ASLEFJOURNAL JANUARY 2020 The magazine of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers & Firemen Drinking tea with the taste of the Thames Northern line 1971

Metropolitan line 1980

Piccadilly line 1975

Leicester Square 1973

Inside: Mike Goldwater ’s evocative black and white images of London Underground in the 1970s; Paul Routledge takes a trip to The train drivers ’ the Far North; and Chris Proctor on what 2020 holds in store 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 GS Mick Whelan We continue to fight ASLEFJOURNAL JANUARY 2020 The magazine of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers & Firemen

Mick Whelan: ‘We will defend our right to strike’ HE message of hope for the future of 7 8 our industry contained in my last T column has been derailed by the result of the general election. The opportunity to News recreate the voice of working people through the revoking of Maggie’s laws, the Trade Union Act, and the Lobbying Act, which stifle the long- l ASLEF in action during the general election 4 won freedoms of ordinary people, has been l Jack sets his sights on becoming a train driver 5 lost. Crossrail for the North, HS2 to Scotland, an plus Off the Rails: Avanti, Matthew d’Ancona, end to DOO, reopening of branch lines, a rolling Jonathan Powell, Robson Green, Chris Tarrant programme of electrification, a better future for freight, and the delivery of integrated transport l Ian Moore on a Woking branch initiative 6 8 won’t happen now. Fares won’t be cut by a l Freightliner loco: ‘You Are Never Alone’ 7 third, there won’t be free travel for under 16s, and we won’t get a maximum temperature in l Rod Stewart reveals his model railway passion 8 drivers’ cabs. But we get up every day, regardless of who is Features in power, to fight politically, socially, and industrially, as we have always done, for each l Bill Dale reports on the RMS weekend forum 10 other and our industry – just as we have for the at Low Hall, Scalby, North Yorkshire last 140 years. We have not seen austerity in the way the l Chris Proctor, ASLEF’s seer, peers into his 11 rest of our communities have, but we have crystal ball to see what this year has in store families and friends and cannot and do not forget the issues outside our industry. Some of l Mike Goldwater’s evocative black and white 12-13 the most disturbing images of the election were photographs of the Underground in the 1970s all those polling stations that were usually food l Paul Routledge rides the Far North line from 14-15 11 banks. So the battle against zero hours Inverness to Thurso in the Highlands contracts and faux self-employment in our industry, and elsewhere, continues. We want to help to build a better, more civilized, society Regulars and on these, and a multitude of other issues you tell us about, we will continue to fight. l Branch News and Upcoming Events; 16-17 As social democrats we respect the result plus 100 Years of Union and will work within the democratic process – but part of that process are our international Obituaries 19 12 l treaties and bodies such as the ILO to which, as l Letters and Classified Advertisements 20-21 a nation, we subscribe; and that enshrine the right to strike, the ultimate sanction against Last Word: Books for Christmas 22 l poor or dishonourable employers. So if the new l On Track: Nicholas Lezard and the power 23 government does attack our industry with of a programme; Prize Crossword; Legal minimum service requirements let’s send them Services; ASLEF’s Change of Address form a message they will understand. We will not be signing up and any company that does will be Cover: Chalk Farm 1980 by Mike Goldwater in immediate and continuous dispute with this trade union – and we will not be found wanting in protecting each other and our rights. The ASLEF Journal is published every month by: Because we will not betray the legacy of ASLEF, 77 St John Street, London, EC1M 4NN those railwaymen who, in 1880, had the vision Tel: 020 7324 2400 l email: [email protected] and the courage to form our trade union as an website: www.aslef.org.uk l twitter: @ASLEFUnion 14 industrial, political, and social pressure group. ASLEF is more important now than ever. EDiToR Mick Whelan l DESiGNER Michael Cronin l PRiNTER College Hill Press, London, SW19 4HE ADvERTiSiNG ASLEF Journal, 77 St John Street, London, EC1M 4NN. Contact Keith Richmond on 020 7324 2407 Yours fraternally or [email protected] l CLASSiFiED ADS [email protected] or call 020 7324 2400. The acceptance of a Mick Whelan, general secretary display or classified advertisement does not necessarily imply endorsement of that product or service by ASLEF ChANGE oF ADDRESS Please post your details to ASLEF, 77 St John Street, Clerkenwell, London, EC1M 4NN

January 2020 l The ASLEF Journal 3 News The wait goes on

HE result of a Member of the general Parliament. Archie T election on Manuel, Labour MP Thursday 12 for Central Ayrshire, December means we was elected in 1950, are still waiting for a re-elected in 1951, Labour government lost the seat in 1955 committed to but won it back in driver with LNER, and bringing Britain’s 1959 and held it until EC member for railways back into he stepped down in District 5 since 2012, public ownership – 1970. We haven’t had finished second with still waiting, too, to a train driver in 11,282 votes in see a train driver Parliament since. Aldershot, which has sitting in the House Julian Vaughan, of elected a of Commons. Northern Line North Conservative MP ever Boris Johnson has branch, and a Tube since the the majority he driver for 16 years, constituency was needs to ‘Get Brexit got 14,160 votes to created in 1918. Done’. The finish second in Howard, who stood Conservatives won North East against Jeremy Hunt Marz Colombini, Craig Barker, Dave Calfe, David Gould, Andy hudd 365 seats; Labour Bedfordshire behind in South West Surrey and Mick Whelan asking rail passengers to vote for real change – and 203; Scottish National Richard Fuller, the in 2015 and 2017, cheaper fares – on Trade Union Tuesday 10 December; Do6 Dicky Party 48; Liberal Conservative who in was well ahead of the Fisher and crew out with Rachel hopkins in Luton South; and Khalid Democrats 11; 2017 lost the Lib Dem and Green Rana with Sam Tarry, ex-TSSA, now Labour MP for ilford South Democratic Unionist neighbouring seat of candidates. Party 8; Sinn Féin 7; Bedford, which he Ed Mayne, of State for Transport Salisbury branch, a the sitting Plaid Cymru 4; Social had held since 2010. Feltham Electric from 2016 to 2019, driver with South Conservative, and the Democratic & Labour Julian was well ahead branch, and a driver and the Lib Dem in Western Railway, and Lib Dem candidate, Party 2; Green Party of the Lib Dem, with South West Epsom & Ewell. Ed a Salisbury city and well ahead of the 1; Alliance Party 1. independent and Trains, took 10,226 finished well ahead councillor since 2013, Greens and an It’s now 49 years Green candidates. votes to finish third of the Green Party won 9,675 votes in independent since a member of Howard Kaye, of behind Chris and an independent. Sarum to finish third standing as, ahem, ASLEF was elected as King’s Cross branch, a Grayling, Secretary of Tom Corbin, of behind John Glen, King Arthur.

Wombles are organised work as a team RIPPLE LANE TWEETS OF THE MONTH Ripple Lane’s On the railway we get monthly gatherings For 151 years, trade unionists have trained to step up for will resume again been fighting to win justice for every emergency and after the New Year working people. We’ve outlasted every incident that could recess on Friday 7 government and every prime minister. A be thrown at us, to February from 13.00 strong union movement is the best way for take control, and at The Wind Mill, near us to win the future we deserve. Join in make the site safe. Upminster Bridge union today. @The_TUC Well, ladies and Tube station. Chris Sneddon, Mark gentlemen, a group To everyone that’s supported me. Stickland and Steve of our colleagues FOR THE FALLEN Thank you. This isn’t the end. The real iacolino lay a wreath at from Wimbledon Park Half the proceeds fight starts now. @faizashaheen the Clapham rail memorial and (left) spring were attending a from the 2019 ASLEF into action after the car crash over the road gathering at the site poppy badge, Momentum’s Laura Parker and other of the Clapham train Iacolino directed rush you have made me remembering those comfy leftists persist with the ‘it was crash when there was hour traffic around even prouder of who lost their lives on Brexit, not Jeremy or our popular policies a car accident directly the accident until being a Womble. active service, went wot lost it’ alibi. This is understandable but across the road. police and Dave Bryce , to the Royal British delusional. @michaelwhite Without hesitation, ambulance arrived. Wimbledon 234 Legion; the other half Chris Sneddon went Mark Stickland said branch to Veterans for Peace. Angel Trains offers Northern Pacers to across to assist the ‘We all kicked into heritage railways and emergency car driver who had gear as soon as we services, donating proceeds to charity. been taken ill at the realised what had QUOTE… @RailProMag wheel while Steve happened.’ Well done, ‘If the government don’t invest in us then Heritage railways I get but what the they are effectively strangling the f*** are the emergency services going Our woolly hat will keep you economy. If investment isn’t made in the to do with a 142xxx Pacer? @SimonWeller warm this winter. Price £5 railway then how will people get (including p&p); email around?’ – Andrew Haines , chief [email protected] or visit our executive, Network Rail ELECTRO MAN: Members can receive the online shop at www.aslef.org.uk …UNQUOTE ASLEF Journal and circulars electronically. Please contact admin dept on 020 7324 2400.

