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http://www.nrmfriends-south.org.uk/Diary.ht ml Briefing 50 South of England Group June 2008 Vice Presidents – Alan Pegler OBE, FRSA; Sir William McAlpine Bt., FRSE, FCIT, FRSA Be "Safe" Men! Making Railway Workers Safe, 1900-1939 Seventeen members were present when The accident statistics, collated by the Mike Esbester, of Reading University, Board of Trade, between 1900-1913 gave a talk based on his PhD thesis showed an annual average of 17,000 covering the development of the Railway people injured each year with the trend Companies to promote a safety culture being upward; in 1913 a total of 30000 amongst their workers. Mike became workers suffered some form of accident. interested while looking through Even hard-hearted business managers company magazines during his Masters at couldn't ignore this, especially when it the Institute of Railway Studies. He was costing money. The GWR, for noticed several articles on safety and example, paid out £13,000 in wanted to find out when this started and compensation, equivalent to well over why. £1M in today's money - and that didn't In the 19 th century the general approach include the cost of the lost working time. of the country was that people were The problem was how to reconciling the FOR CONTACTS IN FNRM SOUTH OF ENGLAND responsible for their own safety - with the business of operating the railway at singular exception of railway passenger lowest cost and improving safety of the GROUP: safety. Here the State felt it appropriate to workers so that a) the costs were reduced and b) Government were persuaded to See Contacts at main index: have statutory regulation because passengers were not in a position to take keep their noses out of the business of http://www.nrmfriends-south.org.uk/index.html charge of their own safety. Accidents running the railway. This was the catalyst were, even then, front page news - the that brought about the idea of safety impact of the press on politicians is (continued overleaf) nothing new! Accidents to employees were of little interest and mostly CONTENTS happened out of sight of the public, press Be Safe Men ...... 1 and politicians. After 1890 the trade 1968 and all That ...... 3 unions began to flex their mussels and Summer Outing ...... 3 pushed that more attention be given to workers' safety. Their activity resulted in Spanish Practices ...... 5 the first Parliamentary Act covering Outreach Report ...... 7 workers' safety which was introduced in NRM Locos in the South ...... 7 1900. However, the impact was minor. Forthcoming Events ...... 8

Briefing No 50 4 June 2008 Briefing No 50 1 June 2008 education. The GWR was the first to take also played a part, from trade unions and OUTREACH action, quickly followed by the other government. A government committee The stand was in attendance at the recently arrived, and several others railways, during the course of 1913. Until was finally established in May 1914 and London Festival of Railway Modelling at eagerly awaiting theirs. Those that had this point, the companies had relied on the companies used the education Alexandra Palace on 29th and 30th March. received their models were impressed by their rulebooks. The typical rulebook was programme as evidence of their action We occupied our normal position at the the standard and were keen to know of the not particularly approachable for the and that the companies could be left to front left hand side of the second hall. future plans of the Museum to produce average literate worker - and for those manage their own business. They claimed However, this year, because of some other models of National Collection who couldn't read, it was a closed book! savings of hundreds of workers accidents faults with the carpeting, the entry door locomotives. The layout was full of closely spaced text as a result of the campaign. opposite our stand was locked. This meant The planned events at the Museum drew and read as a top-down lecture from This argument was accepted since the that we did not get our usual flow of senior management in legalistic language. questions and we provided handouts of perceived wisdom was that accidents visitors passing the stand, but even so the Spring Bank Holiday celebration of As most injuries were to manual workers were an inevitability of work, and that it attendance numbers were high, especially