{"id":1636,"date":"2024-09-03T13:06:59","date_gmt":"2024-09-03T13:06:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lancashireloominary.co.uk\/index.html\/?p=1636"},"modified":"2024-09-03T13:33:48","modified_gmt":"2024-09-03T13:33:48","slug":"northern-salvo-322","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/lancashireloominary.co.uk\/index.html\/northern-salvo-322","title":{"rendered":"Northern Salvo 322"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Northern Salvo<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Incorporating \u00a0Weekly Notices, Sectional Appendices, and Northern Weekly Salvo <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Published at Station House, Kents Bank, Lancashire-North-of-the-Sands, LA11 7BB and at 109 Harpers Lane, Bolton BL1 6HU (both Lancashire)<\/strong><\/p>\n

email: paul.salveson@myphone.coop<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Publications website: www.lancashireloominary.co.uk<\/strong><\/p>\n

No. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 322\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 September 2024\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Salveson\u2019s half-nakedly political digest of railways, tripe and secessionist nonsense from Up North.<\/p>\n

Into the Autumn<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Welcome to the September Salvo, with a few more thoughts on railways, riots and Rocket. As always I try to balance the more discursive stuff with comment on railways, life and politics. Enjoy it and feel free to comment. But first\u2026I was saddened, but not shocked, by the recent riots, stupidly termed by the BBC as \u2018protests against immigration\u2019. Let\u2019s be clear, these were racist attacks on vulnerable<\/p>\n

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Appropritaely dressedpassengers join the 15.50 from East Tanfield<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

people and communities. The police and courts were right to take a tough line and it was heartening to see a strong response from many communities in support of people and buildings that were attacked. So far, so uncontroversial. However, I think the sentencing in some cases may do more harm than good. Locking up an elderly woman, probably with mental health issues, for posting admittedly highly unpleasant messages on facebook might not be a good use of the prison system. A stern telling off with a fine and community service might have been a better solution. For now, towns like Bolton, Rotherham, Sunderland and elsewhere need to unite and champion what\u2019s good about their communities, and that needs willingness on all sides.<\/p>\n

A bit of Railpolitik<\/strong><\/h4>\n

After a rather pessimistic view of Labour\u2019s transport offering in the last Salvo<\/em>, I have to say, a few weeks into the new government, that there\u2019s grounds for cautious optimism. The secretary of state for transport, Louise Haigh, has got off to a good start with a determination to make a difference. The appointment of former Network Rail chair, Lord (Peter) Hendy, was an inspired choice of Starmer\u2019s. Getting someone in the top rail job who is highly respected and knows the industry back to front, is very good news.<\/p>\n

In the last issue I said that a quick win for Labour would be to sort out the long-running with Aslef over pay. Fingers crossed, there\u2019s a deal on the table which the union leadership is recommending to its members. It won\u2019t solve all the industry\u2019s HR woes but will make a massive<\/p>\n

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Has Labour’s forward march recommenced?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

difference. Rightly, the pay deal is \u2018without strings\u2019. There are, however, some big issues around workplace practices that have to change \u2013 top of the list should be bringing Sundays into the normal working week. In the post-Covid era, leisure travel has grown significantly and lots of people want to travel at weekends. It\u2019s bizarre that Sunday working for train crew remains voluntary on most networks.<\/p>\n

There are other thorny issues which need to be addressed, in a grown-up way. The doomed attempt by the Tories to close hundreds of station booking offices was a great win for effective campaigning, both by the unions and passengers. But what now? Several commentators made good arguments to re-invent smaller station booking offices as local hubs with a mix of ticket sales and travel information with retail services \u2013 the local station becomes a village shop. These ideas need to be revisited without the threat of closure hanging over them.<\/p>\n

Another issue is the quaintly termed \u2018manning\u2019 agreement \u2013 every train, on most routes, must have a guard along with a driver. That\u2019s good for passengers and good for revenue. However, on many lines trains that are being \u2019cancelled\u2019 because of lack of a guard but actually run, without picking up passengers, to get back to depot. This is highly frustrating when you\u2019re stuck, as I was recently, with a two hour wait for a train because the previous two are shown as\u2019 cancelled\u2019 but actually sail through the station empty. There needs to be a way of ensuring that in exceptional circumstances (e.g. staff sickness) trains can run as advertised \u2018driver only\u2019 without encouraging train operators to cut staffing levels.<\/p>\n

