ASLEFJOURNAL MARCH 2021 The magazine of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers & Firemen Free to members Hen wlad fy nhadau

Special report on the railway in the Land of our Fathers . The train drivers ’ Death of a train : Chris Proctor marks but doesn’t mourn the union since 1880 passing of the Pacer . And the latest advice about covid-19 railway enginemen’ s tax fr ee saver plans

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@RailwayEnginemens Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authorit y. Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authorit y. Incorporated under the Friendly Societies Act 1992 ASLEF GS Mick Whelan JOURNAL Now is the time to The magazine of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers & Firemen plan to regenerate ‘The NHS, the military, and the volunteers all Britain’s railways deserve our gratitude’

OLLOWING on from last month, I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the government on the swift roll F out of the vaccination programme, for the initial injection, to, at the point of writing, some 15 million people. The National Health Service, the military, the volunteers, and all those involved who have made this possible deserve all our thanks and gratitude. Men and women of Harlech: our special Wales report Obviously, there is still a long way to go , and everyone will have the second dose, and we cannot get complacent or rush back to News normalcy only to end up in lockdown again. There is talk of l ASLEF backs Andy McDonald on covid-19 4 boosters in the autumn, and testing just to attend theatres or l Dominic Raab is in the firing line over Agent 5 cinemas in the future, so social distancing and other measures are Sacoolas plus Off the Rails: PM asleep at the with us for a long time to come. wheel every afternoon; Balls on TV; POTUS dumps Churchill; and the Prince of Darkness Now is the time to plan to regenerate our railways , to encourage unsettles Jeremy Paxman before Newsnight footfall, and to rebuild confidence, not just in the train operating l Renew our mandate to protect your job 6 companies, but in all the open access companies, such as Hull l Russia’s first female train drivers step up 7 Trains, Grand Central, and Eurostar, and those concession-based l ASLEF calls on Boris to help save Eurostar 8 undertakings such as Merseyrail. We have been majorly supported to the tune of £800 million a Features month – some £10 billion by June – which we welcome and for l Chris Proctor reflects on the life and death of 10 which we are grateful. But let’s not be naïve; we, along with other the Pacer rail bus – Britain’s unloveliest train sectors, are going to become political economic footballs. The l EC3 John Metcalfe analyses the problems of the 11 Castlefield corridor and reveals the dangers of austerity of the last ten years may well pale into insignificance; the the Manchester recovery public consultation posturing of the government over TfL (see page 6) is a good l Wales on Rails: DO7 Steve Austin, former 12-13 example of politics against need or common sense. There is a DO7 Brian Corbett, EC7 Andy Hudd, and greater propensity for long-term impact on rail as demand – footfall TfW company council rep Ian Thompson – could be years before returning to pre-pandemic levels, and the l Wales TUC general secretary Shavanah Taj 14 easy option will to be to reduce timetables. and Young Members’ rep Rob Kitley I believe capacity makes travel attractive , and will ease Britain’s l Key Worker: Basingstoke driver (and Trekkie) 15 return to normality, but the Treasury and the DfT are unlikely to Bob Moore on the wonderful Chester Chronicles agree. This was demonstrated by their edict of no pay rise for 2020 Regulars and 2021. As with all key workers, why should we be surprised at l Branch Lines 16 this treatment from the government? We are in a unique position of being employed by privateers, on l Christian Wolmar exposes the nonsense of 17 driverless trains, planes, and automobiles emergency measures agreements, and who we bargain with, but l Obituaries 19 who are dominated by the Treasury, and who do not know their l Letters 20 futures, or the shape of the industry, or what will happen under l Points & Crossings and Classified Ads 21 Williams. One of the unanswered questions is whether any or all of the companies will stay? l It’s not what you know, it’s who you know; 22 Gregor Gall on the PM’s new chumocracy Surely now is the time to integrate under one GB rail scheme , one l On Track: Penny Mordaunt’s floundering with 23 overarching secure pension scheme, an all-line PT&R, with the end her fishy Brexit claims; Prize Crossword; Legal to duplication and uncertainty as, at the moment, we seem to have Services; and members’ Change of Address form all the disbenefits of the whims of government without any of the EDITOR Mick Whelan, general secretary l DESIGNER Michael Cronin upsides and protections. PRINTER College Hill Press, London, SW19 4HE l ADvERTISING ASLEF Journal, 77 St John Street, London, EC1M 4NN. Contact Keith Richmond It is safe to say we are not in Kansas anymore and must be on 020 7324 2407 or [email protected] l CLASSIFIED ADS prepared, post-covid, to do what is necessary to protect jobs and [email protected] or call 020 7324 2400. The acceptance of a display or classified advertisement does not necessarily imply endorsement of conditions. Please be safe. that product or service by ASLEF CHANGE OF ADDRESS Please post your details to ASLEF, 77 St John Street, Clerkenwell, London, EC1M 4NN Yours fraternally,

The ASLEF Journal is published every month by: ASLEF, 77 St John Street, London, EC1M 4NN Tel: 020 7324 2400 l email: [email protected] website: www.aslef.org.uk l twitter: @ASLEFUnion Mick Whelan, general secretary, ASLEF

March 2021 l The ASLEF Journal 3 News

‘Andy is absolutely : : : : :: :: :: : ASLEF: of course covid right to call on the Coroner calls for charges government to do the right thing to over killer motorways is serious workplace r isk p rotect people in the A coroner has ruled that Highways w orkplace. The England could be charged with weasel words of the manslaughter after a woman’s death on SLEF has Business Minister, a smart motorway. Nargis Begum, 62, A backed a Paul Scully, in trying from Sheffield, was killed after her car call by Andy to explain why the broke down on a stretch of the M1 McDonald, the government won’t without a hard shoulder. Her vehicle Shadow Employment categorise covid was hit, and ploughed into her, and the Secretary, and former properly, reveals how time the crash went undetected was Shadow Transport morally and highlighted by South Yorkshire coroner Secretary, for covid- politically bankrupt – Nicola Mundy. 19 to be classed as a as well as inept – this So-called ‘smart motorways’ – ‘serious risk’ in the government is. ironically, there is nothing smart about workplace to secure ‘The only way to Mick Whelan: ‘Andy i s r ight to ca ll o n the Prim e them – have been trumpeted by the the safety of people get Britain back to Minister to protect people in the workplace’ advocates of autonomous vehicles, self- at work in Britain. work is if people feel driving lorries, and driverless trains – GS Mick Whelan coronavirus, as it has more than 112,000 safe. Not by turning a but condemned by transport experts as said: ‘The Tory done throughout this British citizens dead, Nelsonic blind eye to sure-fire AI killers. government is trying crisis. The UK has the and tens of thousands the real problems of Ms Mundy, sitting at Doncaster to play down the highest covid death still suffering the the pandemic that coroner’s court, said Highways England dangers of the toll in the world, with effects of long covid. the rest of us can see.’ – which denies wrongdoing – should be referred to the Crown Prosecution Service to consider if manslaughter charges are appropriate. Save the British pub Nicholas Chapman, for HE, said footage from a CCTV camera covering the scene of the crash was sent to a Britain’s brewers have slammed Boris Johnson ‘busy’ and remote regional control for ignoring the evidence and destroying their centre where ‘seven or eight’ people – businesses by keeping pubs closed. Pub he wasn’t sure – were receiving images companies have withdrawn from a business from 450 other cameras. He admitted forum with the government and slammed there was ‘no constant or routine Business Minister Paul Scully for his ‘obvious monitoring’ of smart motorways which lack of interest’. would explain the high fatality figures. Patrick Yardis, chief executive of Young’s, speaking for the industry, said: ‘We are calling on the government to save our great British pubs and pull the country back from the brink TWEETS OF THE MONTH of economic misery. Hundreds of thousands of Brewers say Boris Johnson is wrong about pubs jobs are at stake in the hospitality industry, which has been disproportionately hit by the ‘It is abundantly clear that the government Two Union flags behind him tonight. pandemic while investing millions of pounds is playing politics under the guise of Must be serious. to create covid-secure environments for our consulting,’ added Mr Yardis. ‘We are shocked @ShowMeASign customers.’ and appalled that the government is basing its The evidence reveals that shops – decisions to keep the great British pub closed 100,000 dead. Boris Johnson says ‘We especially supermarkets – schools and on unfounded and unproven statistics. did everything we could.’ No, he didn’t. hospitals are the three most dangerous places ‘Pubs are a huge part of our culture and a Led By Donkeys @ByDonkeys for transmission of the coronavirus. Very few significant part of every community. They are people have contracted covid-19 in a pub. the only places where alcohol is consumed in #clapforheroes has been given a a controlled and supervised manner. The massive thumbs down by the public. government’s approach has forced friends and Instead of this cringing, patronising, virtue THE NEXT TRAIN TO STOp AT BOW families to resort to meeting in each other’s signalling, let’s protect them, vaccinate STREET IS THE FIRST FOR 56 YEARS houses. Its refusal to acknowledge this fact is them, and pay them properly. When the 09.12 service from Machynlleth to wilfully and dangerously ignorant. There is @RoperCarl Aberystwyth on the Cambrian line stopped absolutely no evidence to support the at Bow Street on Sunday 14 February it was messaging suggesting pubs are a significant Where does daughter of immigrants the first train in 56 years to stop at the factor in spreading the virus.’ Priti Patel get all her hatred of Ceredigion village. The new single-track halt, foreigners from? encouraging park-and-ride, is south of the Mr Ethical @nw_nicholas old station, which was closed after 101 years QUOTE… by the notorious Beeching cuts of the 1960s. ‘Visibly shaken, his thesaurus of Breaking: Boris Johnson’s hair has misery exhausted…this was Boris mutated again and it is possible that ROYAL ASSENT FOR pHASE 2A Johnson’s darkest hour’ – Henry this variant will become the dominant The HS2 Phase 2A: High Speed Rail (West Deedes , Daily Mail strain. Midlands to Crewe) Bill was given royal …UNQUOTE @davemacladd assent on Thursday 11 February.