with limited reading ability, the GWR "1968 and all that". Quite a few visitors was the employees who must change their on the Saturday. The stand used a new expected us to be carrying tickets, but 1913 promotional programme addressed approach not the company. It was the display table and layout, allowing the them using photographs, bold headlines unfortunately this had not proved company's responsibility to promote range of used books and videos to be possible. with simple messages and attractive safety and the employees were displayed on shelves at the lower side of Our next event will be the Napier event at layout as an insert in the company responsible for their own action in putting the display. This proved very popular and, Buckinghamshire Steam Centre, Quainton magazine. More novel ideas followed - the advice into practice. Work colleagues with the bequest of Brian Gilliam's Road on 20th and 21st June, when we italics, upper case and even letters on their were responsible for avoiding putting videos, we had plenty of stock to sell, We expect to have a lot of interest in Deltic side. However, the magazine was charged each others in danger. However, the had a good deal of interest in the new memorabilia. We will then have a short at 1d, and only 40 copies were sold for companies continued to push for enamel advertising signs, and the FNRM break before the Autumn season is upon every 100 workers. Also other articles in improved efficiency, and did not provide locomotive guides sold steadily. us. Meanwhile there will be a number of the magazine were probable more any financial support for the employees to There was quite a lot of interest in the excursions hauled by NRM locomotives interesting! By 1914, the GWR were put the advice into practice. aware of the lack of penetration, so Prototype Deltic model, with several (see below) on which we plan to have a Did it work? The casualty figures did visitors noting that their models had presence. reprinted the safety articles in booklet decline from 1919 to 1937 but were also form for issue to all workers without effected by other factors, e.g. reduced NRM LOCOMOTIVES IN THE SOUTH charge. Eight booklets were produced working hours and practices. Employees before 1939. Other novelties followed all may also have been unwilling to report A number of excursions are being planned to commence in the South of England, all o bearing safety slogans - a token in the accidents. The trade unions were in starting from London. These are scheduled for haulage by BR Standard Pacific N o form of a coin, safety pendants, favour of safety education and push for 70013 Oliver Cromwell and SR Sir Lamiel in its BR guise as N 30777. The tours are matchboxes, and cinema presentations in more whenever they saw unsafe practices. promoted by Steam Dreams and further details are on their website at http:// special coaches. A crossword was The government followed this lead, the www.steamdreams.com/ or telephone 01483 209888. The ones currently on offer are: published in 1925 with BE SAFE MEN as chief railway inspector making repeated Date Destination Locomotive the blocked parts - this was only a year calls for more safety education. This also Thu 24 Jul Norwich 70013 after crosswords were generally meant that further safety legislation was Sat 26 Jul Manchester 70013 introduced. GWR waived copyright on avoided. Other businesses saw the Thurs 11 Sep Salisbury, Bath and Bristol 70013 the 1914 booklet so other companies benefits of this, London Omnibus Sun 14 Sep Salisbury and Exeter 70013 could follow and 700,000 booklets were followed in 1916 and the approach was in distributed before 1939. general use in factories by the 1930s. Sat 20 Sep Norwich 70013 Why did the change happen in 1913? Ultimately, safety education permeating Wed 24 Sep Canterbury 70013 Probably recognition of the economic society's conscious and resulted in the Sat 11 Oct Gloucester 30777 benefit of education compared to founding of the Royal Society for Wed 15 Oct Oxford, Warwick & Stratford on Avon 30777 alternative of introducing expensive Prevention of Accidents in 1941. Which We are aiming to have a stand on board for the FNRM. If you are interested in helping technical safety changes, such as is where Mike ended his story. automatic couplings. External pressure man this on one of the runs, please contact Ian Harrison to check on the arrangements.

