大象传媒

This story was submitted to the site by Alison Tebbutt on behalf of Roy P Cannon. The author has given his permission and fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

I worked on the railway as a fireman from January 1940 till 1966. We would take the wagons of coal from pits to various places.

I do remember being on a passenger train somewhere near Sheffield. While stationary at a station, I remember looking across and seeing a big ball hanging down from the balcony. It was a bomb hanging from a parachute. If it had dropped, it would have gone off right there in front of us.

I also remember being at Birmingham, about to head home with our emptys. When there was an air raid we had nowhere to shelter, so we had to go under the engine tender.

While working on the trains we would have to show as little as possible and our steam pressure would often start to drop. We would sometimes have to use wood instead of coal. We would have to be especially careful at these times, as the sparks would go up the chimney.

The guards would stop us at the home signal and shine a red light if there was an air raid. This meant that we would have to put sheets around the engine and the tender, so that you were completely enclosed. It was very uncomfortable.

On the goodslines there were often very long queues. There was of course no traffic on the roads because of the petrol rations. We were all carrying coal, and there were lines going back and back. We would be stood stationary for ages.

This was a reserved occupation. I was eighteen years old when I started and I enjoyed the work. Getting a job on the railway was marvelous.

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