4 The ASLEF Journal l January 2020 News

achieve his dream.’ You should have seen And he wrote us a very nice, and neat, off the Rails Tuesday’s dream letter: ‘Dear general secretary, I am writing AVANTI may not, after all, be the because I would like dancing in my head best name for a train company. to say thank you for FirstGroup and Trenitalia HEN Angela the wonderful things grandmother, announced, with some fanfare, Rayner, you sent me. I would Yorkshire woman, Avanti West Coast on Wednesday 27 November as the new W Shadow also like to say when I and Labour Party name for the west coast main line franchise. ‘It’s Italian for Secretary of State for start driving trains I member. Love my “Forward!” and reflects a mission to deliver an innovative Education, was would love to join family and my railway service ready for today and fit for the future’ gushed a campaigning with ASLEF. It would be an lunchtime superviser particularly vacuous press release from the new operators. Deanne Ferguson in honour. Yours job’ – added: ‘We’ve Trouble is, Avanti is also the name for a ‘real feel’ condom. Morley & Outwood, sincerely, Jack Edward just had parents’ Durex claims ‘Avanti is one of our thinnest’ and promises ‘bare she asked one young Bindley.’ evening and he’s told next to nothing feel’. Well, quite. Seems the shiny boys and man what he wanted Alan Moss, his teachers all about girls in strategy and marketing, who dreamt up the ‘bright to do when he left Longsight, tweeted: it. He’s now planning orange triangle, symbolising the extent of the 400 mile route’, school. ‘Be a train ‘This is brilliant. The on working really didn’t do their homework. But the tweets – ‘Avanti condoms driver,’ was the look on the little guy’s hard at school to are more reliable than Avanti rail’ and ‘passengers are getting answer. And when face says it all.’ make sure he can royally screwed by Avanti’ – have, predictably, started. Angela tweeted a video of their MATTHEW D’ANCONA , with the active encounter, we knew encouragement of editor George Osborne, what to do. Send him really stuck it to Boris Johnson in his column in a box of ASLEF the Evening Standard on Monday 9 December: goodies! And, as you ‘He has presented “Get Brexit Done” as the might imagine, he “Open Sesame” that will liberate us all from the was thrilled. complex, frustrating, and fractious debate of the past three- His mum Nicki and-a-half years, and open the door to a world of unspecified Bindley tweeted, with national glory, harmony and excitement. Like “Take Back the picture above, Control” or “Make America Great Again” the slogan is, of ‘Thank you so much course, almost entirely content-free. It is obvious that @ASLEFunion, you’ve Johnson’s withdrawal agreement is not only deeply flawed made my boy’s day. but, in most respects, also the easy part of the process.’ He was so excited and is now more JONATHAN POWELL , Tony Blair’s chief determined than of staff, and the government’s lead ever to be a train negotiator on the peace process in driver! Northern Ireland, says the Good Friday #IWantToBeATrainDri Jack with his ASLEF baseball cap, lanyard, Agreement was a success because of, ver’. Nicki – ‘proud keyring, and pen while he dreams of and not despite, its ambiguity and mother, becoming a train driver nuance. The point about Brexit, and a hard border on the island of Ireland, ‘is not how long it takes for a lorry to cross CONFERENCES & RALLIES the border.’ He adds: ‘The Good Friday Agreement tried to The Welsh Labour Party conference is at the Venue Cymru in solve the issue of identity by allowing people in Northern Llandudno from Friday 27 to Sunday 29 March. The Scottish Trades Ireland to feel Irish or British or both. If you put in a customs Union Congress is at the Concert Hall, Perth, from Monday 20 to border then that will be destroyed.’ Wednesday 22 April. Workers’ Memorial Day is Tuesday 28 April. ASLEF’s annual assembly of delegates is at the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff ROBSON GREEN , who shot to fame in from Monday 11 to Friday 15 May. The Wales TUC is at the Venue Cymru Casualty , Soldier Soldier , and Wire in the Blood , in Llandudno from Tuesday 19 to Thursday 21 May. The STUC LGBT+ likes trains. ‘I grew up in a small terraced house conference is at the Golden Jubilee Conference Hotel, Glasgow, from in the mining village of Dudley, in Saturday 23 to Sunday 24 May. The STUC youth conference is at the Northumberland, which was surrounded by Golden Jubilee Conference Hotel, Glasgow, from Saturday 27 to Sunday five pits,’ he told The Times . ‘My father was a 28 June. The Durham Miners’ Gala is on Saturday 11 July. The miner and would wash outside in a tin bath. Tolpuddle Martyrs’ festival , near Dorchester, is from Friday 17 to The house was about 50ft from the London to Edinburgh Sunday 19 July. The Burston strike school rally at Burston, near Diss in railway line and there was something incredibly reassuring Norfolk, is on Sunday 6 September. The Trades Union Congress is at about the sound of that train going by.’ the Brighton Centre from Sunday 13 to Wednesday 16 September. The Labour Party conference is at the ACC convention centre in Liverpool CHRIS TARRANT , in Railways of the Somme on from Saturday 19 to Wednesday 23 September. Channel 5, asked: ‘Why did so many die? Was it the trenches and mustard gas? The deadly machine guns? The aircraft? Or the tanks? No! The machine that enabled death on such a our new ASLEF LGBT+ purple polo shirt – horrendous scale was, in fact, the train.’ ‘driving for equality’ – is available in S, M, L and XL. £15 inc p&p; email [email protected] or visit our online shop at www.aslef.org.uk 500 CLUB : The WRC, with number 171, won the December draw, scooping the RMS prize money jackpot of £430.

January 2020 l The ASLEF Journal 5 News

an email to members and asked them to buy To the lighthouse one extra item on their weekly shop and pop it in the box. And they did! In some cases, they IAN MOORE , assistant branch secretary, bought an extra bag of food for the box and, Woking 235, reports on an exciting and since March, Woking depot has donated 12 overflowing crates to the food bank and every successful branch initiative to help time we empty it, it fills up again in days! support local people living on the I want to say a massive thank you to the wrong side of the tracks members of Woking branch for their continued support and also to say thank you T OUR branch meeting in March last ASLEF in action at the Woking food bank to the people who – without prompt – get up A year, Woking members agreed to each day and do something good for people form links with a local community support that can help rebuild a life. Clothes, they may never meet. They expect no reward, support project called The Lighthouse, the cooking, toys, art, exercise, well-being and self- and ask nothing for themselves. Their drive is collective name for a dozen different esteem, all here work together. The link simply to help those below them on the community support programmes all located in between our industry, and projects like this, is ladder and offer a helping hand up to the next one place. A branch colleague and I visited and palpable. rung. The essence of trade unionism. Alison showed us facilities where people could I found myself wondering how many of my learn to cook, where new mums could bring colleagues may not have suffered the trauma their little ones to play, and where pensioners of dealing with a suicide if more projects like could come and sit for a coffee. There is real this existed and were readily available to those QUOTE… passion shown by the volunteers here to tackle in desperate situations. With a different ‘Now politicians are associated only isolation in the community. government, these projects might be part of with botched schemes: Brexit, the Iraq But The Lighthouse isn’t just about social services, fully funded, and not reliant on War, universal credit, rail privatisation, socialising. Someone escaping from a history charity. We live in hope… multiple NHS reorganisations.’ – Peter of domestic abuse, in the depths of depression After discussing various options for Wilby , New Statesman after a period of unemployment, or on the supporting the project, we decided to put a …UNQUOTE wrong side of a benefits sanction, can get food donation box in the mess room. We sent Congratulations, Geoff of GBRf ‘He’s frit!’

OUT ON THE STUMP: Khalid Rana, Gidea Park, out campaigning with howard Kaye in Aldershot (above) and howard’s grandson Theo Glanville with Becky and JC helping out Deanne Ferguson at Morley & outwood Geoff Brown (left) picks up his 45 year badge from GBRf company DO5 Nigel Gibson spotted this wonderful council rep Barry hare. ‘Geoff is parody of Martin Hanford’s Where’s Wally? based at Peterborough and his Good children’s books after Boris Johnson tales of his time on the footplate avoided being interviewed by Piers entertain the new generation of luck, Morgan on Good Morning Britain by hiding drivers at the depot,’ says Barry. in a fridge/freezer during a dawn raid on a ‘We look forward to many more Noel factory at Pudsey in West Yorkshire. years working with Geoff brightening up our days. Sad to report our TRAMLINK INQUEST OPENS Massive achievement, Geoff. brother Noel EC8 Terry Wilkinson leads the An inquest into the deaths of seven Congratulations!’ O’Hara has retired applause as Noel o’hara picks up his passengers on a tram at Sandilands in 2016 from London framed certificate from Mick Whelan was opened by Sarah Ormrod-Walshe, senior Underground our members, but the old coroner for south London, at Croydon town after 34 years’ extremely tenacity remains! hall on Wednesday 11 December. The Crown Carry all service. popular, and will The GS was on Prosecution Service, acting on advice from the your stuff Noel, as an be greatly missed. hand to thank British Transport Police, announced on 31 – papers, ASLEF rep, Even now he’s Noel for his loyal October that the Tramlink driver, Alf Dorris, sandwiches, keys – in working closely retired he service. I think I would not be charged with gross negligence style with our smart new and tirelessly with expressed his speak for manslaughter. sturdy black ASLEF bag. members and disgust to me everyone in Price £17.50 (inc p&p); reps in Jubilee about being District 8 when I MARGAM: NO FORMAL LOOKOUT email [email protected] East 272, a true removed from wish him all the An interim RAIB report into the deaths on the or visit our online shop at gentleman, What’s App best for the future. railway line at Margam has found that ‘no www.aslef.org.uk always ready to groups, etc! He Gary Comfort , formal lookout was appointed’ and a third assist and fight for may have gone Jubilee East track worker came ‘very close’ to being hit.

6 The ASLEF Journal l January 2020 News No, he’s still here, you are not alone ANDY BULLOCK , Freightliner Intermodal business council, reports on a poignant naming The loco; Mark Mulley, Dave Bray, Pete was given before the ceremony at Ipswich last month Mason, Andy Bullock and Nigel Gibson unveiling of the (above); Neil McNicholas, managing nameplate which JOINT there is always director, UK rail, at the Freightliner was performed by A initiative someone you can group; Sandy Martin, Labour MP for drivers Dave Bray and between talk to at the end of ipswich; and Mark (left) Steve Read who were Freightliner, the the line. good friends of a Samaritans and A brief insight into The Movember Intermodal business from the Samaritans. colleague who, sadly, Greater Anglia saw a the work the campaign last year council; DO5 Nigel A short speech by took his own life loco named You Are Samaritans do, along was used to highlight Gibson; Neil the railway chaplain earlier this year. Never Alone which is with the support the issues of mental McNicholas and one of the many from TOCs and FOCs health awareness. Andy Murphy of phrases the and Network Rail, Others in Freightliner; and QUOTE… Samaritans use to tell was given before the attendance were Sandy Martin, Labour ‘Is Boris Johnson dyeing his hair? He is, isn’t people, who may be naming ceremony Andy Bullock, Pete MP for Ipswich since he? It can’t be that blonde at 55. He looks suffering from mental took place on the Mason and Mark 2017, as well as a like the love child of Billy Idol and Augustus health issues, that platform at Ipswich. Mulley of Freightliner group of volunteers Gloop.’ – David Baddiel …UNQUOTE Staying safe ASLEF backed a joint project with the Scottish government and British Transport Police to remind Do2 Kevin Lindsay with SNP Scottish government Transport Minister Michael Matheson, BTP officers, and railway staff ‘partygoers and transport users’, ahead Kevin Lindsay, fortnight – at our railway, has the for people to enjoy a here in Scotland – of Christmas and ASLEF’s organiser in Christmas and New right to go to work drink, and a party, but with respect.’ Chief Hogmanay, ‘to extend Scotland, said: ‘We all Year here in Scotland – without being abused remember to treat Superintendent Eddie the season of goodwill want to let our hair but every passenger, or attacked. each other – and train Wylie added: to rail staff and fellow down and have a bit and every man and ‘That’s why we are drivers and station ‘Everyone has the passengers.’ of fun over the festive woman who works on backing the BTP plea staff on the railways right to a safe journey.’ Thanks for the memories NEAR MISS The RAIB has With a combined service of 87 years, Yoker launched an drivers John Paton and Colin McDonald have investigation after a decided it’s time to retire. group of rail workers John started on the railway in 1967 as a carrying out a track book marker at High Street East signal box, inspection just south went on to be a signaller at Milton junction of Kirtlebridge, on and, when the box shut, went to Bridgeton the west coast main depot as a guard. With the closure of line, narrowly Bridgeton in 1987 he moved to Yoker as a avoided being struck guard, then on to driving for the next 27 by a Virgin train years of his career. So, all in, 52 years’ service. travelling at 125mph Do6 Dicky Fisher and ASLEF activists out on Colin, with 35 years’ service, decided to in Dumfries and the campaign trail with Labour candidate – as retire early, having always said he was going Galloway just after well as restaurant owner and kebab at 55. He started as a second man at 9am on 14 connoisseur – ibrahim Dogus in West Polmadie in 1984. Along with several November. Bromwich East. colleagues, Colin went to Selhurst for his driving appointment, before returning home to Yoker in 1987. ASLEF’s new powerbank with 4400mAh capacity A great turnout for both of these popular and LED. Suitable for smart phones and tablets. drivers was held in the Counting House in Product dimensions: 80 x 63mm. Price £10 (inc Glasgow. We wish both of them a long and p&p); email [email protected] or visit our online healthy retirement. The Yoker crew busy shop at www.aslef.org.uk Mick Kane , LLC secretary, Yoker counting up to 87

