ASLEFJOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2018 The magazine of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers & Firemen

Routledge on the royal train

Inside this issue : Floyd Doyle on the TUC black workers’ conference The train drivers ’ plus Gregor Gall on how big pharma is ripping off the NHS, and the union since 1880 long shadow the Great War cast across JRR Tolkien ’s Middle-Earth

GS Mick Whelan

ASLEFJOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2018 All smoke and mirrors The magazine of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers & Firemen AST month Mr Grayling said L he was not responsible for running the railway; now he has changed his mind and wants to get involved in areas that have nothing to do with him. You can see the deflection tactics coming; his 5 8 colleagues start popping up in the press News about voluntary overtime and lack of Mick: ‘What can we do? coverage of Sundays. l Grayling: What a way to run the railway! 4 Let’s blame the unions!’ No recognition that any l Movie magic for London’s railway bridges 5 shortfall in driver numbers, or training, is down to them. And no thanks for the staff bearing the ASLEF rebuts claims 6 l brunt of their collective incompetence when we l Billy Lynn-Adams reports on Glasgow Pride 7 are working over and beyond our contracts. All this when polls show the railway has just a l ORR calls on to up its game 8 10 23% trust rating – only secondhand car dealers have a worse score – thanks to Mr Grayling, the Features DfT and Network Rail! That’s after 20 years of privatisation, with government subsidy running at l Floyd Doyle reports on the TUC black 10 £6.9 billion a year – £3.5 billion net after returns – workers’ conference at Congress House which does not have to be repaid by the privateers before they take their profit. The Government set l Gregor Gall reveals how big pharma rips 11 the mechanism for fare rises and made an active off the NHS (and that means you) decision to pass the pain from the taxpayer to the fare box that has come back to haunt them. ‘So Paul Routledge celebrates 150 years of 12-13 l 12 what can we do? Let’s blame the rail unions!’ royal train travel on Britain’s railway It was strange; we were getting questions from l Philippa Edmunds on a survey that shows 14 the right-wing press and then, late in the day, an voters want freight moved from road to rail email pops up from Mr Grayling to all the rail union general secretaries. Shall we be cynical and Becky Wright wants to hear from you about the timing? Of course! As such tactics are l Banners, bands, bangers and barbies at 15 unworthy and petty. the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ festival 2018 Mr Grayling is going to talk to the RDG about using CPI as a measure; but they have no consultative over the negotiating locus in the Regulars industry so that’s a waste of time. He would have such authority in a nationalised, but not a l Branch News, Upcoming Events and 16-17 privatised, industry. And his department is aware 100 Years of Union 19 of the numerous deals already in place in our fractionalised industry. Some are staged l Obituaries 18-19 arrangements and some have fixed anniversaries l Letters and Classified Advertisements 20-21 based on RPI. We have correspondence from one of his predecessors confirming they will not l Last Word: Keith Richmond on Tolkien: 22 interfere in free collective bargaining. So does their Maker of Middle-Earth at the Bodleian model of market economics only apply to l On Track, Prize Crossword, ASLEF’s 23 companies, and bosses, not workers? Legal Services and Change of Address Offline, certain employers are talking about the lunacy of the government, and the department, but we will wait and see what they do formally. Mr The ASLEF Journal is published every month by: Grayling seems to have alienated every driver in ASLEF, 77 St John Street, London, EC1M 4NN the country, as well as our brothers and sisters Tel: 020 7324 2400 l email: [email protected] across the industry. It’s irrational, when the website: www.aslef.org.uk l twitter: @ASLEFUnion industry is dependent on goodwill, but if you look at the other sectors where Mr Grayling has been in 22 charge, and ruined, why should we be surprised?

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

September 2018 l The ASLEF Journal 3 News

fares on routes – run by , Rail North and TransPennine Express – What a way to affected by timetable changes as ‘a small gesture of goodwill for passengers’. ‘Labour is right,’ said Mick. ‘The train run the railway companies should be punished – not rewarded – for their failure to deliver. But Chris ICK Whelan has slammed , a man who clearly couldn’t run a Grayling for ‘nodding through’ model train set, let alone Britain’s complex M another big increase in rail fares for railway industry, is nodding through another hard-pressed passengers. ‘It’s a bit rich, isn’t it?’ whopping increase in prices for passengers. said Mick. ‘Mr Grayling wants passengers to ‘The trouble is that the privatised train pay more for a poorer service. That’s not a Mick makes his point over 3.2% rail fare rises companies aren’t interested in delivering a great offer, is it? For passengers – or for voters proper public service for passengers, only in at the next election. beaten to bottom place only by secondhand delivering a private profit for their ‘Commuters complain about persistent car dealers – wages aren’t keeping up with shareholders. delays and cancellations, the consumer group inflation and yet Mr Grayling is pushing up ‘The Transport Secretary is turning a blind Which? says the privatised train operators are prices again! What a way to run the railway…’ eye to the problems while the companies are one of this country’s least-trusted groups – Labour called on the government to freeze laughing all the way to the bank.’

Failing Grayling reaches end of the line TWEETS OF THE MONTH QUOTE… ‘Passenger franchising The rottenness of Boris requires an urgent rethink Johnson goes deeper – and the chaos of the even than his casual racism & Govia Thameslink his equally casual courting of Railway/Northern fascism. He will advocate timetable meltdown really literally anything to play to proves this.’ – Nigel Harris , the crowd of the moment. His editor, Rail career is a saga of moral …UNQUOTE emptiness & lies; pathetic, weak & needy; the opposite of OOPS! RDG ADMITS ONE IN strong. 10 TICKETS IS WRONG Andrew Cooper You know you’re in trouble when the Daily Telegraph – famous for More than 10 million train 12,000 firefighters have backing all things Tory, all things privatised, and all things free journeys are taken with incorrect lost their jobs since 2010. market – turns against you. Witness this cartoon, on the op-ed page tickets every year. The Rail Austerity is massively in August, depicting Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, as t he Delivery Group, which lobbies on compromising public safety. kiddies’ character Thomas the Tank Engine , heading for the buffers. behalf of the privatised train Look no further than Grenfell operating companies, admits that Tower. ‘confusing terminology’ and Mark Seddon Frances – privatised trains are ‘jargon’ means that one in 10 passengers buys the wrong ticket. overcrowded and understaffed We must renationalise the railways to work for Frances o’Grady, general secretary of the TUC, has called for VULTURES CIRCLE us and not the shareholders! Britain’s railways to be brought back into public ownership. She TROUBLED FIRSTGROUP Sam Harris said: ‘UK commuters are paying through the nose for overcrowded Rivals of FirstGroup, the and understaffed trains. The last thing they need is another struggling rail and bus operator, angry that a inflation-busting fare increase. our railways need urgent are circling amid rumours that a working-class job pays investment. But private rail companies are being allowed to break-up of the company is on well. Well done train drivers prioritise shareholder profits over improving services. it’s time for the cards. The firm has held talks and their union – we should Britain’s railways to be publicly-owned. This would free up money with Trenitalia about selling its UK all be on decent pay. for much-needed upgrades and lower ticket prices.’ rail arm and hired consultants to Mark Hebden consider options for Greyhound, Inquiry into sexist info screen jibe its US bus subsidiary. Chris Grayling couldn’t run a model train set, let CrossCountry managers have launched an investigation after a digital alone Britain’s complex rail screen scrolled the words ‘Only fit birds on this train’. Commuters were our hip, hot network. shocked to see the sexist observation flash repeatedly across the LED and very much Mick Whelan screens that provide service information above carriage doors on a rush happening red hour train between Basingstoke and Reading on 2 August. baseball cap I would not trust him will keep the with my train set. sun out of David Booth DfT condemned by consumer group your eyes this summer. £5 Alex Hayman of Which? has criticised Transport Secretary Chris Grayling (inc p&p); email I wouldn’t trust him to for sitting on his hands while commuters suffer. ‘It’s time to see a rail [email protected] or visit run a bath! industry which works for passengers, not just for the train companies. our online shop at Colin Anderson The government must take urgent action to ensure that passengers are www.aslef.org.uk compensated automatically.’

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The work is part of a Walk this way £5,000 project to cheer up ten of the off the Rails ILM set feature film The Good capital’s Victorian rail F artist Lionel Liar – has brought a bridges – there are LUCY TOBIN caught the mood of many Stanhope – touch of vintage already retro signs at passengers when she laid into the privatised who created the movie magic to an Brockley, Catford, TOCs in her column in the . flaking paint effect old brick railway Forest Hill, Herne Hill, The trigger was HS2’s promise of, er, ‘mood for Helen Mirren’s flat bridge at Lee in Hither Green and lighting’ and ‘touchscreen windows’. ‘Get in her forthcoming south-east London. Nunhead. excited, commuters,’ muttered Lucy dryly. ‘Rail operators Lionel, up a always focus on gimmicks. When one wins a new franchise ladder, not the press release is splattered with “exciting new up the innovations” – the promise of live seating updates telling you junction, where you can find a still-warm seat – but that’s not what puts the passengers want. Our train lines provide only sauna-hot finishing carriages, stuffed fuller than the average sausage casing, touches to with their only reliable feature being a reliably wrong the mural timetable. As troubled Thameslink recently tweeted, “We are currently running a different timetable each day with no guarantee”. The company might like to look up the definition QUOTE… of timetable. It’s really about safety, speed, and being on ‘People need to realise time – not about fancy lighting.’ the railway is not a playground.’ – Rob CARLSBERG EXPORT – the premium line, with a gold McIntosh , route and white label, rather than the better known green managing director, and white bottle – trades as brewed by ‘Carlsberg of Network Rail Kobenhavn’ [Copenhagen] declaring it’s a ‘premium …UNQUOTE beer brewed to Danish standards for perfect balance down to the last drop’. The lager was relaunched recently with the company saying ‘It has been rebranded for CONFERENCES & RALLIES the British market with the aim of placing more emphasis on The 150th Trades Union Congress is at the Central the beer’s Danish roots’ and, to reinforce the ‘brand message’ convention complex from Sunday 9 to Wednesday 12 September. The boasts, on the neck, the signature of JC Jacobsen, the Danish Labour Party conference is at the Arena & Convention Centre in industrialist who founded the company in 1847. The small from Sunday 23 to Wednesday 26 September. The STUC print, though, reveals that the beer, ahem, is actually ‘brewed black workers’ conference is at the Golden Jubilee Conference Hotel, and bottled in the EU’ – 28 nations, natch – by ‘Carlsberg UK’. Glasgow, from Saturday 6 to Sunday 7 October. The iTF congress is at So ‘the best lager in the world…probably’, is actually brewed the Suntec convention centre in Singapore from Sunday 14 to Saturday in Northampton, England, and not Kobenhavn, . 20 October. The STUC women’s conference is at the Caird Hall, Probably the most misleading beer label, then, in the world... Dundee, from Monday 29 to Tuesday 30 October. The STUC disabled workers’ conference is at the Golden Jubilee Conference Hotel, LONGSIGHT legend Mel Thorley draws our Glasgow, from Saturday 17 to Sunday 18 November. The Scottish attention to this poster for Dr Haze’s Freak Trades Union Congress is at the Caird Hall, Dundee, from Monday 15 Show, ‘featuring acts from the infamous Circus to Wednesday 17 April 2019. The STUC youth conference is at the of Horrors, the show that stormed into the Golden Jubilee Conference Hotel, Glasgow, from Saturday 29 to Sunday finals of Britain’s Got Talent ’. ‘You never know 30 June. The Tolpuddle Martyrs’ festival , near Dorchester, is from where the Brothers will end up,’ mutters Mel. Friday 19 to Sunday 21 July. ‘Mr Methane, the man who put the art into fart, and is not, er, bottom of the cast list, is none other than 52-year-old former Bury and Buxton train driver – and LOSERS CHALLENGE TUBE TRAIN AWARD staunch ASLEF member – Paul Oldfield, Macclesfield’s most The award of a £1.5 billion contract to Siemens to famous bum. I mean, son.’ build 94 trains for the Piccadilly line has been challenged in the High Court by the two losing bidders, Bombardier and Hitachi. BORIS JOHNSON – denounced by Jason Cowley in the as ‘a huckster 500 CLUB: S Madden, with number 216, won the August draw, and a showman, seemingly without scooping the RMS prize money jackpot of £420. conscience or sense of loyalty’ – is a notoriously poor Parliamentary performer. After his resignation statement, Jess Phillips, Labour MP for our new ASLEF mug Birmingham Yardley, shrewdly observed, ‘He’s a crap public has images from the speaker and somehow Parliament as a setting always crushes Mick Jones triptych him.’ Cowley adds: ‘His bluster and declamatory style simply in reception at head don’t work in the chamber.’ office. There are four versions – three have STEPHEN BUSH reckons that ‘Who betrayed an image on one side Brexit?’ is the big question that both Labour and the and the ASLEF logo on the other; the fourth has Tories will put to the country at the next election, all three images. £6 each (inc p&p) or £15 for a adding ‘the big fight in politics is to establish which set of three; email [email protected] or visit our party has betrayed the 52% who voted to leave.’ online shop at www.aslef.org.uk