4 The ASLEF Journal l March 2021 News Raab backs down over Off the Rails

CIA’s ‘Killer’ Sacoolas BORIS JOHNSON is prone, say Downing Street aides, to taking ‘power naps’ in the OREIGN afternoon. In other words, he falls asleep. F Secretary Officially, everything is all fine and Dominic dandy. But those close to the Prime Raab is coming under Minister confess, privately, that he has increasing criticism – not recovered from covid-19, is from Tories as well as struggling to cope with the demands of the job, and his from the Opposition judgement is impaired. He’s slow, they say, to make – for his craven decisions. ‘The PM’s indecision is final,’ one notes dryly. refusal to challenge the US over its ED BALLS , and his precipitate fall from outrageous decision grace, was the subject of an arresting not to extradite Anne piece by Christopher Stevens in the Daily ‘Killer’ Sacoolas to the Mail . ‘Funny how life turns out,’ he mused. UK. ‘If Labour had won the general election Sacoolas, 43, a CIA in 2015, he would have been Chancellor – agent, fled back to and might, conceivably, be Prime the States after killing Minister now. Instead, he’s making lasagne on Celebrity Best 19-year-old Harry Home Cook . If politics is a greasy pole, Ed’s gone down to the Dunn outside the US depths of hell. He’s tried his hand, for television, as a Air Force base at Dominic Raab (left) trawlerman in the North Sea and a wrestler in the Deep Croughton in has been South, not to mention that eye-popping display on Strictly Oxfordshire. She was condemned as a ‘US Come Dancing . As he scrapes a living in the land of the Z- driving her Volvo muppet’ for not listers, he seems relaxed about the indignity of it all – not XC90 on the wrong challenging the visibly thrilled, but quietly resigned to his fate. You have to side of the road when State Department wonder, though, whether at 3am he has to stuff a pillow over it smashed head-on over its refusal to his face to muffle his howls of anguish…’ into Harry. His body extradite Anne crumpled across her Sacoolas (above) for JOE BIDEN lost no time in windscreen, his bike killing Harry Dunn replacing the bust of Winston burst into flames, and (top) Churchill – a brute who, in 1910, as the road remains Home Secretary, to break a miners’ scarred by the scorch Foreign Office which Raab has lost the strike sent troops onto the streets marks. told her to leave this confidence of of Tonypandy and who, a year later, Sacoolas country – fast – backbench Tory MPs, put a gunboat on the Mersey and disingenuously before she was unhappy that an ordered soldiers to open fire on workers during a transport claims not to charged with causing American spy can kill strike in Liverpool – with a bronze of César Chávez in the Oval understand ‘what all death by dangerous with impunity a Office. Chávez rose from humble origins in Yuma, Arizona, to the fuss is about’, driving while under British citizen, co-found the National Farm Workers’ Assocation and lead telling friends: ‘He’s the influence of drink possibly after too them against their bullying corporate masters. They began a dead – and and/or drugs. much ‘wacky baccy’, strike in 1965, sustained it for five years, and won. ‘Isn’t there prosecuting, or Thames Valley and describe the something to like about the new President’s admiration for persecuting, me isn’t Police are known to Foreign Secretary in this brave champion of the underdog?’ asks former going to bring the be furious at derogatory terms as Conservative MP Matthew Parris in his column in The Times . kid back.’ ‘interference’ in the ‘a US puppet’ and Like her husband, case by the Foreign ‘muppet’ for going JEREMY pAXMAN has revealed a subtle she was spying on UK Office. The US State AWOL. It is said he ploy used by politicians to unsettle citizens and did not Department says she will be sacked in the interviewers before a punch-up on the have diplomatic will not return to face next government telly. As they sat down to talk, Peter immunity. But it is justice in the UK – reshuffle. Mandelson, New Labour’s prince of said that she was and that decision is Harry’s parents, darkness, purred, ‘Interesting suit, tipped off by the ‘final’. meanwhile, have Jeremy. Did you really buy it yourself?’ urged the US ‘to do Paxman admits he spent the first part of the right thing’ but, the interview wondering what was QUOTE… without pressure wrong with what he was wearing. ‘Pundits have only one talent: telling a from the UK, it is compelling story with conviction’ – unlikely that FACEBOOK has proved the old adage Superforecasting by psychologist anything will happen that Britain and America are two philip Tetlock and that Harry’s nations divided by a common language. It has apologised to …UNQUOTE parents will get the the residents of Devon for forcing them to change the justice they deserve. spelling of Plymouth Hoe to avoid being banned for breaching its rules. Hoe – from the Old English hoh for 500 CLUB: Debbie Whitfield, with number 118, won the February draw, heel-shaped hill – does not, m’lud, mean whore. scooping the Retired Members’ Section jackpot of £498.

March 2021 l The ASLEF Journal 5 News

greater than ever. Renew our mandate Without a mandate Public transport to take action, it will be impossible to to protect your jobs make management post-pandemic negotiate on any Professor Corinne Mulley and Professor John HE next ‘Last year, ASLEF possible changes. Nelson, of the Institute of Transport & Logistic T round of asked management They can simply ram Studies at Sydney University Business School, negotiations for a commitment through cuts to in a joint blog on the Transport Times website, between Transport that any changes to wages, working called on governments worldwide to for London and the current working conditions, and acknowledge that public transport must have a government on arrangements would pensions just as other future after the pandemic. funding for the only come about by large employers like ‘The role of transport has always been to capital’s transport agreement. When British Gas and the bring people together. From early days, system begins soon – they refused to give airline industry are transport underpinned urban creation through and ASLEF is us that commitment, doing. people coming together to exchange/market determined to we balloted our ‘The reasonable goods. Today transport underpins much of protect the pay, the members across LU living standards our what we regard as fundamental to civilised pensions, and the Finn: ‘Support your and got huge a “yes” families enjoy cannot society – the way to include citizens in society working conditions union. Protect your vote. That made be taken for granted. through accessing essential goods and services of our members. future. vote yes’ management step They can only be as well strengthening agglomeration Current funding back and forced protected if we show economies. The pandemic has sharpened our runs until the end of by blaming the them to keep we are prepared to view of public transport as a critical public March; TfL says it Mayor of London and working through the fight for them. ASLEF service, used by essential workers without needs around the unions for TfL’s agreed machinery of is not seeking alternative options for accessing work.’ £3 billion in support problems, rather than negotiation.’ confrontation; but we for the financial year acknowledging that We now have to need to show we 2021/22 and a long- the current funding ballot members have the support of Lisa’s on board term funding model doesn’t work again as the law says our members to agreement to replace anymore and a new our mandate is only defend them. fare revenue which solution is needed. valid for six months. ‘So please vote ASLEF campaign ‘Government has plummeted Members began to “yes”. Problems with Lisa Nandy, Labour MP ministers have been during the pandemic. receive ballot papers the post mean it is for Wigan, has written open about their ‘So far, the Tory from Monday 15 essential not to delay. to Transport Secretary intentions. They want government has February and have to Any vote not Grant Shapps saying “workforce engaged in return them by returned effectively she is ‘gobsmacked’ by modernization” and brinkmanship and Monday 15 March. counts as a “no” and a plans to axe the direct “pension reform” in political games,’ says ‘It is more negative result, or train service between return for funding Finn Brennan, ASLEF’s important than ever poor return, will give Wigan and TfL. That means organiser on London that we get another management and Manchester Piccadilly. cutting wages, worse Underground. ‘They huge “yes” vote,’ says government a green Lisa, DO3 Andy working conditions, Lisa: ‘gobsmacked’ seem much more Finn. ‘The threat we light to do what they Hourigan, and EC3 and reduced interested in seeking faced last year has want. Don’t let them John Metcalfe all February to discuss pensions for staff. political advantage not gone away; it is get away with it.’ attended the Wigan the chaos over the branch meeting (by Castlefield corridor Zoom) on Sunday 28 (see page 11). Silly farmers, stupid Beeb QUOTE… ‘It took the Watching The Farmers’ Housing Get the vote out Country Showdown on Secretary less BBC1, five minutes in, they than 24 hours to show an interview on what intervene and appears to be a farmer’s get approval for gated crossing on the a Tory donor’s Exeter to Barnstaple line. £1 billion Whilst the service is development. infrequent, it’s an open line, Almost four and sends out the wrong years after signals to the public. Grenfell, there Gavin Wrigley , driver, are 56,000 Euston Silly Farmer Giles sends the wrong signal GS Mick Whelan, who is chair of LabourUnions, people still which used to be TULO, and which represents living in homes the 12 trade unions affiliated to the Labour TRAINLINE RUNS OUT OF STEAM with dangerous Party, joined Labour’s deputy leader Angela Trainline, the online ticketing service, is expected to make a loss of cladding’ – Bell Rayner for a special canvassing briefing by £38 million this year, according to analysts at JP Morgan, the Ribeiro-Addy , Zoom on Thursday 18 February ahead of the investment bank that floated the company in 2019. Passenger Labour Mp for local elections in May. ‘Every vote will be numbers in January were just 10-14% of what they were a year Streatham crucial,’ said Angela. ‘We want to make sure before, ‘and we are also getting more cautious about the speed of …UNQUOTE people get out and vote Labour to help recovery going into 2022.’ Shares have plummeted. rebuild Britain after the pandemic.’

6 The ASLEF Journal l March 2021 News

Female drivers at Metro moves into the maintenance depot of the Moscow Metro’s the 21st century Filyovskaya line HE first female drivers have started and (below) at the work on the Moscow Metro, one of controls. Photo: T the longest underground railways in vyacheslav the world, after reforms of Russian laws Prokofyev/TASS prohibiting women from many jobs. TASS, the state news agency, reported, ‘The first female electric train drivers in modern history have started working for the Moscow Metro.’ was dangerous because it meant being Built in the Soviet era, as a communist underground for long periods came under fire showpiece, Moscow Metro trains were because the network employs women as historically operated by men because the work cleaners, cashiers, and escalator monitors. was listed on the government’s register of jobs The Moscow Metro says automation of deemed harmful to a woman’s health. The ban mechanical processes means operating on women working in many professions was underground trains is no longer ‘associated widely criticised and a Labour Ministry decree with heavy physical exertion’. in September cut the number of exclusively Russian Railways, the country’s state- male professions from 456 to 100. owned network, says it will also begin The justification that driving Metro trains employing female train drivers this year. Keeping ScotRail trains All aboard the sci-fi Algorithm Express Paul Routledge, in his Daily Mirror column on Friday 29 January, let Boris Johnson and Andrew Gilligan running for key workers have both barrels for commissioning a new report from the RSSB about driverless trains, as reported in ASLEF has agreed to move the end Jim: ‘Train the Journal in February. of the current rest day working drivers play a ‘Driverless cars, airborne drone taxis – and now agreement with ScotRail to help vital role in trains without drivers, if loony-right Tory trains keep running in Scotland. making sure key policymakers get their way,’ he wrote. ‘The coronavirus crisis has workers can get ‘They want to introduce totally automated trains affected everyone, everywhere,’ said to work’ within seven years, under secret plans leaked to the Jim Baxter, EC member for Scotland. drivers’ union ASLEF. Given the age and complexity ‘The pandemic has affected every facilitate the recruitment of drivers; of our rail system, the idea is as unworkable as it is aspect of our lives, including, and the training of new drivers; and the unappealing. perhaps especially, the way we training of experienced drivers on ‘All aboard the sci-fi Algorithm Express please! If work. In the wake of the problems new routes and tractions. We need there are no feet on the footplate, this railwayman’s Paul, as ever, on caused by the pandemic we agreed to make sure that the railway in son will stop at ’ome.’ the right track to move the end date of the Scotland is properly equipped and current RDW agreement from 30 ready to get all training up and RETIRED MEMBERS’ SECTION January to 30 October. running as soon as it is safe to do so. The ongoing crisis over the coronavirus means that head office is ‘ASLEF has a long-standing ‘Our members play a vital role in unable, at the moment, to send out letters reminding members in our agreement with ScotRail, going making sure key workers can get to Retired Members’ Section, who pay annually by cheque, that your back many years, that allows drivers and from work. By making sure this membership is up for renewal. So, please, if you know your membership to work their days off, if they current agreement continues, we is due for renewal, post a cheque, made payable to ASLEF, to head office choose. This agreement helps can help make that happen.’ in St John Street. An annual RMS subscription is just £15. Thanks!

