By Joe Patterson

Many of the public over the years of the steam era used the railways as a means of transport to travel from one end of the country to the other, with little or no thought for the skill, effort and dedication of the railwaymen who provided the service.

So much of our railway system has now disappeared along with the communities which were built around the loco – sheds. When I joined the Motive Power Department at Darnall in 1947, I felt the comradeship that existed between all the men, all did their job with pride and efficiency.

I was lucky to have been one of that unique group of men and I will always remember those ‘special years’; they were the best years of my working life. I started work as an engine cleaner on the 21st September 1947 and left the footplate in 1965 after 18years service. I left because I became disillusioned, the job satisfaction just disappeared. The locomotives were in such poor condition, and every trip was becoming a struggle on express trains. Sadly many of my old mates have now passed away and are no longer with us, I can still remember many of their names, each one of them a good friend on and off the footplate.

Occasionally I met up with an ex – fireman, and we always get around to speaking about our footplate days, remembering the many characters and firemen alike.

There are too many friends for me to mention, but I wish to give a special mention to drivers:- George Sands, Horace Asquith, Wilf Gray, Bill Pinchbeck, Frank Hill, Albert Whitlam, Cyril Skayernas and Bob Fitzjohn.

These drivers in particular played a role model for me as a fireman, as I progressed through the lower links until I became a regular passenger fireman.

I thank them all.