s about recognising disability, recognition within the grade, as Disabled Members’ Forum improving the visibility of train drivers. I’m 42 and, like a lot ticket office at New Malden for ASLEF launches a report on the members with disabilities, and of train drivers, this wasn’t my three years. But it really did take experience of menopause in the striving to create more open and first job; I was a sparks – an a lot of persuasion to get the workplace supportive workplaces. People electrician – and long distance driving job and we’d like that to often take the piss out of people lorry driver before working in the change.

December 2020 l The ASLEF Journal 15 Equalities I fell into Tosh’s trap

SAN SENIK , a driver with DB Cargo, is the first woman to be elected to the Black & Minority Ethnic Representatives’ Committee, of which she is now chair

WAS born at Dersim, in Turkey, to Kurdish I parents, in 1971. My dad came to England in 1980, my siblings in 1982, and I came over in 1984 with not a word of English under my belt (I spoke Turkish at school, as we were under army occupation, and Kurdish at home). I put everything into learning English, I carried a dictionary around, learning words, but it was six months before I could have a conversation. process of getting it going again. It was very hard. At school in I’m so glad Tosh encouraged me. Enfield, north London, I was the ASLEF in action: DO1 Graham Morris, Floyd Doyle, Trevor There is inequality in the only foreign kid, apart from a Robinson and Ed d’Bell; the first joint equalities meeting workforce and inequality at home. couple of Italians, but, after my in 2014; and the WRC marks the 100th anniversary of the Look at our EC – it’s 100% second fight, yes, I made friends. Representation of the People Act (1918) Caucasian male – and unions A year 8 spat sandwich on my need to look into how to make blazer and I asked him politely to active in the Communist Party , wondered. ‘You should become a that better. I’ve found resistance wipe it off. I gave him three but stopped when I became a train driver,’ he said. It was never not to me as BAME but to me as a chances and, when he still mother because, bringing up a on my radar, as a male-dominated woman. ‘As a woman, you’ve refused, I punched him! And he child alone, I had no time. industry, and because no one taken a man’s job.’ Most women became my best friend… I did an English degree at the from my background, I thought, have children at home. How are From the age of eight I wanted Open University and I read in worked a train. unions going to accommodate to go into journalism, but that three different languages now. But there was a trainee job at women? Without plans in place didn’t happen, and I wanted to go Shakespeare never resonated DB Cargo so I applied – of the 400 we’re left with empty words. to uni, but finances were difficult, with me, but I love the Brontë people at the assessment only TOCs and FOCs need to start so I worked in travel for ten years sisters, Steinbeck, Ben Okri, and two had brown faces – but I going into schools to talk about for a small company in Southgate, the Russian classics, especially passed and went for interview careers in the railway. At the north London, who ran tailor- Dostoevsky. and they said it could be ‘anything moment Network Rail go in and made trips to Africa, Australia and I moved from London to from five months to five years’. talk about safety on railway lines; New Zealand. Doncaster and went into I started on 8 January 2018. I but no one talks about being a The opulence – staying with teaching, children with special live in Doncaster, work at DBC’s train driver. And the TOCs and tourists in Thailand at a five star educational needs, specialising in South Yorkshire hub, and am FOCs need to provide proper, hotel, with people begging on the autism, until the whole team was branch secretary of Sheffield No 1. and better, facilities for women. other side of the street – made me made redundant and I fell into It was dormant, it’s not a big Trade unions and train operators question things even more, and I Tosh’s trap. What’s going to branch, but it has historical need to work together to change decided this wasn’t for me. I was happen to the mortgage, I importance and we’ve started the the mindset.

Watch The Big Meeting half-price I’m the producer of The Big Meeting film, about the Durham Miners’ Gala. Many ASLEF branches were very generous and donated money to help get the film made – so much so we have the ASLEF logo in the final credits of the film. As a thank you, we’d like to offer your readers 50% off the film on DVD. The DVD is normally £10 but we are offering it to ASLEF members for £5 (plus 75p p&p). Just go to www.galafilm.co.uk/aslef and enter the password ASLEF2020 to buy the DVD. Christie Allanson

16 The ASLEF Journal l December 2020 Firebox Justice (sort of) at last

Thirty-five years after the bitter miners’ strike of 1984-85, Scottish miners have achieved a pyrrhic victory. They will be pardoned next year. Now Neil Findlay is calling on Boris Johnson to hold a public inquiry into policing throughout the United Kingdom during the dispute over pit closures, mining communities, and jobs. KEITH RICHMOND , somewhat sceptically, suggests we shouldn’t hold our collective breath for a Tory government, finally, to do the right thing