Briefing No 50 2 June 2008 Briefing No 50 7 June 2008 to have the NRM. Also tacked on around I was struck by a somewhat bizarre 1968 AND ALL THAT the side is the National Museum of example of the results of mixing old and By 1968, the need for change on the BR passenger shuttle with Middleton Science and Technology. new systems. I had noticed that the network had become essential. BR had to Railway's Sir Berkeley and later the NCB This is a small collection of rather ancient Cercanias in and around and the accept that some traditions had to go. austerity No 49 (Robert Stephenson & astronomical and scientific instruments new high speed trains drive on the right. Steam traction was no longer viable for Hawthorn, 1943). (There was no truth in and technical consumer goods from the But when going to El Escorial we were on normal operations, the day of the pick-up the suggestion that the Teddy Bear was 1930s-1980s. Interesting in its own way, an older local train that switched sides as goods and loose coupled wagons had substituted on the Tuesday when it rained but insignificant in relation to what you soon as it left the Madrid area. So passed and the passengers were looking to for the comfort of Ray Towell - Sir can see in “Albertopolis”: again, I felt presumably, all lines were once like us, faster services. The "1968 and all that" Berkeley has only a spectacle plate. The very fortunate that we have so much to driving on the left, and then they decided event at the NRM illustrated this with change had been planned.) see in South Kensington. to go the other way once the new lines examples of the locomotive power of the were constructed. It could get very The future was represented by D9009 We were very impressed by the trains we period. The central character was No Alycidon. Sadly, this was not running used on our visits out of Madrid. The line confusing! Also very noticeable on the 70013 Oliver Cromwell, hero of the 1968 new lines was the extensive use of bi- during the event. Was this because it to Toledo has been rebuilt and "Fifteen Guinea" special. This was the would have upstaged the steam straightened out with Alsthom “Avante” directional running, especially to move final steam special run by BR, but opened ECS on the “wrong line”. locomotives with its infamous "clag" or trains in use on what seems to be a the way to the use of steam traction for because its performance was too much for dedicated shuttle service. We also went I was surprised to find that Madrid airport recreational travel, led by the efforts of the restricted run available? It had, to Segovia on the brand new “AVE” line has no rail link at all. Given the Alan Pegler and Flying Scotsman. however, been used earlier to help with which runs more or less straight through enthusiasm with which railways are being Swindon-built No 92220 Evening Star, the shunting the other exhibits. Segovia and on to for the north built (and the Valladolid line is being last steam locomotive built by BR, was Other locomotives present were No 45593 coast, using Bombardier trains. I extended south to Cordoba and Malaga) partnered by Trangkil No 4, the last steam estimated one of the tunnels under the this looks like a no-brainer. Perhaps the Kolhapur, The Great Marquess in the locomotive built in UK by industry. The o o Sierra de Guadarrama to be about 16 Spanish Government is subject to the guise of BR N 61994, GCR O4 N latter caused some discussion with its o miles long. Interestingly, the new station same lobby groups as our own over 63601, N 30096 Normandy from the chime whistle and the use of a Hackworth o at Segovia on this line is literally in the Heathrow. The Metro is beautifully Southern, Super D N 49395, Beattie well valve motion - harking back to the very o o middle of a field about 4km from the city. clean and efficient, but awkward to use as tank N 30587, NER Q6 N 63395 and earliest days of steam locomotive. Whilst o It must be reminiscent of the early days of all the lines radiate from the centre – so Clun Castle N 7029, the engine that Evening Star was not in steam, Trangkil started off the preservation era at Tyseley railways here when a couple of miles the proverbial trip to Birmingham No 4 was providing rides in the yard. from a town was “near enough”. But it’s involves visiting Beachy Head. But then, in 1968. quite bizarre to see this brand new large at €1.00 flat fare in the centre, you can’t The Class 14 "Teddy Bears" were built in Finally, to illustrate the passing of yet station just appear out of nothing. The complain too much – Mayor Boris please 1964 as diesel replacements for the another tradition, there were 2 dray horses benefit is that a journey that used to take note. ubiquitous 0-6-0 on local goods services - - a reminder of the role the horse played about 2 hours has been reduced to 35 a class of traffic which had already in shunting and local delivery. So if your visits to Spain have only disappeared by 1968, taken over by the mins. And there is a guaranteed refund if involved the tourist traps, Madrid can be Members of the SoE Group helped man the train