On a more strategic level, Labour is pressing ahead with the creation of \u2018Great British Railways\u2019 which is welcome. However, the devil will be in the detail and what isn\u2019t desirable is the re-creation of a highly centralised structure which stifles local or regional initiative. Starmer has shown himself willing to give the existing \u2013 and new \u2013 combined authorities greater powers over services such as public transport. Greater Manchester, which already has control of the bus network, is looking to take control of some local rail routes. Liverpool City Region has been responsible for the Merseyrail electric network for many years and wants to expand its reach to some of the non-electrified routes operated by Northern. West Midlands has similar aspirations for its own network.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s all good – the combined authorities bring local accountability and knowledge but are big enough to benefit from a \u2018network effect\u2019.<\/p>\n

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Altrincham – a good example of excellent integration between bus, rail and rtam with well-trained railway staff; supported by Transport for Greater Manchester<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

That doesn\u2019t mean they should be responsible for everything: infrastructure is probably best left to Network Rail\/GBR. But the operator (private or public) should be responsible to the combined authority, with local stations coming under their wing. It\u2019s worth trying out a few pilot schemes, learning from the experience of some of the light rail operations such as South Yorkshire Supertram, which now come under combined authority control.<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t have to be just the urban networks. I\u2019ve long argued for a more subtle approach to rural branch lines, looking at examples such as Switzerland where many lines are local authority owned and operated. If the combined authority model applied to an area such as Cumbria or the south-west, local railways could be integrated with bus networks, finally getting something like an integrated local transport network which feeds into the national rail network. But see separate piece on community rail for more thoughts.<\/p>\n

Rocketing forward<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Plans to mark the 200th<\/sup> anniversary of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway are moving forward, with a series of community consultation events having been held over the last few weeks. A general get together is being organised later this month to report back on the outcome of the consultation. The four working group chairs (covering Culture,<\/p>\n

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Rocket 150 – a scene at Bold Colliery in May 1980 with replica ‘Rocket’ and Deltic (built just down the road…)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Community, Visitor Economy, Built Heritage and Railway Ops and infrastructure) have met and there will be a further meeting of the groups in September.<\/p>\n

Good links have been made with Great British Railways and the team organizing the Railway 200 event next year. Initial discussions have taken place with the Liverpool and Manchester Railway Trust with some really exciting ideas taking shape around the original 1830 cutting at Edge Hill (site of the famous \u2018Moorish Arch\u2019). There\u2019s much more being looked at, with a \u2018whole line\u2019 approach being adopted with events at communities all along the original railway. For media enquiries or further information, please contact:\u00a0 Karen Shannon CEO Manchester Histories: karen@manchesterhistories.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n

The 200th<\/sup> anniversary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway has international significance and it\u2019s good to see that Railways 200 is taking a broad view of its importance. I hope that Peter Hendy\u2019s move to government will not lead to a slackening of enthusiasm within Network Rail.<\/p>\n

\u2018Sea and Sand\u2019 at The Beach Hut Gallery<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The Beach Hut Gallery, on Kents Bank railway station, showcases outstanding work by local artists and writers. It has just launched a \u2018Friends of The Beach Hut Gallery\u2019 to generate support for its work. Salvo readers are invited to sign up for a minimum donation of \u00a325 a year (see below). Many people describe the gallery as a \u2018hidden gem\u2019<\/p>\n

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Ben McLeod talks to a group of interested visitors at The Beach Hut Gallery<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

but we\u2019d like to make it a bit less hidden! We need to generate more footfall and sales as well as build a core group of supporters who can help either as donors or volunteers. It couldn\u2019t be easier to get to, with regular trains from Manchester, Preston, Lancaster and Barrow.<\/p>\n

The \u2018friends\u2019 initiative was launched on August 14th<\/sup> at a well-attended\u00a0 viewing of the work of featured artists Ben McLeod, who is based at nearby Halecat. The theme of the exhibition is ‘Sea and Sand’ with landscape paintings from the Kent Estuary to Iona; it runs until late October.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s great to be exhibiting at The Beach Hut Gallery,\u201d said Ben, \u201coverlooking what was the original inspiration for my landscape painting.\u201d<\/p>\n