September 2018 l The ASLEF Journal 5 News ASLEF rebuts Northern claims Onen hag oll! S MICK Whelan was quick to rebut claims by Northern Rail that the G company was forced to cancel 80 services on Sunday 5 August because staff ‘made themselves unavailable to work’. Liverpool was worst hit, with all 30 direct services between Liverpool and cancelled; 29 from Liverpool to ‘onen hag oll’, pronounced ‘owan hag oll’, cancelled, reducing it to an hourly service; all means ‘one and all’ in Kernowek (Cornish) trains between Blackpool and Carlisle cancelled, and services between Blackpool To celebrate the 125th anniversary of ASLEF and Colne only every two hours. In a organising in Kernow, St Blazey branch has provocative statement the company blamed created a commemorative badge. The first workers: ‘Some of our staff have made ASLEF branch in the county (or kingdom) of themselves unavailable for work on Sunday.’ Cornwall was founded by the enginemen of Mick said: ‘We have sought numerous Truro, with the first recorded meeting featured Mick: ‘The company, by this attitude, runs times to put Sundays in the working week – in the September 1893 edition of the the risk of alienating drivers even more’ which would have obviated this issue. The Locomotive Journal . It is believed other Cornish company, though, prefers to run on goodwill it has left with an increasingly enginemen on the , voluntary overtime rather than employ demoralised workforce.’ from loco sheds at St Blazey and Penzance, enough staff to operate the services it A more sensible – and more honest – became members of Truro until they could promised in its franchise application to statement issued ahead of cancellations the establish their own branch – quite a common deliver for passengers. Then, of course, it following Sunday, 12 August, made no practice in the early years of our union. St seeks to blame those who opt not to work mention of staff availability. It simply Blazey was formed in 1905, Penzance in 1920, their days off? That’s rich! The company, by apologised to passengers for disruption and Wadebridge (the London & South Western this attitude, runs the risk of alienating caused by planned cancellations and Railway) in 1908. drivers even more and losing the little engineering work. Paul Edwards , St Blazey branch Tej honoured for Strike ballot over inspiring millions cab security

Tejinder Sharma, a former ASLEF is / balloting driver, who has written several members on critically-acclaimed collections of London short stories, and was made an Underground for strike MBE in the Queen’s birthday Tej picks up his award from Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Home action over honours list for his contribution Affairs in the BJP government, and the current Miss india to Hindi literature and LU’s failure to community cohesion, has picked media group, with the ICICI Bank channel, I did make mention of ensure the up a prestigious Times Now ICICI and the Global Indian London Overground trains,’ says safety of Non-Resident Indian of the Year International School, honours Tej, who worked as a flight purser drivers on Award for arts and culture in prominent ex-pat Indians ‘who for Air India for 20 years before Tube trains. A Do8 Finn Brennan Europe at the Grand Hyatt Hotel make India proud and inspire settling in the UK in 1998. He also female in Mumbai. The awards, millions back home’. ‘During my worked for All India Radio, Northern line driver was attacked organised by of India interview with the Times Now TV Doordarshan, and the BBC World in her cab just before midnight on Service – and acted in Annu Saturday 28 July on a service out Kapoor’s film Abhay with Nana of King’s Cross when passengers, DERAILED TRAIN L CARRIAGES DUE FOR SERVICE who were fighting, forced their An RAIB investigation into a freight train derailment at Queen Adelaide, Patekar – before becoming a train driver in London. way into her cab. She managed to near Ely, on 14 August last year, which caused chaos, found that the bring the train safely into Angel damping system on the flat wagons, which were due in for service, was station but TfL has knocked back to blame and recommended better maintenance by management. District Organiser Finn Brennan’s QUOTE… demands that it ensures drivers’ ‘You can’t outrun a train DO YOU KNOW THE TRAIN DRIVER OF THE YEAR? cabs are secure. In a separate travelling up to 125mph The RailStaff awards – organised by the magazine and to be presented dispute, we are balloting even if you see it coming, at the NEC in Birmingham on Thursday 29 November – are looking for members at Leytonstone, and you can’t take on 750 nominations in the train driver of the year category. You can nominate Loughton, Hainault, West Ruislip volts in the electrified rail, online at www.railstaffawards.com and White City for strike action, or 225,000 volts in the and industrial action short of a overhead cables.’ – Carry all your stuff – papers, sandwiches, keys – in strike, over LU’s failure to resolve Johnny Schute , chief style with our smart new sturdy black ASLEF bag. outstanding issues on the Central operating officer, RSSB Price £17.50 (inc p&p); email [email protected] or line. Ballot papers must be …UNQUOTE visit our online shop at www.aslef.org.uk returned by Wednesday 19 September.

6 The ASLEF Journal l September 2018 News

allowed to marry my supports Pride I ought to report you husband Mark and I events nationwide, feel these and they have looked to the Gnome Office demonstrations at how, as a helped pave the way company, they treat WILLIAM LYNN-ADAMS , a for this equality in everyone in the ScotRail driver, and law. workforce. Policies member of Glasgow The Scottish have been changed Central branch, reports government recently to give gay/lesbian on the success – and apologised for couples the same convictions of gay rights as straight commercialisation – of Glasgow Pride men under old couples, for example, ATTENDED leader of the UK or historical laws. Both in terms of having my third a devolved help to make the children. I Glasgow government to do so) country a fairer place Union demos and Pride, my first with which started on in which to live, but Pride marches are ASLEF, on Saturday Clyde Street and there is more to be not that different 14 and Sunday 15 ended 5km later at done – only a few from each other; July. As a driver at Kelvingrove Park. weeks ago a 21 year both want a fairer Glasgow Central I District 2 equality old was violently and more just wanted to ensure we committee reps attacked as he society. I also were represented at Hugh Cummings of walked home in a recommend you town on the outskirts watch the film Pride , I my city Pride and the LGBT+ The Laughing Gnome takes Pride in Glasgow show that we committee and of Glasgow. learned lots as both support equality for Alison Miller of the and on social media. been criticised for My husband an LGBT+ and union all and this year, WRC attended and This was the most over-selling tickets works for a bank that member. locally, we wanted to the BBC interviewed successful, but also and many were left support the trans us as part of a the most commercial, outside for hours in movement in documentary being Pride. It was moved the heat. Pride began TRACK SHORT CUT COSTS £1,400 particular. More than made about Glasgow from the city centre as a grassroots Steven Payne, 49, was fined £1,000 at 10,000 people Central station. I to the west end movement but has Highbury Corner magistrates’ court for attended and Nicola enjoyed the weekend where queuing to developed into a big walking across the railway line at Purfleet Sturgeon, Scotland’s with friends and enter the event area commercial event. station. He was found guilty of railway First Minister, led the family showing was strictly In Scotland in trespass and ordered to pay costs of £300 parade (the first support in person controlled. Pride has 2015 I was legally and a victim surcharge of £100.

WE’RE IN THE MONEY QUOTE… One in four employees at ‘Donald Trump is a unicorn, riding a Britain’s high speed rail unicorn over a rainbow.’ – Sean Spicer , project is on a six figure pay former White House press secretary deal, according to an …UNQUOTE investigation by The Times . HS2 Ltd has 1,346 staff – and 318 of them pocketed more The water of life tastes than £100,000 in salary and better in an ASLEF crystal perks last year, double the whisky tumbler! Price £8 number in 2015-16. HS2 also (inc p&p); email vinnie Humphries, Paul Basham, Mark Wakenshaw and spent £600 million on [email protected] or visit our online John Scott of Gateshead & Newcastle branch join Do4 Nick consultants, more than shop at www.aslef.org.uk Whitehead and Shadow Attorney General Shami double the figure for the Chakrabarti at a Jarrow Labour Party fundraiser. previous year. What can you get for your new , shiny £1 coin? TBF membership... just £1 a week covers you, your partner and dependent childr en. 0300 333 2000 www.tbf.org.uk

Transport Benevolent Fund CIO, known as TBF, is a registered charity in England and Wales, 1160901 , and Scotland, SC047016.

September 2018 l The ASLEF Journal 7

News

unanticipated costs in 2018-19. This makes it ORR calls on NR more likely that the company would have to defer more renewal work to keep within budget.’ to up its game Joanna Whittington, ORR’s chief executive, said: ‘Passengers and freight customers rely on HE has made Network Rail to deliver a high quality service its annual assessment of Network every day. Our assessment shows it is T Rail’s performance in England and delivering well on safety, but a significant Wales and says more needs to be done before improvement is required to make it more its £34 billion five year plan for Britain’s railway efficient and to address the very poor levels of begins on 1 April 2019. The oRR is worried about the ‘very poor performance which many passengers are ‘Planning for Control Period 6 is in its early levels of performance’ which passengers are currently experiencing.’ stages and Network Rail’s routes have more to suffering at the hands of the privatised ToCs do, including booking network access for planned work,’ reports the ORR. ‘Safety on points off target. QUOTE… Britain’s railway remains good, with no worker ‘Network Rail deferred £441 million of work ‘We should never underestimate the fatalities or industry-caused passenger deaths to renew the railway in 2017-18 in order to ability of a ruling class, however on NR infrastructure or stations in 2017-18. keep within budget. This increases the backlog educated and sophisticated, to act However, there is a need for risk management of renewal work it must catch up on over the stupidly.’ – Allister Heath , editor of best practice to be adopted across all routes to next control period. This is essential to future the Sunday Telegraph ensure consistency. Only 87.6% of trains reliability. NR’s budget remains tight, with only …UNQUOTE arrived on time in 2017-18, 4.8 percentage £100 million of headroom allowed for any