HE Scottish government is to pardon The police, acting hundreds of men wrongly convicted under T of offences during the bitter miners’ government strike of 1984-85. Humza Yousaf, the Justice instructions, were Secretary, said legislation in the new year will brutal on the provide the miners with a collective and, in picket lines, and many cases, posthumous pardon in an effort, corrupt in he hoped, ‘to provide closure’ to mining colluding on communities. fabricating ‘This was a bitter and divisive dispute’, he evidence to use in told the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood. court ‘Although three decades have passed, scars from the experiences still run deep. In some areas of the country, the sense of being hurt were wrongly sacked by the National Coal We were on strike for our lives. The 1972 strike and being wronged remains corrosive.’ Board – which represented 30% of the total was about money. This was about jobs and throughout Britain, even though just 7% of the communities”.’ WE NEED A PUBLIC INQUIRY UK workforce worked at Scottish pits. Kevin Lindsay, ASLEF’s organiser in Neil Findlay, the Scottish Labour MSP for Neil Findlay, a long-time friend of ASLEF, Scotland, said: ‘This has been a long time Lothian, who has campaigned tirelessly for a said findings from the Hillsborough inquiry coming, and is too late for many good men review of the convictions, said the UK and the release of British government cabinet who are, sadly, no longer with us. But it is a government at Westminster should now follow papers covering the strike confirmed the view, vindication for the miners, and a tribute to the Scotland’s lead, and revisit a decision in 2016 to long-held in the Labour Party and the labour hard work of Neil Findlay in campaigning for reject calls for a public inquiry into the movement, that policing of the strike was not so long for a pardon for these men.’ controversial policing of the strike. just brutal, and vindictive, but politically- ASLEF, the train drivers’ union, was proud to This, it has to be said, is unlikely, for three motivated. stand shoulder to shoulder with the miners reasons. The miners, striking legitimately ‘Most were trumped-up charges of minor throughout the year-long industrial dispute. against pit closures, were brutally attacked by breaches of the peace,’ said Neil, ‘but the ‘Johnnie Walker, ASLEF’s organiser in police in a politically-inspired assault on affected people lost their jobs, they lost their Scotland for 15 years, was proud to be able to workers’ rights by the far-right government of right to redundancy, they lost their livelihoods, say that not a shovelful of coal was moved, by Margaret Thatcher; the decision in 2016 was and many were blacklisted. Many never, ever, train, during the strike,’ recalls Sir David taken by a Tory Prime Minister, Theresa May, recovered.’ Hamilton – better known to most activists as and despite everything he did to undermine Davie, before he was knighted in the Birthday her to get her job he is unlikely to go against a HONEST, HARD-WORKING MEN Honours’ List of 2016 – who was a miner for Conservative Party decision; and Boris Johnson Humza Yousaf explained: ‘The purpose of the twenty years, and was jailed during the strike, is, himself, famously anti-trade union. review was to provide an opportunity to those before becoming Labour MP for Midlothian He likes to boast that, during his time as affected by the strike to share their from 2001 to 2015. And Davie’s response to Mayor of London, he refused to meet ASLEF, experiences as a means to aid understanding the news of the pardons? ‘It’s never too late to and the other rail unions, even though and reconciliation. The report makes reference right a wrong.’ transport in the capital is one of the mayor’s to the testimony of miners across a range of main responsibilities. And he has been heard to issues, such as state interference in policing; THIS IS JUST THE START joke – at least, we hope it was a joke – that his wrongful arrest; miscarriages of justice; and Andy ‘Watty’ Watson, a miner and a member of hero Winston Churchill ‘had the right idea’ unfair dismissal. In particular, that NCB the NUM before he became a train driver and when, in 1910, as Home Secretary, he deployed management in Scotland was unfair and member of ASLEF, who was the youngest man cavalry from the 18th Royal Hussars and inconsistent in its policy of dismissal, with to be sacked during the strike, said: ‘I was infantrymen from the Lancashire Fusiliers on many miners being dismissed for relatively proud to become a miner. There was solidarity the streets of Tonypandy in south Wales to minor offences.’ in our village because this was a fight not for break a miners’ strike. A year later Churchill The Justice Secretary finished by quoting to money but for jobs and the livelihood of the ordered soldiers from the Warwickshire the Scottish Parliament two men on different community. Everything Arthur Scargill said regiment to shoot workers during the Liverpool sides of the dispute. ‘First a police officer from a came true. Thatcher destroyed towns and transport strike, put a gunboat, HMS Antrim , on mining community: “I was brought up beside villages across the country. the Mersey, and dispatched Scots Guards to miners all my life and had nothing but respect ‘We’re getting somewhere. At last. I’m 55 end the siege of Sidney Street in the East End of for them for doing a very dirty, dangerous, and this has been a burden, a cloud, hanging London by burning down the house. hard job – that view has not changed of the over my head for 36 years. It’s been a long fight Humza Yousaf admitted that Scottish miners honest, hard-working men, I met and knew.” for justice and I will continue because it’s not had been disproportionately punished. Some And it is only right I give the very last word to a about a pardon, those convictions should be 500 were wrongly arrested – and 200 of those miner: “We were not on strike to have a fight. quashed. And this is just the start…

