{"id":1375,"date":"2022-12-24T12:11:31","date_gmt":"2022-12-24T12:11:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lancashireloominary.co.uk\/index.html\/?p=1375"},"modified":"2022-12-24T12:15:04","modified_gmt":"2022-12-24T12:15:04","slug":"who-signed-the-book-a-christmas-railway-ghost-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/lancashireloominary.co.uk\/index.html\/who-signed-the-book-a-christmas-railway-ghost-story","title":{"rendered":"Who Signed the Book? A Christmas railway ghost story"},"content":{"rendered":"

Who Signed The Book?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

A Christmas railway ghost story<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paul Salveson<\/strong><\/p>\n

This was originally published in ASLEF\u2019s Locomotive Journal<\/strong> in December 1985. This is a slightly updated version. Two years of my railway career were at at Astley Bridge Junction signalbox, Bolton, in the 1970s.<\/em><\/p>\n

………………………………………………………………………<\/em><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve spent the last 40 years as union branch secretary getting other people out of trouble. I\u2019ve done more disciplinaries than you\u2019ll have had hot dinners – and I\u2019ve had some bloody strange ones. But you want to know the strangest? \u00a0I\u2019ll tell you. It happened nearly 40 years ago and there\u2019s enough water flown under the bridge for me to talk about it now. I\u2019m long since retired so there\u2019s not much anyone can do to me. I\u2019ve got my pension.<\/p>\n

I must have represented hundreds of my members at what they used to call \u2018Form 1 hearings\u2019. Disciplinaries. But this one found me<\/em> in the hot seat. What led me to getting charged happened in 1983. Up to now the only people who knew anything about it are myself and Jack Bracewell, former Area Manager and he\u2019s been retired even longer than me. He lives out Blackpool way. I promised I\u2019d keep my mouth shut about the affair until Jack had finished and was getting his company pension. As a good union man, I\u2019ve kept my word.<\/p>\n

It was Christmas Eve 1983. I was working nights at Astley Bridge Junction; a small cabin just north of Bolton on the steeply-graded line to Blackburn. It\u2019s long gone of course – shut when the branch to Halliwell Goods closed in the late 80s. It was the draughtiest box I\u2019ve ever worked, stuck on top of Tonge Viaduct with only the birds and the circuit telephone to keep you company, apart from the occasional platelayer\u2019s visit, usually Derek begging a brew of tea.<\/p>\n

We\u2019d had plenty of rows about it on the LDC – the old \u2018Local Departmental Committee\u2019 where we battled things out with management \u2013 usually good naturedly. Astley Bridge \u00a0was one of the ancient Lancashire and Yorkshire (L&Y) boxes with facilities which could best be called \u2018primitive\u2019. Heating was by an old stove that \"\"Stephenson probably invented, gas lighting and an outside toilet that froze every winter. And then that bloody draught that blew up from below, through the lever frame. Management kept telling us it was \u2018in the programme\u2019 for modernisation, but nothing happened.<\/p>\n

It had its compensations. You could look out across Bolton and see the dozens of mill chimneys, mostly still working then; turning north the moors stretched out before you. And it was cosy when you got the fire going, and no-one could say you were killed for work, with just a couple of trains each hour and the occasional goods on and off the branch. Years ago it had been on a through route to Scotland. Lancashire and Yorkshire expresses joined up with The Midland at Hellifield. Well before my time. Or so I thought.<\/p>\n

At the time, we were working short-handed. My mate Joe Hepburn had retired three months previous and management were dragging their feet about filling the vacancy. So we were on regular twelve hours, George Ashcroft and myself. Good for the money, but not for your social life; nor, as I began to think, for your sanity.<\/p>\n

Have you ever been to a Form 1 hearing? It\u2019s probably different nowadays but back then it probably hadn\u2019t changed since Victorian times. You sat there like a naughty schoolboy, usually accompanied by your union spokesman. If it was serious, the Area Manager would take the case and he\u2019d read out the charge: \u201cYou are charged with the under-mentioned irregularity….etc.\u201d A clerk would be sat in the background, taking notes of the ordeal and loving every minute of it, most times.<\/p>\n

A good union man will use every argument in the book \u2013 and out of it \u2013 to get the poor bugger on the charge as good a deal as possible. I had a better success rate than many full-time union officers. I had just one rule: I never told a lie to get a member off the hook. If you pull that one, it might work the first time, but the boss would make it bloody hard for you the next. And that next time you might have had a genuine case.<\/p>\n