RDG ‘LIVING ON ANOTHER PLANET’ L TORY MP The Rail Delivery Group has been accused by Bim Afolami, Conservative Night of the Condor MP for Hitchin & Harpenden, of ‘living on another planet’ after Robert Terence Cuneo’s oil Nisbet, regional director of the RDG, bizarrely claimed that Britain’s painting Night Freight privatised railways are ‘an example to the rest of Western Europe’. (Condor ) fetched £27,500 at auction in ‘BORING’ BUS COMPANY HAPPY AFTER RAIL EXIT a sale of modern Dean Finch, chief executive of National Express, has emphatically ruled British and Irish art at out a return to Britain’s railways. ‘We’re happy to be a boring company. If Christie’s. Cuneo, a I said to my board I want to go back into rail, they would take me prolific artist, famous outside and shoot me.’ for his railway and military pictures, WOMAN JAILED FOR BEING DRUNK ON STATION gave the canvas, Natalie Petrie, 31, from , was jailed for four months at showing the London magistrates’ court after pleading guilty to being drunk and to Glasgow Condor Starry starry night during ’s disorderly on and biting and spitting at police (container door-to- modernisation programme officers who arrested her. door) service, to Sir Robert Lawrence in Midland,’ recalls to produce the 1960. Longsight legend Mel famous Night Freight Rail ombudsman to handle ‘The humble, and Thorley. ‘They kicked poster. One wag, ex- notoriously off the new Condor Trafford Park, who rising tide of complaints unreliable, express fitted freight worked on them, -Vickers service from Hendon said “More like Night against train companies Co-Bo diesel loco was to Gushetfaulds in Fright when you so under powered Glasgow with a wave found you’d been A new rail ombudsman will be appointed – to start in November – that they ran in pairs of publicity; even had rostered a pair on the after complaints about the privatised train operating companies from the start of their Terence sitting in a 16.25 off Pancras in soared to more than half a million a year. The ombudsman will career on the yard with his brushes December”.’ deal with complaints not satisfactorily resolved by the TOCs. ‘This is an important step by the industry,’ said Rail Minister Jo Johnson. ‘An independent and effective ombudsman, working ASLEF activists Mark Prenter, closely with consumer groups, will ensure passengers get a fair Waterloo Nine Elms, and a deal and give them a stronger voice and help the rail companies Labour candidate in Twydall to improve their service to passengers.’ ward for Medway council at the local elections next year; EC1 Marz Colombini; EC5 our new topical tee-shirt, designed by those Howard Kaye; and Hoxton hipsters at Philosophy Football, Southeastern company features Rik Mayall as the obnoxious anarchist councillor Ray Garland join Rick in The Young Ones , and this classic Angela Rayner, Shadow exchange: ‘He threw us off the train because Education Secretary and you said ASLEF was an anagram for “total and Labour MP for Ashton- complete bastard”.’ ‘And apart from everything else… it isn’t, under-Lyne, at a Gillingham even.’ £10 (inc p&p); email [email protected] or visit our & Rainham CLP fundraising online shop at www.aslef.org.uk dinner celebrating 150 years of the TUC. 8 The ASLEF Journal l September 2018

Report

Floyd Doyle, Ed D’Bell, Trevor Paint it black Robinson, Roger Galloway-Smith and FLOYD DOYLE , chair of ASLEF’s Peter Acheampong Black & Minority Ethnic and (below) the representatives’ committee, and a ASLEF delegation member of the TUC’s race relations with Neville committee, reports on the TUC Lawrence black workers’ conference at Congress House in London

HE theme of this year’s conference – held at Congress House in central T London from 20 to 22 April, with 213 delegates, plus observers, attending from 27 trade unions – was marking 150 years of standing up for black workers in Britain. ASLEF’s BAME delegation was made up of Ed D’Bell (D1), Roger Galloway-Smith (D3), Floyd Doyle (D5), Peter Acheampong (D7) and Trevor Robinson (D8) accompanied by head office minders Simon Weller, AGS, and Lee James, ASLEF’s equalities adviser. There were 20 motions, with the ASLEF one being number 17 on the agenda, on subjects such as racism in the workplace; Brexit and the rise in hate crime; universal credit and its impact on BAME workers; fighting anti-Muslim racism in educational establishments; and our the parapet and challenge the British Safeguards are in place, as per driverless trains, motion on support for Romany Gypsies and government. They gave Lord Ouseley a call but it’s still scary, in my opinion. The workshop Irish Travellers. and things started moving forward from there. was presented by Unite and urged us all to be You know the rest. careful as it’s better for employers to have one SIGNIFICANT ANNIVERSARIES Moyra spoke about the disgusting way the person operating 10 or even 50 machines, We had guest speakers including Frances victims of Grenfell are being treated; 50 of the with no holiday pay, maternity leave, sickness O’Grady, TUC general secretary; Neville 72 who died were of Muslim background, and or pensions! It’s coming your way soon. Lawrence, father of murdered teenager the shameful nickname for the block of flats We had a panel debate discussing the Stephen Lawrence; Lord Herman Ouseley, who was ‘the Moroccan tower’. The infamous ‘go impact of the Race Relations Act chaired by has held various equalities posts, including home’ vans – Theresa May was the architect of Omar Khan, director of the Runnymede Trust, chair of the Commission for Racial Equality, that nasty little campaign – were driven with panellists including Suresh Grover of The was chief executive of the London borough of around the tower when the Tory government Monitoring Group; Gloria Mills of the TUC race Lambeth, and also part of the Kick It Out thought that was a good idea. relations committee; Ilyas Nagdee, NUS black racism in football campaign; Moyra Samuels of students officer; and Ayeisha Thomas-Smith, Justice4Grenfell; and Chidi King of the RIVERS OF BLOOD co-founder of KIN. International Trade Union Confederation. The TUC race relations committee read out Saturday night saw the social, as usual, and A number of significant anniversaries fall three statements on Windrush, the Race a chance to network over a drink or two. this year. It’s 150 years since the first Trades Relations Act, and Stephen Lawrence, which Union Congress; 100 years since some women ASLEF originally put in as an emergency STANDING OVATION FOR ROGER got the vote in this country; 70 years since the statement. The committee also covered the On Sunday it was time for the ASLEF motion MV Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury; 50 50th anniversary of Enoch Powell’s infamous on support for Romany Gypsies and Irish years since the 1968 Race Relations Act; and 25 ‘rivers of blood’ speech to a Conservative Party Travellers. Delegates and visitors heard a very years since the murder of Stephen Lawrence at meeting in Birmingham in 1968. hard-hitting and emotional speech by our a bus stop in Eltham, south-east London. On Friday evening the ASLEF delegation District 3 rep Roger Galloway-Smith. It was Frances spoke about the struggle of attended the roots, culture and identity art Roger’s first time at conference, and his first workers for better pay, decent terms and exhibition launch, which featured the fabulous time up front and central. It was clearly hard conditions, proper health & safety protection, choir the Nawi Collective, and another speech for Roger to read his speech, but he kept going and secure employment over the last 150 from Neville Lawrence. A great evening before and got his message out. Conference could years. we headed to Chinatown for a meal. see his passion and encouraged him with Neville spoke about the pain of losing On Saturday there were several workshops applause during his speech and, when he Stephen in a racially-motivated attack and the for delegates to attend including black finished, he got a well-deserved standing long struggle to try and get justice for his son. workers, automation and artificial intelligence; ovation! There were three other standing He also, amazingly, talked about how he’s black women and sexual harassment; building ovations – one for Moyra on Grenfell, another forgiven the murderers after being baptised! capacity and organising black workers using for a lady whose family member died in police What a great and humble person he is. An social media; and what next for race relations custody, and one for Neville – so our Roger inspiration to us all. legislation? was in great company and ASLEF can be proud Lord Ouseley spoke about the Windrush I attended the automation workshop and of him, as we all were in our delegation. scandal and illegal deportations. He said that was surprised to hear that machines already Overall, a great conference and, on a of the Commonwealth countries, only read books to children and administer personal note, I was re-elected to the TUC race Barbados was prepared to put its head above injections after taking your temperature! relations committee for another year.

10 The ASLEF Journal l September 2018 Platform

The social justice Doctor! Doctor! organisation Global Justice Now spells out what it thinks of big Can’t you see I’m pharma; a grassroots activist campaign burning, burning against the multinationals; and GREGOR GALL , an affiliate Mike Keefe’s comic take on the greed of research associate at the big pharma in The University of Glasgow, and Colorado Independent editor of the Scottish Left Review , reveals how Britain’s National Health Service is being ripped off by big pharma – the multinational pharmaceutical companies

HE NHS turned 70 on 5 July this year. It was founded on the principle of T care being free at the point of need, paid for out of general taxation. Set up by the great reforming post-war Labour government, global economy. led by Clement Attlee, from 1945-50, the NHS Developing new medicines is an expensive was a fundamental part of the welfare state business, with years of intensive research work providing care for every citizen, regardless of in laboratories. Sometimes, the cures and 6,000% between 2007 and 2017. The amount wealth or status, from the cradle to the grave. breakthroughs are never made despite the the NHS paid per pack rose from £4.46 in 2007 It faced some difficult initial problems. The work. This makes it a risky activity so to £258.19 in 2017. The price of a single pill first was that many doctors refused to work for companies often work with universities to went up from 16p to £9.22, even though the NHS, preferring to maintain themselves as lessen their exposure to these costs. production costs remained broadly stable. private entrepreneurs rather than become Essentially, they piggy back off the state. Pfizer & Flynn raised the price charged for public servants. The second was that the 100mg packs of an epilepsy drug by 2,600% economy was very weak after the war and POT AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW from £2.83 to £67.50 in 2012, before reducing loans from the US were being repaid so the But that still leaves them needing to have a it to £54 in 2014. Pfizer was also found to be funds necessary to properly resource the new capacity for drug research and development. massively overcharging for Viagra, one of the service were scarce. And, third, there had just When these companies are chasing the next growth medicines used not just for erectile been the worst winter for decades, vastly cure – for cancer or the common cold – they dysfunction. increasing the demand for health care. are all chasing the magical ‘pot of gold’ at the And Boots has been charged with But the NHS overcame these problems and end of the rainbow. If they get there first, they overcharging the NHS for unlicensed grew. It has faced many other challenges, such establish exclusive rights over a new drug by medicines – it is said to have charged the NHS as developing new medical technologies and patenting it. This means only they can produce £3,220 for a specialist mouthwash that can be responding to new health diagnoses as well as and sell it. And they are, they cheerfully admit, bought for £93 elsewhere. new practices in health care. And it has determined ‘to exploit’ their new drug to the become a victim of its own success – people last dollar and cent. SECURE SUPPLIES OF BLACK GOLD living considerably longer has created new After spending time and money to get it, It is a longstanding demand of the left for challenges for social and health care. they argue that they should be able to charge nationalisation of the leading pharmaceutical Now, in 2018, after 70 years, the NHS faces exorbitant prices to the NHS – to patients, companies or for the state to set up its own another year of significant underfunding as taxpayers, and government – for patent pharmaceutical company to supply medicines services close, waiting times lengthen and medicines to exploit their monopoly position to the NHS at cost. Both would be better than waiting lists rise. But throughout all these on each pill they bring to market and make as trying to more fully regulate pricing or create a challenges since 1948, one has remained much profit as possible. windfall tax on big pharma profits because the constant. This is that the medicine the NHS In the process, the huge duplication and former requires a time consuming needs to dispense is all produced and waste of resources is self-evident. None of the bureaucratic exercise, with the possibility of marketed by private pharmaceutical big pharma companies will co-operate with evasion and avoidance, while with the latter companies in Britain and abroad. each other on drug development. Even profits can be registered abroad so HMRC though the NHS is the biggest single buyer of never gets near them. MAJORS GOBBLED UP MINNOWS drugs, almost being a monopsony, it still can’t There is a precedent for both demands. Over the years, these companies have grown beat big pharma because as the term suggests Strategic industries such as coal, steel, gas, in size and power as the majors have gobbled – being a singular collective noun – the electricity, water, railways, and buses were up the minnows. The reason they have names companies co-operate on one thing and one nationalised in the post-war period but new such as GlaxoSmithKline is because Glaxo thing only – they act as a cartel or oligopoly to companies were established by the state, too. Laboratories merged with Burroughs keep the prices they charge the NHS The British National Oil Corporation was set up Wellcome to form Glaxo Wellcome and then ridiculously high. in 1975 as North Sea oil and gas began to flow; with SmithKline Beecham (itself the result of a Canadian Concordia International was a strategic decision taken by Tony Benn, merger between Beecham’s and SmithKline found by the Competition and Markets Secretary of State for Energy in Harold Wilson’s Beckman) to form GSK. Authority to have ‘abused its dominant Labour government, to secure supplies of Big pharma – the big pharmaceutical position to overcharge the NHS’ by hiking the black gold and exert some control over the companies – are some of the most profitable – price of liothyronine, used to treat patients nation’s energy reserves before they were and rapacious – capitalist corporations in the with an underactive thyroid, by an astonishing milked by private companies.