December 2020 l The ASLEF Journal 17 Branch Lines

100 years ago an Unknown maintained his military links by volunteering with the charity Combat Warrior arrived at victoria Stress, and this was recognised by the Southern manager who nominated him. PLAQUE sits on the wall between Marc took part in the centenary service platforms 8 and 9 at victoria (smaller than we would have liked, due to A station. Thousands of people walk current restrictions) with great pride. And past it each day, and many do not notice. It the depot has taken great pride in having says that the Unknown Warrior arrived on one of its own chosen for this railway and platform 8 at 20.32 on 10 November 1920. was planning something and nominated a military commemoration, and the ‘well One victoria driver, Steve Copley, driver for the train that would be part of the done’ comments on the group WhatsApp noticed, though, and several months in commemoration. with many a photo of the event take pride advance of the centenary of the coffin Surely it would be a victoria driver! But, of place at the depot. arriving in the capital, told GTR that no, the driver put forward was from the A small depot like Epsom doesn’t often something should be done to mark the second smallest depot on Southern, Epsom, get recognition but, on this occasion, we are anniversary. A challenge in these covid-hit with just 25 drivers. That driver was Marc very proud of Marc. So, on behalf of the times. Stoner, an ex-serviceman, and one of our depot, thank you to Steve Copley for Steve didn’t hear anything back, but GTR local ASLEF reps at the depot. He is very reminding GTR, and to Marc Stoner for did act on his suggestion. One manager (an patriotic, and proud of this country’s partaking in this event. ex-serviceman) heard that the company servicemen, past and present. He has Dave MacLennan , Epsom depot Lest we forget Graham Mays’ life on the railway On Saturday 7 November Carmarthen 1977 Left school, worked a few jobs, including branch joined other organisations in a in a clothing factory, sheet metal, and socially distanced event to remember all of engineering, not knowing what to do. ‘As my those who lost their lives for our country. In grandfather, dad, and uncle worked on the particular, we remember the eight soldiers of railway, my uncle said try the railway. Best the Great Western Railway who worked at thing he could have helped me with – a career Carmarthen, and who fell during the Great lasting 40 years’. War of 1914-18. The branch would also like to 24 November 1980 His uncle Roy thank the branch chair Simon Biggs for Ellingford, a guard at Shenfield, got him a job organising the remembrance event. as a guard at the same depot. Chris Owen , Carmarthen branch 045 1985 Shenfield closed and he moved to secretary Clacton as a guard. 3 October 1988 ‘Trainman concept came in, and I chose the driving grade. Continued as a guard until a course became available.’ August 1989 Started driver training (boil in the bag driver). March 1990 Passed out as a qualified driver. Rules and regs by Bob Clowe. Route learning until June. June 1990 First driving turn. ‘Got my driving check at Clacton depot taking Peter Marvel’s job on his retirement.’ 13 October 2002 Went to Wildenrath in Germany for a week to learn how to drive Class 360s for the press launch of the units. 21 January 2005 Left Clacton. ‘During my time there I signed all EMUs including 308, 309, 310, 312, 313, 316, 321 and 360s.’ 24 January 2005 Started as a driver at Freightliner Intermodal Ipswich in the West Coast link, signing as far north as Crewe. Later transferred to East Coast link, signing as far north as Wilton terminal, Leeds, and Doncaster. ‘Gradually we lost work and, in the last few years, only went as far as Rugby on the West Coast and Doncaster on the East Coast.’ November 2017 ‘Became the h&s rep for Ipswich depot – and enjoyed the challenge until I retired.’ 24 November 2020 Decided to take early retirement after completing exactly 40 years working on the railway, from British Rail to private companies. Carmarthen remembers those who fell in war Lee Barber , Ipswich 109 branch secretary Graham Mays aka the Kernal (his spelling)

18 The ASLEF Journal l December 2020 Obituaries

DAVE LUDWIGSEN FUNNY, KIND AND GENEROUS GUY Dave Ludwigsen has left us at the age of 46. He passed away on Thursday 29 October after a short illness. Dave, from Gorton, Manchester, started on British Rail aged 19 on 25 January 1993 and was booked as a trainman D at Longsight on vacancy list no 2 on Monday 12 April 1993. He loved the Holiday Camp, and used to joke that he was fearful of the day when he might have to work for a living. I remember him coming out for rides in the cab with me enthusing about some of the characters at Maplins, blokes he never imagined existed, of his passing; to say this is really a huge and certainly not driving trains. understatement. Such a funny, kind, When Longsight BOP closed in July 1994 generous, gorgeous guy, loved by us all and he transferred to Manchester Piccadilly, taken far too soon. became a driver, and then transferred to We are many, right from retired staff in Freightliner at Crewe Basford Hall. His last our 70s, 80s and beyond, and younger, move was to GBRf at Peak Forest. recently joined staff in their 20s and 30s all His great loves were his partner, Rach, spread now far and wide across the country their pedigree cats, fast convertible cars, and for different rail companies. For all of us this the railway. news has come as such a bitter blow. This is the moving message on a card The fact that we cannot be present at a delivered to Dave’s mother Sue by Jeanette funeral to show our respects or to gather to Clockwise: Dave, Jeanette, and other former Anslow, a driver with Northern, Manchester toast him does not mean that we will not be Holiday Camp ‘orange coats’; Earl, former Piccadilly, and former Longsight colleague: there in spirit with you on the day. So please Longsight shunter, Alison, former Longsight To all Dave’s family, I’m writing this on accept our love and support to you and trainwoman and Leeds XC driver, and Dave; behalf of Dave’s ‘other family’ – his railway know you are not alone in your grief. and the sign of four with Jeanette and Dave family. We are all so very devastated to hear Mel Thorley , RMS Longsight on the right

