THERE was a time, so it was said, that every young boy wanted to be a train driver when he grew up. I doubt that’s true today. More likely a muscle bound reality TV star, a technology entrepreneur or a professional footballer.
Although that might say just as much about the declining image of the railways as it does about modern male aspirations. For no longer is the person seated behind the screen in the cab of a diesel locomotive considered the lord of all they survey.
It’s a far cry from being in charge of a thundering, rumbling, steam belching dragon, racing through the countryside, smoke trail in its wake, hauling a snaking line of carriages or wagons. Probably quicker, certainly cleaner, but a whole lot less exciting.
However, should you feel the need for speed and a flash back to those gloriously mucky days of coal tenders and roaring fireboxes, a new book has just come out to take you there.
A Hereford-bound service stops at Ledbury station in July, 1959
The Last Years Of West Midlands Steam is exactly what it says on the cover. Packed with 250 images (most of them atmospheric black and white, while a few are colour), it showcases the scenes of the final decades of mainline steam trains and before the arrival of heritage railways like the Severn Valley to show people exactly what they were missing.
It’s been written and compiled by Peter Tuffrey, who has done lots of things, including two years as main media man for Doncaster Rovers and publishing 85 assorted books, which is some going. In the process he’s amassed a wealth of material and knowledge, which forms the backbone of his career as a freelance writer.
After a couple of pages of scene setting editorial, The Last Years... is essentially a pictorial book with detailed captions that demonstrate the author’s intimate grasp of his subject. Some so detailed, the only thing missing seems to be what the train driver had in his sandwiches. It’s cognoscenti stuff.
Three engines inside Worcester Works in July 1964
For example the words to a simple overhead shot of three locomotives being worked on at Worcester Shrub Hill, read: “Three engines inside Worcester Works under attention on July 12, 1964. Closest to camera is Collett Hall class no 5932 ‘Haydon Hall’, behind is Collett 8750 class 0-6-0PT no 3683 and in the background stands no 5043 ‘Winchester Castle’. No 5932 was based at Westbury, moving to Severn Tunnel Junction in August 1964; withdrawn from Barrow Road in October, 1965. No 3683 was recently allocated to the ranks at Hereford, though the repair did not extend employment beyond October.”
Being an overview of the West Midlands area, the book covers all the way from Wolverhampton down to Beckford, near Tewkesbury, via Kidderminster, Worcester and most points south.
The rural peace of Upton upon Severn station in July 1955
In a time warp image from the 1950s, there is a single carriage train leaving Upton-upon-Severn station on a clear skied summer day in July, 1955, heading to Ashchurch, Tewkesbury.
The engine, built by Dubs & Co in 1900, was one of 345 made to the Johnson M (3F) Class design between 1892 and 1902, its last major work being in 1924 when it had a new G7 boiler fitted.
That’s not my information, obviously, it’s Mr Tuffrey’s, but it adds interesting detail to what is already a fascinating snapshot of life in a year when American Bill Haley and his band the Comets were storming the hit parade with the new sound of Rock Around The Clock and maybe young lads were just beginning to think twice about being train drivers.
The Last Years of West Midlands Steam by Peter Tuffrey is published by Great Northern Books and costs £19.99
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