September 2018 l The ASLEF Journal 11 Agenda Not quite so fast, next time, Mr Conductor, if you please

The royals have enjoyed a romance with Britain’s railways since built the first royal train in 1869. Well, not personally. But she commissioned it. PAUL ROUTLEDGE looks at the claret carriages – and freight-hauling locomotives – that comprise the royal train

ET ME tell you about a royal romance. Prince Charles loves trains. The future L monarch is never happier than when locomotives has had royal status. 67005 Queen’s he’s chugging round the country in the best set Messenger and 67006 Royal Sovereign , liveried in of carriages in the kingdom. royal claret, were joined in 2012 during the Except, of course, when he gets onto the Queen’s jubilee year by 67026 Diamond Jubilee , footplate, like all true railway enthusiasts. In appropriately in diamond silver. When the royal February 2009, he named Pacific 60163, the first train isn’t in use, the locos are on revenue- express steam engine to be built in Britain for 40 earning DB diagrams. years, Tornado , and then rode in the cab from Britannia reached the end of her seagoing life. In the era of preserved steam on the main York to . Royal media handlers didn’t say if Sir Alan Reid, Keeper of the Privy Purse, told a line, heritage locomotives are sometimes used. he regarded it as a firing turn, and got his hands committee of MPs that the rolling stock, mostly In July 2012, the Queen was hauled by Stanier on the shovel, but it’s an improbable scenario. dating from the 1970s, had only five to ten years Pacific 6201, Princess Elizabeth , named after her Firing is a skilled job. of service left. The prospect of replacing it would by the LMS in the 1930s. Other steamers The is more fortunate than be ‘a major decision’, he said, adding ‘the figures rostered include 70000 Britannia , and 6024 GWR most railway buffs, having a dedicated royal are quite staggering.’ But further tests on the King Edward 1 . train. And he’s determined to keep going a travel Mk3 coaches – some built for the APT – showed On his trip to the Lake District in March this tradition that goes back almost 200 years to that the train’s life could be extended by many year, Prince Charles travelled behind LMS Pacific Queen Victoria. years and, with further efficiency savings, 6233 Duchess of Hamilton . Stopping to talk to Has he a special reason for this transport of running costs could be reduced. royal fans at Langwathby station on the historic delight? In 1980, the Sunday Mirror reported that Settle-Carlisle route, England’s highest, and he and wife-to-be Lady Diana Spencer spent QUEEN BREATHED A SIGH OF RELIEF frequently threatened with closure, he was several hours in the royal train as it stood in a ‘Tests revealed it has more life in it than heard saying to admirers, ‘I’m so glad they kept siding. The story was strongly denied, but previously thought,’ says a Palace spokesperson. open the line.’ rumour later suggested that ‘the blonde on the ‘There’s no end in sight to its use and no fixed, He must also be glad there are still drivers train’ was actually his lover Camilla, and not his agreed, horizon in terms of when it would who know how to handle a regulator. The royal fiancée Diana. become inoperable or be decommissioned.’ train doesn’t have dedicated, individual drivers. The prince’s passion for trains hit the Her Majesty, who had been tearfully upset at Instead, they are drawn from a roster of about headlines again recently, when his travel the loss of the , breathed a sigh of 100 of the most experienced footplatemen. They spending details were published. They show that relief. The palace insists that the train is now have to be able to pull up the train within six it costs £20,000 every time this Buckingham value for money, offering safety and a working inches of a designated station stop. Palace on wheels takes to the track. The heir to environment for the Queen. It saves on hotels, The train travels at lower speeds than today’s the throne used it seven times in the last year of minimises security costs, and brings the royals expresses, and drivers are warned not to take her royal accounts, but often it’s more. on time to their engagements. over ‘humpy points’ at 7.30 in the morning, And the Queen, who used it only three times, Besides, the cost pales into insignificance because that’s when the Queen takes her bath, is just as passionate about her train as Prince compared with some of the royal flight and we can’t have the royal bathwater sloshing Charles. It’s her favourite way to visit distant extravagance. A visit by Prince Charles and the over the sides, can we? parts of the country, sleeping overnight in her Duchess of Cornwall to South Asia on a £10 It has always been regarded as an honour to rather spartan bedroom while her carriage is million refitted RAF Voyager set the taxpayer drive royalty, and while some drivers may be discreetly parked in a siding away from stations. back £362,149. republicans, there is never any shortage of Today’s royal train is a far cry from the Of course, he couldn’t go there by train, volunteers. Everywhere the train goes, it is sumptuous luxury enjoyed by monarchs of though it’s a fair bet he’d like nothing more than greeted by admiring crowds. Its polished yesteryear, with quilted ceilings and velvet to take his Flying Walesman through the Channel carriages, painted claret, inlaid with red, and embroidery. The furniture is more practical – tunnel to the continent. It would be cheaper, and carrying a prominent royal crest, make it a work there are no double beds. It’s a more functional more fun, than flying. of art on the move. instrument of government, suited to a His palace on wheels is currently operated by The current set of nine, sometimes reduced constitutional . But that almost didn’t a German-owned FOC – DB Cargo. When not in to seven, dates back to 1977, when it was save it from the cutter’s torch. As recently as use, it’s based at Wolverton, at an Alstom facility, extensively refurbished for the Queen’s silver 2013, it was revealed that the train would soon though it may have to move from there as the jubilee tour of the nation. Individual members of have to be axed, sharing the fate of the royal site is being redeveloped. the royal family have their own carriage, and yacht, scrapped by when Since 2004 a small stable of Class 67 there are saloons for catering, conferences and 12 The ASLEF Journal l September 2018 Royal Train

The Royal Sovereign , one of the royal trains, which takes the Queen (and Prince Philip and Megan Markle and Prince Charles) around the country in style; chef at work; the dining car; the Prince of Wales’s study; one of the bedrooms; and the Queen at her writing desk

It was also the first to be equipped with an on-board lavatory, a heavy, wooden-lidded thunderbox, in 1850. Only royalty was allowed to use it, and only Albert did. Courtiers and riff-raff servants had to make do with public loos on the stations. History does not record whether this was the first royal flush. Victoria’s plush rake wasn’t good enough for her successor. Edward VI ordered a completely new train in 1902, with instructions to make it EIGHT THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THE ROYAL TRAIN look as much like the inside of the royal yacht as possible. It had bedrooms, a dressing room, and l Everything about this train is unique, including the lamp headcode: a row of a smoking room – the king’s favourite, where he three at buffer-beam level, and one below the chimney, or where it ought to be. was attended by two liveried footmen: one to if the Queen dies in Scotland, her body will be brought back from Edinburgh to l light his cigars, and the other to adjust the London on the royal train as part of operation London Bridge. curtains and open the windows. The real cost of the royal train is one-tenth of what is was during the silver l Continuing the setting of precedents, his jubilee in 1977. successor installed the first on-train Many of the original victorian, Edwardian and later carriages can be seen in the l bath anywhere in the world. A red line was later National Railway Museum, York, and other museums around the country. installed on the inside to make sure the flunkies l on 21 June, 1898, driver George Fenwick, taking the train from Aberdeen to didn’t fill it too deep for the carriage motion. Perth, died when he was struck by a bridge after climbing onto the tender to mend Successive monarchs have always left their a broken communication cord. mark on the train, updating the décor, putting in l The first royal to travel by train wasn’t Queen victoria, but sickly Queen electricity, and moving into new rolling stock. In Dowager Adelaide, spouse of William iv and a devout Tory, who went from World War Two, it was armour-plated, and used to Leeds on 22 July 1840. for morale-boosting visits by the king. l Phlegethon , the name of Queen victoria’s first locomotive, is a mythical river of blood in Hell that burns human souls. A NEW GENERATION OF ROYALS l its driver, Daniel Gooch, was a Tory MP, and successful locomotive So what does the future hold for this superintendent of the Great Western Railway recruited by isambard Kingdom quintessentially British institution? While the Brunel. A London pub named after him shut two years ago. Queen rules, nothing much will change. Prince Charles has made a characteristically environmental mark, introducing bio-diesel for the Class 67s wherever possible. In an dining. means to them. Yes, there’s a cost attached to it, experiment, the train completed a round trip One 75ft long carriage is for the Queen’s sole but there’s a cost attached to having a from London to Scarborough on a combination use. It has a 3ft wide bed with a tartan coverlet. monarchy, and it’s what we want as a country.’ of waste rape seed and sunflower oil. He can be The room has a bedside cabinet, with a radio The royal love affair with trains is almost as expected to make further changes when it is his permanently set to BBC Radio 4, a wooden chair, old as the railway itself. Queen Victoria was the train set. and tartan curtains. Framed landscapes by first reigning monarch to travel by train, on 13 And a new generation of royals is getting to Scottish artist Roy Penny adorn the walls. There is June 1842, from Slough – the nearest station to know the train. Prince Harry’s bride Meghan an adjoining bathroom, and a sitting room – to Paddington, hauled by Markle, now the Duchess of Sussex, became the where she works and takes breakfast with Prince Phlegethon , driven by Daniel Gooch assisted by first ‘non senior’ royal to travel on the train – Philip. the incomparable Brunel. ahead even of the Duchess of Cambridge. In The Duke of Edinburgh’s coach is more The next day, she noted in her Buckingham June she travelled overnight (some sleepover!) modest, with a shower rather than a bath and a Palace diary: ‘We arrived here yesterday to Runcorn, Cheshire, with the Queen to open fitted kitchen for when he travels without the morning, having come by the rail-road from the Mersey Gateway Bridge, and a theatre, Queen and doesn’t need the kitchen car. He has Windsor, in half an hour, free from dust and before dining at town hall. Despite all an enlarged copy of his senior rail card, crowd and heat and I am quite charmed with it.’ the fuss that was made of her before the Windsor presented in 1987, framed on the wall, and a Her husband was rather less charmed. The wedding, the American actress must have been section of original Isambard Kingdom Brunel rail Morning Post reported the same year that: properly impressed at the honour. Wearing a is also on show. ‘Prince Albert generally accompanies the cream-coloured outfit beyond my powers of Queen, and patronises the Great Western description, she posed for pictures getting on THE TRAIN IS VERY DEAR TO THEM Railway generally when compelled to come up the classic coach. Traditional chefs toil in the kitchen car, turning from Windsor alone. The Prince, however, has The Prince of Wales’s love affair with the out food for the Queen and her royal guests been known to say “not quite so fast, next time, railway has yet to reach its climax. He has agreed when she entertains in the dining car, around a Mr Conductor, if you please”.’ Later operating that a £5 million new build, table with settings for 12 people, a state banquet instructions stipulated: ‘The Queen travels at LNER P2 2-8-2 can be named after him. Number on wheels. Champagne, buck’s fizz, or a soft 40mph.’ 2007 under construction in Darlington is due to drink, sir? Victoria was so taken with this newfangled enter service in the 2020s. What are the chances Penny Junor, who wrote a biography of Prince mode of travel that she ordered the first two he will want to see it at the head of his train Charles, says: ‘The train is very dear to them. It’s coach royal train, constructed in 1869 at a cost when he is king – maybe with him on the somewhere completely private, with everything of £1,800. And she paid for it with her own footplate? Better than average, I should think, they need on board. Everybody knows what it money, the only monarch ever to do so. and no bad thing for the railway. September 2018 l The ASLEF Journal 13 Manifesto Freight doesn’t have a vote but car drivers do

And they want freight switched from road to rail. PHILIPPA EDMUNDS , manager of Freight on Rail, reports on another way to win votes at the next general election