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

March 2021 l The ASLEF Journal 7 News Eurostar on the brink

HE French government admitted it is on the verge of has called on Boris running out of cash. T Johnson to join it in David Cameron’s Conservative bailing out Eurostar after the government sold Britain’s 40% high-speed operator – which runs stake in Eurostar in 2015. It is now services between London, Paris, controlled by the French Brussels, and Amsterdam – government through the 55% revealed that passenger numbers stake in the company held by the have plummeted to less than 1% state railway SNCF. of normal during the coronavirus ASLEF has called on the pandemic. government to intervene to ‘The [French] state will be at prevent Eurostar going to the Eurostar’s side to maintain this wall. GS Mick Whelan said: ‘Boris Mick Whelan: ‘The government needs to act now to save the service’ strategic link between our two Johnson and Grant Shapps must countries,’ said Jean-Baptiste act now to save this service – for our railways running, have been strong company with a strong Djebbari, the French Transport passengers, for those who work instrumental in moving future. But it is suffering, as all Minister. ‘We are working with the on Eurostar, and for Britain in a passengers and freight around train companies are suffering, not English on mechanisms for aid so post-Brexit world. this country during the pandemic. because of anything it has done we can financially sustain its ‘Train drivers, and our ‘The cross-Channel link has wrong, but because of covid-19. business model.’ He told French colleagues in the train crew, never been more important and The government needs to act – MPs he has been talking to Grant together with all the men and the government must not turn its now – to save the jobs and to Shapps after the company women – key workers – who keep back on us now. Eurostar is a save the service.’

manager Tracy Loonies on the line Partridge. ‘A silly split- second decision can A woman has been nine months. Fifteen have life-changing caught on camera of those involved consequences, not lying on a level near misses with only for those crossing to pose for a trains. involved, but also for photo taken by a ‘We cannot stress their family and friend. Network Rail enough the danger friends, train drivers, Dumb and dumber: BTP describe the women as ‘unbelievably stupid’ said it was the 17th that people are and other railway incident recorded on placing themselves in workers.’ ‘This is unthinkably up to 70mph, so they catastrophic incident. the crossing, at when they don’t use British Transport stupid behaviour. could quite easily No photo Tidemills in East a crossing safely,’ said Police Inspector Trains pass through have been moments opportunity is worth Sussex, in the last NR level crossing Jonathan Pine said: this line at speeds of away from a risking your life for.’

SHOppERS pAY ANOTHER ONE-THIRD MORE AFTER BREXIT Hundreds of thousands of UK customers have been hit by extra No, prime Minister charges – to cover customs, vAT and delivery – after Brexit. Internet A twenty second clip Humphrey (played by shoppers are being forced to cough up 33% extra to release goods from Yes, Minister – the Nigel Hawthorne). coming into this country from the European Union from bonded hugely popular and ‘What’s that?’ asks Jim warehouses. The problem has been caused by rules introduced savagely satirical Hacker (Paul after the transition period ended on 31 December requiring vAT 1980s television Eddington). ‘In stage Yes, Minister , remains purchases from countries in the EU costing more than £135 to be comedy written by one we say that an ‘unrivalled guide collected at the point of delivery. ‘The new model ensures that UK Antony Jay and nothing is going to to British politics’, businesses are not disadvantaged by competition from vAT-free Jonathan Lynn – has happen. Stage two we according to the imports from abroad,’ said a government spokesman. ‘It’s the price gone viral on social say something may be Financial Times of British sovereignty.’ media in the light of going to happen, but nothing we can do. the Prime Minister’s we should do nothing And in stage four we THOUSANDS pAY THE pRICE FOR NOT WEARING MASKS hapless performances about it. Stage three say maybe there was More than 1,700 fines have been handed out to people who refuse over Brexit and covid- we say maybe we something we could to wear face coverings on public transport in London. Fines of up to 19. ‘We follow the four should do something have done, but it’s too £660 have been issued since face coverings became mandatory, stage strategy,’ says Sir about it, but there is late now!’ with repeat offenders being fined as much as £1,170. TfL says 128,000 people have been stopped from boarding services until they put on a face covering, and more than 2,000 people have been QUOTE… ejected from services for refusing. ‘With a clop-clop-clop of boots and a pair of cheekbones freshly sharpened, Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, entered the WREXHAM MAN JAILED FOR SpITTING AT RAILWAY STAFF No 10 briefing. Time to give the disobedient electorate another Christopher Jones, 52, of victoria Road, Wrexham, who spat at rail few slaps. Close the interrogation room door, Lewis, and turn staff at Holyhead station on Monday 11 January was found guilty of off the tape for a moment’ – Quentin Letts, The Times common assault at Llandudno magistrates’ court two days later and …UNQUOTE jailed for six months.

8 The ASLEF Journal l March 2021 The ASLEF RMS 500 Club

Colleagues

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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email ...... The su m o f £

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

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February 2021 l The ASLEF Journal 9 Firebox

Alan Moss, now Avanti West Coast company council, Death of in the driver’s cab of a Pacer and (below) a gathering of the a train few who ever had a good time on a Pacer – the CHRIS pROCTOR , who has people of the written for The Guardian , Pennines ‘folk The Times , the Morning train’ Star , New Statesman and Tribune as well as spending eight years at ASLEF, where he helped the GS to put together the Journal each month, marks – but does not mourn – the passing of the pacer rail bus life when big hair, spandex, leg warmers and mullets were in fashion. Ronald Reagan was US President and Margaret Thatcher was Prime HE final Pacer crept away from rail Minister. And, as if things weren’t bad enough, service on Friday 27 November last along came the Pacer: a unit whose 102 strong T year, unheralded and uncelebrated. It fleet would run more than 300 million miles. completed its journey from Kirkby to Its main drawback, as far as train people are Manchester Victoria and disappeared like a concerned, was that it wasn’t a train. It was a thief in the night. bus stuck on a chassis and scraped along ‘Horrible,’ he calls them. ‘Frankenstein No announcement had been made about railway lines. And it wasn’t even a nice bus. The machines’. ‘You kept getting bits bolted on to the train’s final journey for fear of attracting a National was OK, but it’s a measure of its keep them going. The fixed seats, and lack of gathering of nostalgic spotters during the popularity that, in the 13 years up to 1985, suspension, meant you kept getting a shot of pandemic. Instead four solitary station staff only 7,000 were built. The National Bus pain up your back and the brake cables stood with a bedraggled company banner to Company had planned to make 2,000 a year. expanded so that braking pressure changed wish the Pacer well in its retirement. Even as a bus, no one wanted them. throughout the day. And they were so So, hey! Let’s turn them into trains! And so draughty that drivers had to keep filling in HORRIBLE FRANKENSTEIN MACHINES began the process of bolting them onto a holes. They were more newspaper than railway underframe – in this case, a four-wheel, It marked a sad end to a unit that had never fibreglass towards the end!’ been popular. Alan Moss drove them for eight two-axle freight wagon chassis. The plan was flawed because the long years from Manchester to Sheffield twenty SpANDEX, LEG WARMERS & MULLETS years ago and says they were uncomfortable wheelbase, added to a two-axle chassis, found There’s no denying, the train was basic. There and caused back problems for drivers. ‘The sharp curves impossible to navigate without were no frills and no comforts: the Pacer was seats were screwed into the bulkhead with the making a deafening and painful screeching bottom end cheap. And, in the 1980s, when back fixed into the wall,’ he recalls. ‘You could noise. Any chance of it being liked by Britain was beset with Margaret Thatcher’s raise or lower them but that was the only passengers disappeared, literally, at every turn. Tory austerity programme , that was all that adjustment. And they had very thin seats.’ Also, four-wheeled passenger vehicles had mattered for public services in this country. But some drivers didn’t mind them; disappeared everywhere – not just in the UK – perhaps it depended on your size. James half a century before. Even before the Second Sutherland from Newton Heath says they World War, six wheels were considered a were ‘functional’. ‘They always got you home minimum. Alas, poor Pacer! With its bus seats and you could open the windows in the Its main drawback, and layout, its squealing wheels and its total summer. I could reach everything without lack of suspension, it was never going to be a stretching – and at least they didn’t have as far as train people favourite with travellers. computers leaving nasty messages!’ He are concerned, was that it concedes, though, that they ‘didn’t have much RUMOURS ABOUND IN MESS ROOMS in the way of passenger comforts’. wasn’t a train. It was a bus In years to come they will enter the array of And, in fact, even arch-critic Alan Moss has stuck on a chassis and traction memorabilia we’ve grown used to a few happy memories. ‘I used to take a Pacer over the years, and bad memories will fade. over the Pennines in the ’90s,’ he recalls. ‘On scraped along One is already ensconced at the National Thursday evenings it was filled with folk railway lines Railway Museum’s Shildon site, one is bound singers. It was a community thing, and they’d for the Wensleydale Heritage Railway and one all sing and play ukuleles and guitars as we is being transformed into a home for the went to Sheffield, where they’d have a couple Slatcher family from Durham! of jars, and then sing louder on the way back! The Pacer ran on UK lines for the first time Rumours abound in mess rooms that There was no soundproofing on the “folk in 1985. It was, we were assured, a temporary others are destined to be shipped to trains”, so they really did have to bellow. But I measure, a stop-gap; a fill-in. Once proper Argentina. There are wicked suggestions that enjoyed it. It was a bit of entertainment.’ units turned up, Pacers would be out of the this is a delayed revenge for the invasion of the Andy Hourigan, who now serves as our door. Honest. Falklands – but there is consensus that ‘off the District 3 Organiser, drove them for decades ‘It didn’t turn out that way. UK network’ is timely for a ‘temporary measure’ and remembers them with no fondness. The ‘temporary measure’ began its working that is over three decades old. 10 The ASLEF Journal l March 2021 ’ Smokebox

The Castlefield corridor: Official please help us campaign M a nch este r Rec o ve ry Task F orce The Manchester recovery task Pub l ic C o nsul tat io n force public consultation has S1. umThis m c o nas ur lt yatio n is seek ing v ie ws f rom t he p ublic a nd s takeh o ld ers o n rail tim etab le work t ha t ha s b een u nd ertaken d ur ing 2 020 to a ddress t he p oor huge implications for performance of t he rail ne twork in the M anche ster a rea which ha s been the sour ce of much tr ain dela y o n rail s ervice s a cr oss the w ho le north o f passengers – and ASLEF members – alike. JOHN METCALFE , executive committee member for

District 3, explains the difficulties and DO3 Andy Hourigan is

working hard to solve dangers and analyses the problems for the railway in the Castlefield corridor problems on the Castlefield corridor (in blue) used by this

DB freight train into and out HE launch of a consultation exercise

jointly by the Department for of Manchester Piccadilly T

Transport, Network Rail, and underestimated. consultatio ns, th at a ll th e tr ain s tha t are Transport for the North over the ongoing rail chaos in the Castlefield corridor of the To find out more District 3 Organiser supposed to ma ke the sta tion fi nan cially