January 2020 l The ASLEF Journal 7 News The gasoline alley where I was born

VERYONE knows about warehouses, overspilling trash Rod Stewart’s passion for cans, and busy rush hour streets, E models. Usually tall, all artfully bathed in a lush late Rod and his elegant, blonde, and beautiful. afternoon North American sun. ‘I American Less well known – at least until he find beauty in what everyone else railroad appeared on the front cover of sees as ugly,’ says the 74-year-old layout the December issue of Railway rocker, who made his name with Modeller – is his passion for model albums like Every Picture Tells a railways. Story , Gasoline Alley , and An Old Sir Rod’s layout – don’t you Raincoat Won’t Ever Let You Down . dare call it a train set – is 124ft ‘Rugged skyscrapers, beaten-up hobby which is why he kept his long, 23ft wide, 26 years in the warehouses, things that are very passion quiet for so long. Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Jools making, and sits in an attic at his run down.’ Remember the old gag? Question: Holland, Tom Hanks, and Pete home in Beverly Hills. It depicts a Rod, who had a hit with his ‘What do model railway Waterman (as well as Frank Sinatra fictional US city, a cross between cover of the Tom Waits song enthusiasts use for birth control?’ and Buster Keaton playing with New York and Chicago in the mid- Downtown Train in 1989, feared he Answer: ‘Their personalities.’ their Hornby layouts in the sky) 1940s, with coal wagons, would be mocked about his Rod Stewart, Roger Daltrey, would beg to differ.

Flower of Scotland QUOTE… ‘Now hatred is by far the longest pleasure; | Men ASLEF activists were John McCue, love in haste, but they detest at leisure.’ out in force on Glasgow branch, – Lord Byron , Don Juan Monday 18 tweeted: ‘It was …UNQUOTE November outside freezing tonight but Queen Street station, we got a great Glasgow, from 7.30 to reception from TRAINLINE DERAILED BY BOSSES’ BONUSES 9.30am, and commuters to Trainline, the online ticket booking service floated on Haymarket station, @scottishlabour’s the London Stock Exchange in June last year, has posted Edinburgh, from 4.30 promise to massively a hefty loss after splashing out millions on bankers and to 6.30pm, for a rail improve lives of top brass bonuses. It has posted losses of £87.5 million – campaign day in workers and our yet handed out £21 million to merchant bankers and a Scotland. families. Good Eyes wide shut with Scottish Labour further £61 million to senior managers. Kevin Lindsay, our response from Party leader Richard Leonard full-time organiser in #TartanArmy too. (below) and Fiona Montgomery SORRELL WANTS SINGAPORE ON STEROIDS Scotland, said: ‘The Come on Scotland!’ with John McCue (above) Sir Martin Sorrell, the buccaneering adman who left WPP SNP showed its true after 33 years following allegations over the misuse of colours – as Tartan company assets, and now runs S4 Capital, says he’s Tories – by voting hoping for a ‘Singapore on steroids’ when the UK leaves with the the European Union. He told Bloomberg : ‘Regulation Conservatives at light, tax light, UK economy open for business. Not a Holyrood to keep our regulatory nightmare.’ railway in the hands of the privateers. If UK’S FIRST DRIVERLESS BUSES ON TEST you want a publicly- Michael Matheson, Transport Secretary in the SNP owned railway in government at Holyrood, says a fleet of self-driving Scotland – and most buses could be operating in Scotland by the end of this people do – vote year. They will initially be on trial on a 14 mile route Labour at the general between the Edinburgh Park train/tram interchange and election.’ the ferry toll park and ride site in Fife but he is keen to And GS Mick roll them out across the country. Whelan said: ‘The Scottish people Underneath the arches our new topical tee-shirt, designed by deserve to own and those hoxton hipsters at Philosophy run their own The Arch Company, which paid £1.5 billion for 5,200 railway Football, features Rik Mayall as the Scottish railway. Let’s arches owned by Network Rail, has denied it will be an obnoxious anarchist Rick in The Young bring it back into abusive landlord and railroad through crippling rent rises. Ones , and this classic exchange: ‘he public ownership, let The company insists it will ‘engage with tenants and threw us off the train because you said ASLEF passengers have communities in an open and responsive manner’. But small was an anagram for “total and complete lower fares, and let’s firms fear the company, which is funded by US private bastard”.’ ‘And apart from everything else… it invest any surpluses equity giant Blackstone and the global property investor isn’t, even.’ £10 (inc p&p); email [email protected] back into the Scottish Telereal Trillium, will do its best to force them out to bring or visit our online shop at www.aslef.org.uk rail network.’ in High Street chains on higher rents.

8 The ASLEF Journal l January 2020 The 136th Durham Miners’ Gala will be held on Saturday 11 July 2020

Please support the Big Meeting by joining the Friends of Durham Miners’ Gala www.friendsofdurhamminersgala.org

January 2020 l The ASLEF Journal 9 Report You can knit a sweater by the fireside

BILL DALE , Retired Members’ Section committee member, and Chingford branch, reports on the RMS weekend forum at Low Hall, Scalby, near Scarborough, North Yorkshire, from Friday 1 to Sunday 3 November

AY Jackson, chair, welcomed us all to ‘When i get older, losing my hair | Many years from now || Will you still need me, will you still the weekend forum and called for a feed me | When i’m sixty-four’ || i could be handy, mending a fuse | When your lights have gone’ R minute’s silence in memory of former national secretary Tony West. out of mothballs. dominated by larger unions. The role of the GS Mick Whelan began his address by Drivers have complained that heavy- TUC, they said, is to be a hub for union activists remembering Tony, and his enormous handed British Transport Police have been but it needs to be more communicative contribution to ASLEF, and went on to talk breathalysing train drivers without any reason; between Congress House, trades councils, and about the future with a new Secretary of State there was an incident on Virgin, nothing to do branches. for Transport, the Williams rail review, the with the driver, who yet was breathalysed. On Sunday Clare Timmins from Thompson possible end of the franchise system, and the GBRf wants to breathalyse drivers, but we want solicitors addressed us on the topic of introduction of management contracts on proper medically-trained people to carry out ‘Standing up for you’. She discussed personal Britain’s railways, or the renationalisation of these tests. Dave said rest day working is injury accident claims, and the significant legal the railway, depending on the result of the acceptable, but we need the correct developments that affect these claims and general election. establishment of drivers. related cases. On freight, and with HS2 in mind, Mick said Court proceedings have to be commenced rail should move freight long haul, with lorries within three years of the date of an accident, doing short haul, to protect the environment ASLEF wants all cabs and the burden of proof lies with the claimant and tackle the climate emergency. He said although it can switch to the defendant in there were great concerns over safety issues to meet with current certain circumstances. Clare explained, in on the railway, for both staff and passengers. high standards and be some detail, the changes that have been made ASLEF, he said, is financially stable and in a to what arguments can be made about breach good place; with money set aside for fit for purpose ; not just of duty and the consequences for employers development. The union is supporting the new rolling stock who breach the Health & Safety at Work Act. CWU action at Royal Mail, and will also ‘Qualified one way costs shifting’ and support the Mayor of London as he has kept ‘fundamental dishonesty’, she said, ‘are very his promise not to touch LUL pensions or complex and can affect either claimant or driverless trains. defendant losing the case and having to pay EC president Dave Calfe also paid tribute to On Saturday Ronnie Morrison, a member of all the costs.’ The courts have clarified what Tony West, then spoke about a number of the Transport & General Workers’ Union when they consider constitutes fundamental important issues affecting drivers. ASLEF it merged with Amicus in 2007 to form Unite, dishonesty. Interestingly, the legislation only attends Rail Safety & Standards Board said his union recognised the importance of its affects claimants; there are no corresponding meetings on behalf of train drivers and the retired members’ section – which has 250,000 provisions for defendants that may be RSSB looks to us for our views. CCTV in cabs is members, of whom 60,000 pay just 55p per fundamentally dishonest in the presentation totally unacceptable, and there is an issue week – and the role of the National Pensioners’ of their case. ‘Vicarious liability’ is another about data recorders being downloaded via ‘Convention. issue. This was an extremely well-presented satellite to follow a driver’s actions which we Leigh Wilks, president of York and district and clearly-explained presentation by Clare are addressing. TUC, and Barry Bothamley, chair of Yorkshire & and gave much food for thought for members On freight, there has been a downturn over Humberside TUC, said it was special to talk to who cheerfully recalled the old adage ‘honesty five years resulting in a loss of jobs. There is ASLEF as we are a small union, and the TUC is is the best policy’. now driver recruitment from the streets for engineering trains with a progression to main line drivers. He said the whistle issue, over THE RMS 500 CLUB blowing the horn when a person does not ’ move to a place of safety, and its hours of use, A gentle reminder – and request – for all those who pay by cheque. When your are being dealt with, as is the idea that there renewal is due, it would be helpful – and greatly appreciated – if you would consider should be no route learning if the route is less changing your payments to a standing order by completing the bank form on page than five miles. 18 of the ASLEF Journal and advising head office of your change. This will save on ASLEF wants all cabs to meet with current administration of reminders being sent and processing the cheques. And, more high standards and be fit for purpose; not just importantly, your continuous payments will ensure you are always in the draw! new rolling stock, but old stock being brought