RECENT survey by Brake, the national road safety Rail is safer – A charity, revealed that and greener 79% of drivers are concerned for – than road their safety and have (well- for moving founded) fears about the amount freight of freight being transported on our motorways. They are right to be worried. Lorry traffic on our motorways reached a new peak to use minor roads to access motoring organisations are Brake is urging the of 7.9 billion vehicle miles in 2017. depots which are more opposed while the haulage government to take note of its So you can understand why dangerous; in 2016 HGVs were industry remains sceptical and report, prioritise safety over car drivers are calling for further almost seven times more likely drivers hate on safety grounds. capacity, and be aware of investment in Britain’s railways to than cars to be involved in fatal The Brake survey found that 77% opposition to truck platooning. alleviate pressure on the road crashes on minor roads. The last of car drivers believe that truck The biggest issue facing rail network. Freight may not have a fatality caused by a freight train platooning sounds frightening freight is a shortage of vote at a general election but this was at Stafford in 1996. and that, if it went wrong, the infrastructure and space on the report shows that drivers – who The relative safety costs of the causalities could be very high. network which has resulted in do – want to see more freight different modes of transport also Because our road network is so suppressed demand. Government transferred to rail. need to be taken into account. congested, with frequent exits investment to unblock pinch- Car drivers’ fear of freight on Government figures show that close together, these safety fears points and improve the capability motorways is well-founded, with the HGV involvement rate on are well-founded. Carbon gains of the strategic freight network is the latest government figures urban roads is almost six times may only be around 5% whereas crucial to satisfy customer showing that HGVs are almost the rate of cars with the rail freight reduces carbon by 76% demand for rail freight. three times more likely than cars valuing per tonne carried. Transferring more freight to to be involved in fatal crashes on the prevention of each road The report also highlighted our railways is a key part of these fast routes. fatality at £2 million. drivers’ deep-seated and genuine making our roads safer, cleaner Moving more freight to the The government would be concerns over their safety on and less congested and that’s why railway is a key part of making unwise to pin its long-term hopes motorways and are very wary we urge the government to Britain’s roads safer, cleaner and on lorry platooning which is about the increase in freight support rail freight upgrades in less congested. Trucks also need untested and in its infancy; traffic. line with public opinion.

ones where staff, leaders and boards talk to each other about the aims of the Voice of the beehive organisation, or company, discuss and implement shared ideas for improvement, BECKY WRIGHT , director of and public sectors, including health, and continue to talk about what does and Unions 21, wants to hear from education, transport and the civil service. doesn’t work. members about the value to Baroness Prosser, speaking at the launch Our commission will work with unions and academics in the UK, and across the companies of listening to the of the commission at the House of Commons in June, called for greater involvement of world, to find evidence of where collective voices of the men and women on the unions and their members in making good voice has made a positive difference to front line at work decisions in their workplaces. ‘How can productivity. We’ll also talk to unions, productivity increase without listening to the employers, politicians and workers about COMMISSION into collective voice people who can make it increase? Employees what they think collective voice can achieve has been launched by Unions 21 to know more about running the business than in the 21st century. With just 13% of private A identify and share good practice on the people running the business.’ workers in a union, we’ll be sharing good how employee engagement can increase The 18 month commission was set up in practice with unions, to support recruitment, productivity. response to the government’s industrial and with employers, to build strong, The commission, chaired by Labour peer strategy, published last autumn, which responsible organisations in the face of Baroness Margaret Prosser, has a steering overlooked the value of staff engagement. Brexit and ever-evolving technology. group of members from 24 trade unions It comes as no surprise to trade unions l For more details and to get involved visit representing workers from across the private that the most successful workplaces are the www.unions21.org.uk and @unions21

14 The ASLEF Journal l September 2018 Tolpuddle

And the banner man held the banner high – ASLEF in action at Tolfest Under the wild sycamore tree KEITH RICHMOND reflects on the banners, bands and barbecues, discussion and debate, at the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ festival Dave Calfe and Mick Whelan in Dorsetshire during the long hot summer of 2018 – the hottest since 1976

S THE sun rose on 24 February 1834, George Loveless, a Tom Corbin, Graham Morris, farm labourer and Methodist lay preacher, kissed his wife Simon Weller, Marz A Betsy and their three children goodbye and set off to Colombini and Jon Coulton work. He didn’t see them again for three years. Because, as George left his cottage in the village of Tolpuddle, in Dorset, he was served with a warrant for his arrest. Phil Devonport, Nigel George was one of six agricultural labourers – the others were Gibson, Rich Doran, his brother James Loveless; James Hammett; James Brine; Thomas Howard Kaye and Standfield and his son John Standfield – who were charged by the Collette Gibson authorities with making an illegal oath. Their real crime was forming a trade union to protest about their pay being cut from nine to six shillings a week. The Tolpuddle Martyrs were sentenced at Dorchester Assizes to seven years’ transportation for having the temerity to stand up for themselves – for standing together and forming a Friendly Society Russell Maton and Brian Corbett of Agricultural Labourers – to fight for better terms and conditions of employment. That is what trade unions have been doing for the best part of 200 years. And that is why the story of Tolpuddle and its martyrs still resonates at the heart of the history of the trade union our popular movement. Because the people who have the power in this country new topical tee, – who own the land; the factories, warehouses and offices; and big The GS is ready to rock recalling a corporations – don’t want us to stand together. They never have. celebrated Because in unity is strength. exchange from That’s as true today as it was in 1834. A trade union, such as the classic ASLEF, and the others that affiliate to the TUC, exists to Nick Whitehead comedy The negotiate better terms and conditions for its members, to Young Ones promote health and safety at work, to promote a pride in the job, to champion equality, and to provide education services. Employers, generally, don’t like that. They want to hire and fire at will, drive down wages and pay employees as little as possible, and cut budgets like they cut corners. That’s why trade unions are under attack by the Conservative Jo Stevens, Labour MP for Cardiff government and by what Joseph Conrad – in his novel Nostromo – Central, and Steve Cavalier, chief calls the ‘material interests’ they represent. And that’s why strong executive of Thompsons solicitors, unions are as relevant – and necessary – now, in the early years of join the ASLEF train crew Marz, Graham and Mick the 21st century, as they were in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Becky Kaye and Mick Whelan, Shen Batmaz, Peter Pam Morrison Hughes, John McDonnell and with Billy Bragg Keith Ewing at the Trade Union in the summertime when the weather is hot – ASLEF’s barbie Freedom fringe on Friday

September 2018 l The ASLEF Journal 15 Branch News

Dancing in the dark Upcoming events ANYONE watching the news over this n RAMSGATE – THURSDAY 4 OCTOBER long hot summer will Reunion from 11.0 at the Red Arrow Club in Ramsgate. be aware of the monumental n CRICKLEWOOD – FRIDAY 5 OCTOBER challenge faced by Reunion from 12.0 at the RAFA Club, Ashburnham Road, firefighters with the Bedford (opposite the station). All welcome. moorland fires in the north-west of n MARYLEBONE – FRIDAY 5 OCTOBER England; such was the Branch reunion from 15.30 at the Allsop Arms, 137 Gloucester Place, Marylebone, NW1 5AL. scale of these fires the ASLEF’s Alan Moss hands over much-needed Army was called in to supplies to FBU comrades fighting the fires assist. What is on the moors outside Manchester n LONGSIGHT – THURSDAY 18 OCTOBER shocking, though, is Reunion at the Navigation Railway BRSA club, next to the fact that, due to patch. It was time for a was met in a positive Navigation Road station, from 13.00. Always a great event. Fire Service cuts by rallying call. manner. So off we the Conservative With little notice, went to see our FBU n FRATTON – FRIDAY 2 NOVEMBER government, members at comrades with the Fratton train crew and railway reunion from 12.00 to 18.00 at firefighters had to Longsight, who never donated items to the BRSA Club next to Fratton station. appeal to the public cease to amaze, filled thank them for the for essentials such as a large bag full of outstanding work they n HITHER GREEN L WEDNESDAY 7 NOVEMBER water, socks, sun socks, sun cream and do to protect us all. ‘Old farts’ reunion’ from 11.0 at the Richmal Crompton opposite cream and energy insect repellent. A call Thanks to branch Bromley South station. Details from Ray Cooper, RMS. drinks. Those Tories to our pro-active EC secretary Jim and who cut that funding vice-president and a future Eggheads are oxygen thieves. bag of ASLEF baseball contestant Jamie, our GARY FOX Some of my caps was in the post. ULR rep, for their networking comrades A phone call to invaluable help and, of Following the sad are FBU members one of my company course, thank you to news regarding the and, for my CLP, fellow directors asking if we my fellow members. passing of ex- activists. This was could fill a car full of Alan Moss , Charing Cross driver happening on our water and chocolate Longsight Gary Fox (see page 19) Grove Park welcomed Gary’s wife Debbie and Welcome to Leamington eldest daughter Emma to our July Debbie, Graham, Emma and Marz At our latest branch branch to present branch. District 1 presentation and said meeting we were very them with Gary’s Organiser Graham a few words in pleased to hand out long retirement certificate Morris and EC memory of Gary. service awards to two and a gift to the member Marz Ray Garland , Grove former freight drivers – Paul family from the Colombini made the Park Baker (5 years) and Angela Tinkler (15). We should like to welcome Paul and Angela to Leamington Spa Derby win branch, along with another former freight driver, Paul Photos of the Derby reunion in June Hately, who is our new by Reginald Sargeant. health & safety rep. A warm Angela and Paul welcome to all three and pick up their we wish you a long and badges enjoyable time with us! Nick Walker , branch chair

Bro Neil Butcher received his 30 Safety reps Les Meek (Doncaster) year badge at the meeting of and John Mullen (Mossend) Portsmouth & isle of Wight present ian Swindell of Donny branch 164 on 13 July. with his 40 year badge. Deb Butt , branch secretary

16 The ASLEF Journal l September 2018 100 Years of Union

which at times got a Thanks, Steve, for everything bit heated, but all in good faith. A long Ipswich branch discussion continued welcomed EC5 for two hours and Howard Kaye, DO5 Nigel and Steve said Nigel Gibson, Steve there will be a Wilson, Freightliner possible referendum The Armistice was just weeks away Intermodal business for the terms & council, and Steve conditions, etc. but there is nothing in the Journal Wright, Greater Anglia Howard gave a full to show that anyone expected the company council, to a report on how the EC Great War to end. MICK HOLDER Derek White, Steve Wright, Howard Kaye, well-attended branch works, and the issues turns back time to September 1918 Nigel Gibson, Steve Wilson, Mark Mulley and meeting on a very hot it deals with, AAD, and day in July. Nigel gave Lee Barber freight on rail. Steve VICTIMS OF THE GERMANS a detailed report on all and the prospect of arriving soon. Anglia Wilson gave his the passenger and new t&cs for Anglia members had many The Shirebrook branch secretary reports: report, which will be ‘Members on the books 170, on His freight companies, members, and new questions for Nigel his last, because after including pensions trains which will be and Steve Wright, Majesty’s Service 27, returned 1, victims 44 years’ service he to the German hordes 2, prisoner of war will be retiring shortly. Just keep that hair in place, Steve 1, abstentions from political and war Branch chair Mark levies 5, new members this year 8.’ In a short space of time, Freightliner Intermodal has seen three good Mulley gave a vote of union men retire: Chris Clarke, Birmingham depot and Saltley branch thanks for everything BOYS OF 15 FIRING FOR THEM secretary; Dave George, also of Birmingham depot, who was LLC rep; Steve has done as Retford branch reports a visit by J and Steve Wilson of Tilbury. Steve has worked on the business council Freightiner Intermodal Bromley, ASLEF’s general secretary, who for numerous years at different times, working through difficult periods business rep. All the talked about war work: ‘No other class of at Freightliner. His great knowledge will be much missed. Andy Bullock best, Steve, and have the community were more and I have worked with Steve for a number of years on the business a quiet and inconvenienced than railwaymen by council and would like to place on record our thanks for all the work he relaxing retirement. commencing and finishing their duties at has done in his time as BC chair. Steve has become a friend as well as a Look forward to your all hours of the day and night, and being colleague (just keep that hair in place, Steve). We wish all three a long Retirement do! away from home for long hours.’ The and happy retirement. Lee Barber , branch branch secretary adds: ‘He referred to the Peter Mason , BC secretary, Freightliner Intermodal secretary sacrifices made by us through having to work engines in bad repair, and making Badge bonanza at Bishop’s Tygers, tygers, the best of them, and in some parts of the country men working 40 and 50 hours burning bright continuously, and never leaving their engines, and drivers having to take boys of 15 years of age firing for them on the engines of today, which require great physical strain to maintain steam.’