Manchester network will have huge Andy Hourigan and I attended a Wigan viable a re n ow bei n g r o u t e d via B o l t o n an d

implications for both the travelling public and branch meeting, by Zoom, recently where won’t ca ll at G o lb orn e ! the consultation was discussed. The real So, w ha t is ne xt? I n th e b es t A SL EF complex knock-ons to our members. Back in 2019, the Castlefield corridor was strength of ASLEF lies at the branch level, tradition, le d by t he br an ch, th e m e Thism bapproachersh allowedip any Part A t officially deemed to be congested or, in other and it was great to see Phil and his Wigan will lobby, campaign, and seek support, not words, unable to deliver all the train service branch colleagues setting up a plan to invite only on behalf of our drivers, but in the best frequency demands, which in turn compels local MPs to a future branch meeting to interests of the travelling public. the train operators and Network Rail to come lobby for action and to write to the local An dy CrossHou Manchesterrigan aCapacitynd I andw iReliabilityll con Improvementtinue to Programme Report v0.7 up with timetable improvements to tackle the council leader. And Andy Hourigan is taking support them in any way we can. There’s little issues. Hence the task force. up the issue with Andy Burnham, the Labour doubt that there is a need to sort out the trains Several TOCs and FOCs travel through Mayor of Greater Manchester. in and around Manchester; the timetable does Manchester here and trains from Scotland, need reviewing but, left to the DfT alone, it will Wales, Lancashire, the east and north-east of THE pEOpLE WITH REAL KNOWLEDGE be chaotic and unstructured. England all struggle to run services through ARE THE DRIVERS – ASLEF MEMBERS The people with the real knowledge are our this part of the network. Perhaps the most bizarre example of the members and it is vital that our voice is heard chaos around Greater Manchester is hearing by the right people to achieve a satisfactory THE BUCK STOpS WITH GRANT SHAppS Transport for the North heralding the outcome for all concerned. Phil and his So who is to blame for the chaos? Well, despite funding to open a new station at Golborne colleagues at Wigan are making sure that is some improvements with the construction of (closed by Beeching) in one breath, whilst in happening and I would urge other affected the Ordsall Chord line, and some another breath proposing, through branches to do likewise. electrification, the blunt answer is that, in common with much of the north, successive governments have starved the area of GOLBORNE STATION AND CONSULTATION ON TIMETABLE OpTIONS TO investment on the scale to deal with the real problems. The buck stops with Grant Shapps. IMpROVE RAIL pERFORMANCE IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND Ambitious plans for increased timetables have This is the response from Councillor David T Molyneux, Labour leader of Wigan been let down by infrastructure improvements Council, to Wigan 107 branch secretary phil Spencer done on the cheap. So much for the government’s ‘levelling up’ Dear Phil con trick. And now, on top of all that, we are Thank you for contacting me. We, too, are confused. We were absolutely delighted acutely aware of the impact of covid on our about the news of funding for a station at Golborne, and then we, too, found out industry in terms of usership. about the public consultation which suggests that the diversion of the hourly fast When Phil Spencer, Wigan branch secretary, train from Cumbria to Manchester airport via Wigan North Western, to run instead via sent me details of the consultation document Bolton, is a foregone conclusion. As you note, this would undermine the case for the and all its timetabling change options, one new station at Golborne, as the proposition is that it would be served by that service. thing was immediately obvious. Any of the As you also note, there are a range of service frequency reductions proposed options would result in huge turmoil for between Wigan and Manchester via Atherton. We are very much aware that services drivers’ route knowledge, possibly traction too, operating along this route are often at, or over, capacity during peak times. If services and all the complex diagramming/link are to be reduced ‘to allow additional carriages to be added to other services to changes that would be needed. And, as the maintain peak capacity’, there must be a guarantee that capacity will be maintained. changes will affect many depots of many In addition, further information is required to understand whether service operators, its impact cannot be frequencies at any of the stations on that route would be disproportionally affected as a result of the proposed changes. We will be taking these matters up directly with the task force, and with a number of the component organisations, notably the DfT, Network Rail, Transport for the QUOTE… North, and TfGM, as well as the GMCA and the GM Mayor. I will also get in touch with ‘The real strength of ASLEF lies at Lisa Nandy, MP for Wigan, and others to discuss how we might work together on this. branch level’ We will need a broad-based campaign and it would be good to have your support. …UNQUOTE Yours sincerely, David T Molyneux

March 2021 l The ASLEF Journal 11 Agenda Rails in Wales

STEVE AUSTIN , who started improvements that need to be pushed for and work as District 7 Organiser on introduced just as urgently. Monday 1 February, looks ASLEF has its own challenges regarding legacy ahead at the challenges facing stock; the introduction of new traction (including ongoing problems with the 769s); and continuing train drivers in Wales in the work to try and achieve a DRI3 acceptable to drivers. coming months and years Freight in Wales has had, and will continue to have, its own challenges. We all recognise the effect T IS never easy replacing someone, but that other industries, locally and nationally, can have when you realise you are replacing on services, and we need to ensure that freight I someone who has just overseen the re- drivers continue to be represented as strongly as We need nationalisation of rail services in Wales – well, thanks, possible. Brian! Although passenger services are currently ANDY HUDD , So, what next? Hopefully, the company councils reduced because of the vastly reduced footfall executive will continue their good work and continue to work during the pandemic, TfW and GWR are continuing committee closely with both the rail operator and the Welsh with plans to open new depots in Wales. member for governing body. These are challenging times and it Hopefully, in the very near future, we can begin District 7, and EC vice- will be interesting to see what lies ahead in the work to reinstate a full train service/timetable and president, makes a coming months and years for our drivers, local reps, move back to a full training programme for drivers passionate case for proper and company council reps. and trainee drivers in both the freight and passenger ASLEF has a good working relationship with both sectors. – and fair – investment in parties, thanks to all the hard work put in by the We must ensure that we never allow Welsh the four countries of the previous district organiser, and this is something we railways to return to the level of chronic United Kingdom need to carry on, given the issues we are facing underfunding we have seen in the past. We need to caused by the current pandemic. identify where investment is needed and ensure that OR too long now The drivers’ council has challenges ahead and is Welsh railways flourish going forward. To help to do F London and the south- continuing to work hard, taking part in discussions this, we are looking to build on the good working east of England have for plans to see a transition of Cardiff Valley Lines to relationship ASLEF has developed with First Minister seen more investment per capita more of a metro-style railway. But we must Mark Drakeford, Transport Minister Ken Skates, and than the rest of the UK and this remember that the rails in Wales are not just in South James Price at TfW – the foundations of which were is especially so in relation to Wales; North Wales has its own issues and dug by the hard work of Brian Corbett. Wales. We have argued that the

above water, but this side of our industry The burger vans – Pacers – have, at long must always be at the forefront in debates last, started to go; 769s have started to come If it’s not safe, with politicians as we continue to push a onto the rails, at last, albeit with teething green agenda for the 21st century. problems. The drivers’ council has been Transport for Wales Rail Services has now working hard (with EC support) to get don’t do it been moved over, under Transfer of driving cabs up to standard, and not accept Undertakings (Protection of Employment) how they came. As for 230 trains (old LUL BRIAN CORBETT , who regulations to Transport for Wales Ltd. stock), who knows when they will arrive? stepped down as DO7 when Basically, I am pleased to say, this On the positive, new stations are being he retired on Sunday 31 organisation is a nationalised railway. planned and built and new trains are due to TfW Ltd is under Transport for Wales come onto the network at the end of next January, reflects on his last which will have, long-term, many forms of year, along with new and refurbished twelve months in position – transport in its jurisdiction with the Welsh depots. and the state of the nation government at the helm. Regular meetings are taking place, not The drivers’ council and I pushed hard for only with management, but with TfW, and T’S A year since the last Welsh a new restructuring package for drivers on Transport Minister Ken Skates, and these edition of the Journal , and how TfWRS. Unfortunately, this has been held meetings really help us in putting over the I things have changed! Covid-19 has back due to covid. We still pressed the need drivers’ case. affected so many lives. Many of us know and, I am pleased to say, are committed to Finally, I want to wish all members, and people who have caught the virus, and some continuing this process. There will be many those who sent kind messages on my of us have lost work colleagues, friends, and disagreements, but that is the way of retirement, all the very best for the future, family. negotiations. At the end of the day, whatever and I hope to catch up with you when it is The railway industry has, generally, pulled is agreed will go to a ballot of our members. safe to do so. together during the coronavirus crisis, but One point I have made clear is that this is During these difficult times your reps, we must remain vigilant. If it’s not safe, don’t a drivers’ restructuring package. Not for officers, and EC need your support. Our do it. Whether this is refusing to get into an others to saddle up, on our backs, to get union is fortunate to have a fantastic united unsafe taxi, or refusing to have a PNB in a additional pay and conditions. Other grades leadership at all levels, exemplified by Mick mess room, when there are more in the must do their own form of restructuring and Whelan, our general secretary, a true leader facility than has been agreed. monies should not come out of our pot for who has, in my opinion, excelled in making Freight is still managing to keep its head the payment of differentials. ASLEF the strongest trade union in Britain.

12 The ASLEF Journal l March 2021 Wales

the economic power of our railways

only way we can re-industrialise the tune of £150 million per year. The Conservative Party’s strategy that delivers for all areas areas that have been left behind There are fundamental flaws election pledge of ‘levelling up’ is of the UK. One that will bring is to heavily invest in railway in the investment models used empty rhetoric and we shouldn’t balance to our economy so we infrastructure projects that will by the UK government and this be fooled. The Tory economic are no longer reliant on our create and support industry and needs to change. Whilst I hope model is opposed to re- finance and service sectors. We connect communities. that Peter Hendy’s review, and his industrialisation, especially in need the economic power of the We welcomed the Welsh published recommendations, are areas where Labour is in charge. railways to breathe life into government’s moves to bring the fair and far reaching, I’m not We should continue to make communities left behind by railway ever closer to public going to hold my breath. the case for an investment decades of underinvestment. ownership. We believe this will bring about sustained investment and an holistic approach to planning that will help deliver a vertically- Emasculation of a nation integrated railway run for the people of Wales – not foreign IAN THOMpSON , who is formula, which was and is a fundamentally corporations – but this relies on from Treherbert at the flawed method of calculating the financial proper investment from the UK head of the Rhondda Fawr needs of the devolved nations. government. valley, is TfW company So to modern days. The Welsh government On 30 June last year the Prime took Welsh Water under its umbrella with the council secretary, and sits Minister announced a ‘union slogan ‘not for profit’. It has taken Wales’ main connectivity review’ headed by on the general council of the Wales TUC airport, near Cardiff, under its wing (Rishi Sir Peter Hendy which will make Sunak subsidises English airports but not recommendations on how the UK HE Tories believe a working man those in Wales) and in February it returned the government can level up should know his place, bend the railways in Wales (and a bit of England) to the transport infrastructure and T knee, doff his cap, tug the forelock, public sector. All now – in that word that improve connectivity between and be grateful for a few crumbs from the struck terror into the heart of Margaret Scotland, Wales, Northern master’s table. Ergo, the Tories hate the Labour Thatcher – nationalised. But done by Ireland, and England. The review Party and all it stands for, especially the underfunding Wales by £3 to £4.5 billion over will publish its recommendations working man and woman. ten years. this summer. Wales has long been a hotbed of Labour Imagine what we could do with that! Or In response Ken Skates, Party radicalism and trade unionism, as far imagine what central government could do Minister for the Economy, back as the Merthyr Rising of 1831 by coal and with that if only they used it as well as the Transport & North Wales, steel workers who, for the first time, marched Welsh government has and is. Because the published a statement critical of under the red flag of revolution, which has Welsh government’s use of its financial the UK government’s approach since been adopted by workers right around resources is directed to benefit the people it thus far. He estimates that the world. represents, not big business, or to line pockets between 2019 and 2029 there The movement of steel and coal was long already stuffed full. After all, Wales has the will be a funding shortfall of £5.1 the backbone of our railway; brothers in only Labour government in the UK. billion. The UK government has industry. Rail freight was born from Richard There’s more to come. An electrified metro committed just £60 million to Trevithick’s steam locomotive in Merthyr Tydfil for the Valleys. Plans to integrate the whole investment in Wales over the in 1804. But freight is now almost just a transport system of Wales. Buses and trains next 10 years; if Wales were to memory for coal and steel. The Tories, via the working together, what a radical idea! To make receive a fair share this would be Milk Snatcher, devastated the mines and the it greener, and as self-sustainable as possible. more like £3 billion! steel industry in Wales, and, thereby, our rail Even the parts that privatised foreign The previous government’s freight industry. Take away their employment companies run. promise of electrification of the and you take away their unions so you take But the Tories hate the Labour Party, and main line in North and South away their power, or so they thought. the labour movement, so sing the Red Flag Wales by 2030 looks severely The Scottish Parliament and the National loud and proud all you fellow train drivers, compromised and, despite some Assembly for Wales were established in 1999 because, if it can happen in Wales, it can benefits in North Wales, HS2 is set with their funding decided by the Barnett happen elsewhere… to damage the Welsh economy to