10 The ASLEF Journal l January 2020 Nostradamus

I believe ’cos I can see our future days

What does 2020 hold in store for us? We asked CHRIS PROCTOR , our very own Michel de Nostredame, the reputed seer who wrote Les Prophéties , to peer into his crystal ball for the Journal archeological dig for decades. Also, it has JANUARY JEST made people cross with rail, thus fulfilling Great Britain wins the global ‘Most Amusing the promise implicit in its name.’ Nation’ competition following the election of Boris Johnson as Prime Minister. The ‘best one- SEPT-IC liner’ prize goes to the Conservative Party The European Union votes to disband. campaign team for its pre-election gems ‘Forty ‘Without the United Kingdom, we are nothing,’ new hospitals!’; ‘We’ll end low pay altogether!’; The Don; the man say the French representatives. German MEPs and ‘£25 billion to improve Britain’s roads!’ who can’t wave union flags saying, ‘If it is good for the Compère ‘Bruiser’ Putin (no relation) says, ‘The remember how moose it is fine for the sander’ (although this genius of these punch lines is that some many children he may be the result of a translation inaccuracy). people actually believed they were true!’ has; the Tartan Tory; The Polish statement is ignored as no one The Prophecies by realises they are EU members. Mr Farage of FEBRUARY’S FOLLY Nostradamus; and a Orpington, Kent, leaves the building with egg Prince Andrew is appointed press relations portrait of the seer stains on his jacket and a mound of expense officer at ASLEF after holding off strong by his son César forms. Pointing at the latter, he says, ‘This is challenges from Edward hyde, vlad the what is has all been about. This is what impaler and Dr Crippen. No women he says, ‘but – a satisfied health & safety rep or matters.’ candidates stood against him. or indeed member? I don’t think so!’ anywhere close by. RED OCTOBER JUNE WIT FIELD Shortly before the US Presidential election, MARCHING ON The hS2 project is finally completed! only Donald Trump pulls out of the race. in a On 7 January, 8 March, joking! instead, the government issues a dignified interview, the Donald tells the 6 June, 12 October number of reasons why the new line is still nation, ‘The country needs to build and 7 December, the on the drawing board rather than the track. communities, extend fraternity and Department for ‘We were badly advised by Larry the Cat.’ goodwill, stop worshipping money and care Transport announces ‘hS’ doesn’t stand for ‘high speed’; it is for the environment. We need honesty from exactly the same short for ‘hello sailor’. ‘A gust of wind blew the administration, the oval office and the thing: the government the blueprint out of the window. it’s a blow.’ media.’ Some Americans are so moved they is utterly committed to providing more cannot watch the entire interview and go carriages, greater capacity and longer JULY JAPES outside to watch piglets fly overhead, platforms for our trains. The same number of The government migrating over the wall to Mexico. people are taken in by this nonsense as they goes on holiday, were in 2019, 2018, 2017, etc, when identical exiting the country NOVEMBER NIGHTS announcements were also made. en masse. ‘Now Early November you’ll see what it’s sees a Daily Mail APRIL SHOWER like without us!’ campaign to have For the first time since 1126, the UK has no declares the PM. effigies of Jeremy senior overseer of the country’s finances. Productivity soars Corbyn burned in Despite bribes, threats and pleadings, no along with spirits: place of those of one is prepared to move into 11 Downing spontaneous dancing in the street causes Guy Fawkes. ‘Robert Catesby and Guido Street, a precondition of the job of good-natured traffic delays; drivers are lifted Fawkes were only murdering bigoted Chancellor of the Exchequer. Many said that from their cabs, toasted and taken home to terrorists,’ the editor of Beyond the Pail explains. rather than live next door to Carrie and bed; parks are commandeered for singalong ‘But Jeremy Corybn is a socialist.’ Borry’s deafening domestic discourse, performances of Mary Poppins ; foreigners are they’d prefer to rock up at Albert Square. greeted with friendly cheers at Channel ports; DECEMBER HOOT The soap opera has previously featured the NHS declares itself over-funded and starts The first official sighting of Santa Claus has Allegra Mostyn-owen, Marina Wheeler, a public loan service; 3,000 homeless families been recorded by a Scotsman, Mr L o K Petronella Wyatt, and helen Macintyre. move into the Mogg mansion; Queen does jig. Ness-Monster. Mr Ness-Monster displayed grainy black and white photographs taken MAY OUI AUGUST COMPANY on a dash cam on a moped in the fog. Nicola ASLEF’s annual assembly of delegates is Crossrail is finally completed! Faced with Sturgeon insisted that only a biased English cancelled as union activists declare themselves evidence that the capital is now a mound of person could fail to be convinced by the ‘entirely satisfied with their wages, conditions, earth covered in large holes, the evidence. ‘if Santa isn’t real,’ she said, ‘then hours, health & safety arrangements, rosters government explains that Crossrail was i’m a Tartan Tory.’ Subsequent polls in and managers’. Mick Whelan says he doesn’t never intended to be a railway. A statement Glasgow show plummeting faith in the believe the news. ‘I can accept most of them,’ says, ‘it is the largest and most impressive existence of Father Christmas.

January 2020 l The ASLEF Journal 11 Agenda Remember, every picture tells a story

A beautiful new book by Mike the working day – conjure up what Lucy Davies, of Goldwater brings together 87 the Telegraph , describes in her introduction as ‘this vast and rambling network, opened in 1863, and of his favourite images taken famously simplified by Frank Pick’s diagrammatic on the London Underground map of 1933. from 1970 to 1980 ‘Some stations were lit only by individual hanging bulbs in white light shades, immersing travellers in a IKE Goldwater picked up a camera as a boy, dim, Hades-like gloom. It made taking photographs discovered he had a talent for taking incredibly difficult, forcing Mike to function at the M pictures, and hasn’t been seen without a very limit of his film’s capabilities, but it gives his lens ever since. pictures a wonderfully brooding, unearthly cast. He His pictures have been published in The Observer , had to hide his camera from Underground staff, who Sunday Times , The Guardian , The Independent , Daily would stop him taking pictures if they caught him.’ Telegraph , Time , Newsweek , Paris Match , Stern and Finn Brennan, ASLEF’s organiser on the Waterloo & City line 1979 Der Spiegel . Underground, says: ‘Although, at first, these photos And his exhibitions include Famine in Africa at the seem to evoke a world that has gone, there is much Side Gallery, Newcastle, in 1985; Positive Lives , a that is the same today. Lovers still kiss on touring project about HIV and AIDS in 1995; NHS at Underground platforms, middle-aged men in suits 50 at the Photographers’ Gallery, London, in 1998; are still tired and confused after a long evening out, and Between Revolution and War at the Camilo and football fans still head to Wembley Central. Minero, San Salvador, in 2014. ‘In many ways the Underground is a better and These pictures, taken in the 1970s, were his first safer place than it was in the 1970s. An unpopular professional project. ‘When it was still acceptable to view, I know, among those who believe everything talk, kiss, and even smoke on the London was better in the old days! But underinvestment as Underground,’ muses Martin Usborne of Hoxton Mini London’s population declined, poor pay and Press, ‘Mike spent years documenting chance conditions for staff, and few of the safety features we moments of intimacy and humour across this iconic now take for granted, meant it was often a very network of tunnels beneath the capital.’ unwelcoming place, especially for women or those at The pictures – of lovers, buskers, and footie fans; risk, during the heyday of the National Front. Saturday night partygoers and tired commuters, ‘But, whatever changes, the Underground and its deep in thought, desperate to get home at the end of workforce remain at the heart of the city.’

Baker Street 1979

oxford Circus 1979 (above); Tottenham Court Road 1977 (inset) oxford Circus 1978

12 The ASLEF Journal l January 2020 images

WELL LET THE BOYS ALL SING AND THE Fulham Broadway 1979 BOYS ALL SHOUT FOR TOMORROW

London Underground 1970-1980 by Mike Goldwater (Hoxton Mini Press, £16.95) is the sixth volume in the publisher’s Vintage Britain series. The press is a small independent publisher based – its name notwithstanding – in Hackney, east London. ‘Our goal is to bring good photography to a wide audience,’ says Ann Waldvogel. ‘Arty books should be beautiful but they needn’t be big or expensive. It’s a series dedicated to rediscovering the best photographs taken in Britain in the mid- to late-20th century.’ Golders Green 1979

Moorgate 1973

Wembley Park 1979 Bank 1979

EVERYBODY SAYS IT’S JUST LIKE ROCK’N’ROLL Mike Goldwater has carried out photographic assignments all over the world. As the publishers, Martin Usborne and Ann Waldvogel, dryly note, ‘he now travels for free on the Underground.’ This, though, is a picture from the archives when Mike was paying tribute to Marc Bolan’s 20th Century Boy look, and taking these London Underground pics.

January 2020 l The ASLEF Journal 13 Station to Station My heart’s in the highlands a-ch

PAUL ROUTLEDGE wrapped up warm to follow in the footsteps of Lyra and Asriel in His Dark Materials on a trek to the frozen north. Well, to ride the Far North line from Inverness to Thurso in the Scottish Highlands. Where his old mate, and Gordon Brown’s former aide, CHARLIE WHELAN left his fishing rod in the Land Rover to take these photographs for us