THE THICKEST OF THE FIGHTING The Ipswich branch secretary reports: ‘It is with deep regret that I have to report the death of Bro AB Cracknell, late acting it’s the bishop – Do5 Nigel Gibson joins the front row fireman on the Felixstowe branch of the GER, who died at No 47 casualty clearing Bishop’s Stortford branch welcomed District 5 Organiser Nigel station from wounds he received in Gibson in June to present long service and loyalty badges to action in . He joined the RFA in May Bros N Taylor, S Gregory and C Martin (5 years); R Malone and D 1915, and had been in France the last two Hill (10); A Bell (35); A Hislop, local level rep, and branch chair A years, where he had seen some of the Carter (40). The meeting was well attended; those present thickest of the fighting. He was a young included a delegation from the Retired Members’ Section and a man who took a great interest in the stowaway from Cambridge branch. A lavish buffet was Society, and one who would have made a provided by the Bishop’s Stortford Social Club. Special thanks good worker had he been spared to to former branch secretary Bro R Roscoe for assistance in the come back. To his sorrowing father and smooth running of proceedings. mother the branch extend their deepest Guntis Furmanis , branch secretary sympathy.’

TOP DAY AT THE MILLGATE SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE, 1918 A superb turn out – and superb weather – brought out retired Mr and Mrs Lister write to the Locomotive and active drivers and guards 33 years after the shed closure Journal : ‘We wish to thank the Associated and move to Manchester Victoria. The usual excellent buffet Society’s officials for forwarding the £5 was followed by John Pat’s famous booze free raffle, which gets death grant on behalf of our late son, GH Photos of bigger every year, and reflections on colleagues who passed Lister, who fell in action, ‘Somewhere in the Leicester away during the last year. Thanks to Andy Gee, the branch, and France, on 28 May, 1918.’ the 105 committee, for making it happen. Footie fans went off reunion by to watch the World Cup – a perfect end to a perfect afternoon. Reginald Sam Black , Newton Heath RMS Sargeant.

September 2018 l The ASLEF Journal 17 obituaries

EDWARD CANT ONE OF THE steam, the following the Elham Valley line week with the to Canterbury where, LAST GREAT STEAM MEN boilermaker and tube amongst other freight, sweeper. How things they hauled (in Ted’s It is with great sadness joining the railway have changed! After words) ‘The 18 inch that I have to report Ted’s earnings passing out as acting howitzer HMG Boche the passing of our rocketed to 6 shillings fireman he was sent to Buster ’! In 1941 Ted oldest surviving a day! ‘Imagine that,’ he Clacton. In 1939, was granted leave to member, Edward said. ‘A lad earning 30 when many were marry his childhood George Cant. Ted shillings a week whilst made redundant, Ted sweetheart Doris, to joined the LNER as an farmhands were transferred to whom he was married engine cleaner in 1937 earning 28 shillings & Stratford, staying in for 72 years, bringing Ted Cant and (above) the BL 18 inch railway having previously tuppence!’ lodgings at Leyton. up three children, howitzer deployed on the Elham-Canterbury worked as an errand Ted’s first week was When war was Veronica, Edward and line for coastal defence during World War Two boy in a cycle shop spent with the declared Ted joined Margaret. If Margaret and as a warehouse firelighter being the Royal Engineers had been a boy, she after Stanley Ted was an active lad, earning 15 taught how to light up and was posted to run would have been Matthews and Gordon member of ASLEF, shillings a week. On an engine and raise the goods trains on called Stanley Gordon, Richards, who won having been LDC rep the FA Cup and Derby, at Colchester, a strong respectively, the year and forthright JIM ANDERSON FROM BAKER’S BOY TO THE TOP LINK she was born. character who was still James Campbell Anderson was born in Aberdeen. When he left school he Ted passed his riding his trade bike went to work for a baker; their delivery carts were horse-drawn and he steam driving exam in and tending his looked after the nags. He was called up at 18 to serve in the Army 1947 and went on to allotment in his 80s. Veterinary Corps. When he was demobbed he joined the railway, and in drive not only steam Colchester born and 1950 was sent on loan to King’s Cross. He decided he wanted to stay at KX traction but diesel and bred, he was made a but, unfortunately, to do this he had to resign from his home depot and electric, eventually freeman of the restart at KX so lost some seniority. He progressed through the ranks to retiring at 63 after 46 borough. A true become a top link driver. It was at a dance at King’s Cross that he met years of service. From railwayman, and one Clare. They got married and were blessed with two daughters, Elizabeth 1933 through to his of the last great steam Jim Anderson and Helen. His family were really chuffed to see so many colleagues at the retirement in 1982 Ted men, rest in peace. 30 May 1927 to funeral; they were so proud to know we held Jim in such high regard. only took three days Dave Chable , 11 June 2018 Peter Smith , Retired Members’ Section off sick! Colchester

The 500 Club STANDIN G ORDE R M ANDA TE To ______Ban k The 500 Club is a fundraising venture for ASLEF’s Retired Members’ Section. Numbers in the draw cost £4 each and, to begin making Ad dress ______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 BANK BRANCH TIT LE ( NOT AD DRESS) SORTING C ODE N O.

payable to ASLEF RMS 500 Club. Ple as e p ay Uni ty Trust Ba nk Bi rmingham 08 -60 -01

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 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 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. AMOU NT IN F IGUR ES AMOU NT IN WO RDS

The su m o f £ The Retired Members’ Section committee would like to thank you for your support and wish you luck in the draw! DATE AN D AM OUNT OF F IRS T PA YM ENT DUE DA TE AND FR EQU ENCY Yours fraternally, Mick Whelan, general secretary ST Com mencing £ and th ere after e very 1 OF EVE RY MONT H

ASLEF RMS 500 Club application form 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 Name...... Qu otin g t he and debit my/our acco unt acc ord in gly re ference Address...... 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 ...... Telephone No...... SPE CIA L INSTRU CTIO NS email...... Each number costs £4. You can purchase as many numbers as you like. ACCOUN T TO B E DEBITE D ACCOUN T N UM BER I confirm that I wish to purchase ____ numbers as part of the 500 Club.

A) I have set up my standing order (£48 per annum or £4 per month)

B) I enclose a cheque for advance payment (£48 per annum) Si gnatur e( s) ______Date ______

______Signed...... Date...... ’ 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 Please return this half of the form to: Andrea Weston in the Admin Dept, (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 ASLEF, 77 St John Street, London, EC1M 4NN and hand the other half, the (iv ) request benefici ar y s b an ker t o a dvis e b enefic iary o f r eceip t

standing order mandate, to 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 September 2018 obituaries

ALAN HAYES ARTHUR HUGHES TOFFEEMAN SOUTHERN GENTLEMAN It is with deep regret that I report It is with great sadness gentleman in every a loss to our family; that I have to way, always ready to Alan Hayes has passed away announce the passing pass on his railway suddenly at the young age of 65. of retired Selhurst knowledge and Alan, a well-respected driver at driver Arthur Hughes. experience to younger Kirkdale, took the last journey to Arthur began his drivers. Arthur was a the great depot in the sky on 29 career as an engine loyal ASLEF member May. I had the pleasure of cleaner at Norwood and continued his sending a story to the Journal , depot in 1946, interest in our union Arthur Hughes four years ago, about Alan’s 40 progressing to fireman by joining the Retired year membership of ASLEF, when then driver. He went Members’ Section and good old times with he was presented with a badge into the dual link and attending the AGM. family and friends. He and engraved tankard by GS Mick worked on steam and The service was well will be missed by Whelan. electric traction before attended at everyone who knew He started his railway career as Alan at the Blue Park Theatre transferring to West Beckenham him. Our condolences a carriage cleaner at Allerton Company’s production of Ball of Croydon and then crematorium and to his wife Val, depot on 19 August 1972, Fire on Merseyside Selhurst where he afterwards at Oak daughter Kay and son progressing to shunter. He visited a stage play about one of remained until his Farm Lodge for Mark. became a second man at Garston, his great heroes, Alan Ball. He was retirement in 1996. He refreshments to Mick Carroll , having passed out in October also a keen golfer, going on a was a true Southern reminisce about the ex-Selhurst 1974, and then moved to golfing holiday with his friends Kirkdale, becoming a minder recently and holidaying with Rita driver, advancing to instructor in the . ALBERT SEYMOUR LAST JOURNEY driver. He was awarded a His funeral was well attended Albert Seymour has died at the age of 80. Starting at the local depot certificate of achievement for his by Kirkdale staff old and new. Our in October 1953, and joining ASLEF, he later became branch vital role in the prevention of a heartfelt sympathies to his wife secretary at a busy time for the branch. He formed the 105 Club – still potentially fatal accident. Rita, children Ruth, Jan, and Jack, successful today – and after depot closure moved to Manchester Alan, a keen sportsman in his grandchildren, and other family Victoria which saw Albert change his footplate career to driver youth, was a fervent supporter of members. instructor and traction inspector until retirement. Everton football club; he recently Keith Devling , Kirkdale 121 Sam Black , Failsworth, Manchester GARY FOX DOCKERS’ FAN MICK HOLMES Charing Cross driver and local level rep Gary LIVELY CHARACTER Fox has died. Gary started as a railman at Former Rugby branch Lewisham station in June 1983, moving onto retired member Mick guard two years later at Slade Green before ‘Oblob’ Holmes passed getting his driver’s job, also at Slade Green, in away on 17 May aged 1989. Gary transferred to Charing Cross in 81. Mick had always 1995 where he became a longstanding local been a driver at Rugby level and health & safety rep, but by many will Gary Fox as a young man (right) and not so in a long footplate be fondly remembered as the king of the five- Mick’s wisecracks young man (left) drinking in the Lions’ Den career. Retiring in the way fiddle. A fanatical Millwall supporter, Gary late ’90s, he still turned made him popular at would often be seen wearing his Lions shirt to get to see more time in the retired link. Gary up to the annual the depot meetings with local management. Gary had was a proud family man and our condolences retired members’ do funeral was held at only recently made the decision to retire early to his wife Debbie, daughters Emma and Fran, to catch up with old the Christadelphian from the railway, before his life was untimely family and friends. colleagues. At work, Hall, with a wake at cut short, and it is a great shame Gary didn’t Ray Garland , Grove Park Mick was a very lively the railway club character, well-liked afterwards. Our by all, willing to help, thoughts and prayers ROY ARNOLD MUNGOJERRIE AND RUMPELTEAZER and I remember his go to his family. brilliant wisecracks to on a hot sunny Friday morning at Charing Tony Venson , help break the ice. His crematorium, 25 old drivers turned up, Rugby along with his family, to pay their last respects to fellow Ashford driver Roy FINAL DEPARTURES Arnold, who passed away on 24 June aged It is with sadness that I have to let you know we 96. Roy started on the railway at Maidstone have lost some fine steam enginemen and union before moving to Ashford in the 1950s stalwart characters over the last few months, where he got his driving post. one of his formerly of Stafford Road, Oxley, Bushbury and most memorable moments was to drive the Wolverhampton: Anthony (Tony) Hatton on 9 royal train from Appledore to victoria November 2017 aged 76; Edwin (Ted) Body on Roy Austin Arnold on the footplate which went as smooth as clockwork. When 18 January aged 96; David (Dai) Llewellyn on 9 he retired in the 1980s he took off his appropriate that his exit song at the February aged 79; Joseph Stanley (Stan) railway watch and said he was now finished crematorium was The Pushbike Song by Brittain on 28 March aged 85; and John victor being a slave to time. He loved cycling and Mungo Jerry. (vic) Stevens on 10 June aged 89. stopping overnight at hostels so it was Robert Kilkie , Ashford Nigel Harkness , Wolverhampton

September 2018 l The ASLEF Journal 19 Letters

Join the conversation! Send letters by email to [email protected] or ‘PNB when convenient’ on your diagram but the truth by Royal Mail to the ASLEF Journal is there are frequently no facilities apart from the cess

at 77 St John Street, Freight The article in the Journal highlighted by Barry We’re coming out of the London, EC1M 4NN kitchen…sisters are doing (August) regarding Hare, of GBRf company it for themselves