So can you imagine how I felt, with 30 years\u2019 service, including 20 as branch secretary, when I got that Form 1 addressed to me. But I\u2019d been expecting it. And I thought I\u2019d be the up the road.<\/p>\n

The hearing was on a Friday morning in January 1984 at 09.00, in the Area Manager\u2019s Office on Bolton station. Jack Bracewell, the AM, was an old hand whom I knew him from his days on the footplate. He was one of that dying breed of railway manager who\u2019d started off at the bottom \u2013 as an engine cleaner at Plodder Lane shed \u2013 and worked his way up the ladder.<\/p>\n

Ironically, I\u2019d got him off the hook, years ago, by which time he\u2019d got booked as a driver at Bolton. He was driving a loose-coupled coal train from Rose Grove to Salford Docks and I happened to be on duty at Astley Bridge Junction at the time, on relief. I got the\u2019 train on line\u2019 bell<\/p>\n

\"\"
Inside Astley Bridge Junction, c. 1977. The Train Register Book is on the desk….<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

from Bromley Cross box but I had an engine off the branch waiting at my starter to go back to the shed, so I couldn\u2019t give the coal train a road. He\u2019d have to wait at my home signal, just up from the end of the viaduct.<\/p>\n

I heard a long piercing wheel then a series of short \u2018crows\u2019 \u2013 the steam whistle code for a runaway. I saw the train coming down the bank, with one of the old \u2018Austerity\u2019 locos, passing the home signal at danger. She was away, no doubt about it. Not going that fast but fast enough to give that light engine a nasty surprise if she caught up with it. Just as the loco passed the box I got \u2018line clear\u2019 from Bolton West and I quickly offered the light engine. It was accepted and I was able to clear my starter to get the light engine out of the way. The coal train shuddered to a halt just a few wagon lengths beyond my box.<\/p>\n

The driver \u2013 Jack Bracewell \u2013 was quickly out of his cab and up the cabin steps. \u201cSorry mate \u2013 there was no holding her. Overloaded to start off with \u2013 we nearly stuck in Sough Tunnel – and that old wreck\u2019s brake wouldn\u2019t stop a push bike, ne\u2019er mind 40 o\u2019coal. Anyroad, put it in t\u2019book and I\u2019ll answer for passing that home board\u201d.<\/p>\n

Now some signalmen I knew would book a driver for not having his hair combed right, but I wasn\u2019t going to get anyone into trouble if I could help it \u2013 even if he was an ASLEF man and I was NUR! \u201cDidn\u2019t you see?\u201d I asked, \u201cI pulled off for you to drop down to my starter just as you approached. Forget it.\u201d We exchanged looks and Jack turned to leave. \u201cThanks mate \u2013 if you\u2019re ever stuck, I\u2019ll return the favour.\u201d<\/p>\n

I looked out of the cabin window and saw him climb back into the cab of his grimy \u2018Austerity\u2019, wheezing steam from everywhere but now looking calm and innocent after her wild descent from Walton\u2019s Siding. I soon got \u2018train out of section\u2019 bell from Bolton West for the light engine and was able to pull off for Jack\u2019s train. The wagons shuddered and screeched and he was back on his way to Salford Docks. The guard in the brake van looked a bit ashen-faced after his experience but I got a friendly and slightly relieved-looking wave from him.<\/p>\n

That must have been….. what? 1959? Jack had come a long way since then, getting into management somewhere down south then promoted to Area Manager back in Bolton. Poacher turned gamekeeper we used to say. And the battles we had on the LDC! But at least you knew where you were with him. He was a railwayman and knew his job, and everyone else\u2019s. That\u2019s more than you can say for most of today\u2019s management whizz-kids.<\/p>\n

That day of the hearing I broke one of my golden rules. Never go into a disciplinary hearing without union representation. We\u2019d fought hard for that right and many genuine cases were lost because someone thought they didn\u2019t need any help. With me, it was more embarrassment than anything. I thought of asking Benny Jones the full-time officer, or some of my old mates on the NEC. But no, none of them would believe my story and I\u2019d look a bloody fool. I went through that door on my tod, feeling very alone: one of the worst moments of my life.<\/p>\n

Jack was at his desk, with the young woman clerk, Joyce Williams, sat at his side, pen in hand. She was one of the better ones, and I think she had a TSSA union card.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning Mr Hartshorn. Please sit down.\u201d Jack was looking more bloody nervous than me. And Christ! I was a nervous wreck. He read the charge: \u00a0\u201dYou are charged with the under-mentioned irregularity. That on Wednesday December 24th<\/sup> 1983 you made incorrect entries in The Train Register Book, contrary to Signalmen\u2019s Instructions and Rule Book Section such-and-such….What have you got to say in your defence?\u201d<\/p>\n