TAG on the track! Driver Colin Ross has I say ‘clatter’ because stretches of this line encountered that before today on must be old, short rails, not long-welded. Diddle- S Britain’s most remote railway. In years de-dum, diddle-de-dah. Evocative of an earlier gone by, he would have carried a butcher’s knife age. But attention shifts to the shoreline, so close to take out the animal’s innards on the footplate. you can almost touch it, the haunt of seals, for Poaching the laird’s venison was a perk of the Far more than 20 miles to the salmon fishing village North line to Thurso, the northernmost point of of Helmsdale. Prince Charles likes to cast a fly the national rail network. here. Then a great leap inland through the Flow Not any more, alas, despite record wild red Country, a half-million acre expanse of peatbog, deer numbers. There wouldn’t be room in the lochs and pools. And very few people, and even cab of an ageing 158 Express Sprinter and, fewer stations, and those, like Altnabreac, miles North. The last dispute, which lasted four days, besides, the timetable is tighter than it was in from anywhere. took place over a pay deal in 2002. ASLEF’s case those halcyon days of steam on the Highland Diving north from Georgemas Junction, it’s was strong enough, but it was boosted Railway. back through farmland before rolling into Thurso immeasurably by a temporary top ScotRail on time, then into the refurbished Station Hotel manager who went on late night TV to insist that PEATBOGS, LOCHS AND POOLS for further, er, refreshment. But not for Colin ‘It’s an absolute disgrace that they want the Even so, it takes 3 hours 50 minutes to cover the Ross. He has to take the train back to Georgemas same money as train drivers in England.’ Oops! 154 miles, with 24 intermediate stops (seven of and down to the other terminus at Wick, a After that, nae bother. them request, plus one built for the Duke of fishing port on the east coast, where the Far Sutherland for his private estate) making it more North drivers are based and the 158s are stabled. ENGINEOMAD DUKE OF SUTHERLAND of a safari than a simple train ride. Take own There are ten drivers on the line, three of This is the story of a railway that might never food, and wine. them women, including Lilian Stanley, who took have been built, and whose continued existence It being the dead of winter, and nothing us back to Inverness the next day. They’re all is not far short of a miracle. Bearing in mind the better to do, I took the line with Scots resident ASLEF members. There is no threat to the future sparseness of the population, the rugged nature Charlie Whelan, former press secretary to of the line, which is vital to the community as of the terrain, and the limited opportunities for Gordon Brown, who is another friend of ASLEF. well as a strategic link to the Orkney ferries and goods traffic, it’s surprising that the track We boarded the 14.00 from Inverness behind Dounreay nuclear power station still undergoing reached the Far North as early as it did. Colin Ross, 52, a driver with seven years’ decommissioning. A line between Wick and Thurso was mooted experience. Is it hard going? I asked. Laconic, in the 1840s, but it wasn’t until 1860 that these Heelanders. ‘Generally it works OK, but ALWAYS BEEN A FAMILY RAILWAY construction began. Dingwall was reached two when things do go wrong, it causes chaos. I’ve So when I talked to Inverness branch chair years later, ‘the most momentous event in its only had one really bad winter. It’s floods rather Andrew Gardner and secretary Tony Fraser, annals since the title of “royal” was conferred than snow that cause trouble.’ they’re optimistic. ‘Inverness is expanding, and upon it by Alexander I in 1226.’ Invergordon, 31 And so we slip out over the new River Ness there are more commuter trains. The railway’s miles from Inverness, followed in 1863, and viaduct, built to replace one that was swept doing well.’ Tony’s son Ryan is a driver, and Bonar Bridge the year after. away in 1989, when a train – fortunately, behind daughter Lyneay works on the catering side. This The ‘advance to the north’ continued by time – was due across. I hear the guard was late, has always been a ‘family’ railway since Highland courtesy of the wealthy, engine-mad Duke of not the driver. company days, but that’s changing, too. There’s a Sutherland, who owned 99% – 1.3 million acres – Beauly, the first stop, houses Lord Lovat’s one- Spanish driver, now, and a Finn, and two Latvians of the eponymous county through which the time private waiting room. After Dingwall, the in training. line was to travel. He financed a private railway, county town of Ross-shire (and home of Ross In May 2019, ScotRail advertised for trainee with a stop for his ducal seat, Dunrobin Castle, County FC), we swing round the Firth of drivers. Applicants were required to live within up to Golspie, taking command on the footplate Cromarty to Invergordon, site of a famous Royal 45 minutes of a station, have an ability to stay of a special train from Rogart on the first day of Navy mutiny in 1931 and now a base for North calm under pressure, possess a logical mind, and services in 1868. Sea oil rigs. The station has some fine military good communications skills. There was a great deal of noblesse oblige murals. A great many people obviously thought this about this whole enterprise, with the Duke of Through rich farmland to the royal burgh of was their chance not just to drive trains but to this and the Earl of that and Colonel Sir Tain, the line hugs the coastline of Dornoch Firth make a decent living because, within days, Whatsisname investing heavily. It has to be said, before a loop of almost 40 miles into Sutherland 12,000 had applied for a few dozen places. however, that the landowning nobles were more via Lairg to Golspie and the coastal town of The salaries were attractive: trainees would obliged by the coming of the iron road than Brora, where there was a coal mine until 1970. En start on £27,483 a year, rising to £38,194. After their vassals. Rising land values, increased trade route, we clatter past the pretty wooden halt of six months, the pay would increase to between and a greater travelling public ensured that they Dunrobin Castle (known to some as Dun £40,792 and £43,800. This at a time when jobs prospered. Robbin’) built for the Duke. It’s now a museum for bus drivers in Glasgow were being offered at After Helmsdale and Brora, the final stop, open to visitors during the summer. You £8.21 an hour – the minimum wage. objectives of the navvies (mostly local men, who can just see the stately home through the trees. There’s not much industrial strife on the Far hired their own preacher) were the fishing ports

14 The ASLEF Journal l January 2020 Far North asing the deer

A Class 158 runs into Altnabreac station; Tony Fraser, Andrew Gardner, Colin Ross and Paul Routledge with his reporter’s notebook; Lilian Slater; Routledge feels the cold in the frozen north; a vintage map of the old route in 1910; ScotRail’s vision of the Far North line; Colin Ross, Andrew Gardner and Tony Fraser; Routledge with driver Colin Ross at Thurso; and passengers at Thurso

couldn’t do both. liner minimize for the swimmer the vastness of Rather against its will, the Highland Railway the ocean.’ was a paternalist company, being obliged to Where next for this once-threatened build houses for its employees in far-flung survivor? Bill Reeve, director of rail for Transport places. But it refused to deal with trade unions, Scotland, insists: ‘The future of the line is not in including ASLEF. Staff had to make ‘petitions’ to doubt. The questions now are how to best to the board, and directors granted what they develop the line and its services, be it passenger pleased. and freight. The Scottish government of Wick on the east side of Caithness and Thurso understands the contribution this line makes to on the west. To avoid mountains that ran down UNION MEMBERSHIP ROSE SHARPLY the economy, and the communities it serves, to the sea, the line meandered deeply inland, That changed when union membership rose and is committed to its future success. Track and across treacherous bogland. sharply during the Great War of 1914-18, line speed improvements, level crossing As the crow flies it’s only 35 miles, but double enabling ASLEF, whose branch was formed in upgrades, new maintenance staff, and RETB that by train, with few stops and some of those 1916, and the NUR to negotiate terms and signalling developments are all evidence of this. merely for shooting lodges like Borrobol and conditions – but only after a week-long strike in And, yes, the investment case for a passing place Salzcraggie platforms. The route diverged at 1919 during which one blackleg train was driven between Inverness and Dingwall is under Georgemas Junction (and still does), reaching to Lairg by the manager of the Inverness discussion.’ Wick and Thurso in 1874. It may not be the Wild electricity works. West, but the Wild North took some taming. Nationalisation in 1948 heralded the closure FAST LIL GOT THE 158 UP TO 75MPH The London, Midland & Scottish Railway took of branch lines and the closure of 20 The Far North is run by ScotRail, which is part of over the route after absorbing the Highland intermediate stations between Inverness and the Dutch operator Abellio. The Scottish Labour Railway in the big four grouping of 1923. In a bid Wick although some have since reopened. Worse Party, with ASLEF support, wants to nationalise to attract tourists, the company inaugurated two was to follow in 1963 when the infamous the system but the ruling SNP government has named trains in 1936: The Orcadian , a morning Beeching Report recommended the closure of set its face against public ownership. The union’s service, and the John O’Groat , which ran in the all lines north of Inverness. main beef with management is the drafting in of evening, each knocking an hour off the five hour The Far North was reprieved – possibly on senior executives from outside. ‘The people who schedule. national security grounds – but Inverness run the railway now don’t understand the footplate numbers fell, particularly after railway,’ says Andrew Gardner. SUSPENDED AT OUTBREAK OF WAR dieselisation. They stabilised at 40 (four full-time Returning on the 12.30 Sunday service from Both were suspended at the outbreak of the at Wick). There are four trains each way from Thurso, Lilian Slater is in the cab. With four years’ Second World War, and only The Orcadian Inverness along the whole route, with only one driving experience, she might earn the title of resumed post-war service. It was abandoned in on Sunday, which, as we found, is very well Fast Lil. I swear she took the old 158 up to the 1964, not long after diesel locomotives patronised. maximum 75mph limit on several sections, and superseded steam in the Far North. In the summer, it’s popular with tourists. Scots we made most stops well in time despite the In both world wars, Jellicoe Specials, named author Moray McLaren, drawn back to his roots, lashing rain and high winds. after the Admiral of the Fleet who commanded wrote in 1930: ‘The Highland Railway does not And, with classic Highland brevity, when I the Royal Navy at the Battle of Jutland in 1916, rob anything of the grandeur of the scenery asked ‘Is the job difficult?’ she replied ‘No, not carrying naval personnel and material, ran direct through which it passes. It is so insignificant, its really.’ Not for those who can do it, clearly. After a from London Euston to Thurso, taking 22 hours trains pass so seldom, and so slowly, it no more couple of hours’ rest, she has to take the train all to cover the length of the country. takes away the desolation of the Highlands for the way back to Wick – a formidable shift. I don’t In the beginning, for its extensive system, the the traveller than does the sight of an Atlantic think I could do that on the cushions! Highland Railway built an impressive four-fifths of a round house in Inverness, with 32 roads PAUL ROUTLEDGE – who writes a column each Friday in the Daily Mirror – is a approached under an arch topped by a water veteran political and industrial reporter and the son of a railwayman. Paul tank. At the height of steam, it boasted 60 locos, worked for The Times , leaving for The Observer when Rupert Murdoch moved mainly LMS Black Fives from the 1930s and his newspapers to Wapping, the Independent on Sunday , Daily Mirror , Tribune coded 60A in British Rail days. and Huddersfield Examiner (he lives in North Yorkshire). To serve the Far North, there were small depots at Helmsdale (60C) and Wick (60D), with CHARLIE WHELAN – who trades on Twitter as a ‘fly fisher who doesn’t like sub-shed Thurso; all three with only a handful spinning’ – was a press secretary (well, spin doctor) to Gordon Brown, the allocation, gradually closing after steam gave Chancellor of the Exchequer, when Labour was last in government, and way to diesel. I remember going there in 1959 then political director of Unite. Charlie is now a freelance writer, as a young railway enthusiast. You had to broadcaster, and fly fisherman who lives in Grantown-on-Spey. choose between Wick and Thurso, as you

January 2020 l The ASLEF Journal 15 Branch Lines

Eat, drink, and be merry Upcoming events

IXTY former place in 2020. Thank of former colleague n EASTLEIGH N SATURDAY 14 MARCH S and current you, Phil, for the and ASLEF president Reunion from 12.0 at the Eastleigh Railway Institute, Romsey Toton mugs and a jigsaw Sean Madden) and to Road, Eastleigh, Hants, SO50 9FE. All grades welcome. colleagues and their (which everyone everyone for their partners enjoyed the agreed should be donations. n BRIGHTON – TUESDAY 5 MAY 2019 depot reunion given to the widow Reg Sargeant , RMS The 10th annual Brighton & Sussex branches reunion for all at the Sportsman in ASLEF members, past and present, from 14.00 at the Brighton Long Eaton, Railway Club, Belmont, off Dyke Road, Brighton, BN1 3TF. Derbyshire , on Friday ‘ASLEF members from other branches will also be made very 25 October doing welcome,’ says Paul Edwards (07402 478278). what railway people have always done – chatting, drinking and eating. Many colleagues were in Lest we forget their 70s and 80s and our oldest, John Carmarthen 045 branch came Scattergood, was just together on Friday 8 November to a few days short of remember the men of the Great his 93rd birthday, Western Railway who lost their with his 90-year-old lives during the Great War of wife beside him. 1914-18. A memorial plaque, Donations and an sponsored by ASLEF, TfW, the RMT, auction of two Toton Carmarthen Round Table, and mugs commissioned West Wales Signallers, was by Phil Gadd, who unveiled at the railway station last travelled from his year with EC member Andy Hudd Bristol base, raised laying a wreath on behalf of £370 to ensure that ASLEF. Hannah Tuck, the railway another depot chaplain, delivered a poignant reunion will take service followed by the laying of poppy wreaths and the sounding of the last post. Steven John, a local historian, undertook research with the assistance of branch chair Simon Biggs into the personal stories of the eight men who made the ultimate sacrifice. All smiles by the River Trent in Derbyshire Simon set out to ensure that a permanent memorial was erected BADGES AND at Carmarthen railway station so BEER future generations would not forget the sacrifice that those men DO1 Graham Morris made. At a branch meeting, we gave us an update on moved to part fund the cost of the issues in District 1 memorial plaque alongside other and what’s industry partners. Every year we ‘one hundred years ago we fell, | happening across the will, as a depot and community, The lessons doth remain. | For country. He took come together to remember what we gave, we ask of thee, | questions from those who fought, those who lost Love one another, in our name’: members before their lives, and who carry the Bro Simon Biggs and Captain making long service and R Williams, who to members in emotional and physical scars of all Keith Bullock of the 1st battalion presentations to received his 40 year attendance. our country’s conflicts. the Royal Welsh with his family; retired member J badge; he also Mark Jenkins , Chris Owen, branch secretary Jonathan Davies and Chris owen Carney, who received presented badges Eastbourne branch his 45 year badge, from five to 30 years secretary