ASLEF has 19,784 active members (plus 2,359 retired recruitment of female council, is that there are members) and 96% of the train drivers in England, Scotland and Wales choose to belong to Women at the wheel in the freight this union. But fewer than one is ten is industry (and that’s Tony Venson, young (defined as 35 and under), black, below, in the Freightliner cab) or female. But we can only recruit, as freight drivers seems to frequently no facilities members, people who have been employed by the train and freight operating companies in Britain. LEE JAMES, ASLEF’s equalities adviser, reports on efforts to make the rail imply that because these apart from the cess. The industry in this country more diverse

OR many years ASLEF has actively pushed, both industrially and F politically, for the diversifying of the drivers would be based at engineering supervisor’s driving grade which, even in 2018, is still predominantly made up of heterosexual white men aged over 35. The ASLEF charter states that the union endorses the ‘pro-active recruitment of persons of those groups, eg Staff travel facilities and women and ethnic minorities, who are stages and the company is looking at a wide depots, with access to only concern is job and currently under-represented among our change, aiming to increase the numbers of member grades in the industry’. drivers; they are focusing on attracting more female, black and minority ethnic, and LGBT+ Indeed, the union’s commitment to this was women to apply for these roles. These drivers drivers they employ. To begin this process, further cemented in 2012 with the publication will be based at depots, making many of the they will be contacting current employees of our On Track with Diversity report which traditional excuses – such as a lack of toilet from these groups to ask for their suggestions explored the reasons behind the lack of facilities – for not employing women invalid. and views on being a driver in a freight proper facilities, excuses finish, especially on auto diversity in the grade and gave Amy Pressland, professional development operating company. the Rail Delivery Group recommendations for change. and change manager at DB Cargo, says: ‘The A spokesperson said: ‘Freightliner fully Since publication of the report the union rail freight industry has historically been male supports and is committed to the key has engaged with the train operating dominated. Nonetheless, at DB Cargo UK, we principles of rail, which is that teamwork and companies over their recruitment practices. believe that anyone can work and thrive in our diversity is not only beneficial but also Focused efforts, from some companies, has business. essential to the productivity and success of a such as a lack of toilets, ballaster and rail delivery seen some change in the make-up of the ‘Partly due to the industry’s legacy, the business. driving grades, albeit at a very slow rate. Given number of women and other minorities who ‘We want the rail industry to reflect the As the number of protected staff who have ASLEF’s high membership density our figures work for us – particularly in operational grades society it serves, a society comprised of men are an accurate reflection of the rail industry – is low. Despite this, we are an inclusive and women, regardless of ethnicity, age, and, as can be seen, there is a stark employer and committed to increasing our sexual orientation or any other ideologies, comparison between TOCs and FOCs, with diversity. performing essential jobs within their will not be valid in future. trains. They have no diversity amongst freight drivers woefully low: ‘This is a topic high on the HR agenda in everyday lives. To not support inclusion, of 2018 and as part of our recruitment of junior whatever kind, would significantly limit our PASSENGER FREIGHT RDG national free travel passes diminishes (a drivers we are adapting our recruiting talent pool, thereby inhibiting opportunities MEMBERS MEMBERS practices in order to attract a wider for future growth and innovation in our FEMALE 7% 1% demographic – this has resulted in successfully industry. BAME 9% 1% recruiting two female main line qualified ‘We will wholeheartedly support ASLEF and This is fine for work that concern regarding YOUNG 16% 10% drivers and one female junior driver (currently other such bodies in their attempts to bring MEMBERS in training). more diversity to the rail industry.’ point made by Paul Cutmore, Chingford, at ‘We have representation at the Women in ASLEF is pleased that working alongside (LGBT+ membership numbers not recorded) Rail national committee and we are FOCs has, in a short time, already proven to be There is hope – as well as room – for proactively working with ASLEF to improve successful, with DB Cargo increasing its improvement at the FOCs as the union has just conditions for current and future employees number of female drivers. Whilst we can goes yard to yard, or driving around for miles begun to work in partnership with DB Cargo (male and female). We have a lot of work to do celebrate this success as a union we need to AAD; reported in the Journal , July) I would and Freightliner with a view to achieving a but we are committed to change and continue to push as there are still freight more diverse workforce. welcome anyone, from any background, to companies which have yet to employ any Discussions with DBC have centred on their consider working for us.’ female, BAME or young drivers. In 21st century terminal, where there trying to find a PNB current recruitment campaign for junior Work with Freightliner is still in the initial Britain we should demand more. welcome any push for improving travel August 2018 l The ASLEF Journal 15 facilities for all rail staff. With RSTL changing its should be facilities, but facility. on some freight name to RDG has anything changed? I would there is a glaring companies there is no The article by Lee James, like to see an end of their god-like control of problem. A large restriction on the length ASLEF’s equalities removed passes. With fellow council reps, I proportion of freight of night work, so 12 hour adviser, on efforts to fought a five year battle on behalf of a work involves diagrams are common, make the rail freight member; a battle that had many eye-opening infrastructure work with up to five hours industry more diverse moments. At the start we were told RSTL has where the dreaded continuous driving. no appeal process; latterly we were informed phrase ‘PNB when Freight companies may access to PNB facilities, there is a process. But it turns out to be so convenient’ appears on want diversity but until recruitment is going to be woolly and non-transparent it is hardly worth the driver’s diagram. The they address the key an ongoing challenge. the paper it is written on. inconvenient truth, as issues, with t&cs and Paul Barber , Eastleigh I attended my branch and listened to a report from RMS members Les Muir, Tony West and Alan Taylor, three members with a total of realise it is an issue that needs attention. Good deal for GWR drivers on the West. The finalised well over 100 years’ service, and highly insight into mental health amongst employers harmonisation deal addressed the need to regarded in our trade union. They explained is beneficial for both employee and employer. attain fairness and equality amongst ASLEF how RMS members are having passes The correct understanding, support and members and was duly supported through a removed or amended by over-zealous ticket assistance can lead to a much better recovery democratic majority vote in July. The hard inspectors, due to the legibility of the writing. in the long-term. work that our DDC members, EC member, and And there is no appeal process. As we get The problem I have found is that not full-time officer put into these negotiations is older writing standards can diminish. I had the enough is understood about mental health evident and reflected in the new t&cs. We pleasure of informing them that there is an conditions amongst employees who work in thank all those involved and are proud to be appeal service, and emailed them a copy. safety critical posts. The RSSB does not issue part of a union that looks after its members’ As part of the five year battle, during which clear enough guidance for medical interests. We encourage the union to maintain our GS made representations to RSTL, which professionals, and employers have a distinct the principles achieved in the harmonisation were also unsuccessful, it has been evident lack of understanding to enable them to deal by ensuring this contributes to a sense of that the appeal process is not fit for purpose. A support employees effectively. unity and solidarity across the regions which letter of appeal cannot answer any questions More needs to be done to equip line will place the union in a strong negotiating that may arise, and cannot show the shaky managers to assist employees when needed, position for the future challenges we, as handwriting of our more elderly members. It is and the RSSB needs to research how to offer drivers, will face. a bureaucratic response that is usually the correct guidance to occupational health Dan Davis , Gloucester branch secretary negative. Surely, as RDG is made up of the professionals and employers alike. Employees TOCs we work for, it is time they pushed for a suffer in silence for fear of being removed from more open appeal process, allowing personal Solidarity with guards their safety critical roles, either temporarily or, representation. There cannot only be one in some cases, permanently. I would like to recognise the solidarity shown sanction available. After all, criminals have an Mental health can be a short-term issue or by South Western Railway guards in the appeal process, and receive varying sentences, a life-long issue, and statistics say that 1:3 of us ongoing dispute over guaranteeing a second not all of which are life. will have some kind of mental health issue at safety-critical staff member on every Dave MacLennan , company council rep, some point in our lives. Let’s not let people passenger train, and especially to and Selhurst branch suffer in silence, but be able to come forward Bournemouth and Weymouth guards who are and seek the help and support they need to involved in an additional dispute regarding Mental health and safety allow them to recover effectively and be able the dismissal of two colleagues. While spin critical roles on the rails to retain their safety critical status. doctors may use the terms ‘plan’, ‘normally’ and Jason Waddington , Leeds ‘guarantee to roster’ in their press releases, As someone who has been in safety critical front line train crew know that only by posts for the past 14 years, and who also guaranteeing that every train in passenger suffers from a mental health condition, I would Hard work and harmony service has a second safety-critical member of like to highlight this important issue. Mental We would like to thank District 7’s DDC reps, staff will all passengers know there is someone health in the workplace is a hot topic right EC member Andy Hudd, and full-time officer to help them in an emergency. It is only then now, and many employers are starting to Brian Corbett for securing the harmonisation that passengers will know there is someone to

20 The ASLEF Journal l September 2018 Classified Advertisements

CLASS 308 NSERS badge to raise funds for the preservation Rail freight and tramlinks of the last complete Phase One i suggest Bro Young ( Journal , August) is 4 CIG train 1753. £6 inc p&p from NSERS, 41 Highfield Road, Ipswich, worrying about members’ jobs Suffolk, IP1 6DD. Cheques payable to Network unnecessarily. i understand ASLEF has South East Railway Society. represented Croydon Tramlink drivers for some years and also represents CLASS 800 IET Great drivers. Freight Western Railway badges. can use an alternative route to reach Individually numbered, Altrincham, and points south, whilst a 100 produced. £8 each + part of the Metrolink oldham route has £2 recorded p&p. Paypal payment please to: a section allowing freight to pass. Plans Freight [email protected] for the South Wales network also make on (tram) provision for freight. We seem, in the UK, rails SOUTH WESTERN to be over-cautious. These pictures show Suburban 707 limited edition 35x30mm enamel badge £5 + a double-headed stone train of 21 bogie a week. Freight trains also ran on £1 p&p from Martin wagons passing through a tram station Glasgow tram lines in Govan and Thompson (Wimbledon Park) in France, on rails used by trams, which possibly elsewhere in the UK. email [email protected] normally happens twice a day, five days Eric Stuart , advocate of rail in all forms THREE BRIDGES branch strike badge 2016/17. £5 inc p&p (proceeds to charity) from Paul Eden (branch turn to with enquiries during disruption, that election. I was overwhelmed by the support secretary) email [email protected]). vulnerable passengers will know there is and hope I can do the job in a manner that is someone to turn to for help when they are fitting to my district and to this great union. I PERTH branch badge to being harassed, and that less mobile would also like to thank Perth branch and commemorate 110 years (1908- passengers will know they will be able to Edinburgh No 2 for organising hustings and 2018). £6 plus £1 p&p. Cheques payable to Perth branch ASLEF No travel when they want to rather than booking allowing all three candidates the opportunity 134 General. Please contact branch days in advance or worrying if there will be to speak to the membership. It was an secretary Grant Murchie for details on 07412 help to get on and off at their stop. absolute pleasure and a privilege to stand 453454 or [email protected] For decades, railwaymen and women have alongside John McCue (Glasgow) and Tam stood together and fought to defend jobs, McKendrick (Grangemouth) to debate the KIRKDALE 121 limited edition attain favourable pay settlements, rosters, and future of our trade union. It would be remiss of centenary badge 1917-2017 price terms and conditions. Guards and drivers me not to mention my own branch, £7.50 inc p&p from branch today benefit from the solidarity of those in Motherwell. The support and encouragement secretary Keith Devling. Call whose shoes we now walk, and it is not only was, and still is, greatly appreciated. The help, 07933 144768 or email right to stand up for passengers, but also right support and education I have received over [email protected] to defend good jobs rather than allow a the years has been fantastic and I thank each spiralling descent into a culture of split shifts, and every one of you. HANDMADE miniature reduced sick pay, zero hour contracts and I would also like to thank Hugh Bradley, driver’s keys to wear as a charm lower pay with few, if any, t&cs. Guards should EC2, for all the hard work and dedication he or round the neck. Solid silver and solid 9ct gold weighing be proud of the stand they have taken and I, has shown over the last 15 years. Because of approximately 7 grams. Just over 2cm in length and many other drivers, support them. this I will step into this role with the union in a and just under 2cm width. Gold £300, silver £100 + Julian Morison , SWR Bournemouth far better place than it was on Hugh’s first £7 p&p recorded delivery. Contact Brad McCarthy election. on 07929 350146. Jim Baxter , Motherwell From a position of strength CLASS 15 locomotive (D8233) Can I take the opportunity to thank all the enamel badge on sale to raise funds drivers in District 3 for the huge honour and Every vote counts for restoration of the sole surviving responsibility in becoming your voice on the I would like to thank the members and Class 15 loco by the Class 15 EC following my recent election? With over branches of District 4 who voted for me in the Preservation Society. £5 + £1 p&p 2,200 drivers in the north-west of England and recent election for EC member. Also thanks to from Ipswich driver Clive Whiting. Payment can North Wales the task of representing your best my fellow candidate Pete James for his well- be sent via PayPal to [email protected] interests cannot be underestimated. But run campaign. The election had a narrow PROFESSIONAL ENGRAVING at having visited many branches already, and winning margin, which goes to show that every member’s vote counts. I now will have sensible prices. I can engrave anything knowing the strength of unity across all drivers you wish, such as the ASLEF logo on the honour and privilege of representing in ASLEF, I know that, collectively, we will face the pint tankard. Contact Paul Potts by any challenges from a position of strength. District 4 as its EC member from 1 January email at [email protected] Many thanks and I look forward to working on 2019 and I wish the EC president Tosh your behalf during my time on the EC. McDonald all the best in whatever he does in BESPOKE CUSHIONS Hand John Metcalfe , EC member District 3 the future. I must give special thanks for the made 40cm square cushions of support I received from my branch, the railway engines and carriages. £50. guidance I was given as a young rep by the Call Abi on 07954 659849 or email me at A pleasure and a privilege late Alan Dodds, and I cannot finish without [email protected] I would like to take this opportunity to thank mentioning my fantastic wife Karen and my To place an advertisement please phone all the members in District 2 who took the sons Adam, Ethan and Caden, whose support I 020 7324 2400 or send an email to time to vote for me and to thank all the could not do without. [email protected] branches who nominated me in the recent EC Mark Wakenshaw , Gateshead & Newcastle