March 2021 l The ASLEF Journal 13 Wales Never again should you have to choose between your health and your job

SHAVANAH TAJ , general secretary of the Wales Trades Union Congress, argues that government profits above the safety of the can make a difference, that the renationalisation of workforce, or because they rail in Wales will underline the benefits of public couldn’t afford to self-isolate. And, so often, these were the lowest ownership, and that proper investment is needed to rebuild paid workers who were unable to the country after the pandemic access their right to a collective voice at work. E ARE almost a year into know that so much more needs Wales TUC’s biennial congress a pandemic which took to be done to tackle labour will take place in May. It’s a chance But, most of all, we need to W us all completely by market inequalities, which have to set out what workers in Wales build back better in case another surprise, and it feels like a good inevitably led to some being in a need from the recovery. We crisis hits. Never again should time to take stock (I think, and far more vulnerable position over embraced the build back better people have to choose between hope, this is an accidental rail the last year. message as we know that far too their health and their job, get pun). And yet, somehow, in a few many workers have been failed by sacked because it’s cheaper than The social partnership model years’ time I fear I’ll be writing the an unfair labour market – long being furloughed, or rely on (which defines trade union and same thing as we approach before the pandemic hit. We homemade PPE to try to protect employer relationships with another election, or another embraced the idea because we themselves from a deadly virus. government here in Wales) has recession, or another bad set of know that government can make Building back better means held up well. Unions, employers, stats which show, yet again, that it a difference. By using its powers building collective worker voice and government have worked those in the worst jobs tend to to invest in our economy it can and power; it means the right together to address issues like PPE have the poorest health, that their make work better for many of us, measures are put in place supply, locking down, and children are more likely to leave and avoid the growth in without a battle; and it means reopening parts of the economy, school without formal precarious work which defined that each and every key worker is and provision for those slipping qualifications, and that they will the last recovery. We hope that recognised and properly through gaps in the support end up in lower pay jobs than the renationalisation of rail will rewarded for keeping our schemes. children with better-off parents. demonstrate the best possible essential services going The Welsh government has The crisis has, inevitably, example of this. throughout the crisis. had power over the workplace resulted in a lot of the plans that like never before. And it has were in place to address responded by making it safer – inequalities being put aside, for Shavanah Taj was born and brought up in Cardiff and mandating risk assessments and the time being, a fair and correct worked in shops, call centres, and the third sector before two metre social distancing. And I response to a national health joining the Public and Commercial Services Union as a must mention the very welcome emergency. But we can’t ignore full-time organiser in 2002. She is passionate about decision to renationalise the the fact that many people who equality, social justice, and human rights and is a patron Transport for Wales service. It’s a have lost their lives, or suffered of Show Racism the Red Card Wales; a trustee of the step we hope to see in other areas serious illness, because of the Henna Foundation, which supports victims of domestic when privatisation fails. coronavirus, did so because they abuse; and a trustee of Fio, the grassroots theatre group But we can’t escape some of weren’t able to do their job from that encourages young working-class men and women to the brutal, unfair, realities which home when the pandemic hit, engage with arts and culture. the pandemic has laid bare. We because their employer put

protecting the terms, conditions, and safe working practices which have been hard Leap of faith can be scary fought for over many years. Activism is key, and I am proud to have Exeter branch 076 has young Conference and the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ recently been elected branch chairman at members in position as Festival. But we are lucky that, thanks to Exeter, along with fellow young members branch chair, branch modern technology, some of these events Joshua Tucker, as branch secretary, and James Martin as assistant secretary. It’s secretary, and assistant could be held virtually and we were able to run our own webinar in November, in very exciting to be part of the new breed branch secretary – a first for ASLEF. conjunction with the ITF, which was well of active union members and we are very ROB KITLEY , Young Members’ attended. grateful for the help, advice, and support Representatives’ Committee member As young workers we will be affected by of those around us. for District 7, reflects on a difficult year the fallout from covid-19 for many years to We hope this trend continues and other come. So far we haven’t seen as much young workers across the country will take T HAS been a disappointing 12 impact on our industry as other sectors, up active roles in their branches and the months for the Young Members’ such as hospitality and retail, which has union as a whole. I committee with most of our had a disproportionate effect on young The leap of faith can be scary, but it’s reports reading as a list of cancelled workers. our future and we must grab it with both events, such as the TUC Young Workers’ But we must remain diligent in hands!

14 The ASLEF Journal l March 2021 Key Worker Chester’s darkest days since Roman

The first two volumes of the legions turned up Deva Chronicles – named after Deva victrix, the OB Moore, a train driver based at fortress built by Basingstoke depot in Hampshire, the Second B blames a mess room colleague for Legion, and the his decision to pick up a pen – well, set his town which grew fingers flying across the computer keyboard up around it, on – and knock out a couple of novels. Sixteen the site of what is years ago, back in 2005, Bob read a book so now Chester – by bad – he discreetly draws a veil over both the Driver Moore title and the author – that, when he finished, he was prompted to say, ‘Well, that wasn’t very good!’ His mate’s response was, ‘Well, ‘Volume two of what I’m calling the Deva could you do any better?’ Chronicles – Deva being the Roman name for ‘This set my thought train into motion,’ Chester – is another humorous tale which says Bob, who lives with his wife in the frightening array of weaponry and tech with charts the chaotic and sometimes ludicrous village of Saughall near Chester in Cheshire. ‘I the intention of subjecting humanity to a adventures of Gary and Woods. Witchfinder thought, yes, I reckon I could, and so, with state of eternal subservience.’ Gary is a story containing – yes, you’ve absolutely no qualifications or literary The hero – if that’s the right word – of the guessed it – witches and sorcery, this time training, other than writing Christmas thank novel is Gary Spam, a sci-fi fan and – like Bob centred in my home village of Saughall and you letters up to the age of ten, I set to work, – Star Trek obsessive ‘who comes across as a introduces some characters from the past, rather excitedly, on what I thought wouldn’t total buffoon and complete idiot’. Gary’s one of whom revelled in rather infamous be too difficult a task. But writing a book is, unlikely ally in his adventures to save the notoriety. or rather was, for me, a long process.’ world is Woods, ‘a former soldier who can ‘With the first two books out there, I can Finally, after 13 years of toil, 20 drafts, and confidently be described as psychotic’. now concentrate on volume three, The four complete rewrites, Puny Humans was Together with various cohorts, Blacon Awakening , which will undoubtedly published on the Amazon paperback companions, and colleagues, Gary and include the now trademark lunacy which publishing platform KDP (Kindle Direct Woods get caught up in fantastical and only our protagonists could create…’ Publishing). It’s comic science-fiction, a tale sometimes calamitous events ranging from of alien invasion, in which we witness the an alien invasion and time travel to high l Puny Humans and Witchfinder Gary can Desirions, ‘our planet’s aggressors, suffer magic and paranormal spectacle in the be purchased from amazon.co.uk in setback and disaster, largely due to their own beautiful and historic setting of Chester and paperback for £7.99 and £8.99 respectively incompetence, despite bringing a its outlying areas. or on Kindle at 99p each.

involvement of the trade unions. PPP, the attempt to privatise the whole system, and its subsequent Mind the gap rejection is riveting stuff. And a 24 page glossary, which N chapter one of With the gap minded and the explains every abbreviation a Managing (Down) the doors closed, we accelerate into layperson may need, opens the I Tube by Andrew Melville chapter two, staffing structure, book up to ‘normals’ looking to (£10.99) the author, suddenly which lists the various grades, expand their knowledge of a finding himself in need of a new and at 15 pages long, is not ‘national institution’. career, answered an advert at the merely a list, but explains the The book – originally Job Centre and joined London roles, and how members of other published in 2010 – is dedicated Underground as a guard, with the grades could make the job easy to all the devoted staff of London intention of staying for around 18 or a nightmare for you. Underground who, each day, try months. This turned into a career Health issues, some 22 pages, to keep the system running. Read lasting 25 years, through driving covers fitness criteria, the dreaded this and you would nail the Tube trains and then into shift system we all know, and time specialised subject section of management. He worked all the off, agreed and not agreed, (‘The Mastermind . Whether you’re a lines, with the exception of the ’ammers drawn away to Man U, condensed into just twelve (!) worker on the Underground or Waterloo & City and East London. can’t miss that!’) Incidents, pages, yet nothing is avoided. Overground, or just a humble And this is no rule book, suicides, and drunken trespass are Management attitudes, and the commuter, Managing (Down) the requiring the reader to reach for there, warts and all. disciplinary minefield, are well Tube is not to be missed. any stimulants to stay awake. Gender and race issues are covered, not forgetting the Mel Thorley

March 2021 l The ASLEF Journal 15 Branch Lines

powered locos; and digital railways. Some development, especially in Asia, and we also Meeting virtually interesting points from the Argentinian discussed new technology, safety, and a representative about how the union common demand to control the use of AI to provides driver training, and moving towards avoid generations of unemployment. Much around the world app-based comms. of the meeting inevitably centred on how The ITF young workers’ section is focusing young railway workers have been affected by N Wednesday 27 January two of on increasing youth employment, adoption covid-19, the main point being that many felt ASLEF’s Young Members’ of technology, and digitalisation, as well as they need more support from their O Representatives’ Committee – James the dangers posed by subcontracting and governments. Sutherland and Matt France – attended the the gig economy. Its main campaign is for With regards to young workers International Transport Workers’ Federation’s safe and sustainable rail worldwide. Rail has organising, the general feeling seems to be young railway workers’ meeting. An the potential to be one of the most powerful that many know what the issues are but extremely well-attended online event with tools to reverse global inequality, and don’t know how to act collectively to resolve more than 180 young reps from 37 countries. climate change, whilst keeping the global them. There is, it is felt, a lack of inclusion of The main scope of the meeting was to economy moving. Rail infrastructure can be youth in decision-making and a lack of outline priorities faced by young railway the bedrock of sustainable supply chains engagement with young workers. Interesting workers now and in the future. with a new economic model based on public to note that, in Italy, there was an agreement There were contributions from around the goods and public needs, rather than private to pay off senior drivers to free up positions globe about ITF demands for restaffing ticket profit and private interest. for new recruits. offices; the use of hydrogen and battery There are many high speed rail projects in Matt France , D8 rep on the YMRC Zooming in? DAVID DOBIE AN ASOLUTE GENTLEMAN Due to the inability to conduct beer & badges nights, and other events, at the moment, our members have not been able to discuss relevant matters with the EC at a local level. Would the EC (or GS, AGS, and each DO ) please consider having a virtual members’ forum, using video conferencing software, at each TOC or FOC, every three to six months, so that individual members get to speak to EC reps about local matters. Chris Whelan , Grove park branch 092