Brian Coulston and Matt Wilson of Corkerhill branch with Do2 Kevin Lindsay who presented them with their 40 year badges. Matt and Brian started together on 10 Sept 1979. After a six week traction trainee course at Motherwell they both moved to Corkerhill where they have been ever since.

16 The ASLEF Journal l January 2020 100 Years of Union

integral part of the sadly, part of our fabric of Stratford history, although his RIP Westy branch’s history, and memory will never will be remembered be forgotten. N Monday to, and instrumental fondly by all who had The GS made a 11 in providing, many of the pleasure and passionate and O November, the benefits we privilege to know him. emotional speech not only were we receive today, with At the service, the that captivated the We turn back time – and the pages remembering the salaries, conditions, Stratford branch audience and made of the Locomotive Journal – to fallen, we were and protections in banner made an us reflect, smile, January 1920 and victory for the gathered at Eltham employment, and appearance as a fitting laugh, and shed a union against blacklegs, and the crematorium in represented tribute. We hope his tear – and Mick mystery of the missing GS photos Bexleyheath, south- (successfully) many family took a little reminded us of a east London, to members reading comfort in knowing phrase that many WITH HOPE AND ENTHUSIASM how well we all had heard Tony say; remember our dear this article! Tony went The editor extends to all readers his thought of him. when he gave you friend and comrade on to represent our sincerest good wishes for a very Happy At the wake, more his hand for a Bro Tony West. The retired members, and New Year. May 1920 see the ASLE&F go speeches were made mighty handshake – service was very pensioners in wider from strength to strength and victory to and we learnt more a handshake that emotional and society, and was victory. As another year dawns we can about Tony the trade was as solid as his focused on Tony’s always, without fail, look backward with satisfaction and unionist, the word – he would say family life, with a there to help those in forward with hope and enthusiasm. passionate and need of assistance or railwayman and the ‘Here’s my hand, stalwart that he was. I here’s my heart.’ moving speech from advice. BLACKLEGS OFF FOOTPLATE his son-in-law on Tony was a man of heard someone say Well, Tony, as we bid We have pulled off an important victory behalf of Tony’s stature, a powerful the word ‘legend’ is you farewell, you for all branches having members on the daughters. man, and a man of thrown around too had all our hands Caledonian. This company was alone in The place was respect – when Tony easily these days, and with you, and you retaining the services of men who packed – it was spoke, he spoke with that is correct; but had all our hearts! volunteered as blacklegs during the standing room only – conviction, integrity Tony was the RIP Westy, a legend recent strike. This fact was very irksome to with the and honesty, and he definition of the word and a gentleman. our members. We communicated with the congregation commanded an – part of our collective John Thorpe , Prime Minister, who acquainted the comprising people audience. He was an success but now, branch secretary Minister of Transport, and on Tuesday 16 who had travelled December, Messrs Bromley, Walker, and the length and Squance had a long interview with Mr breadth of the Matheson, who agreed to return to country to pay their Scotland to investigate at once. The result respects to a great is a complete victory, as Mr Matheson man. agrees to remove all the strike blacklegs Tony was a from the footplate, and if they are kept in lifelong member of the company’s service at all they will be in ASLEF and Stratford positions which cannot prejudice any of branch, holding our members. many positions; from the heart of the NATIONALISE THE RAILWAYS depot, right up to Mr Lloyd George has stated at Manchester, national level as AGS, and other coalition speakers have stated and latterly the RMS. elsewhere, that they intend to challenge He joined ASLEF in Stratford 205 branch members, past and present, outside the the Labour Party’s claim to nationalise the 1962 and was witness crematorium with their branch banner mines and railways, and to make this the paramount issue at the next election. Slightly Suggy retires THE LISTS ARE BEING CLEARED One of the Ipswich legends has A section of the Liberal Party has grown called it a day. Trevor ‘Suggy’ weary of the coalition, and is up in arms foxed Southgate has retired after 46 against those so-called Liberals who are years on the iron road. He started the mainstay of Tory controllers. This on the railway as a box boy on cleavage is getting wider, and leaves 3 September 1973, became a Liberalism hopelessly divided, some traction trainee in July 1974 and clinging to the Tory Party, and some passed out as a second man that destined to join the Labour Party. The lists August. He moved to Ilford car Trevor with his certificate are being cleared for the great contest sheds in 1980 as a driver. In 1984 he got an 8b move to between Capital and Labour. ian Farnfield (left) Colchester and then an 8c move back to Ipswich in 1985. Trevor receives his 40 year was active in our trade union as an LDC and union learning rep. PHOTO OF GENERAL SECRETARY ASLEF membership He had a great turnout for his retirement and wants to thank The December issue of the Journal should badge from Leicester everybody for coming. Also thanks to Ian Watling for organising have contained a photograph of the branch secretary John Trevor’s gifts and Kelvin Higgins for presenting them. Have a general secretary, but some complaints Liddle. great retirement, Suggy. are being received that each copy did not Lee Barber , branch secretary contain such a photo.

January 2020 l The ASLEF Journal 17 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 and, 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 the Admin Department at head office.

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

Yours fraternally, Mick Whelan, general secretary

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

The su m o f £ email ...... DATE AN D AM OUNT OF F IRS T PA YM ENT DUE DA TE AND FR EQU ENCY ST Com mencing £ and th ere after e very 1 OF EVE RY MONT H Each number costs £4. You can purchase as many numbers as you like. I confirm that I wish to purchase ____ 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 numbers as part of the 500 Club. Qu otin g t he and debit my/our acco unt acc ord in gly re ference (A) I have set up my standing order (£48 per annum or £4 per month) 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 (B) I enclose a cheque for advance SPE CIA L INSTRU CTIO NS payment (£48 per annum). 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: RMS 500 ’ Club, Admin Dept, ASLEF, 77 St John 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 Street, London, EC1M 4NN and hand (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 the standing order mandate (right), to (iv ) request benefici ar y s b an ker t o a dvis e b enefic iary o f r eceip t

your bank (or via your 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

18 The ASLEF Journal l January 2020 obituaries

SEAN MADDEN A WORKING-CLASS HERO IS SOMETHING TO BE. WELL, JUST FOLLOW ME… Sean Madden, our esteemed colleague, and a Weasy Raymond’s hairdressing emporium, former president of ASLEF’s executive shortly before catching a train back from committee, died on Thursday 7 November London. Later, on the train, their reflections in after battling cancer almost since the day he the window convinced them to visit the toilet retired 11 years ago. to scrape the pomaded lacquered travesty out, Over the last ten years our group of retired realising that Ilkeston, Derbyshire, still ex-locomen has met in the Three Horseshoes emerging from the Dark Ages, wasn’t ready for every other week, sitting under the engine these new-fangled ideas, which would have nameplate the Old Contemptibles to chew the set the dogs barking, even finding themselves fat and reminisce. We were (after a couple of chased out of town, or worse, put in stocks in drinks) a noisy committee who always sat in the market place, and shamed! He could bring the same seats, Sean in the middle as our chair these stories to life. and someone we looked up to for advice and Sean, our colleague, Brother, and mate, was good sense. He couldn’t be double sixed (as Sean with Alan Donnelly (left) and Keith a dyed in the wool Ilkestonian. He had high Scott the landlord soon realised) and had Norman at Arkwright Road principles which never wavered and we were sound knowledge, forged by many years as a dummy, in his pram as their mothers chatted, bewildered by his courage and resolution over union official – starting in the 1960s as a young and decided to purloin the article, a dummy the last few years. Sean was a big Beatles fan; man concerned for our futures in a vastly being a prize in the post-war years, but, as he John Lennon wrote Working-Class Hero and shrinking railway system – who progressed to made a grab for the pacifier, Sean foiled the that’s how we will remember him. Our the EC. attempt and, after a fearsome tug, Excalibur heartfelt sympathies to Janet, Christopher and Sean had a brilliant sense of humour and remained in place – immovable, and a lesson the family. was a great raconteur, many of his stories learned. Jim Canning and the other Old involving his lifelong mate Peter Mee. Pete first Twenty years later the duo were having Contemptibles: Peter , Bob , John , Stuart , encountered Sean, contentedly sucking on his their hair arranged in outlandish style in Teasy- Keith , Tony and Dennis