I looked across at Mr Jack Bracewell, Area Manager, BR London Midland Region. He\u2019d put on weight since leaving the footplate; his face was a bright red and his hair receding. Maybe down to the hard time I\u2019d given him at LDC meetings.<\/p>\n

But today the advantage was firmly his \u2013 though you wouldn\u2019t have thought so by the look of him. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, he shuffled uncomfortably in his chair. \u201cJoyce\u201d he blurted out…\u201dturn that bloody heating down before we all roast.\u201d The clerk jumped up and obeyed the command. The ball was now in my court.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore I give you my explanation Mr Bracewell I just want to remind you that I\u2019ve always been straight when I\u2019ve been representing my members in front of you. And I\u2019m going to be straight with you now \u2013 however unbelievable it all might sound.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course…of course, get on with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRight. I relieved my mate at 6.00pm, as you know we were on 12 hours. I was sober, you can ask George to verify that if you want. We chatted for a few minutes about what we were doing over the holiday and then George signed off. \u201cCould be a bad \u2018un\u201d I remember him saying about the weather; the snow had already started though lucky for him he didn\u2019t live that far away. We wished each other \u2018all the best\u2019 and off he went down the cabin steps.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d left a good fire; the pot-bellied stove was glowing red. I settled myself down in the easy chair, with a quiet night\u2019s work ahead of me. I saw the last \u2018passenger\u2019 through at 21.30h. It\u2019s in the book. The only other scheduled train that night was the empty stock for Newton Heath at about 03.00. After it had gone I had permission to close the cabin early and not re-open until the following Monday, when I was early turn at 06.00.<\/p>\n

I made a brew and settled down with my book \u2013 a thriller, funnily enough. To be honest I probably dozed off, at least for a few minutes. I was jolted out of my snooze by a \u2018call attention\u2019 bell from Bolton West.\u00a0 I wondered what on earth it could be. I looked at the clock and it showed 23.35. I gave the \u20181\u2019 signal back to Bolton West and they offered me a \u20184\u2019 \u2013 the bell code for an express passenger train, as you know, sir. The first thing that came into my mind was that the wires were down on the main line and Control was diverting some trains for Scotland via the Settle-Carlisle Line. It happens quite often, though it was very odd that I hadn\u2019t got a circuit to tell me. Perhaps I\u2019d been in more of a sleep than I thought and had missed the wire. I sent the signal on to Bromley Cross, got \u2018line clear\u2019 and pulled off \u2013 home board, starter and distant. Five minutes later I received a \u20182\u2019 \u2013 train on line from Bolton West. I expected to hear the roar of a diesel engine, but instead I heard the steady, slow puff of a steam locomotive, obviously labouring on the gradient out of Bolton.<\/p>\n

All I could think was that it must have been some sort of special working back to the museum at Carnforth, routed by Hellifield. It was a strange time to run it, but what was I to know? \u00a0It was snowing very heavily by now, the wind blowing the flakes against the cabin windows so you could hardly see out. The tracks were completely covered.<\/p>\n

The headlamps of the engine came into view; she\u2019d slowed down even more and was barely moving though sparks were coming out of the chimney like a firework display.<\/p>\n

\u201cAye the fireman would have the dart in to get the fire going,\u201d said Jack reverting to his old footplate patter, quickly adding \u201cbut well, that\u2019s if there was an engine…obviously. Delete that comment, Joyce.\u201d<\/p>\n

When the engine was almost level with the cabin the steam was shut off and the train came to a stand. I managed to open the cabin door, pushing the snow back, to get a better view.<\/p>\n

Through the blizzard I could see that it wasn\u2019t one of the usual preserved locos you sometimes get \u2013 she looked older, but well kept. The paintwork looked jet black and across the tender I could make out the words \u2018Lancashire & Yorkshire\u2019.<\/p>\n

She looked like one of those \u2018Lanky\u2019 Atlantics that some of the older signalmen used to talk about, when I was a train booker in my teens. \u2018Highflyers\u2019 they called them, with high-pitched long boilers. Very fast engines. But i couldn\u2019t recall any being saved from the scrapheap.<\/p>\n

The coaches looked vintage too, though i couldn\u2019t see much of them through the snow. It was blowing like an arctic gale, and curious though I was, I had to shut the door.<\/p>\n