Note: The GS, AGS, EC, and officers are, when invited, still attending branches and district councils (by Zoom) to update members on all issues, as are company council reps. You never know what’s in another Hibees in the Heart of Midlothian: Hugh Bradley, Chris Barrie, Rab, Jambo Davy, and DO2 Kevin person’s locker! It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of RMS member Brother Davy Dobie Well, I never! A chap I’ve been emailing for – 91 years old, and 75 years in ASLEF, which is some achievement. We did a special ages, since his appeal in the Journal for presentation in 2016 (see picture) to mark Davy’s 70 years of membership. What an information about the old pull & push BR absolute gentleman, respected by everyone, and a brilliant guy, who became and trains, is Eric Stuart who, at 40, started on the remained a very good mentor and friend to young and old. Tube as a guard. He became a driver, then Davy was a Jambo, a great supporter of his team, Hearts, his whole life, and the banter manager. I’ve only just found out that he wrote we all shared, being Hibees and Jambos, was great, loathing and loving each other before a book (see page 15) whilst working as an LU and after the great local derby at Easter Road and Tynecastle. The branch presented Davy area manager (hence the pen name). One with a green ASLEF tie from the three Hibs fans in the picture and Davy, being the guy he never knows what is in a person’s locker. was, from that day onwards always wore his green tie every year to the annual Auld Mans’ Mel Thorley , Retired Members’ Section Do (retired drivers’ night) which was a great touch from a great guy. He will be sadly missed by all. Thank you for being you, Davy, you were truly one o’ the good guys. DEAR OH DEER Rab Wicksted , branch secretary, from all the members of Edinburgh No 2 The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, visiting Magdalen College, Oxford, were served RON BRIDLE SERVED AS A LOCAL ASLEF REp venison at lunch. Afterwards, while being It is with sadness that we learn of the death of retired driver Ron Bridle aged 94. Ron began shown around the college’s famous deer park, his railway career in 1948, starting as a cleaner at Exmouth Junction, following four years’ Philip quipped: ‘How many of those buggers service in the Royal Navy. He progressed through the grades at Exmouth Junction until its did you have to kill for lunch?’ On being told closure in 1965. He moved to the Southern Region, becoming a driver at Wallington until that the meat was from Kent, he joked: ‘Well, its closure in 1969, when he moved to Coulsdon North until it closed in 1983 when he don’t tell Charles. Because he likes to buy local.’ moved to Selhurst and, finally, Three Bridges where he finished in 1990. Ron was a loyal l Please send your branch news, reports, member of ASLEF, serving as a local rep and holding branch offices. Our sympathy to his articles, features, presentations, and wife Grace and family. photographs to [email protected] Roy Luxford , RMS, Three Bridges branch 213

16 The ASLEF Journal l March 2021 Manifesto Driverless trains – a political project

CHRISTIAN WOLMAR is a journalist, broadcaster and author who has written about transport – for The Independent , The Times , and The Guardian , amongst others – since 1992. He has also written a column in Rail since 1994 – a must-read for the railway Wolmar channels his inner industry – and in the issue dated 10-23 Betjeman before hitting February he reflected on the Downing Gilligan the geek for six Street drive for driverless trains

uncertainty on the railways, caused by the HE revelation that Boris Johnson is pandemic, it is surprising that considerable behind a bid to hit the headlines, this sums of money, and much time and energy, is T time over his long-standing, being devoted to the concept of ideologically-driven – and utterly impractical – driverlessness. obsession with driverless trains disappointed, ‘The idea that you can get rid of drivers is a but did not surprise, many of those in the regular theme of speeches at fringe meetings railway industry. at Conservative Party conferences and in the We revealed in the Journal last month that a output of like-minded think tanks. Ministers report, called Automate , ostensibly tend to pop up on media interviews commissioned from the RSSB by the DfT in suggesting drivers are as old-fashioned as August, on the ‘benefits and challenges’ and horses and carts. timescales of four different levels of automation on Britain’s railways, in fact got IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT TRAINS the green light from Andrew Gilligan, a ‘It is, of course, not just about trains. There are ‘sci-fi geek’, and one of the Prime Minister’s frequent references in the press to the notion policy advisers, at a meeting in Downing Street of driverless cars and even pilotless planes. commissioned the RSSB to look into the in July. Getting rid of pesky drivers and pilots is seen feasibility of the concept. Its findings are due Gilligan – effectively branded a liar by Lord as a great way to save money and, among the to be published soon but, as with any serious Hutton during his inquiry into the death of Dr more fanatical, a way of weakening trade research into the concept, will demonstrate David Kelly – has what friends describe as ‘a unions. I don’t want to get too Marxist about the difficulties of creating a genuine driverless weird science-fiction obsession’ with the idea. this but we have been here before. There is railway. He wrote a piece in the Evening Standard in always the notion among Tory politicians that 2009 arguing that ‘Paris is heading towards a driving down the costs of labour will ensure IT IS A pOLITICAL pROJECT driverless, strike-free, and punctual Metro. So that there is a better rate of return for capital.’ ‘The explanation for this interest in why isn’t London interested?’ and another on Wolmar examined the problems of driverlessness is that it is a political project, the Conservative Home website in 2011 automation for planes and automobiles and and neither a technical one, nor one rooted in claiming that ‘Boris looks to driverless trains to then returned to his favourite subject – a desire to improve the lot of passengers. end Tube strikes’. besides QPR – of trains. Interestingly, the latest copy of the ASLEF ‘Last November, when Transport for Journal , always a good read, reveals the LOONY RIGHT pOLICYMAKERS London was bailed out by the government, it fascinating background behind the ministerial The problem is that the idea is risible because, had to promise to “work with a government- obsession of getting rid of drivers. The RSSB as GS Mick Whelan has pointed out, ‘Driverless led expert review on the possible report was apparently commissioned by the trains are simply not viable on the Victorian implementation of driverless trains”. In fact, TfL DfT by Andrew Gilligan, who was cycling infrastructure of Britain’s railway network’. had just commissioned a study which commissioner during Boris Johnson’s time as Commentators agree. Paul Routledge had a suggested that it would cost £7 billion for the London Mayor, which ended in 2012, and now pop at ‘loony-right Tory policymakers’ in the new trains and signalling equipment required works as his transport adviser in Number 10. Daily Mirror (see page 7) and Christian Wolmar to turn the network into a fully automatic ‘Sadly, the driverless issue is like a game of took Gilligan the geek to task in Rail magazine. network. Several Tube lines are already Whack-a-Mole and will keep on popping up on Wolmar has written about transport – for computer-driven, with the driver merely slow news days or when there is the threat of papers such as The Independent , The Times , The opening the doors and intervening in an industrial action. Vast amounts of money will Guardian , The Observer and the New Statesman emergency. However, retrofitting the network consequently be wasted on R&D but nothing – since 1992. He is the author of twenty books was reckoned not to offer value for money and will come of it because of the cost, sunk about trains, trams, and driverless cars, and has would, in any case, take decades. technology, and the difficulties of retrofitting written a column, read by everyone in the ‘What about the national rail network? equipment. This is not, I stress, to be Luddite, industry, in Rail since 1994. Wolmar knows his Every time there is an industrial dispute, the but rather to be realistic and to be aware of the stuff. And this is part of what he wrote: notion of driverless trains is mentioned by ideological basis behind this type of ‘In the midst of all the chaos and ministers or press reports. The government has development.’

March 2021 l The ASLEF Journal 17 Join the Trade Union Badge Collectors Society for FREE

TRADE UNION BADGE COLLECTORS SOCIETY Trade union badges form a central part of the rich visual culture of the labour movement that also encompasses trade union banners, emblems and ABOUT US membership cards and other The Trade Union Badge Collectors Society was formed in the early 1980s by ephemera. a group of union activists and officials. Often taking their design from The first issue of Trade Union Badge Collectors News was produced in 1984 aspects of the larger and more and has recently been relaunched. intricate union emblems of the 19th century, or illustrating the A website has also been set up at www.tubcs.wordpress.com tools of the union member’s The aims of the newsletter and society are collecting, cataloguing and trade, badges were first produced researching trade union badges and related items. by trade unions as far back as the As our late editor John Hammond put it: 1870s, and by the 1890s were “I believe that this hobby of ours is one of the most fascinating ones. When routinely being issued by some I pick up a new badge or artefact, I enjoy the research in to its history and unions to new members. each book I look up gives me more and more interesting information. And I Probably the first trade union know that I am helping to preserve the past. There is a great difficulty with badge collector was Walter the historical memorabilia of this great movement disappearing as more Southgate, who started and more unions merge and disappear. Many trade union leaders have collecting union ephemera as little or no time to be concerned with the history of the movement and early as 1905, and would later many interesting artefacts and memorabilia are thrown in the dustbin become one of the founders of rather than being kept for posterity. The badge collecting fraternity has the National Museum of Labour helped salvage some of the best items and ensure that important items are History. available for the next generations" The collecting tradition is kept alive today by the Trade Union TUBCS members have also produced two booklets: A Guide to British Trade Badge Collectors Society, a UK- Union Badges and A Guide to Irish Trade Union Badges based group set up by like- The society and newsletter have been mentioned in a number of minded enthusiasts to promote a publications including: wider appreciation of trade union ASLEF Journal March 2007, K Myers, What’s behind union badges badges and ephemera, and to Paul Martin (2002) The Trade Union Badge - Material Culture In Action, create a friendly environment for Aldershot, Ashgate sharing information and research Land Worker Feb 1991, I. Monkton, Worn with Pride – The badge of nobility about trade union badges and Labour Research Feb 1987, N. Clark, Worn with Pride – Union Badges ephemera. TUC 2006 Congress Guide, K Myers, Badges of Honour

INTERESTS (PLEASE TICK ALL INTERESTS ) NAME ...... o GENERAL TRADE UNION BADGES SPECIFIC UNION/INDUSTRY, ADDRESS ...... o o WHICH ...... o INTERNATIONAL TRADE UNION BADGES o MEMBERSHIP CARDS TELEPHONE ...... o CERAMICS EMAIL ...... o OTHER PRINTED MATERIAL

UNION ...... OTHER ......