is more than 15 mins late – UK rise of the motor vehicle. After a very the FNRM Enterprises stand and the recommended – but pick your time as it is brief time in BR service, the class found TOCs please note! pretty oppressive in summer. "Friends Lounge" - in reality the its niche in industrial service. D9520 education coach. Ian Harrison shared the operation of a standard gauge Phil Brown † Educational Note: Jones, John, William Street, Liverpool SUMMER OUTING John Jones had been a partner in Jones, Turner & Evans. When it ceased trading in Don't forget about this year's summer visit to the private Statfold Barn Railway 1852 he formed his own firm in 1853 and continued through to 1863 using the Viaduct outings. There are two. The first is on near Tamworth. Details were included in Foundry numbers from 292 to 342. Most output went to Argentina. 12th July when the party will visit the last Briefing, but if you wish to join Amberley Industrial Museum. The second the party and haven't already told Les is to take place on 20th September for a Butler, please get in touch with him - see back page for contact details. Briefing No 50 6 June 2008 Briefing No 50 3 June 2008 SPANISH PRACTICES 1968 AND ALL THAT SPANISH PRACTICES Mrs Chairman and I recently had our first the other coaching stock. The inner roads holiday in Spain (yes, I know we’re slow contain diesel and electric locomotives off the mark - because we don’t like the that we could only glimpse through the summer heat). We spent the time in gaps. Rather frustrating really (the guide Madrid and environs, giving an leaflet suggests that they can usually be opportunity to visit the Museo del seen). There is a static sectioned Ferrocarril and to use the RENFE locomotive similar to Ellerman Lines at services to journey to nearby places of York and some interesting model layouts. interest such as Toledo, Segovia and El There are some fascinating exhibits for Escorial. UK visitors. The first steam locomotives Tropical garden Atocha Station, Madrid The Museo del Ferrocarril (the Spanish in Spain seem to have been British built FNRM Enterprises stand (Phil Brown) Railway Museum) is located in the former and later ones built in Spain or France station (dating from 1880) and under licence. There is a John Jones (†) about ½ mile from the main Atocha 2-2-2 of 1863/4, a Sharp Stewart 2-4-0T Station. Atocha is remarkable in its own of 1877 and a Babcock and Wilcox right in that the former train shed – very Pacific of 1930 built under licence in reminiscent of St Pancras – has been Bilbao. The pièce de résistance on the cleaned up and turned over to being an locomotive front is a “confederation” enormous tropical garden – certainly on a locomotive (4-8-4) that was returned to par with Kew Gardens – complete with a steam in 1987, but now is out of ticket. It burgeoning population of terrapins. I must have been a marvellous sight in full Talgo II Museo del Ferrocarril didn’t see any crocodiles, but I wouldn’t flood. There are regular steam trains have been surprised if I had! The trains with wooden coaching stock (HSE please have been pushed forward outside the note) from Madrid to - but the D9009, Alycidon Victorian train shed, just like at St website is a bit coy about the dates! Pancras but on a bigger scale, to give Also of interest is an early “Talgo” more platform and operating space. All articulated train from 1950, built in the passenger bags go through an airport type USA. This comprises a diesel loco with a scanner – it was here that the bombs set of 5 small cars, adjacent cars being exploded a few years ago. There is an articulated on a single axle. The rear end adjoining station for the Cercanias is an observation saloon with delightful (local) trains as well as the Metro. post-war curvaceous styling: just like Madrid has long since cracked the Marilyn Monroe! This arrangement has John Jones 2-2-2 of 1863/4 with the Sharp Crossrail problem – at least in the north- an immediate and obvious drawback – it Stewart 2-4-0T behind south direction – the Cercanias tunnels needs to be turned on a triangle after each under the main dual carriageway through run. Somewhat self-limiting, one might 70013, Oliver Cromwell and the city between Atocha and Chamartin think! Interestingly, the Talgo system 92220 Evening Star Stations and carries a train every couple forms the basis for Spain’s modern high of minutes in each direction. speed trains, but they soon realised the The Museo is very reminiscent of our error of their ways and now have power Boys will be boys Locomotion at Shildon (see the website at cars at each end, and of course, full size Spanish model railway advertisement www.museodelferrocarril.org). There are coaches. The Museum as a whole has the ca 1935 just four roads but at the time of our visit sort of atmosphere that the old York only the outer ones were accessible. One Museum had before 1975. One certainly Photo credit - Ian Harrison except where noted of these is a line of steam locomotives and began to appreciate just how lucky we are

Briefing No 50 4 June 2008 Briefing No 50 5 June 2008