BARRY WILLIAMS PETER EVANS POKING FUN AT MANAGEMENT WICKED SENSE It is with great sadness that I have to announce the passing of our colleague and brother Peter OF HUMOUR Evans in September after a short illness. Peter Retired Euston driver Barry came to Birmingham New Street in 1989 from Williams sadly passed away in Leicester. He became a driver in 1991 at New September aged 80 after a Street where he remained for the rest of his short battle against cancer. career. Peter was a railwayman through and An extremely knowledgeable through. You could always spot him at New footplateman with a wicked Street, with his bright orange hi-vis coat over his and dry sense of humour, uniform. He had a dry sense of humour that Barry started his railway would often see him poking fun at Barry loved football, whisky career at St Albans loco aged management when things weren’t quite going and the occasional cigar 15 on 23 July 1955 shortly to plan. It has been a privilege and a pleasure being part of your journey, Peter. after the two week strike in and, like many of us, had a Everyone at New Street misses you. Rest in June. Made redundant in deep fondness for all things peace, Peter. January 1960, he moved to railway, regularly attending Debbie Insull , Birmingham New Street Peter: railwayman through Cricklewood West and, after railway reunions, and a keen 141 branch and through with his badges that depot closed in 1967, the visitor to heritage railways new depot Cricklewood East throughout the country. Our until 1971. Then Barry, by now condolences to his son, DAVE SMITH FINE CONNOISSEUR OF REAL ALES a driver, used his redundancy daughter, grandchildren, and move to go to Euston, where the rest of his family. Retired Euston driver Dave Smith passed away he remained; retiring from the Mick Lovatt , retired driver, in November aged 73. Dave started his railway top link in 2005. Barry loved Euston, and Mick career at Gloucester in the early 1960s, moving football, smoked the odd Humphrys , Euston driver to Cricklewood and then, finally, Euston, cigar with a glass of whisky assessor retiring early due to hearing loss. With an in- depth knowledge of many subjects, railway and non-railway related, I always enjoyed chatting to and learning from Dave at the JONATHAN PETERS Euston retirement and 1A reunions he I am the partner of Jonathan Peters, who was an regularly attended. He was a truly ASLEF member (Jubilee East branch). It is with a knowledgeable connoisseur of real and fine heavy heart that I inform you that Jonathan ales, which he enjoyed with friends at 1A passed away in August. outings. We will raise a glass to him at our next Laura Eneschi one! Our thoughts now are with his family. Dave, who knew his ales, Mick Humphrys , Euston driver assessor enjoys a fine pint of IPA