Please email your completed application form as a photo attachment to [email protected]

18 The ASLEF Journal l March 2021 Obituaries

MICK KERRY I was fortunate enough to be AN INSpECTOR CALLS: ‘JUST GO SANKY DOODLING ALONG AT the first of his trainees to achieve 100% on one of his end-of-the- 45MpH, SHUT OFF, BRAKE ON, WHAT’S SO HARD ABOUT THAT?’ week rules tests on our course, and the look of pride on his face LEAMINGTON Spa branch will remain with me forever. See, is devastated to report Mick, a bit sunk in! L the passing of our former And, when out road learning, instructor, Mick Kerry, who has how many of us remember his succumbed after a two year battle instructions for the Stratford- with cancer. I am indebted to his upon-Avon line? ‘Just go sanky mate at Nuneaton, Marc Jones, for doodling along at 45mph, shut information about Mick’s career, off, put the brake on, what’s hard which is, basically, a list of most of about that? Nothing!’ (Thanks to the Midlands depots! Richard Beech for that memory). Mick started at Nottingham Mick was an extremely before a move to Nuneaton in knowledgeable and experienced 1984 where he met his wife-to-be, driver, but he was more than that. Jen, the time clerk there. His He was a role model in how to do response after successfully the job, someone to whom I very asking her out was, ‘I’ve won the much looked up. When you are lottery!’ He spent two years on young and inexperienced, you Nuneaton LDC, working hard to listen to the people who have try to prevent the depot’s closure been there and done it, in 1986, unsuccessfully as it Mick Kerry: his trademark remark to drivers was ‘Piece of piss, innit?’ thousands of times over, and Mick turned out. was in that class. His next move was to normally followed by his ‘But now you won’t forget it, He was a gentleman, always Northampton until that, too, trademark remark, ‘Piece of piss, though, will ya?’ willing to help others, and pass on closed down, before coming up to innit?’ Which would be followed One of his favourite quotes his knowledge, and his colleagues the ‘big school’ at Birmingham by a story of when ‘that’ had was, ‘You can ask me have taken his passing particularly New Street. After a good few years happened to him. All of his anything...you might not get an hard. We would all like to pass on at New Street, he finally arrived instructing, either one-to-one, or answer though!’ There were other, our sincere condolences to Jen with us at Leamington Spa. Mick in the classroom, was delivered more eloquent, phrases if you got and his family and friends. Rest in was a natural instructor, making with his trademark humour. a question wrong, though! And Peace, Mister. the most difficult rule or traction Often, after making you laugh, we all got used to those on his Nick Walker , Leamington Spa knowledge understandable, with his explanations, he’d go, Q&A sessions! 115 branch chair

RAY MacDONALD THE DOODLEBUG LEN LEWIS FIRE FOR FAIRNESS & EQUITY Sadly, we have to announce the untimely death of retired Staines driver Ray (the Doodlebug) MacDonald, aged 66. Born in Inverness, he started his railway career as a second man up there. He then transferred to Staines as a driver. Although a quiet and private man, he was an active member of ASLEF, holding positions in Feltham Electric branch, and for many years was an LDC rep for Staines. He was We’ll keep on driving and fighting for fairness and equity, Lenny Lewis renowned for his acumen in roster building (all done with a pencil Retired Staines driver Leonard (aka Lenny and Leopard Lenny) Lewis has and eraser!) which dovetailed passed away aged 84. He began his railway career after leaving the nicely with his creative skills in Army, becoming a fireman at Feltham loco, then a driver at Feltham and, spotting changeovers, and his after the closure of Feltham, at Chertsey. Unfortunately, Chertsey then three- and four-way fiddles were shut as well, and Len transferred to Staines where he remained until his legendary. After DRI in 1997, Ray retirement after more than 40 years’ railway service. Len was a devoted went on to serve the members of family man and leaves behind three daughters – Emma, Jane, and Sally, SWT as a company councillor. who cared for him in the final months of his life. A natural socialist and With over 30 years’ service, Ray Labour man, he was a loyal ASLEF member who held various branch retired to the IoW and pursued positions and had a spell as an LDC rep. An avid golfer, he enjoyed a new ventures. The mighty round or two in the British Rail Golf Society. A caring person, still Clachnacuddin FC will enjoy your contributing in retirement, he helped manage a local youth football support from on high with a wee team. Even in his 80s, the fire for fairness and equity through socialist dram in hand. Rest in Peace, Ray. values was completely undiminished. He is now back in the arms of his Steve Kihuth , Feltham Electric Ray MacDonald: renowned for his beloved wife, Cath. We will keep fighting, Len! 078 branch secretary creative skills and roster building Steve Kihuth , Feltham Electric 078 branch secretary

March 2021 l The ASLEF Journal 19 Letters

Join the conversation! Send your letters by email to Is it time for a windfall tax on companies – like [email protected] or by Amazon – which have benefited from covid-19? Royal Mail to the ASLEF Journal at 77 St John Street, Not specifically an ASLEF shutdowns, the ensuing were hypothecated matter although, as you cost to the economy, and towards stimulating the Clerkenwell, are my union, it’s with certain sectors much hardest hit areas of the London, probably best passed on worse hit than others, economy? EC1M 4NN to you, as you will know along with the impact on This would benefit who to suggest it to if it is individuals through the businesses and workers worth consideration. I loss of jobs, etc, and given and the wider public, by think this is something that certain companies helping retain, or open Is ASLEF going to make a potentially cross-party in are benefitting from new, local shops, and scope, but is possibly current events – Amazon, cafes, etc. face covering for drivers? best raised initially by the of course, but there are As I say, not really I’m a driver at Peak Forest for DB Cargo and a union movement in others – would some form ASLEF’s bag, per se, but health & safety rep. I’ve been asked by some conjunction with certain of windfall tax levied potentially something drivers if ASLEF is thinking of making any face employers’ organisations upon companies, such as that much of the country masks, as it seems the RMT has done some. If and others (eg faith Amazon, that have could unite behind if ASLEF does maybe, after the cost has been groups) with whom you benefited there were a non-partisan met, profits could go into the hardship fund. could find common disproportionately from push for it. Ian Jordan , peak Forest cause. current events make Richard Mansfield , Given all the covid-19 sense – especially if it Eastbourne, Sussex Mick Whelan says: ‘ASLEF has been working with the Rail Industry Coronavirus Forum, the ORR, and companies, on the requirements for and provision of face Climbing the trade union leadership ladder to the top coverings and relevant policies and A piece on page 14 of February’s Journal tells the tale of trailblazing women in different procedures to support this. ASLEF has an roles that were traditionally occupied by men. agreement with most companies that Ladies Can’t Climb Ladders celebrates women such as Hannah Dadds, the first female drivers wear the agreed risk-assessed face Underground driver, and Karen Harrison, the first main line driver. I wonder if any women covering provided by the company.’ could climb to the dizzying heights of ASLEF’s all-male executive committee smiling contentedly from the opposite page of the same edition of the Journal (photo below)? No LGBT+ History month Michael Reeve , Watford branch 223 People know they are welcome and valued when they see themselves represented positively within the structures they form and support. This is as true for people from BAME backgrounds as it is for LGBT+ people. I am very disappointed, then, to receive my February edition of the Journal which has no reference to LGBT+ History month, nor to the contributions of LGBT+ people to transport, ASLEF, or the labour movement in general. Gavin Bowtell , train operator, LU

Mick says: ‘I’m sorry we didn’t manage to cover LGBT+ History month, but we did celebrate 20 years of ASLEF’s equalities committees – with contributions from Susan Greenwell and David Jones from our LGBT+ committee – in our December edition. And, in June last year, we published a special equalities edition of the Journal , The GS with ASLEF’s EC: the men backing the committees trying to change the face of this union with articles by David Jones and Peter Tatchell, who reflected on 30 years of activism and achievement.’ is not recommended. Good piece by Chris possible for the union to ask every member Proctor, though (see page 10)! whether they wish to keep receiving a diary? I Jim Ring , Burnham Overy Staithe, Norfolk would guess that more members would say The passing of the pacers no than yes. Prospective members could have I, too, have unhappy memories of the Pacer. Its a tick box on their application form, too. The passing should be marked but not lamented. I Has the diary had its day? saving to the union would then benefit us all, think they used to run on some of the (few) In these modern times of electronic this and as the presumably ever-rising cost of local lines round here. The new (2020) rolling that, I would hazard a guess that a large producing them would be significantly stock proved incompatible with the track proportion of diaries sent out by the union reduced and increases in monthly systems, with the level crossing gates failing to every year are unused. This, if I’m correct, is a subscriptions would reflect the saving made. close as the trains approached. Apparently this vast waste of trees and money. Would it be Gary Warburton , Battersea branch 019

20 The ASLEF Journal l March 2021 Points & Crossings Classifieds

RAILWAY SERVICE Throughout Stafford Road the pandemic railway workers have played their part in keeping this country moving. Retired Barnham centenarian driver Bob Dorkings and Par driver N Thursday 4 February Paul Edwards have produced a covid service badge one of our retired in nine versions: BR red; BR blue; BR black; Eastern Region blue; Midland Region maroon; O members reached a North-Eastern Region orange; Southern Region milestone – his 100th birthday. green; Scottish Region light blue; and Western Stanley Burgess retired in 1986 Region brown. Each badge costs £5 (plus £2.50 after 48 years on the railway, first p&p) from [email protected] or as an engineman at Stafford Road, [email protected] and then at Wolverhampton High nicknamed ‘The Old Soldier’, KEYWORKER Level when the local steam depots which has stuck to this day, and he badge to recognise closed. attended our reunions until four the hard work of all railway and other keyworkers this year. £5 plus Stan served during the Second years ago. The branch sent a card £1 p&p from Fiona Lumsden (MTR World War with the Royal to his care home for his milestone, Elizabeth line and Paddington Warwickshire Regiment, the South told him about our article for the branch). Please email [email protected] Staffordshires, and the Coldstream Journal , and asked if he would DARLINGTON 125th Guards, notably meeting General pose with the card, but he just anniversary badge 1895-2020. Montgomery on the eve of the wanted to be cheeky and poke his All badges individually Battle of El Alamein in 1942. He tongue out! Congratulations, Stan! numbered. £6.50 inc p&p. also fought in Italy, at the brutal Nigel Harkness Please contact branch secretary Battles for Monte Cassino, in 1944. Wolverhampton 236 branch Cheeky boy! Stan’s John Clark by email at [email protected] Back on the footplate he was secretary now 100 not out NORWOOD depot special pin badges including Cowden 25th anniversary. £3 each or £5 the pair (inc p&p). Proceeds to Norwood Drivers’ Social Honouring Joe Club. Email Stuart Boxall at Joe Duddington was the driver of the Mallard , [email protected] the A4 Pacific Class steam locomotive, when it THE KING’S CROSS STORY broke the world speed record for steam locos by Peter Darley (The History on 3 July 1938, reaching 126.4mph, a record Press, £20) as featured on the that still stands today. He was hand-picked by centre pages of the January Sir Nigel Gresley for the job as Joe had a Journal . Buy it direct from the Camden Railway Heritage Trust at a discounted reputation for running trains hard when price of £15 inc p&p; email [email protected] or required. Man and machine were both built in phone 020 7586 6632 for details. ‘All income from Doncaster; Joe came from the Hyde Park area The train crew at Peterborough after breaking sales goes to the trust,’ says Peter. of the town and worked for LNER until he the record: fireman Tommy Bray, driver Joe GROVE PARK branch 50th retired in 1944. But when Joe died in 1953 he Duddington, Sam Jenkins, and HM Hoather was buried in an unmarked grave. anniversary badge. £6.50 inc p&p. Contact branch secretary Ray Garland The Friends of Hyde Park Cemetery have grateful for donations, large or small, to help 07931 612615 or [email protected] launched an appeal to raise £2,000 to mark remember Joe. Cheques made payable to the Joe’s grave properly, remember an important Friends of Hyde Park Cemetery, marked HANDMADE miniature driver’s figure in railway history, and give him the ‘Duddington Project’, can be sent to FoHPC, 36 keys to wear as a charm or round headstone he deserves. They usually raise Furnival Road, Balby, Doncaster, DN4 0PJ, or the neck. Solid silver and solid 9ct funds with guided walks and talks, but had to you can donate via PayPal by visiting gold weighing approximately 7 grams. Just over cancel all events because of the pandemic. www.fohpc.org.uk/duddington 2cm in length and just under 2cm width. Gold Doncaster branch is supporting the appeal Neil Castle Doncaster 061 branch £300, silver £100 + £7 p&p recorded delivery. Contact Brad McCarthy on 07929 350146. to honour Joe, and the FoHPC would be secretary AIRDRIE has produced a badge to commemorate its reopening as a LIONEL DEELEY separate branch. £6.50 inc p&p. Please contact branch chair Ivan Wilson HOW YOU GOING, HORACE? (07949 862393) for details. It is my sad duty to report the passing of driver CASH paid for original pre 90s Lionel Deeley of Saltley. Like a lot of drivers at railway photographic slides or the depot, Lionel started his career at Tyseley negatives. Please contact GBRf before making the move across Birmingham Tonbridge driver (and railwayana collector) John to Saltley. Lionel, with his standard greeting of Waddington at [email protected] ‘How you going, Horace?’ was a larger than life PERTH branch badge to character. One of the highlights during our commemorate 110 years (1908- days as a Railfreight Distribution depot was 2018). £6 plus £1 p&p. Cheques when Lionel worked the shunt engine in Jason Hickling , Lionel Deeley, and Chris Peake payable to Perth branch ASLEF No 134 General. Please contact branch Mossend Yard, Scotland! Hotel, beer, and for all those passing by to see. When not secretary Grant Murchie for details on 07412 newspapers provided! ‘Can’t be bad, Horace!’ travelling the world following his teams he 453454 or [email protected] Lionel was an avid football fan, following his could be found tending his allotments. Rest in beloved Aston Villa, and England, everywhere Peace in the top link, Lionel. To place an advertisement please phone and he was more than happy to fly the flag Jason Hickling Saltley 023 branch reporter 020 7324 2400 or send an email to from his house next to the railway at Lapworth and Mick Naughton former LLC rep [email protected]

