大象传媒

I set off about 20 minutes to midnight, with My Tin Hat and Gas Mask over my shoulder. Walking down Newgate I saw many I knew going into St. Paul's for the Midnight Service." Fancy having to go to Work on Xmas Eve "said a girl I knew, "Well it's only once a year" I replied.

When I got to the Shed it was like a Ghost Town. No engines in steam and nobody about, I walked into the Foreman's office and there was Albert Edward Brook, Deputy Foreman - Teetotal. Storesman? Telephone Attendant John Thomas Ashton, teetotal and My Driver and I all teetotal, What a coincidence. The only other people on the premises were three Home Guards sleeping in their Coach behind the Shed on No. 9.

All we had to do was Shed a couple of Engines off the Ash pit, which went in without Coal, because we hadn't any Coalmen. Then we were waiting for the Milk Engine. " Do you mind Cleaning the Fire on the Milk Engine when she comes on Jack? She's going on the Milk again tonight, (4:07p.m. Xmas Day)" " Aye alright Albert" "Then you can get your Head down in the Messroom " Albert Said.

Whilst waiting for the Milk Engine to come on Shed, My mate and Albert Edward started telling Tales about themselves, well they weren't exactly tales but 'Whoppers' as we called them, non malicious lies they were, John Thomas Ashton and I sat in the Foreman's Office and listened to the other two telling these fantastic stories.

First of all Albert had a Shunting Pole and was stalking around the Office furniture hunting Zulu's in Africa. Then my mate told us his story of his waiting in the Relief Cabin at Manchester Station, which was situated between Platform 5 and the Through Line, right in the middle of the Station Area. Air Raid Warning Red, came the message from Control. "Keep your Heads Down!". The Train they had traveled to relieve arrived between the 'Crump' of falling Bombs, They relieved the crew, who headed for the Shelter, "Best of Luck" they wished our friend.

The night sky over Manchester was alight. "Give us a road out of here!" he called to the Signalman. "Control says you can't go because of the Blackout and the glare from your fire helping Jerry Bombers.". "Jerry has found the bloody place without our help,鈥� he replied, 鈥滵oesn't the silly Bugger know there's fires all over Manchester, one more won鈥檛 make any difference and we don't want to sit here and wait to be bombed".

Control relented and they were given the Road with the Bank Engine behind. Off they went up the 1/45 gradient, blazing away up the bank trying to get away, when a Jerry Plane spotted them and promptly started to Machine Gun them.

" Did he get you?" I asked. "No Lad," came his reply, " We were zig-zagging".

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