December 2020 l The ASLEF Journal 19 Letters

Join the conversation! Send letters by email to The night in 1921 two railwaymen were murdered [email protected] or by in cold blood at Mallow station in County Cork Royal Mail to the ASLEF Next month (January) even 100 years ago, had Journal at 77 St John Street, marks the centenary of the courage to make a Clerkenwell, the brutal murder of two stand on an issue that London, ASLEF members, Bros made us highly Daniel Mullane and Denis unpopular in many EC1M 4NN Bennett, by the notorious circles, and which had the Black and Tans at Mallow courage to take on the in County Cork. overwhelming jingoism A lazy charlatan and his On the night of 31 of the time that deemed January 1921, after criticism of the actions of cabinet of hollow men Captain William King of anyone in uniform as Mick, it was with great interest, and alarm, that the Royal Irish ‘disloyal’. I read your leader column ( Journal , November) Constabulary had been We all support especially regarding the ensuing fallout from shot by the IRA near meaningful and dignified lockdown. The article completely encapsulates Mallow railway station, GS John Bromley: ‘I won’t respect for sacrifice and the current state this country is in, ‘governed’ the Black and Tans let my members be shot duty that allows for (and I use the word loosely) by Boris Johnson stormed the station and like dogs’ honesty and questioning. and his cabinet of hollow men. I have always rounded up dozens of That must stand in considered Mr Johnson a charlatan, and career staff from the mess been taking part in a contrast to the slavish opportunist, who casts around empty rooms, the offices, and munitions strike at the jingoism whipped up by promises and rhetoric like confetti. the loco shed. They time, refusing to carry the very same people It’s my view that this man has seen the marched them to the soldiers, armed police, or who whip up opinion pandemic as a tool to drive through his own edge of a nearby field and weapons on their trains. against our trade union political agenda with the aid of powerful told them to run for their GS Bromley said he whenever we have the sections of the media not only being used to lives. would not allow his temerity to defend influence people but, for too many, doing their In the words of the members to be ‘shot like ourselves, our families, thinking for them. For good, or bad, at least general secretary of our dogs’ and ‘murdered in and our standard of you knew where you stood with Mrs Thatcher, union, John Bromley, they cold blood’ and the EC living. but Mr Johnson has taken the art of spin to a were then ‘riddled with announced a strike of all I trust our union will new level. As for the rail industry, logically, bullets’. Dozens of people members for February. be, as we were 100 years renationalisation should be the way forward, were injured, and four The establishment was ago, unafraid to recognise but I have this nagging doubt that, once under were killed, including the terrified, as its policy of the difference. the dead hand of the apparatchiks at the DFT, two ASLEF members. In collective punishment, Robert O’Connell, chair, and under intense lobbying from the road the course of their raid, and vicious reprisals, Northern Line North industry, it may be pay back time for having to the Black and Tans also were drawing increasing run empty trains during the pandemic. The rail went into a signal box and opprobrium. But, luckily Note: Denis Bennett, a industry’s predicament is not helped by threw the 70-year-old for them, the NUR 17-year-old engine articles in the mainstream media, such as that signalman down the President Jimmy Thomas cleaner, was also a by the so-called travel expert Simon Calder. stairs, leaving the signal rode to their rescue (as he member of the Irish His was a very simplistic, ill-informed feature box unmanned (at the so often did!) and, with a Republican Army on (empty) duplicate services on the ECML. No inquiry that followed, the bit of manoeuvring, left although not, according reflection that this was a result of the business only wrongdoing ASLEF isolated, within the to Republican sources, ‘an model created by privatisation, and with no attributed to the troops TUC and the Labour Party, active volunteer in this inclusion and/or explanation of the complexity was that they had left the and the action never incident’. Daniel Mullane, of train planning, train crew diagrams, rail signal box unmanned!) materialised. a 23-year-old fireman, at infrastructure, etc. Noting the rewards of and then opened fire on I write this letter to first escaped the failure for Mr Grayling, it was apposite to read the driver and fireman of highlight a forgotten, and indiscriminate firing but recently that the super rich have had an an approaching train. brutal, murder of two of went back to help a extremely profitable year in 2020. Yet, with The railwaymen were our brothers, Bennett and wounded driver, Harry mass unemployment looming, so many probably targeted Mullane, all those years Martin, was shot three businesses already gone, and the expansion of because many ASLEF ago. I am proud to be a times, and died the next AI what does this mean for the future of the members in Ireland had member of a union that, morning. workplace? We can’t all sit at home tapping away on laptops when AI will do it. More power to you, Mick, but I don’t have to tell you that the unions are really up against it. was undoubtedly the major issue at the last local. He could have signalled his support by Jeff Morgan , Retired Members’ Section general election but you cannot ignore the pledging to address the poverty experienced fact that Jeremy Corbyn, after trumpeting that by those women worst affected by the raising The other reasons Jeremy Labour had a fully costed manifesto, then slips of the state pension age rather than all women a further £58 billion into the equation in regardless of circumstance. did not become PM, Tosh support of WASPI (Women Against State There was, without doubt, a perceived Tosh McDonald ( Journal , October) makes Pension Inequality) which played into the problem surrounding the treatment of Jewish some valid points in his letter concerning hands of a grateful right-wing press. It was MPs which was never satisfactorily addressed, truth, honesty, and leading by example. Brexit certainly a hot topic of conversation in my and the fact that Jeremy defied the Labour

