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32: I Become A Registered Driver! Posted on the second Wednesday of every month, the All Line Vacancy list was really a small book, which detailed driver and second man vacancies at depots all around the country. When September's came out, I was a bit shocked to see that Coalville had just one driver's vacancy, even though I'd half-expected it. But as long as no one registered an 8b or 14a move that job would be mine. I'd have to wait and see... On Monday 28th September I booked on at 08.00 for the 6V76 to Wellingborough. It was a cold but sunny day. As I walked out in the cold sunshine to board my loco - 56061 - I found myself suddenly surrounded by the LDC. They were all smiles and handshakes. Anyone would think I'd won the pools! Well, for me, it was almost as good as. From the beginning of October I would be a registered driver. It took a while to sink in. In just eight years, I'd achieved my ambition. With that good news I climbed aboard my engine and left for Bardon. I felt touched: seldom do you experience people being genuinely happy for your achievements, but that really summed up the ambience of Coalville depot in 1987 - a community of decent railwaymen. My letter of confirmation arrived on Monday 5th and I officially ended my driving turn symbol there and then. The rest of the year was pretty routine, apart from the gales that hit the south and the West Country on the 16th October. At up to 105 mph they were the worst on record. So bad, in fact, that seventeen people were to lose their lives. My turn for that day - 6Z97 ex-Didcot - was cancelled for obvious reasons. The following Sunday Mantle Lane railwaymen played a one-off football match against regulars from the Steam Packet pub. The final score was 2-2 and the afternoon was rounded off with a few beers. At the very end of 1987 my father died after a long illness - a blow that seemed all the more devastating when it happened on my sister's birthday. Most people never come to terms with such losses, but my father was proud of having a train driver for a son and I knew that he would have wanted me to soldier on. On the 13th January 1988 I road-refreshed Derby with ex-Burton driver Ray Bartram. He had to fetch 31282, which I drove back light - another chance for me to drive unfamiliar traction. Fresh opportunities also came on Monday 25th when I had 56015 in the new two-tone grey livery. Only one thing spoiled it. We were accompanied by the worst BR manager that any of us had ever worked under. He'd come along to examine certain safety issues that needed looking at. With an attitude that fell well short of human, it seemed as if he actually enjoyed being disliked! We took our train from Whitwick Sidings, loaded in Bagworth, then got relieved on the boards. We were also accompanied by two of the guards LDC. Their presence kept the gaffer on his toes - and thankfully off ours! Though there were very few Class 45s left by this time, one or two still found their way onto the branch. On Wednesday 10th February I was 06.00 on shed. A new job - the York-Bardons - had recently started and a variety of traction was booked on it. This gave our roster clerk quite a headache. Classes 47 or 20 were no problem - proper Coalville men and us younger chaps could work it. Sometimes, though, it was a Peak or a 37, so they'd have to find a driver (maybe an ex-Burton one) who knew the class. That day it turned out to be Eddie Brooks (ex Overseal and Burton). After swapping turns with another secondman, Karl Brailsford we then worked as far as Derby with 45140 (unofficially named Mercury). When Eddie asked me if I wanted to drive I leapt at the chance. So ended another era for me - it was the last Peak I ever drove. On Tuesday 8th March I booked on duty for the 07.00 ferry. One loco needed fuel and water so I took 58025 on an uneventful round trip to Leicester. After disposing of the loco on the holding sidings I went to wash my hands, then headed for the messroom for a game of cards with the lads. The place was practically empty! Due to the increasing workload everyone was out earning revenue. A worried looking TCS, Ronnie Harrison, came over to me. 'Tony, I know you haven't had your PNB yet, but we've got a problem. Gord Sanders has dropped off the road in Drakelow. I've got no one else - will you go down with 58004 as a drawback engine and see the job out?' Ronnie had looked after me on many occasions so even though it could end up as twelve hours I willingly agreed. Arriving at Drakelow I positioned the engine at the back of the train's last wagon and waited. The Toton breakdown crane had just arrived and people from various departments were scurrying around the derailed wagons. After a while someone brought me a radio and coupled on. It turned out that the engine that had brought the crane had a broken leaf spring, so the Toton crew were instructed to commandeer my engine and I would take their 20009 back light engine. As I walked down to it I could see that six wagons had come off and stood at unnatural angles. The trouble was due to the road spreading. And little wonder! Drakelow's arrival and departure lines had not been re-laid for years and instead of ballast the sleepers lay in spilled coal slack. The shunters cabin was full of people waiting to use the phone. In the corner sat Gordon, grinning and supping tea. 'You'll do anything for twelve hours,' I joked. 'You won't do so bad out of it either,' he replied, looking at his watch. '07.00 on this morning...' Bidding him farewell I went off to relieve the Toton men on the Class 20. After swapping keys I set off, accompanied by Coalville guard Roy Butlin. By the time we got to Toton and returned by taxi we were on almost twelve hours! |