A moment later I heard footsteps coming up to the cabin. There was a rap on the door window. I took off the snack and opened the door to what looked like an oldish man \u2013 a gnarled face with a drooping moustache and eyes like red-hot coals. His hands were pitted and scarred. This didn\u2019t look like some middle-class train enthusiast who did the occasional firing turn for the fun of it.<\/p>\n

He walked in, shaking the snow off and carefully wiping his boots on the mat. \u201cShort o\u2019steam mate \u2013 they\u2019re givin\u2019 us rubbish t\u2019burn wi\u2019t\u2019colliers on strike.\u201d<\/p>\n

By now I could get a proper look at him. He was dressed in old fashioned railway overalls which I\u2019d only seen in history books. He had a very dignified appearance, reminding me of some of the old Methodist preachers I knew as a kid.<\/p>\n

It was news to me that the miners were on strike, but that didn\u2019t click at first. It took me a few seconds before I could say anything \u2013 though I offered him a brew and asked him to sign the Train Register Book, according to rule.<\/p>\n

A few moments later more footsteps told me that his mate \u2013 the driver – was coming up for a warm as well. He looked about the same age as his fireman, slightly smaller with a long greying beard speckled with snowflakes and coal dust. He had similar overalls to his mate but wore a shirt and tie, with a shiny watch chain disappearing into his waistcoat pocket. He wore the L&Y insignia on his lapel. I remember thinking that if these two lads were steam buffs, they were certainly sticklers for historical accuracy.<\/p>\n

The driver said, to no-one in particular, \u201cThere\u2019ll be hell to play o\u2019er this. Runnin\u2019 short o\u2019 steam on this job, we\u2019st booath be on th\u2019carpet o\u2019Monday. It\u2019s noan mi mates fault though \u2013 it\u2019s that bad coyl they\u2019re givin\u2019 us. Tha cornt wark this sort o\u2019job, wi\u2019 nine bogies an just an hour to geet fro\u2019 Bowton to Hellifield, wi nowt but th\u2019best coyl. Th\u2019bosses durnt give a bugger though \u2013 they just put th\u2019blame on th\u2019men.\u201d<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t know what to think. Was I caught up in an elaborate practical joke? Or was I in a time warp? I reminded myself that I hadn\u2019t been drinking. Maybe I was still asleep and this was a very vivid dream. Yes \u2013 that was it. I\u2019d soon wake up and get \u2018call attention\u2019 for the Newton Heath empties.<\/p>\n

But it continued. The fireman went over to the stove to warn his pock-marked hands. \u201cTh\u2019company thinks as it con do what it wants wi\u2019 us. It allus has done. But it\u2019s geet a shock comin\u2019. There\u2019s talk o\u2019one big union for all railwaymen after last year\u2019s strike. Federation \u2018ud be a good start. They\u2019ve kept us divided for too long, grade agen grade, men agen men.\u201d<\/p>\n

The fireman halted for a while, feeling the heat return to his hands, and then continued \u201cAw\u2019ve waited for th\u2019day when we\u2019d beat the company for a long time. Aw\u2019ve suffered through bein\u2019 a union man and socialist, like mony another. Moved fro\u2019 shed t\u2019 shed. Tret like dirt. Neaw there\u2019s a change comin\u2019.<\/p>\n

The driver explained that his mate had been victimised following his part in the Wakefield strike…I\u2019d never heard of it, even though I\u2019d been a union man myself for 20-odd years. I had read about something kicking off around Wakefield in the union history, but that was way, way back. The bearded driver continued the story, explaining that the strike was broken by the company using fitters to drive the engines, with passenger guards providing the route knowledge. \u201cUsual tale \u2013 divide an\u2019 rule!\u201d he added. The leaders were either sacked or transferred and told they\u2019d be married to a shovel for the rest of their working lives.<\/p>\n

His fireman finally ended up at Newton Heath shed, after several moves to holes like Bacup, Lees and Colne Lanky. He was still a fireman after 40 years service with no prospect of getting booked as a driver.<\/p>\n

But hang on, was I playing a bit part in some union-sponsored costume drama? I could just remember reading about a big strike in 1911, before the NUR was formed. Were these blokes having me on?<\/p>\n

\u201cAye,\u201d said the driver. \u201cThere\u2019ll be changes soon, reet enough. Anyroad, Aw\u2019ll goo an\u2019 oil reawnd. Valves are starting to pop so looks like we\u2019ve got steam! Good night mate, and all the best.\u201d<\/p>\n