20 The ASLEF Journal l December 2020 Classifieds whip and voted against his own party in the be filling the pages of the Journal . DARLINGTON 125th House of Commons on 428 occasions since Maybe it’s time to ask the members of this anniversary badge 1895-2020. 1997 was another gift to a rabid right-wing union what they want and to disaffiliate the All badges individually press. union from the Labour Party and the politics numbered. £6.50 inc p&p. The canny use of social media to promote that go with it. Please contact branch secretary the Labour message in 2017 was an Kester Escandon , Norwich branch John Clark by email at [email protected] undoubted success but, by 2019, the Tories had latched on and caught up. Jeremy was Mick says: Thank you, Kester, for your FINAL RUN by Gareth urged by several elder statesmen in the Labour contribution to the debate; that’s one of the Tomkins. Painting in Party to avoid going to the country as the polls acrylics to mark the last functions of the Journal , to represent and run of the HST on indicated a Labour defeat but, instead, to give reflect the differing views of ASLEF western region. High Boris Johnson a terminal roasting by denying members. We are a democratic, and quality giclée prints using archival inks on fine art him the means to pass his Brexit legislation. transparent, organisation. The policies of paper available at £50 plus p&p. Unframed. Labour and Lib Dem judgement at this point our trade union are made by the members, Overall size 20x16in; image size 18x14in with was, sadly, lacking as events subsequently through the branch structure, and at AAD. 1in white border. Delivered in strong cardboard proved. The EC and our DOs are all elected, as is the tube. To order email me at [email protected]. Payment accepted via PayPal. I voted Labour in 2017 and 2019 and GS, the AGS, and all our other reps. recognise that Jeremy is a decent human Incidentally, that ‘pale, male, and stale’ THE KING’S CROSS STORY being with honestly held beliefs but never remark was meant to be humorous and by Peter Darley (The History once did I think he could carry the country made in what I hoped was a self- Press, £20) as featured on the with him. I believe that ‘soft left’ Keir Starmer deprecating manner – because I am male, centre pages of the January will be difficult for the press to demonise and and pale, although I’m hopefully not yet Journal . Buy it direct from the the right-wing lobby to get a hand on. He may stale! – at the launch of our report on Camden Railway Heritage Trust at a discounted price of £15 inc p&p; email [email protected] or have the ‘most factional shadow cabinet’ Tosh diversity when I was trying to encourage phone 020 7586 6632 for details. ‘All income from can remember but it is effective and does more women, more people from ethnic sales goes to the trust,’ says Peter. seem to resonate with the voting public as minorities, more LGBT+ people, and more Labour has reduced the Conservative lead young people, to become train drivers, so HANDMADE miniature from plus 23% in March to virtually zero and that we represent the passengers we carry driver’s keys to wear as a charm falling. I realise that it would have been and the communities we serve. It is also the or round the neck. Solid silver difficult not to have made inroads with this and solid 9ct gold weighing policy of this union but there is – and approximately 7 grams. Just over 2cm in length incompetent bunch but, in little more than six always will be – room in our union for those and just under 2cm width. Gold £300, silver £100 + months, this is still impressive. of us who are male and pale, Kester! £7 p&p recorded delivery. Contact Brad McCarthy The UK is crying out for honest, equitable, Incidentally, I would be wary of aligning on 07929 350146. and fair government for all and, as Starmer myself with Richard Nixon, the US President said in his acceptance address, in order to who used that expression ‘the silent CASH paid for original pre 90s effect change you have to be in power. Recent majority’ in 1969, because it didn’t end well railway photographic slides or polling in this country indicates that most negatives. Please contact GBRf for him, did it? Tonbridge driver (and railwayana collector) John people reject the extremes of left and right Waddington at [email protected] and I hope that Labour’s current leadership proves to be successful, albeit within a slightly No one wants Robbie the NORWOOD depot special pin badges disunited Labour Party. Robot in the driver’s cab including Cowden 25th anniversary. FP Chase , Retired Members’ Section £3 each or £5 the pair (inc p&p). A brilliant article – When robots rule the world Proceeds to Norwood Drivers’ Social – penned by Chris Proctor in November’s Club. Email Stuart Boxall at Tired of political gestures Journal . He has articulated what I have [email protected] thought for so long. If, driven by corporate I write to address Steve Nimmo ( Journal , GROVE PARK branch 50th September) criticising Paul Amers ( Journal , greed, we continue to eradicate jobs and anniversary badge. £6.50 inc p&p. August). Paul set out the serious concerns of manufacturing then what will be left for us Contact branch secretary Ray Garland many ASLEF members about the direction the and, more importantly, for our children and 07931 612615 or [email protected] union and the general secretary is pursuing their grandchildren to do! I would, if I may, add AIRDRIE has produced a badge to with regard to certain political agendas driven to Chris’s article that it is always with profound commemorate its reopening as a by the Labour Party. disbelief that I have never understood, and separate branch. £6.50 inc p&p. Please Mr Nimmo cannot accept on one hand that have come to despise, the false economics and contact branch chair Ivan Wilson Mr Amers is entitled to an opinion and then corporate greed of not manufacturing quality (07949 862393) for details. attack his point of view because, in his eyes, he goods in this United Kingdom. To enable should follow the trade unionist mantra, and it people to have secure jobs, earning a decent PERTH branch badge to is intolerable he does not do so. living wage, and go on to pay their fair taxes. commemorate 110 years (1908- 2018). £6 plus £1 p&p. Cheques I find myself in the silent majority here as a Taxes which provide for the security and social payable to Perth branch ASLEF No member of ASLEF. Over the past year, services for us all. 134 General. Please contact branch particularly, we’ve been called pale and stale Mick Humphrys , Euston driver assessor secretary Grant Murchie for details on 07412 by the GS and I’ve also been told I have white 453454 or [email protected] privilege as a result of this. I have found these BRITISH RAIL TRAIN comments, coming from the GS and the union CREW MANUALS 33056 BUXTON & PEAK FOREST 125 years limited edition badge 1892- in articles published in the Journal highly SERIES WANTED for my offensive and insulting to myself as a loyal 2017. £6 plus £1 p&p from branch personal collection. Good secretary Paul Costello; email ASLEF member and 30 year railwayman. price paid for all wanted [email protected] Myself and many other members are tired manuals. email Tony of the constant political gesturing and I ask Middleton, GBRf driver, To place an advertisement please phone and remind the GS and the EC to concentrate at [email protected] 020 7324 2400 or send an email to on the workplace, not politics, which seems to [email protected]

December 2020 l The ASLEF Journal 21 Points and Crossings Coronavirus reset and go