The gallery opens every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11.00 to 4.00pm as well as August Bank Holiday Monday. It is run on a not for profit basis as an artists\u2019 co-operative and is staffed by volunteers. We\u2019re hoping to expand our selection of books for sale and welcome donations of good quality books on art, local history and landscape.<\/p>\n

Railway Library \u2013 bursting at the seams<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The adjoining Railway Library & Bookshop continues to grow with many valuable donations. \u00a0A big thanks to the Light Rail Transit Association, Mrs Irene Grundy, Manchester Locomotive Society and Tanfield Railway for recent contributions and\/or exchanges. The<\/p>\n

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Great to welcome visitors from the Penistone Line Partnership last month<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

library and bookshop is now open the same days as the gallery – Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 11.00 to 16.00. However, we will continue to have ‘special’ days on the second Saturday of every month. On Saturday September 14th we will be featuring our collection of narrow-gauge books and have tea, coffee and cake available.<\/p>\n

The only problem we have is space \u2013 we\u2019re hoping to make better use of the limited space we have and install some additional shelving.
\nOur next ‘mutual improvement class’ will be on Wednesday September 11th. Tim Owen, chair of the Furness Railway Trust, will be talking about ‘Furness Railway no. 20’ the oldest working standard gauge steam locomotive in the country. Accommodation is limited so please book in advance, by email or ringing 07795 008691. We continue to receive some much-valued donations, including a large number of books on trams around the world, donated by the Light Rail Transit Association.
\nWe have a large number of books for sale, mostly duplicates that have been donated. Pop round a pick up a bargain, some books from as little as 50p. We have a small ‘overflow’ of good quality second hand railway books in the gallery but we want to focus more on art and local history\/landscape. If you have any books you would like to donate to the gallery, please call in.
\nFinally, we are very dependent on a\u00a0 small team of volunteers to staff the gallery and library. If you’d like to help, maybe just a day a month, please get in touch. Training can be given and you’d be make a real difference.<\/p>\n

We continue to get donations of railway and transport-related books. \u00a0We accept most transport related books that are in good shape, but may sell on some duplicates to raise funds for the library. We also welcome copies of contemporary transport magazines for our Reading Room. We welcome bound magazines but not loose ones, of which we have a large pile which are free to good homes. Keep an eye out on www.stationlibrary.org.uk<\/a> . If you want to send anything by post our postal address: Station House, Kentsford Road, Kents Bank, Grange-over-Sands LA11 7BB<\/p>\n

Railwaymen (and women!) remembered<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The following personal accounts of railway life came out of an oral history class I taught, called \u2018Railwaymen Remember\u2019, for the University of Leeds in 1994. The class members were mostly retired drivers, a few former guards and signalmen and one remarkable lady, Eunice Bickerdyke, of Normanton. The stories were put together as \u2018Messroom Gossip\u2019, but were never published. I\u2019m hoping to feature some of the stories in the next few issues of The Salvo. Hope you enjoy them! <\/em><\/p>\n

Ron Stead (Retired Guard, Leeds)<\/strong><\/h5>\n

\u201cJust after the war it was hard to get things like rabbits and eggs in Leeds. I was working as a guard on the Carlisle run, and most of the signalmen in the Dales would shoot rabbits and hang them on the signalbox veranda, like a market sale. It was 1\/6 for a couple. The platelayers had a supply too; we’d often happen to run ‘short of steam’ at places like Selside, Horton, or Kirkby Stephen and buy a few.<\/p>\n

We’d often stop to chase rabbits, and more than one driver carried a gun. One actually wore a poacher’s jacket and wouldn’t finish a turn<\/p>\n

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The Railwaymen Remember’ group at Leeds station. Ralph on extreme left<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

without bagging a couple of pheasants or rabbits. He’d often carry a ferret with him as well. The favourite line for rabbits was between llkley and Skipton; he’d often hit them with a catapult.<\/p>\n

Some of the men had drink problems. One guard in particular had his own ‘radar’ system which would sniff out a pub for miles. If he was pointing towards a Tetley’s house his nose would go ‘beep-beep-beep’! One day he was booked to work a farm train to Carlisle, leaving Leeds at 4 pm. This was in the days when entire farms were moved from one end of the country to the other, by goods train. Our hero staggered out of the pub onto platform 5 at Wellington station, and got into the old Midland brake van. There were dogs, sheep and goats all tied up in the brake van. There was also a box, which he mistakenly opened. It contained two prize rabbits. When the dogs saw the rabbits they went wild and broke loose from their tethering, and chased the rabbits round the van. By the time the train had got to Kirkstall, and the rabbits were back in their box, the guard was as sober as judge.<\/p>\n