March 2021 l The ASLEF Journal 21 Last Word The new chumocracy

Are you a friend of Boris? GREGOR GALL , an affiliate research associate at the University of Glasgow, and editor of the Scottish Left Review , says it’s not what you know but who you know if you want to get a fat contract from Number 10 Getting their snouts in the public trough: HE Tories are the traditional lots of lucrative government contracts will standard bearers for the meaning of soon fatten up these private porkers T meritocracy in Britain. The message is: ‘If you study hard and work hard, you’ll get on in life – there are no barriers to moving up QUOTE… and on’. The Tories are saying that social ‘This Tory Party is rife with conflicts mobility is up to the individual and there are few [and] not by those with the loudest of interest. It’s all cheques and no no class barriers any more as the ‘old school voices, the special interests, the greatest balances’ – Rachel Reeves , tie’ and ‘old boys’ network’ no longer matter. wealth or the access to influence’. Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy Quite how this has been expressed has New Labour played its part, too. At the of Lancaster, on Boris Johnson’s varied over the years. After attending Eton 1996 Labour Party conference Tony Blair – culture of contracts for cronies and Balliol College, Oxford, Prime Minister Fettes and St John’s College, Oxford – said his …UNQUOTE Harold Macmillan – ‘Super Mac’ – told the three top priorities as Prime Minister would working-class in 1957 that, with be ‘education, education, and education’ en unemployment low and living standards route to a classless society. And John Hanbury Strategy, a lobbying firm co- rising, we had ‘never had it so good’. This was Prescott, when Deputy PM, claimed: ‘We are founded by Paul Stephenson, director of slightly easier to swallow than remarks by all middle-class now’. communications for the Vote Leave Norman Tebbit and David Cameron. campaign and another Cummings chum, has Tebbit, Employment Secretary in 1981, MERITOCRACY OR CHUMOCRACY? also picked up lots of lucrative work. said: ‘I grew up in the 1930s with an Where does BoJo stand? His credentials as a Ditto media consultants Topham Guerin, unemployed father. He didn’t riot. He got on meritocratic man aren’t great. His full name is run by Sean Topham and Ben Guerin, and his bike and looked for work, and he kept Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson and he Faculty Science, a data analytics company, looking till he found it’. This was a great attended Eton and Balliol College, Oxford. which also worked with the man who broke example of the Tory mantra: ‘get on yer bike’ But while he’s just as privileged as Super Mac lockdown on Vote Leave. if you want to get on. and Cameron he carries himself rather The Tories traditionally wage war on differently – as a ‘can do’ man of populist pROCEDURES SUSpENDED – MAKING ‘welfare scroungers’ – by which they mean bluster rather than a posh patrician. CHOOSING YOUR CHUMS EVEN EASIER those at the bottom of the heap, receiving But it should come as no great surprise The list goes on and on. Johnson pays only benefits – as a ‘compare and contrast’ that he is in fact a leading exponent not of lip service to proper vetting and public exercise with ‘hard-working families’ who meritocracy but of chumocracy. Allowing tendering. In the early days of the pandemic, they say are the backbone of Britain. If you Health Secretary Matt Hancock to award a even these procedures were suspended, don’t have a job, or are struggling to keep a contract for covid-19 testing equipment to making choosing your chums even easier. roof above your head, clothes on your back, his former neighbour, who had no And though neither Bingham nor Harding and cannot afford to feed your children, it’s experience of producing medical supplies, is are paid for their roles, it does allow them to your own fault. not the half of it. award government contracts to those with A recent investigation by The Guardian whom they are already very well-connected MY MISSION IS TO BUILD A COUNTRY showed that having friends in high places without due process or diligence. Ker-ching! THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE really does pay big dividends. Among the And, interestingly, the UK’s official anti- After 2010, David Cameron – Eton and beneficiaries of BoJo’s largesse are: corruption champion is none other than, er, Brasenose College, Oxford – and George Kate Bingham, appointed chair of the John Penrose, a Tory MP and the hubby of Osborne – St Paul’s School and Magdalen vaccine taskforce, an investment banker with Harding. College, Oxford – during their Age of no relevant experience, except being Some say the Johnson chumocracy is just Austerity talked of ‘strivers’ versus ‘skivers’ to married to Tory MP Jesse Norman who was at another name for old-style cronyism. They’re justify their cuts. Eton with Johnson (and she went to private right. But it’s no less wrong because it’s been Cameron’s successor Theresa May – St school with BoJo’s sister). going on so long. And it does rather jar with Juliana’s Convent School and St Hugh’s Dido Harding, appointed head of NHS test BoJo’s bluff and bluster about Britain being a College, Oxford – was a leading exponent, at and trace, having worked at various non- ‘get ahead’ nation when only those who are least rhetorically, of meritocracy. ‘My mission health private companies, and married to already ahead can get ahead. [is] to build a country that works for Tory MP John Penrose. What makes this even more everyone…a truly meritocratic Britain that Public First, a policy consultancy owned reprehensible is that, as a result of the puts the interests of ordinary, working-class by James Frayne (a long-term chum of coronavirus crisis, those who are rich are people first’. Britain, she said, would be a Dominic Cummings) and his wife Rachel Wolf becoming even richer as a result of all those country where ‘everything we do will be (a former adviser to Michael Gove) has been nice public contracts while the poor are driven, not by the interests of the privileged awarded a string of research contracts. becoming poorer.

22 The ASLEF Journal l March 2021 Across Down Prize Crossword 1 To go separate 1 A pot-belly On Track ways (4,7) 2 Inked typewriter Prize crossword 179 by Tom Williams 7 Crocus or daffodil strip 8 Stew vegetables, 3 Bulls and cows neeps 4 Scores or grades 9 Cricket club? 5 Stir up That claim’s 10 A throng of bees public feeling 11 Replace with 6 Muslim women’s another veil rather fishy 13 A fry-up, 11 Essential for bones bubble-and-xxxxxx and teeth 16 Gate fastening 12 Skilled workman 18 Fresh and modern 13 Make fun of (4,2) 19 Without any 14 Become less tense definite flavour 15 Chain mail 20 Ferrous metal 17 Pleased and 21 The good luck content arachnid? (5,6)

Solution to Prize Crossword 178 Penny Mordaunt’s floundering in the wrong plaice as her post-Brexit sunny Across: 1 Mongrel 5 Tame 7 Nag 8 Doghouse Name...... 9 Paths 10 Chew 13 Lace 14 Lean 18 Pick uplands fishing story doesn’t add up 19 Ideal 21 Sunburnt 22 Wad 23 Fade Address...... ENNY Mordaunt, the 24 Strayed Down: 1 Monopoly 2 Nightcap Conservative MP for 3 Radish 4 Legacy 5 Trowel 6 Mist 11 Waterway p Portsmouth North, and 12 Secluded 15 Nimble 16 Skirts 17 Bitter ...... ardent Brexiteer, claimed on Any 20 Puma Questions that ‘UK quotas for fish are Congratulations to Chris Carpenter , ...... going to increase two-thirds over the of Newport , who was last month’s next five years’. Which struck most winner. The winner of this month’s ...... listeners as unlikely, especially as Prize Crossword will receive Marks & Leavers have tended to wildly Spencer vouchers to the value of £25...... exaggerate the benefits of Brexit. Every coastal country has an l You can see more of Tom Williams’s exclusive economic zone which gives it Postcode...... crosswords, word games and puzzles at the right to fish up to 200 nautical wordgames.co.uk miles or to a maritime point half-way to a neighbouring country. Now the UK has left the EU it has its own EEZ again; If you successfully complete this month’s Prize Crossword please send the solution by post to the and, as part of the trade negotiations Editor, ASLEF Journal , 77 St John Street, Clerkenwell, London, EC1M 4NN (or take a photo on your last year, the EU agreed to hand over mobile phone of the grid and send the image to [email protected]) by Friday 12 March one-quarter of its fishing rights in this area over the next five years. Tim Harford, who presents More or Less on Radio 4, the podcast Cautionary ASLEF’s legal services Tales , and writes The Undercover Economist column for the Financial Have you been sacked, or are in trouble at work, and cannot get hold of Times , is a conscientious fact-checker your branch secretary, local representative or District Organiser in an and he ran the numbers. emergency? Call our industrial relations department on 020 7324 2400 ‘Now the United Kingdom had half the fishing rights in UK waters – more (9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday or 9am to 4pm on Friday) or leave a than £800 million worth – and the rest message on the answer service, or email [email protected] with a subject of the EU had one-third, a bit under heading of ‘For the attention of the £600 million. You can only get the UK’s industrial relations dept’. quota increasing by two-thirds, as Penny Mordaunt claims, if the EU handed over all its rights, which isn’t what was agreed. ‘The UK actually gets one-quarter of Changed your address? Please let us know! Just fill in this form one-third which means the UK’s share Name...... of quota in UK waters rises from 50% to 58.3%. That is, by 8.3 percentage Address...... points, which is nowhere near the two- thirds increase Penny Mordaunt ...... claimed. She cod do better with the Postcode ...... Telephone...... numbers. And Michael Gove, in an article in The Scotsman , is as slippery as Branch...... Membership No...... an eel. He’s floundering with the fishery figures, too.’ Please return coupon to: ASLEF, 77 St John Street, Clerkenwell, London, EC1M 4NN Keith Richmond

March 2021 l The ASLEF Journal 23