The fireman stayed a few moments longer and stood gazing round the cabin. \u201cAll reet these modern cabins, eh? Tha\u2019s a bloody sight better off nor us locomen. Look what we\u2019ve to put up wi\u2019!\u201d pointing outside to the snow-swept cab of his engine. \u201cStill,\u201d he continued, we know the long heawrs you lads have forced on you \u2013 sixteen hour days wi\u2019 no overtime pay.\u201d I thought of some of my mates, for whom the idea of working sixteen hours would be heaven \u2013 providing they got time and a half.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell brother. Aw\u2019ll geet back \u2013 she\u2019s blowin\u2019 off neaw. She\u2019ll get us up th\u2019bank to Walton\u2019s. Sooner we\u2019re at Hellifield and relieved bi Midland men, the better. Hellifield lodging house allus does a gradely breakfast. Good neet and thanks for th\u2019brew. Aw con tell a comrade when aw meet one.\u201d<\/p>\n

I watched him climb back onto the footplate and start shovelling more coal into the firebox. His mate stood by the long regulator handle, lit up by the glare from the fire. A shrill high-pitched whistle pierced the blizzard and the train began to move, with a powerful exhaust cutting through the snow storm.<\/p>\n

I turned to my desk and looked at the Train Register Book. I noticed the fireman\u2019s entry: \u201cDetained within protection of signals. Rule 55.\u201d The signature looked like \u2018J.Weatherby\u2019. If they were ghosts, they could sign their name!<\/p>\n

I looked out of the cabin window and could just see the tail lamp in the distance. Suddenly it was gone, consumed by the blizzard. I gave a \u20182\u2019 \u2013 train entering section \u2013 to Bromley Cross and sent the 2-1, train out of section, back to Bolton West. The entries are in the book and they were accurate to the minute. Both were recorded at 23.55.<\/p>\n

The phone rang. It was Ernie Woodruff at Bolton West. \u201cWhat\u2019s that 2-1 tha just sent? Hasta gone daft?\u201d<\/p>\n

We nearly had a row. I told him he\u2019d sent me a \u20184\u2019 and the train had been detained at the box. I didn\u2019t tell him what sort of train it was. Ernie denied sending the signal and said there\u2019d been nothing on the block since the last passenger at 21.30. Anyway I thought, the proof would be when the train reaches Bromley Cross. That would show who\u2019s daft, so I thought.<\/p>\n

It never reached Bromley Cross. Ten minutes later, the signalman \u2013 Jack Seddon \u2013 rang to ask where this \u20184\u2019 was. There was no sign of it on his track circuit. I told him he\u2019d been having trouble and had maybe stuck again. It\u2019s not unknown, even in the modern age, on that steeply-graded stretch of line.<\/p>\n

We let another ten minutes pass and then decided something was up. As luck would have it, the Newton Heath empties were running early and were approaching Bromley Cross from Blackburn. Jack \u2018put back\u2019 his signals and cautioned the driver of the diesel train to inspect the line ahead. The train arrived at my box and the driver came into the box. He reported not having seen anything.<\/p>\n

The driver \u2013 it was Jim Woods, an ex-Bolton man I\u2019d know for years \u2013 asked how I was. I knew what was going through his mind, that I\u2019d had a few Christmas Eve drinks too many before signing on. I said I was OK but I was anything but. At 01.00, as you\u2019ll see in the book, I rang Control and asked for relief. I was no longer sure of my own sanity, and that\u2019s the truth of it. I felt faint and disoriented. Jim made me a strong cup of tea and stayed with me until the block inspector, John Brooks, arrived to relieve me and close the box.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve heard the lot \u2013 make of it what you like Mr Bracewell.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack sat back in his chair \u2013 so far he nearly overbalanced. It was a few seconds before he spoke…it seemed like a very long time.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoyce, love, go and make us a cup of tea will you. And one for Mr Hartshorn.\u201d<\/p>\n

The clerk got up and left the room, leaving us alone. \u201cRight John. This is off the record, just thee an\u2019 me. You\u2019d had a few, right? It was Christmas. Just tell me the truth. I owe you a favour, we\u2019ll get round this somehow. Listen, if anybody else had told me that load of bollocks I\u2019d have had \u2018em cleaning out the carriage shed shit house before they could say boo to a bleedin\u2019 goose. Now come on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry Jack, I don\u2019t expect you, nor anyone else, to believe it. I wouldn\u2019t myself if someone else I\u2019d been representing had told me all that.<\/p>\n