Another animal story involves a cattle train from Stranraer via Carlisle to the south. A Stourton guard worked the train between Carlisle and Leeds, and was stopped at Kirkby Stephen. One of the cows’ legs was<\/p>\n

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A Blackburn Guard – in the olden times<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

hanging out of the van! The train reversed into the cattle dock so it would be possible to open the door and ensure the cow was got back in safely. Unfortunately, the guard didn’t check to see whether the cattle dock gates out onto the road were shut. All the other cows in the van made a bid for freedom, and the only one which was rescued was the cow with the sore leg!<\/p>\n

Speaking of cattle, there was a cattleman based at Stourton, and at Ordsall Lane, Manchester. Their job was to make sure the cows were fed and watered. In many respects, those cows had better conditions of service than we had!<\/p>\n

There was a lot of class distinction, and snobbery, when I joined the railway. The clerks would be called ‘Mr this’ and ‘Mr that’ but others would be addressed as ‘Mr This or Mr That’! Some of the clerks I worked with delighted in picking you up on spelling for example when you handed in a privilege ticket application form.<\/p>\n

If you took the form in to the clerk’s office, he’d keep writing at his desk and ignore you, until he was ready.<\/p>\n

Some of my most memorable experiences were riding in the brake van over the ‘Long Drag’ on a clear winter’s night when the snow lay thick on the ground. It was like going across the moon. I’d stand on the veranda and see Whernside or Penyghent. Sometimes it was so bright you could almost read a book. But that line is lovely in all weathers…except when it was chucking it down!<\/p>\n

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A 9F departs from Blea Moor with a Widnes – Long Meg train, April 1966<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We’d often arrive at Blea Moor wanting to take water and the leather bags of the water column would be frozen solid. We’d have to hit them with a coal hammer to get them working.<\/p>\n

Ribblehead viaduct was famous for its winds, and one day a car was blown off a train. Then there was the turntable: at Garsdale: an engine was being turned and the wind got hold of it. That engine went round and round for ages, and, they only stopped it by shovelling dirt into the pit. After that they put a wooden stockade round it. The turntable was bought by a preservation group, I thank its at Keighley now.<\/p>\n

Saltley (Birmingham) was a big lodging house, and a lot of men actually lived there. Holbeck men never liked it though we should have lodged there when working to Birmingham, we always went up to the LNWR house at Aston. It was a much superior establishment. Saltley was full of cockroaches.<\/p>\n

This driver I used to work with when I was a guard, was a funny old character. He’d have these conversations with himself about this and t<\/p>\n

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A ‘Peak’ passes Blea Moor on a Nottingham – Glasgow train, c 1976<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

hat, and one day I was with him and he was muttering about how much he’d like to stop smoking – just as he was about to light up. I said to him, why not start now?” and grabbed the fags out of his hands, and jumped out of the cab, running back to my brake with the prizes.<\/p>\n

We were stopped at a signal and he jumped out after me; as he ran back the signal was cleared, and the fireman whistled for him. He had to go back to the engine, defeated. I knew he’d try and catch me when we arrived at Stourton Yard by jumping off the engine and waiting till I got level with him, in the brake. I was up to his trick, and jumped out of the van, fags and all, and ran to the shed and signed off!<\/p>\n

There were occasional bad sides to railway life. A porter at Leeds murdered a prostitute. He cut her up and dumped the remains at the end of no. 8 platform, where there was a rubbish shute down to the dark arches. When the bin was being removed one of the poor woman’s arms fell off the cart. Police were called in and the porter confessed to the crime. He was sentenced to death, but this was commuted to life imprisonment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Where next for Community Rail?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

I promised in the last Salvo that I would offer a few thoughts on \u2018next steps for Community Rail\u2019 in the light of the new political landscape and formation of Great British Railways. Thoughts are very welcome, feed them in by email or by the \u2018comments\u2019 section of the website. This is just a starter, flagging up a few areas where Community Rail has real opportunities. Key areas include:<\/p>\n