September 2018 l The ASLEF Journal 21 Last Word The Road goes ever on and on

More than 100 million copies of The Hobbit , and 150 million copies of The Lord of the Rings , have been sold around the world. KEITH RICHMOND takes the train to Oxford, where JRR Tolkien studied, taught, and wrote, for a revealing new exhibition at the Bodleian

HEN JRR Tolkien started reading a exhibition, culled from the stacks of the Pictures at an exhibition – Tolkien in his study, W new chapter of what would become Bodleian library, and curated by Tolkien 1937; Exeter College freshmen, 1911, The Lord of the Rings at a meeting of archivist Catherine McIlwaine, which shows highlighting those who lost their lives in the The Inklings, an informal group of friends, Tolkien and the other first year Great War; Tolkien as a young subaltern on the including CS Lewis, Charles Williams, Owen undergraduates of Exeter College in the Western front in 1916; the author’s design for Barfield, Nevill Coghill and Roger Lancelyn fellows’ garden. There are 53 young men in the the dust jacket of The Hobbit ; watercolour, 1920, Green, who met at the ‘bird and baby’, the photo (four were missing); 46 fought in the ‘from Father Christmas’; and the writer in a city Eagle and Child, in Oxford to drink beer, war and 24 (almost half the cohort) were killed of briar pipes, old trees, and dreaming spires discuss books, and read aloud their own work, in action. ‘By 1918 all but one of my close Hugo Dyson, an English don at Merton friends were dead,’ he wrote in the foreword to to his children later collected as The Father College, spoke up. ‘Oh, no,’ he cried. ‘Not the second edition of The Lord of the Rings . Christmas Letters . As well as the original another f***ing elf!’ After the war he did a stint on the Oxford artwork for the cover of The Hobbit , with his English Dictionary before becoming Reader in handwritten notes in the margins, including a ‘In a hole in the ground lived a hobbit.’ English Language at Leeds University in 1920; request for the sun to be coloured red. Stanley Rawlinson & Bosworth Professor of Anglo- Unwin, the publisher, refused to cough up for There are millions of people around the world Saxon at Oxford in 1925; and then Merton an extra colour – he wouldn’t stretch beyond a – not all of them fans of fantasy, swords and Professor of English Language & Literature two colour (blue and green) cover – which, ‘sorcery, warlocks and witches, Harry Potter and from 1945 until he retired in 1959. He worked given the millions Allen & Unwin has made Game of Thrones – who have been entranced mostly on Old and Middle English manuscripts from the book, is ironic. by Tolkien’s tales of Middle-Earth – from The – translating Sir Gawain and the Green Knight , Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings (1954- Pearl and Sir Orfeo – and established his ‘Not all those who wander are lost.’ 55) and The Adventures of Tom Bombadil (1962) reputation with an essay (originally a lecture to the panoply of posthumous publications, delivered in 1936) called Beowulf: The Monsters There’s fan mail, too. From Arthur Ransome, ‘a such as The Silmarillion (1977), The Lays of and the Critic s which transformed our humble hobbit-fancier’, in 1937; Iris Murdoch, Beleriand (1985) and, most recently, Beren and understanding of this Old English epic poem ‘‘absorbed by The Lord of the Rings ’, in 1965; Joni Lúthien (2017). And there are many more who, composed 1,300 years ago. Mitchell, asking for permission to use the taking a leaf from Hugo Dyson’s book, fail to names Lorien and Strider for two recording warm to fairyland with its warriors and ‘The utter stupid waste of war.’ and publishing companies she wanted to set werewolves, dwarves and elves, rivermaids, up, and sending him the lyrics for I Think I ringwraiths, dungeons, dragons and orcs. But what made his name – and his fortune – Understand ; and WH Auden, from his home in John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born in was The Lord of the Rings – particularly a single Italy, writing ‘I don’t think I have ever told you 1892 in Bloemfontein, a small town on the ‘volume mass market paperback that took off what an unforgettable experience it was, for high veldt of the Orange Free State, to English in America in the late 1960s along with me, as an undergraduate, hearing you recite parents, Arthur and Mabel, and brought up in Jefferson Airplane, The Silver Surfer , and Beowulf . The voice was the voice of Gandalf.’ ‘genteel poverty’ in Sarehole, a village in Siddhartha by Herman Hesse as a college kid Warwickshire, and, after he won a place at the staple on campuses throughout the States. King Edward VI grammar school, Birmingham. This exhibition, of 200 items, half of which l Tolkien: Maker of Middle-Earth is at He went up to Exeter College, Oxford, to read have never been shown before, is the most the Weston Library, Broad Street, Greats (Classics) before switching to English, extensive collection of Tolkien material put on oxford until 28 october; at the Morgan and then, after graduating with a first in 1915, public display. It includes his writing desk, Library, New York, from 25 January enlisted as a second lieutenant in the 13th chair, and briar pipes; the first page of the until 12 May; and then at the Lancashire Fusiliers. manuscript of Roverandum ; lots of maps of Bibliothèque Nationale de France in The Great War cast a long shadow over his Middle-Earth and drawings for The Hobbit and Paris. Admission is free. generation. There is a poignant photo in a new The Lord of the Rings ; and the correspondence

22 The ASLEF Journal l September 2018 Across Down on Track Prize Crossword 1 Lounge or parlour 1 Educational (7, 4) institution Crossword 149 by Tom Williams 7 Pal at school 2 Wood for carpentry EYES DOWN FOR 8 Began 3 Bluebottle or 9 Honey insect ladybird CONFERENCE 10 Native American 4 Allowance of tent money SEASON BINGO 11 Dark red 5 Eight-armed Bordeaux wine sea creature ARTY conference season is 13 Blows up with 6 Insanity almost upon us: the 150th explosives 11 Stilton and P Trades Union Congress from 16 Select by voting Cheddar (plural) 9 to 12 September in Manchester; the 18 Tie-on label 12 Medium-size Liberal Democrats from 15 to 18 19 Brilliant crimson 13 Conflict between September in Brighton; UKIP from 21 to 20 Egg-shaped armies 22 September in Birmingham; Labour 24 Chimney or 14 Silky-haired rabbit from 23 to 26 September in Liverpool; church tower restorer 15 Smack or whack the Tories from 30 September to 17 Bulb from 3 October in Birmingham; the Greens Amsterdam? from 5 to 7 October in Bristol; and the SNP from 7 to 9 October in Glasgow. Solution to Crossword 148 With the advent of a new conference Across: 1 Gosling 5 Bowl 7 Lad 8 Identify season there’s a chance for delegates to 9 Fatal 10 Coop 13 Mean 14 Save 18 Exit Name...... play the popular parlour game of 19 Olive 21 Money box 22 Roe 23 Cent political party conference bingo. The 24 Earnest Down: 1 Goldfish 2 Sedative 3 Icicle Address...... idea is to tick off, one by one, the clichés 4 Greece 5 Bottom 6 Wife 11 Pedigree trotted out by speakers at fringe 12 Indecent 15 Expert 16 Stable 17 Hoaxer ...... meetings as well as from the podium in 20 Hole the conference hall. It’s a game you can play at home, too, by catching the Congratulations to Colin ...... coverage of conferences on the rolling Pendrill , of Barnstaple , Devon , who was last month’s news networks as well as the juiciest ...... interviews and choicest soundbites on winner. The winner of this month’s news bulletins on television, on radio, Prize Crossword will receive Marks & and online. And, of course, in the Spencer vouchers to the value of £25 ...... newspapers next day. l You can see more of Tom Williams’s On the card this crosswords, word games and puzzles at Postcode...... year are hard- wordgames.co.uk working families; thought Thanks for all your responses to the 148th prize crossword in the August edition of the ASLEF leadership; Journal . If you successfully complete this month’s crossword please send the solution to the cutting edge; start Editor, ASLEF Journal , 77 St John Street, Clerkenwell, London, EC1M 4NN by 14 September the conversation; fully funded; connectivity; Eyes down! Get direction of travel; ready to play party ASLEF’s legal services digital future; conference bingo boom and bust; if you are being harassed at work, bullied or discriminated against, and evidence-led; robust strategy; under the if your local, branch or district rep is unavailable, call the industrial radar; magic money tree; and relations department at union headquarters (020 7324 2400) or email addressing the real issues. [email protected]. if you are arrested or interviewed by police and need As well as perennial favourites legal assistance – day or night – call the members’ emergency hotline on moving (or going) forward; making a 0800 587 7530. ASLEF also provides first class legal advice free for (real) difference; pushing the envelope; 24/7; hit the ground running; elephant members and dependents. in the room; blue sky thinking; green field sites; red lines; bottom line; and drawing a line in the sand. And common 21st century clichés such as fast track; touch base; no NOTICE TO MEMBERS: TRADE UNION AND LABOUR RELATIONS brainer; ball park figure; no magic bullet; MCONSOLIDATIONN ACT 1992 MAS AMENDEDN in the loop; up and down the country; step up to the plate; think outside the box; on the same page; singing from the A resolution approving the furtherance of political objects within the meaning of the same hymn (or song) sheet; at the end above Act as an object of the union has been adopted by ballot under the Act. Any of the day; the jury’s still out; and the payments in furtherance of those objects will be made out of a separate fund, the political ordinary man (or woman) in the street. fund of the union. Let us know how you get on playing Any member, who joined the Union on or after 1 March 2018, who has given notice of party conference bingo… their willingness to contribute to the union’s political fund (an ‘opt-in’ notice), has a right to withdraw that notice by giving notice to the union (a ‘withdrawal notice’). Keith Richmond

September 2018 l The ASLEF Journal 23 Changing the world of work for good