Bracewell was quiet for several minutes. This was the man I knew. Working out a plan, weighing up the options.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, he said at last. \u201cI\u2019ll tell you what. You\u2019d been under strain with all those 12 hour shifts. You\u2019d had a lot of union work on too. Maybe you\u2019d had a few pints before coming on duty and you fell asleep. You\u2019re brain wandered.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure Jack. But how can anyone explain the entry in the Train Register Book?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEasy.\u00a0 We\u2019ll just say you\u2019d been dreaming and….err….\u201d he dried up.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho was it that signed the book Jack? That\u2019s not my signature. It looks like \u2018J. Weatherby\u2019. Who was<\/em> this character that signed the book?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho signed the book….who….\u201d he mumbled and went quiet.<\/p>\n

He came up with another \u2018solution\u2019. \u201cI know. There\u2019s a platelayer called \u2018Weatherall\u2019 isn\u2019t there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAye, I responded. Dave Johnny Weatherall. He was on snow duty at Bolton East that night as it happens but didn\u2019t came anywhere near Astley Bridge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNever mind that. We can say he came up to check the points and made a balls-up of the entry in to the Train Register Book.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cListen Jack. I\u2019m not getting anyone else into bother over this. It\u2019s my problem, no-one else\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook you awkward bugger. I owe you a good turn. And I\u2019m going to do you one if I have to get paid up for doing it. Nothing \u2018ll happen to Weatherall, I\u2019ll see to that. Trust me.\u201d<\/p>\n

I did. I went along with his tale. I got off with a reprimand; I was lucky. Extremely lucky. If it had been that young Assistant AM \u2013 fresh out of college \u2013 taking the case it might have been dismissal. But it didn\u2019t solve the problem for me. What had happened that night? Had I temporarily gone mad? I could never really trust myself handling traffic again until I was sure, one way or the other.<\/p>\n

I took a few days leave that were due to me and then resumed at Astley Bridge Junction. I was on days \u2013 we were back to 8 hour shifts. On the first day a group of workmen arrived.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re in luck mate!\u201d the foreman beamed. \u201cYou\u2019re getting them mod-cons you\u2019ve been after all these years\u201d. The gang set to work taking out the old fittings, removing the old stove and putting in a gas heater, new toilet, modern block equipment and even new lino for the floor.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t until the following day they started work on the last job, stripping out the old linoleum floor covering, that had been polished zealously by generations of signalmen. It was a messy and disruptive job getting it out.<\/p>\n

I was trying to complete a member\u2019s\u00a0 accident claim for head office when one of the lads piped up: \u201cHey, look at these old newspapers stuffed under the lino. Bet they\u2019re worth a bob or two!\u201d<\/p>\n

I went over and picked one of them up. The paper was perished and discoloured. But I could read it well enough. It was the front page of The Bolton Evening News<\/em> for December 26th<\/sup>, 1912.<\/p>\n

\u201cTERRIBLE CHRISTMAS EVE TRAGEDY \u2013 \u00a0EXPRESS\u00a0 CRASHES OVER VIADUCT IN BLIZZARD. MANY KILLED\u201d<\/p>\n

I read on. The train was a Scotch extra for the Christmas holidays, routed via Settle. The viaduct had collapsed at about midnight and the train careered into the river below. There was a list of casualties who had been identified so far. The catalogue of men, women and several children made tragic reading.<\/p>\n

At the end of the list was \u201cMr James Weatherby, the fireman of the locomotive\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Who Signed The Book? A Christmas railway ghost story Paul Salveson This was originally published in ASLEF\u2019s Locomotive Journal in December 1985. This is a slightly updated version. Two years of my railway career were at at Astley Bridge Junction signalbox, Bolton, in the 1970s. ……………………………………………………………………… I\u2019ve spent the last 40 years as union branch […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1375","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/lancashireloominary.co.uk\/index.html\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1375","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/lancashireloominary.co.uk\/index.html\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/lancashireloominary.co.uk\/index.html\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/lancashireloominary.co.uk\/index.html\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/lancashireloominary.co.uk\/index.html\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1375"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/lancashireloominary.co.uk\/index.html\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1375\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1380,"href":"http:\/\/lancashireloominary.co.uk\/index.html\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1375\/revisions\/1380"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/lancashireloominary.co.uk\/index.html\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1375"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/lancashireloominary.co.uk\/index.html\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1375"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/lancashireloominary.co.uk\/index.html\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1375"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}