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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted -  12/09/2004  :  18:29
Posted by Stanlery for 'Handlamp'. (Ted Harrison, a member from Newark)

BARNOLDSWICK LMS RAILWAY STATION AND ITS WORKING IN THE EARLY FORTIES

Having entered the service of the LMS Railway at Skipton on 24th February 1941, where I trained as a Booking and Parcels Clerk, I was transferred to Barnoldswick as a Junior Clerk on 30th June of that year. The duties of my post, which was remunerated at the princely sum of £35 per annum, were split between the Passenger and Goods Offices which were situated adjacent to each other on the sole platform.

Barnoldswick was the only station on a single line, located 1mile 1342 yards from Barnoldswick Junction at Kelbrook, which in turn was 1166 yards west of Earby Station Box on the Skipton to Colne line. The line had originally started life as the Barnoldswick Railway in 1871 but, in March 1898 the local company had approached the Midland Railway to see if it would purchase the line outright. As the line had always paid out a `regular and reasonable’ dividend the Midland agreed to do so and powers were secured in 1899. For many years it appears that the Barlick folk had to make do with hot water bottles as a source of heat until authorisation was given to fit steam heating to the two locos and nine carriages allocated to the Branch on 16th November 1922, some 20 years after the Midland had fitted their main line coaches. The Branch finally closed on 27th September 1965.

Barlick was the place that gave me my first taste for the `thrills’ of railway operating. The single line was worked by the `Only one engine in steam or two or more coupled together’ system, section V1 of the Rule Book. All points on the single line were locked by the train staff which the driver held as his authority for being on the single line. The staff was round and black with the person responsible to receive and deliver it to the driver being the Signalman at Barnoldswick Junction. The only signal at the station was an old Midland `Stop Board’ which protected the level crossing on Wellhouse Road and the Coal Yard beyond. The oblong Board fully presented to approaching trains gave a danger aspect (with red bullseye lamp above), a clear indication being given when it was turned 90 degrees to a side on position, i.e. parallel to the line facing Wellhouse Road.

Every lunch time found me hurriedly partaking of my sandwiches in the Porters Room before going out to `help’ with the shunting of the Goods Yard. This took the form of pinning down or releasing wagon brakes or `knobbing up’ points, only rarely was I allowed to handle a shunting pole. Most evenings I returned to spend more time with the leading porter and the engine crews until the last train at 9:35pm when I usually had the treat of driving the engine. A push and pull train was allocated to the Branch, being propelled towards Earby. When propelling the driver was located in the cab at the front end of the leading coach (normally two on the train) with the staff where he operated the vacuum brake whilst the fireman operated the regulator on the locomotive. It was the practice of most crews, prior to shutting off power, to open the regulator momentarily to the full, then close it at the bridge over the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The train then `coasted’ to the Junction which was traversed slowly until the driver had surrendered the staff to the signalman. On receipt of the bell code to indicate that the staff had safely been delivered the regulator was opened with some gusto for the run into Earby. Mr. Dawes, the Station Master, must have been aware of my activities as his house and garden overlooked the all station area but he turned a Nelsonian eye and never restricted my enthusiasm in any way.

The Booking and Parcels Clerk was, and had been for many years, Louis Barwick, a much respected member of the community and a leading light in the town’s glee union. He had a good baritone voice and would frequently burst into snatches of anything from the Mikado to the Messiah. Cotton manufacturers travelled to the Manchester Market each Tuesday and Friday and two of their number would sometimes come into the office and join him in song. Exceptionally Louis retained his entitlement to uniform dating from the Midland Railway days when his duties included the examination and collection of tickets. An avid pipe smoker he was often blamed for the destruction of the gas mantles with his practice of lighting paper spills from them. Although then in his early sixties, he had a good head of wiry hair. Tommy Corkill, a Goods Guard from Skipton, regularly cut the hair of most of the staff on his visits but did his best to avoid Louis on the alleged grounds that his hair ruined the scissors.

The parcels were delivered by horse van, the van man being another stalwart, Charlie Moore. Nowadays one is inclined to forget that horses had to be fed and watered twice daily and Charlie, or a substitute, had to attend the stables for this duty at weekends and on bank holidays. Charlie thought a lot about his horses and I recall his sadness at loosing one of his favourites when he loaded it into a horse box for transfer to another station. When a telegram was received advising the timings for a horsebox with a replacement horse for him from the Stables at Oakham he had extreme difficulty containing his excitement until the train conveying it arrived and he had viewed his future workmate.