HE government uses record high (ITV report, 1 various terms to September). T describe the rules it Different parts of the country imposes – national lockdown, have been shut down, before local shut downs, circuit breaker – another national lockdown in but do these draconian measures England. It seems the public are really work? If the first national fed up. So is it time we tried lockdown did not flatten the another strategy? curve back in March, why are we The theory of herd immunity going through all this again? appears to be gaining The first lockdown came into momentum. Basically, when most force on Monday 23 March, of the population is immune, initially for three weeks, and was around 80%, to an infectious further extended for another disease this provides protection to three weeks. The Prime Minister the population who are not (John made an announcement on Hopkins School of Public Health, Are we just going to have to get used to living – and travelling – with Sunday 10 May, easing some of April 2020). The Great Barrington the coronavirus threat? Is it time we tried another strategy? the restrictions, including the Declaration has been signed by infamous Rule of Six, even more than 45,000 medical rates at the Office for National us. But it’s only recently been managing to confuse himself at a practitioners, eminent scientists, Statistics. The government tells us discovered. And we will have to press conference when he was and academics from all over the the average age of death from the live with it. asked, and struggled, to explain it. world supporting this idea. It has virus is 82. Well, if most of us get For what’s it's worth, brothers Since then, it’s been all bad certainly worked in Sweden. to this age we should consider and sisters, a Happy Christmas news. Unemployment up! A couple more facts I’d like to ourselves very lucky. and Happy New Year to you all… Redundancies just keep rolling in! share. Coronavirus does not even From my perspective, I believe Ghulam N Khan , Birmingham Mental illnesses up! Suicides at a feature in the top 10 mortality coronavirus has always been with New Street 141

SIMON CHADWICK GENTLEMAN AND FRIEND TO MANY London stands with Simon E Chadwick, known as ‘Shadow’, a long service ASLEF member who retired in January, Manchester sadly passed away on Monday 26 October at the age of 61. He started at Dewsnap sidings The north-south divide plays up quite rough as a shunter, progressing to guard at on occasions – particularly during rugby or Manchester Piccadilly, then driver in 1988 football encounters between teams at under the train crew concept, retiring at the different ends of England – but it was good to start of this year after 40-plus years on the see this offer of support on a London railway. Simon was a true gentleman, Underground service information board respected by all and friend to many. He leaves during the recent run-in between Andy his wife Sue, daughters Sarah and Stacy, and Burnham in Manchester and Steve Rotheram granddaughters Abigail and Lola. in Liverpool with Boris Johnson in London. Chris Thompson , Manchester Piccadilly No 1 branch secretary Simon ‘Shadow’ Chadwick: respected by all

LAST JOURNEYS Milk of human kindness On top of the covid-19 crisis 2020 has Sean Connery’s first been a bad year all round; made worse job as a young lad by bad management by our leaders was on a milk round and scientists. Year on year we have in his home city. virus mutations but lack of international Many years later, co-operation and leadership, governed after starring as 007 by financial gain, has come back to bite A tux (and Walther PPK) in six James Bond them and is going to cost us dear. In films, he was taking 2020 King’s Cross has lost the following to deliver the milk? a taxi to the film comrades, and wives, but not to covid- festival in Edinburgh 19: Dave Daveney, Pam Ford, Ken and amazed his driver by knowing Humphries, John Mewitt, Ken Pettingill, the name of every street they Ivy Shaw, George Smart, Richard passed. ‘How come you have such a Sullivan, and Rita Tutty. May they RIP. good knowledge of the area?’ asked Hoping 2021 will come good for us all. the driver. ‘Well, I used to work on a Fraternally… milk round here.’ ‘Oh, aye, so, what Peter Smith , King’s Cross 110 branch do you do now?’ RIP Sean. reporter Mel Thorley , RMS Longsight 126 How long do you think it took for managers to clock this service announcement?

22 The ASLEF Journal l December 2020 The Christmas Crossword Across Down 3 Criminal deception 1 The border of a On Track 6 Large ape country Prize crossword 176 by Tom Williams 7 Requiring 2 Old British coin immediate attention worth two bob 8 Under-age person 3 Defective or Brian Corbett 9 The inside imperfect 12 Foreigner 4 Wrath LL of us at Reading 169 14 Something well 5 Wild Australian dog A branch want to thank you for worth having 6 Athlete your peerless performance 15 Water tortoise 10 To teach how to during these past six years as our 18 Spiny shrub with do tasks District 7 Organiser. You have always yellow flowers 11 Withdraw into been a very dedicated and diligent 19 Ingenious device seclusion brother of ASLEF, whose efficiency is 20 Dried bean used 13 A complete lack unsurpassed. After 23-odd years of in stews of interest consistent commitment as branch 21 Very tiny 14 Silky-haired breed secretary, and then periods as branch of rabbit chair, and company council rep, in 16 Correct in every 2008 you became a member of the EC detail and then, in 2014, DO7. The branch is 17 Rascal not going to be the same without you; Solution to Prize Crossword 175 your absence will be greatly felt by all. Across: 1 Horticulture 7 Gates 8 Dogs 10 Poppy 11 Agree 13 Adapts 15 Donate Name...... 17 Cared 18 Corgi 19 Yoga 21 Media 22 Happy- go-lucky Down: 1 High and dry 2 Retiring 3 Inspect 4 Utopia 5 Tidy 6 Rag 9 Subsidiary Address...... 12 Sporadic 14 Decimal 16 Earwig 18 Carp 20 Ova ......