RUSSELL SPENCE CRACKING JOKES COLIN FOSTER Former Darlington branch secretary Russell Spence passed away on 6 November at the age of 57. He was a driver for 25 years and a member VAST KNOWLEDGE of ASLEF throughout that time. A keen pool and snooker player, he is OF THE RAILWAY remembered for sporting a mullet whilst wielding the cue and cracking Friends and family attended Saltwell jokes. crematorium in Gateshead on In his capacity as a union rep, Russ was knowledgeable, passionate, Tuesday 22 october to mark the friendly, and respected by colleagues who regarded him highly as a passing of Collingwood ‘Colin’ Foster, minder driver and could rely on his straightforward no-nonsense who died on 10 october at the age of approach to overcoming adversity. Russ was instrumental in the Colin: ‘Mischievous struggle to reopen Darlington depot as a recruitment point in 2001, 88. Like his father before him, Colin sense of fun’ was named after the great after its closure at privatisation. Northumbrian, Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, who served Unfortunately, that year he was involved in a serious road traffic alongside horatio Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. collision. The injuries he suffered, and resultant long-term effects on his Colin had a great sense of humour, was proud of his health, forced early retirement, throughout which he remained a north-east roots, and serving in the British Army as part of member of the RMS and a regular attendee at Bank Top staff reunions. his national service enjoyed telling Geordie jokes to his Russ will be sadly missed by wife Maxine, his daughters and fellow servicemen. he started his footplate career at grandchildren, and all who knew and remember him. Gateshead (52A) as a cleaner, and progressed to fireman, John Clark , branch secretary, Darlington passed fireman, and driver. Because Gateshead was a main line shed, he drove the larger steam locomotives such as A4 KEITH TURNER and A3 Pacifics on the east coast main line to King’s Cross and Edinburgh from Newcastle. As diesel locomotives SMILES AND LAUGHTER began to replace steam, he went on to drive Deltics, Class It is with great sadness I have to inform 40s, and so on, before working on high speed trains and, you of the passing of our friend and finally, Class 91s. Colin was a great pleasure to work with, former colleague Keith Aloysius Turner. eager to pass on his vast knowledge of railways, and we also Keith was one of those big characters appreciated his mischievous sense of fun. any train crew depot is blessed to have; Sun rise: 3 october 1947; John M Scott MBE , former chair, Gateshead & Newcastle his smile and laughter were infectious! sun set: 2 November 2019 May you rest in eternal peace, Keith. From all your friends, past and present, on the Bakerloo, Central, Jubilee and Hammersmith & City lines. JIMMY FAULKNER DEPOT CHARACTER Gary Jarman , branch secretary, Hammersmith & City 267 Jimmy Faulkner, friend, colleague and depot character, has died at 89. He began his footplate career on 6 July 1948 at Wigan GC shed. A move JOHN ROBINSON SADLY MISSED across to Springs branch shed, then Patricroft, until closure, was It is with great sadness we announce the recent passing followed by final moves under r&r to Newton Heath and Manchester of John Robinson, a driver for Virgin at Liverpool. John Victoria until retirement. Jimmy and his wife retired to their new home had just achieved 41 years of driving. I would like to on the west coast of Ireland but he never lost touch with his roots and thank everyone for the lovely messages and support our never missed the Newton Heath retired drivers’ reunion, always family have received. John was a very popular man and enjoying a good chinwag with Ron Brady. will be so sadly missed. John Black , Newton Heath RMS Sharon , his partner, and his two sons

January 2020 l The ASLEF Journal 19 Letters

Are air-conditioned cabs really the answer for all? i volunteered to drive steam locos on a heritage line I read with interest the article in the Journal and was told to start as an engine cleaner – again… (November, p17) regarding the SQUASH campaign and the idea that all cabs should be i refer to Bro Rimell’s air-conditioned. Whilst there is no doubt that letter ( Journal , cabs should be properly heated and, with December) in which he increasingly warmer summers, cooled, I am mentions that certain not convinced that air-conditioning is the heritage railways are answer to better cabs. I am sure I am not the struggling to locate only driver to suffer with asthma, and dry suitable drivers and heating systems don’t help my health. Whilst firemen. he suggests that The Nunney Castle in Great Western livery at Didcot not ideal, the cab heaters in second generation main line drivers might Railway Centre and being driven at speed in the 1980s units such as Class 158s were much better for be in a position to after i retired i a cleaner! Not being me, as they don’t dry out the air, as the air-con alleviate the problem. approached the South prepared to wind the units in later build trains do. Before i retired i was on Devon Railway and clock back over 40 years, I have recently signed some of our latest the steam roster at my offered to volunteer my my employment with traction, and find that the air-con system turns depot and, a short while services as a steam driver. SDR ended before it itself on, even when you’ve turned it off! I before i finished, drove The response was that i started! cannot drive with the window open, because 5029 Nunney Castle from would be welcome, on Denis A Lewis , it’s too noisy at line speed, and with a central Plymouth to Exeter. Soon condition that i started as Kingsteignton, Devon driving position, I’m unable to close a window on the move (cannot reach it!) so have to suffer dry humid air in the cab which does nothing for my health. before they had crossed the two tracks to the local area, and a solicitor from Thompsons. Perhaps it didn’t make the news outside the reach Piccadilly. Ray Jackson expertly chaired and we had lively north-west of England, but seven people died Mel Thorley , RMS Longsight discussions! We also had good chats and a lot in Barrow-in-Furness in 2002 after an outbreak of laughs in the bar, and I would thoroughly of Legionnaires’ disease, caused by a poorly Berlin im licht und dunkel recommend it to any retired member. The staff maintained air-conditioning unit. Do we, who were lovely and made us welcome. Thank you With reference to recent suffer from poorly maintained trains, really for the opportunity to go, and I’ll be putting articles in the Journal on think that cab air-con units will be properly my name and Dave’s down for next year. fascism, I wondered whether maintained? Only recently, I asked when the Tracey Longman , Bedford you had come across any filters in the water cooler in the mess room had novels by Philip Kerr (1956- last been serviced, and no-one knew the 2018). His Berlin noir trilogy Help on a difficult journey answer. If those are not serviced, why would a – March Violets , The Pale I would like to express my sincere thanks to all cab air-con system be maintained any better? Criminal and A German my friends and colleagues for their good I love my career as a train driver, but find Requiem – is set in the 1930s wishes and messages of support over the last these dry heat systems an increasing issue. If it and 1940s just before and 20 months. I would also, on behalf of my family begins to affect my health, will I be forced to Kerr: Nazi noir after the Second World War. and myself, like to thank everyone who give up a job I love, because of a dry heating The author’s turns of phrase and use of contributed to the hardship fund for their system that’s fitted in our cabs? I certainly synonym are brilliant, sometimes in a light- generosity. I was genuinely touched by such a hope not. hearted vein, whilst highlighting the truly dark gesture. It also underpinned to me the Stewart Higham , TPE, Manchester times in Germany. An interesting and excellent importance of being part of the railway and Piccadilly read, notwithstanding the horrible events in ASLEF family. It has been a difficult journey but that country in that period. thanks to you, the brain injury team at Network Rail route master Roy Lingham , Bridlington Glasgow Royal Infirmary, and ScotRail occupational health. it has been made as is on the wrong track supported as it possibly could be. Thanks, too, Did you see the interview Lots of Low Hall laughs to my branch and Jim Baxter who kept in with Sir Peter Hendy in the I have just come back from the ASLEF Retired touch with offers of support and advice. November issue of The Members’ Section forum held at the NUM’s Michael Lavery , ASLEF Scottish Railway Magazine ? He really Low Hall, Scalby, near Scarborough. It was my supervisors’ branch poked the Northern beehive first time and I didn’t know what to expect, but by saying that he ‘feels I had a really good time. Thirty-one of us Piccadilly station does not ‘students’ enjoyed guest speakers from our I was lost for words need extra through own union, the broader labour movement of I would like to express my gratitude to all at the Corkerhill branch meeting in November. To hendy stokes platforms 15 and 16’. This say I was overwhelmed by their generosity is the fire again also means no extra tracks from Piccadilly to Castlefield understating it, and I was a bit lost for words. I junction. Why, only as recently as Tuesday 8 20% Discount would also like to thank Kevin Lindsay for October, I monitored the progress of five trains For all active and retired agreeing to make the presentation. Although railway staff – four passenger, one freight – attempting to not always at Corkerhill, I thought it cross Manchester one morning from west to appropriate that I should end my years on the east. All five left their places of origin on time, Beatons Tearooms Wellington railway where I was sent 45 years ago as a 17 Market Square, Wellington, were all running early as they approached Telford, Shropshire, TF1 1BU traction trainee. Thanks, again, to everyone for Bottleneck Central, but all were between Tel: 01952 957964 a memorable day. www.beatonstearooms.co.uk 12 and 16 minutes late at Oxford Road, even Albert Armstrong

20 The ASLEF Journal l January 2020 Classified Advertisements

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I have heard it said in the GROVE PARK branch 50th fellow DBC anniversary badge. £6.50 inc p&p. past that membership of ASLEF was 'an company council Contact branch secretary Ray Garland expensive diary'. Not so. As the reps go above rep Nigel 07931 612615 or [email protected] Former rock star and beyond in helping you through troubled Roebuck at a roadie Nigel with times and ASLEF membership, in my eyes, is branch meeting THE KING’S CROSS STORY a fashionable ’70s by Peter Darley (The History worth every penny. I shall miss all my with Tony West, barnet, flowers, Press, £20) as featured on the colleagues at Rickmansworth greatly. And I has complained Mephistophelian centre pages of the January wish them all the best for the future. about the crop of beard, and, ahem, Journal . Buy it direct from the John Attfield , ex-I/O T/O the image. ‘By Camden Railway Heritage Trust at a discounted white socks… Rickmansworth Met only showing price of £15 inc p&p; email [email protected] or Nigel and Tony ‘You couldn’t see phone 020 7586 6632 for details. ‘All income from Tony West: a gentleman from their heads that Nigel, under sales goes to the trust,’ says Peter. to their waists,’ his natty grey and true railwayman NORWOOD depot special pin badges smiled James suit, was sporting Having just read your article relating to Tony including Cowden 25th anniversary. mischievously, white socks !’ £3 each or £5 the pair (inc p&p). West, following his passing, it prompted me to Proceeds to Norwood Drivers’ Social write and echo the sentiments expressed by Club. Email Stuart Boxall at many ASLEF members. I joined the railway in 1934) a prolific poet, playwright, novelist and [email protected] 1987 and, in the early 1990s, as regional train journalist who, for 30 years, wrote for the HANDMADE miniature crew manager in the old Anglia region, spent Nashville Banner in Tennessee and who driver’s keys to wear as a charm many hours in meetings and hearings with founded the Waco Women’s Press Club in or round the neck. Solid silver Tony in his then role as District Secretary. Texas. The poem is as relevant today, says AGS and solid 9ct gold weighing Tony was a passionate and committed Simon Weller, as it was when she wrote it and approximately 7 grams. Just over 2cm in length ASLEF officer who represented his members when Tony used it to close his column. and just under 2cm width. Gold £300, silver £100 + stoically whilst also balancing this with a fair ‘It gives a real measure of the man,’ says £7 p&p recorded delivery. Contact Brad McCarthy degree of pragmatism. Above all else, he was a Simon, ‘and his dedication to the next on 07929 350146. gentleman and, in my formative years, was a generation, and the future of ASLEF’: BUXTON & PEAK FOREST 125 great help and always happy to give advice or years limited edition badge 1892- support when asked. An old man going a lone highway, 2017. £6 plus £1 p&p from branch I have, over the last 20 years, drawn on that Came, at evening cold and grey, secretary Paul Costello; email advice and, for that, I both credit and thank To a chasm, vast and deep and wide, [email protected] Tony. Sincere condolences to all his family and Through which was flowing a sullen tide. PROFESSIONAL ENGRAVING at friends – he was a true railwayman. The old man crossed in the twilight dim, sensible prices. I can engrave anything Andy Heath , managing director, The sullen stream had no fear for him; you wish, such as the ASLEF logo on Merseyrail Electrics But he turned, when safe on the other side, the pint tankard. Contact Paul Potts by And built a bridge to span the tide. email at [email protected] Westy: The Bridge Builder ‘Old man,’ said a fellow pilgrim near, AIRDRIE has produced a badge to ‘You are wasting strength with building here; commemorate its reopening as a Your journey will end with the ending day, separate branch. £6.50 inc p&p. Please contact branch chair Ivan Wilson You never again will pass this way; (07949 862393) for details. You’ve crossed the chasm, deep and wide, Why build this bridge at evening tide?’ BESPOKE CUSHIONS Hand made 40cm square cushions of The builder lifted his old grey head. railway engines and carriages. £50. ‘Good friend, in the path I have come,’ he said, Call Abi on 07954 659849 or email me at Tony West with equalities adviser Lee James ‘There followed after me today [email protected] and (right) the poet Will Allen Dromgoole A youth whose feet must pass this way. PERTH branch badge to Tony West signed off his last Points West This chasm, that has been as naught to me, commemorate 110 years (1908- column, as ASLEF’s assistant general secretary, To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be; 2018). £6 plus £1 p&p. Cheques in the Locomotive Journal in December 2000 He, too, must cross in the twilight dim; payable to Perth branch ASLEF No with this poem by Will Allen Dromgoole (1860- Good friend, I am building this bridge for him!’ 134 General. Please contact branch secretary Grant Murchie for details on 07412 453454 or [email protected] Come and join the conversation! Send letters by email to To place an advertisement please phone [email protected] or by Royal Mail to the ASLEF Journal 020 7324 2400 or send an email to at 77 St John Street, Clerkenwell, London, EC1M 4NN [email protected]