Another long standing member of the team was Tommy Westmoreland, one of the two Leading Porters. Tommy was a big genial chap who seemed equally happy diving under the buffers to perform coupling on the passenger trains, wielding a shunting pole out in the yard, or dealing with the public in the office or on the platform. I suppose his trade mark was his tobacco tin, pipe and pen knife which he seemed to be perpetually using to cut up his twist. When I first started at Barlick the other leading porter was Joe Creasey who was soon transferred on promotion to Leeds as a shunter and he was replaced by Dick Dawson. Dick had come from Clitheroe and had recently taken up residence on, or near to, Wellhouse Road. The one other member of the platform staff was Walter Scales who resided at Skipton.

One regular daily visitor to the Booking Office was Henry Carter, a local newsagent, who usually arrived around 4:15pm to collect his evening newspapers. Henry was renowned for his hobby of the manufacture of cigarette lighters and he kept the staff well supplied with these, particularly at that time, very useful items.

The Goods Department was very busy as most of the commodities for shops and industry were being conveyed by rail. Large quantities of explosives were also received from, and forwarded to, Gledstone Hall which was being used as a military storage depot. The town cartage work was performed by a horse and dray, industry and out lying areas being served by one or more Scammell units loaned from Skipton. The Goods Office was manned by Mr. Reynolds, the Senior Clerk, and Miss Mary Wensley with myself halftime. In 1941 the system which had prevailed from the days when the railways took over from the stage coach still prevailed and every consignment required an invoice, raised at the sending station and sent to the receiving station, with full details including weight and charges shown thereon. Apart from assisting with the invoicing, as was to be expected with the junior post, I was allocated the more menial tasks. One of these was `abstracting' details from invoices station by station and `summarising’ the financial information thus obtained for each railway.

The Branch was normally serviced by a Class 1 0-4-4 tank engine and two coaches fitted with push and pull equipment which did not require the presence of a guard on the train. However in my time there, so far as I can recall, until around 1:00pm, a Class 2,3 or 4F 0-6-0 covered the passenger service on top of its freight work which, of course, involved `running round’ the coaches at both stations and a guard being employed. Barlick trains connected into and out of all trains at Earby between 7:00am and 9:48pmSX, 10:27pm SO. Even at that time the branch trains were usually lightly loaded. One glaring exception was the 11:10pm from Barlick which conveyed around 200 `late night revellers’ fresh from the regular Saturday evening dance at the Majestic Ballroom. There was no booked Sunday service but the Branch occasionally opened for special trains. In the winters of 41/42 and 42/43 traffic had built up to such a degree that I can recall at least three or four freight specials running on the Sabbath. The booked freight service on weekdays arrived from Skipton around 6.10am when traffic was `set’ in the Goods and Coal yards and departed around 1/30pm. `Mixed’ trains (i.e. conveying passengers and freight) on which the freight wagons were not required to have continuous brakes, were scheduled to run on the Branch. A train departing Barlick around 5/30pm was booked as a mixed train and regularly conveyed the maximum of 20 wagons with a brake van and quite frequently included wagons of explosives

Early in 1943 Rodney Hampson entered the service and commenced training for my duties and it was apparent that my days at Barnoldswick were numbered. As anticipated `the call’ came on 16th March 1943 when I was transferred to Colne, still a Junior Clerk (but this time filling a senior position as Booking Clerk) , my rate of pay having risen by then to £55 per annum.

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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 02/02/2007 : 03:32
Ted, it's the list wot did it.  Don't worry, a new page will come up soon and it'll straighten itself out.


Stanley Challenger Graham




Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
handlamp
Senior Member


1100 Posts
Posted - 02/02/2007 : 14:56
Thank you, Stanley - was frightened to post anymore. Robert, I have a foggy memory of a tank, where was/is Kiln Lane? I associate KL  with Jackson's the motor exhaust firm. 