Congratulations to Mahesh Shah , ...... of Goodmayes , Ilford , Essex , who was last month’s winner. The winner of ...... this month’s Prize Crossword will receive Marks & Spencer vouchers to the value of £25...... l You can see more of Tom Williams’s Postcode...... crosswords, word games and puzzles at wordgames.co.uk

If you successfully complete this month’s Prize Crossword please send the solution by post to the DO7 Brian Corbett retires in the spring Editor, ASLEF Journal , 77 St John Street, Clerkenwell, London, EC1M 4NN (or take a photo on your You were not just our district mobile phone of the grid and send the image to [email protected]) by Friday 18 December organiser but a valuable asset and support. Under your leadership, many brothers and sisters have successfully been guided and supported. Very ASLEF’s legal services rarely do we see a person, like you, with a combination of vision, Have you been sacked, or are in trouble at work, and cannot get hold of apprehension, and fairness. With your your branch secretary, local representative or District Organiser in an hard work and enthusiasm, you have emergency? Call our industrial relations department on 020 7324 2400 taken members to new heights with (9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday or 9am to 4pm on Friday) or leave a the GWR harmonisation, ensuring message on the answer service, or email [email protected] with a subject better terms and conditions, along with a wage that allows our heading of ‘For the attention of the membership to worry a little less each industrial relations dept’. month. It will be very hard to adjust to your absence; we have all grown so accustomed to going to you for advice, coaching, and, sometimes, just a great Changed your address? Please let us know! Just fill in this form conversation! You are truly a gem. You have Name...... developed many friendships in these years and we are going to miss you but Address...... we are delighted you now have the ...... opportunity to spend more time with your wife and children. But take some Postcode ...... Telephone...... time just for yourself; you deserve it! And keep us updated by posting Branch...... Membership No...... pictures on Facebook (we know how much you enjoy Facebook!) Please return coupon to: ASLEF, 77 St John Street, Clerkenwell, London, EC1M 4NN Daniel Davis

December 2020 l The ASLEF Journal 23 The ASLEF RMS 500 Club

Colleagues

The 500 Club is a fundraising venture for ASLEF’s Retired Members’ Section.

Conditions of Membership: Only retired and working members of ASLEF, including district councils and branches, plus permanent staff employed by ASLEF, can make an application to join the RMS 500 Club. The application form and standing order form can only be completed and submitted by the ASLEF member, or staff member.

Numbers in the draw cost £4 each per month. To begin making payments into club funds, all you have to do is complete the standing order form and return it to your bank. Alternatively, you can pay by cheque a year in advance; the cheque should be made payable to ASLEF RMS 500 Club . Payments need to reach the club account by 1st of every month and the draw takes place on 12th of every month – with the winning number, name, and prize printed on page 5 of the ASLEF Journal . Once you have arranged your method of payment just complete the form and return it to Peter J Smith, Treasurer, RMS 500 Club, 6 Devonia Gardens, London, N18 1AF.

The Retired Members’ Section committee would like to thank you for your support and wish you luck in the draw!

Yours fraternally, Peter J Smith, treasurer, ASLEF Retired Members’ Section 500 Club

ASLEF RMS 500 Club application form STANDIN G ORDE R M ANDA TE To ______Ban k

Name ...... Ad dress ______Address ...... ______...... ______60-83-01 ...... BANK BRANCH TIT LE ( NOT AD DRESS) SORTING C ODE N O. Ple as e p ay Uni ty Trust Ba nk Bi rmingham 08 -60 -01 ...... ’

Postcode ...... BENEFI CIA RY S N AME ACCOUN T N UM BER For th e cred it of ASL EF RMS 5 00 CLU B ACCO UNT 2 0 2 0 1 1 9 3 Telephone ...... AMOU NT IN F IGUR ES AMOU NT IN WO RDS

email ...... The su m o f £

...... DATE AN D AM OUNT OF F IRS T PA YM ENT DUE DA TE AND FR EQU ENCY Each number costs £4. You can ST Com mencing £ and th ere after e very 1 OF EVE RY MONT H purchase as many numbers as you like. I confirm that I wish to purchase ____ numbers as part of the 500 Club. DATE AN D AM OUNT OF L AST PA YM ENT *Until £ *Until you r ece ive fu rth er notice fro m m e/us in writ in g Qu otin g t he (A) I have set up my standing order (£48 and debit my/our acco unt acc ord in gly re ference per annum or £4 per month) (B) I enclose a cheque for advance Pleas e can cel any prev ious stan din g o rd er or dir ect d ebit in fav our of t he benefici ary named ab ove payment (£48 per annum). SPE CIA L INSTRU CTIO NS Delete (A) or (B) accordingly.

ACCOUN T TO B E DEBITE D ACCOUN T N UM BER Signed ......

Date ...... Si gnatur e( s) ______Date ______

Please return this coupon to: ______Peter Smith, Treasurer, RMS 500 Club, ’ 6 Devonia Gardens, London, N18 1AF Note: The Ban k will n ot underta ke t o: (i) mak e an y r eference t o Va lu e Ad ded Tax or oth er in determ inat e ele ment and the standing order mandate (ii) advis e pay er s a ddre’ ss t o b enefici ar y (iii) advis e beneficiary o f in ab ili ty t o p ay (right) to your bank (or via your (iv ) request benefici ar y s b an ker t o a dvis e b enefic iary o f r eceip t

internet bank) * De lete if n ot ap plic ab le If th e a mounts o f t he p eriod ic p ay ments v ar y, t hey sho uld b e in corp ora ted in a sc hedule overl eaf