January 2020 l The ASLEF Journal 21 Last Word You ain’t the Nazz you’re just a buzz some kinda temporary

‘Books do furnish a room,’ observes Lindsay Bagshaw in Anthony Powell’s magisterial twelve volume novel cycle A Dance to the Music of Time . KEITH RICHMOND turns the pages of some of the books that have turned up at head office in St John Street on the write lines: OR five halcyon years, from 1969 to Campbell 1974, Ian Hunter was the main man – Devine, ian F lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and hunter, principal songwriter – of Mott the Hoople, Bernard who ripped it up live and enjoyed hits with o’Donoghue, Honaloochie Boogie , All the Way From Memphis , Beata Roll Away the Stone , The Golden Age of Duncan, and Rock’n’Roll and David Bowie’s All the Young Jackie Wills Dudes . Hunter’s afterlife, following his five years of fame, has spawned, so far, 14 studio albums with dozens of carefully crafted songs which, though they might not have been hits – with the exception of Once Bitten Twice Shy , with Mick Ronson, and Ships , which made the ‘Poets are the unacknowledged legislators reputation as a poet and performer, sharing US top ten for, er, Barry Manilow – are as good of the world’ – Percy Bysshe Shelley , platforms with Alan Brownjohn, Margaret as anything he wrote in his heyday. And Ian A Defence of Poetry Drabble and Hugo Williams. Breaking Glass Hunter Patterson proved, last April, a couple of (WriteSideLeft, £8.99), with its echoes of months before his 80th birthday, when he ‘The Oxford University Press series of A Very Kristallnacht, is a collection of 50 poems strutted his stuff at the Shepherd’s Bush Short Introductions has, since it was launched reflecting her early years, and fears, as a Empire with Luther Grosvenor ( aka Ariel in 1995, carefully and concisely covered more refugee from fascism. ‘What does a German Bender), Morgan Fisher, and the Rant Band, than 600 topics, from Classics (the first title, by abroad say | to another? Are you a Jew too?’ that he still knows how to rock the casbah. Mary Beard), Communism , and Capitalism , to These evocative poems are powerful, The Reformation , Atheism , and, er, Witchcraft . poignant, and sometimes profoundly personal ‘Now it’s a mighty long way down They are typically well written and an excellent – A Bitterness of Temper is an anguished piece rock’n’roll | From the Liverpool docks to the primer in the subject. Such is Poetry: A Very about her father, who treated her mother Hollywood Bowl | You climb up the Short Introduction by Bernard O’Donoghue rather badly – beautifully written – with lovely mountains and you fall down the holes’ (OUP, £8.99) who specialised in Medieval lines like ‘the relentless rhythm of restless ‘– Ian Hunter , All the Way From Memphis English and modern Irish poetry as a fellow strings’ – and echo down the decades with first of Magdalen College, Oxford, and then pertinent observations about dictators and Rock’n’Roll Sweepstakes by Campbell Devine Wadham, translating the Middle English despots, racists, nationalists, and anti-Semites. (Omnibus Press, £13.99) is the first of two Arthurian romance Sir Gawain and the Green volumes of authorised biography. It’s 520 Knight and the 14th century allegorical dream ‘All the deaths came blowing in – | the way a pages, but takes us only to the end of 1974; vision Piers Plowman as well as editing The pheasant’s tail feather is carried from a with 50 pages from Ian’s birth in Oswestry, Cambridge Companion to Seamus Heaney . He is field, | comes to rest between the tracks at Shropshire, to the day he joined Mott, the rest also a considerable poet in his own right – with platform eight.’ is really the story of the group, not the man. collections such as Gunpowder , Farmers Cross ‘– Jackie Wills , Life Expectancy The problem is that Mott, more than any other and The Seasons of Cullen Church – which band, told their own story in songs such as means that, in this slim volume, he speaks with Jackie Wills, in her new collection A Friable One of the Boys , Hymn for the Dudes and The authority as well as clarity about what poetry Earth (Arc, £9.99), engages with contemporary Ballad of Mott the Hoople ; Campbell Devine is a is, and is not. concerns about climate change in an historical fan, not a writer, a reluctant editor of the context. She examines the soil – ‘gubber and interviews he’s done, who turns out pedestrian ‘The fever of exams, a boy in love with me, | gawm’ in Sussex dialect – and confesses ‘I’ve prose; and Ian Hunter, in Diary of a Rock’n’Roll we are called the ‘red house: there was beasted it, breaking it up for years’; in Road Star (Omnibus, £18.99), does it so much better. Marx | and the socialism we lived for’ from the North she encounters ‘farmworkers, That said, if you spent your pocket money on – Beata Duncan , Goethe rubber bullets | and burning vines’; and when vinyl in the ’70s, and want to know more about ‘ she sees the old address her father wrote on how ‘I changed my name in search of fame to Beata Duncan (1921-2015) was a German Jew an empty envelope she grows young again find the Midas touch | Oh, I wish I’d never who fled Berlin, and the Nazis, in 1934, studied and reflects, ‘I hear his Jacqueline, | the four wanted then, what I want now, twice as much’ History at Birkbeck College and English at beats of 3 Stream Farm Close, the tremor of you will, as I did, enjoy this book. University College, London, and established a my teens.’

22 The ASLEF Journal l January 2020 Across Down on Track Prize Crossword 1 Portuguese capital 1 Catalogued 4 Funny actor 2 Sound of a gun Crossword 165 by Tom Williams 7 The jaw-petalled 3 Serviettes antirrhinum 4 Deep orange-pink The power of 8 Small branch 5 Saucerless beaker 9 Machine for 6 Narrow paddle shaping wood boat a programme 11 Journey down 7 Spanish afternoon 13 Day of worship nap on the Tube 15 Duck sound 10 Cheers or ta! 17 Outer body tissue 12 Mending with ICHOLAS Lezard, an elegant 18 Dynamite and interwoven stitches prose stylist, with a dry gelignite 14 Building to house N sense of humour, who has 20 Pond amphibians aircraft written the Down and Out column in 21 Tom with red hair? 15 Fertile female in the New Statesman for the last ten bee colony years says, self-deprecatingly, ‘I seem 16 Rounded to have become a theatre critic for doorhandles another publication. Don’t ask me 17 Stitched together how it happened, I’m not entirely 19 Cat’s foot sure myself.’ He coyly doesn’t name Solution to Crossword 164 the magazine – it’s The Oldie – but Across: 1 Liverpudlian 7 Bonus 8 Imps 10 Utter does tell this story: 11 Royal 13 Repeat 15 Thrush 17 Badge Name...... 18 Polar 19 Yell 21 Alive 22 Bantamweight Down: 1 Laboratory 2 Vineyard 3 Results 4 Ulster 5 Lair 6 Alp 9 Settlement 12 Seedling Address...... 14 Embrace 16 Helium 18 Plot 20 Era ...... Congratulations to Tom Bell , of Chelmsford , Essex , who was ...... last month’s winner. The winner of this month’s Prize Nicholas Lezard: Down and out in Crossword will receive Marks & ...... Brighton, Faversham and London Spencer vouchers to the value of £25 ‘A couple of weeks ago, I was ...... sitting at a Tube station at about half l You can see more of Tom Williams’s past nine when an extremely crosswords, word games and puzzles at Postcode...... attractive young woman came up to wordgames.co.uk me and smiled. She pointed at the theatre programme I was carrying Thanks for all your responses to the 164th prize crossword in the December edition of the and asked if I’d enjoyed the play. She ASLEF Journal . If you successfully complete this month’s crossword please send the solution to had a French accent. I said yes, there the Editor, ASLEF Journal , 77 St John Street, Clerkenwell, London, EC1M 4NN by 14 January were only two actors in it, but they were very good. She mentioned that she’d seen a two-hander at the National a few weeks ago. What was the name again? I told her, as I’d ASLEF’s legal services seen it myself. “What did you think?” have you been sacked, or are in trouble at work, and cannot get hold of At this point I coughed in an your branch secretary, local representative or District organiser in an embarrassed way and said that I was a critic, and had reviewed the play emergency? Call our industrial relations department on 020 7324 2400 unfavourably. “I’ll send you the (9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday or 9am to 4pm on Friday) or leave a review if you want,” and we message on the answer service, or email [email protected] with a subject exchanged email addresses and heading of ‘For the attention of the phone numbers. ‘All this in five minutes sitting on industrial relations dept’. the platform, and one stop on the Tube before I had to change for Victoria. Reader, this kind of thing doesn’t happen. And it certainly Changed your address? Please let us know! Just fill in this form doesn’t happen to me. But it just did. And not only that, the email address Name...... wasn’t fake, either. Later, I thought to myself, it was the programme, wasn’t Address...... it? Clearly, wandering around Tube ...... stations with a theatre programme marks you out as the kind of guy it’s Postcode ...... Telephone...... OK to approach and start talking to.’ Branch...... Membership No...... Keith Richmond Please return coupon to: ASLEF, 77 St John Street, Clerkenwell, London, EC1M 4NN

January 2020 l The ASLEF Journal 23