TedGo to Top of Page
Invernahaille
Regular Member


669 Posts
Posted - 02/02/2007 : 16:45
Thats right Ted. Jackson's silencers was at the bottom of Kiln Lane.


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handlamp
Senior Member


1100 Posts
Posted - 03/02/2007 : 16:05

To continue:-

Under the Machinery of Negotiation between the BRB and the railway unions the set up was second to none and, at a time when many other large organisations suffered from strikes and other disturbances, ensured long periods of industrial peace. Briefly, staff were placed in groups of grades and, below national regotiations at Board level, parley took place in the regions at what were called Sectional Councils. These were split into `1' for Management, Clerical and Supervisory Staff; `2' for Motive Power Department Wages Staff; `3' for Traffic Dept. Wages Staff, and `4' for Goods Dept. Wages Staff. At district, station or depot level the staff were represented by local representatives and, where there were fifty or more, a Local Departmental Committee was established. At Hasland the YM/GA was the management side Chairman of the LDC, the staff side comprising two Goods Guards, one Signalman and one Shunter. In addition to the YM/GA, the management side was comprised of the AYM and Depot Clerk. The LDC staff side representatives had an unenviable job at a time when the industry was contracting. The main task at that time was to retain work and with it, route knowledge for the guards at the depot and, under Bob Muggleton, both sides of the LDC did their utmost in this connection. In his absence I did my best to uphold this theme and, in fact, continued to do so with increasing difficulty throughout my railway career. In my time at Hasland all the staff side were sound reliable men. With one or two glaring exceptions, I always found this to be the case throughout my career. Unfortunately staff at the smaller stations and depots, generally the longest serving and most conscientious, were the first to feel the effects of `rationalisation'.

Whilst at Hasland I continued first aid competition work with the Hasland Class, The Secretary of the Class was a gentleman called Edgar Hardstaff, an ex driver then confined to `Shed' duties. He had been driving a passenger train between Nottingham and Derby, and had his head out of the enginre cab as it approached Spondon station, when he was struck in the eye by a crab apple, one of many being thrown by some youths at passing trains. As a result Edgar was off work for many weeks and the sight in that eye was so impaired that he had to take a job in the Stores.

One droll incident was when one of the shunters reported sick with violent vomiting and severe stomach pains. It transpired that the old lad suffered from arthritis and had been recommended to try Fynnons Salts. The previous day a van containing fertiliser had been transhipped and one of the bags had burst disgorging its contents into the sidings. When he came on duty in the afternoon the lad had enquired what the heap of white powder was, to be told by one of his colleagues that it was `Fisons', The rest is not difficult to imagine.     




TedGo to Top of Page
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 04/02/2007 : 07:12
Do you remember the advert for Krushen's Salts'.....  Every picture tells a story.  Wonderful how we all believed that a dose of foul-tasting water and chemicals would make our backs better!  All we had to do actually was stop lifting heavy weights!


Stanley Challenger Graham




Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
handlamp
Senior Member


1100 Posts
Posted - 04/02/2007 : 16:13

Sorry I had to cut short that post, visitors!

The main sidings at Avenue comprised fifteen through and one dead ended with access from the north end only. The latter (No.16) was used for `cripples' and `wait order' wagons. This was before the days of the Total Operating Process System (TOPS) and a few dirty wagons were received actually labelled No.16 Avenue. Of course the labels did not bear any `come from'. These were sent deliberately, often to avoid cleaning or explanation of how the contents had come to be there. Most ended up being sent for tipping although I recall half a van full of false noses and a sheeted high goods wagon containing a score of wooden buffets (stools). Eventually both wagons ended up being sent to their proper consignees after considerable enquiry.  

Wilst at Hasland I gained valuable experience in the investigation and the determination of the causes of accidents and the re-railing of wagons etc.. I learned to look for marks on the rail/s, sleeper/chair damage, `split' points with the tell tale bent rear stretcher bar, low rails, tight or wide guages, wagon defects etc.. The skills of properly positioning ramps and packing were acquired along with the judicious use of fishplates to `encourage' wheels to slide back onto the rail.

The arrival of the 350hp diesel shunter, with its brisk pulling ability, proved a big help in re-railing. Unfortunately, as with its bigger sisters, stopping proved somewhat less reliable and, after one or two instances where the weight of a raft of wagons pulled the loco with it, drivers handled them `gingerly' until they became fully conversant with their capabilities.

At the start of this chapter on Hasland, I commented on the importance of the stretch of line between Tapton Junction and Clay Cross South Junction. The density of the traffic over the four lines of way warranted the appointment of Class 3 Inspectors as Regulators at Clay Cross North Junction and they did a good job in keeping delay to a minimum by making maximum of the main lines. Trains could be switched between lines as follows:-

Hornsbridge: Up Main to Up Goods and Down Goods to Down Main.

Hasland Sidings : Up Goods to Up Main.

Clay Cross North Junction: Down Main (Derby) to 2nd Down Goods.

Coney Green: Down Main to Down Goods.

Morton Sidings: Down Goods to Down Main.

Doe Hill: Up Goods to Up Main.

Tibshelf South Junction: Up Goods to Up Main and Down Main to Down Goods.

Blackwell South Junction: Up Goods to Up Main and Down Main to Down Goods.

The Station Master, or other person in charge of a station, yards or depot was required to `thoroughly acquaint' himself with the duties of all signalmen under his control. This was a necessary requirement if one was to properly audit what went on in the signal boxes and be able to work them safely in the event of an emergency. In the case of a Relief Station Master who from time to time covered many stations, this was easier said than done but, as `resident' SM I made a point of mastering all the work of my boxes. With a box such as Milnrow there was no problem but it was a different matter when I moved to Hasland. On arrival I therefore quickly found time to actually work Avenue Sidings and Hasland Sidings for odd hours at a time with the invaluable help of two conscientious signalmen. These co-operative chaps were Les Taft at Hasland and Bill Sadler at Avenue. There is no truer saying than `familiarity breeds contempt' and this was brought home to me one day at Hasland Sidings. As the 13.00 Chesterfield - Nottingham `stopper' passed on the up main I replaced the lever for the up distant signal and then stood with my back to the frame to watch the train pass. Having sent the `Train entering section' signal I went to restore the home signal lever and found to my horror that I had put back the starting signal practically under the driver's nose. The train was brought to a screeching halt and the fireman hurried back to the box to see what was amiss. Fortunately it was a Hasland crew known to Les Taft and the driver undertook to make up the lost time and nothing further was heard of the matter. Never again would I operate the levers with my back to a frame. I was able to put my knowledge into effect a few weeks later when I found a signalman writhing about in pain on the locker and I took over the box while he was conveyed by ambulance to hospital. Happily it turned out to be nothing worse than the aftermath of him having eaten a coconut macaroon at lunch.            



Edited by - handlamp on 04 February 2007 16:23:25


TedGo to Top of Page
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 05/02/2007 : 02:48
Can't sleep so I spent 30 minutes on finding the reason why the page was out of flunter.  Last line I tried sorted it.  Now we can read Ted's lterary gem without continually scrolling across.  And yes, it was all Ted's fault!  The old fart had put a row of spaces in on the last line of the piece......  All is forgiven......


Stanley Challenger Graham




Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
handlamp
Senior Member


1100 Posts
Posted - 05/02/2007 : 15:37
My apologies, Stanley but I honestly can't remember doing the dirty deed. Will try and exercise more care in future and definitely keep off the vino when posting.


TedGo to Top of Page
handlamp
Senior Member


1100 Posts
Posted - 05/02/2007 : 15:43
Just noticed I seem to have been stuck on 324 posts since well before Christmas. Now they've all gone up to 325

Edited by - handlamp on 05 February 2007 15:45:00


TedGo to Top of Page
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 05/02/2007 : 17:56
No need to apologise Ted....  probably wasn't your fault anyway.  I can't do anything about the posts!


Stanley Challenger Graham




Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
handlamp
Senior Member


1100 Posts
Posted - 06/02/2007 : 15:43

My beloved daughter tells me that the number is automatically updated on all the previous posts whenever we make another one- so yet again its a case of the TURNIP strikes again! Sorree




TedGo to Top of Page
Invernahaille
Regular Member


669 Posts
Posted - 06/02/2007 : 15:45
Ted. If he weroo wer I wordip. I saw worzel Gummidge too.


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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 06/02/2007 : 17:42
Ted, you would be amazed at the number of things I learn in exactly the same manner.......  If you're a turnip we'd better all own up and join the club!


Stanley Challenger Graham




Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
Invernahaille
Regular Member


669 Posts
Posted - 06/02/2007 : 18:48
Hear Hear.


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handlamp
Senior Member


1100 Posts
Posted - 12/02/2007 : 15:35

In today's fragmented railway the jurisdiction of the few people who still `enjoy' the title of Station Master is confined to the station area rarely straying, onto the running lines beyond the platforms. The days where the SM could be responsible for a large area and numerous functions having been consigned to history. To be fair, it must be said that the erstwhile SM was a dying breed long before John Major's ill fated excursion into railway matters, dating from the late sixties with the introduction of area management. It is therefore only proper that the duties of that very important grade in the operation of the railway should be placed on record.   

The Rule Book told us that the term Station Master included Yard Master, Goods Agent, Inspector,  and other person in charge of a station, yard or depot. He was responsible for:-

(a) the security and protection of the buildings and property at the station.

(b) the efficient discharge of duties devolving upon all employees engaged at the station or within its limits, and for promptly reporting any neglect of duty on the part of such employees.

(c) the general working of the station being carried out in strict accordance with the regulations, and, as far as practicable, for giving personal attention to the shunting of trains and all other operations affecting the safety of the railway.

(d) the employees under them connected with the operative working of the railway being in possession of a copy of these Rules, and for the proper distribution of the working timetables, appendices, and other notices having reference to the working of the railway.

(e) making themselves throoughly acquainted with the duties of the Signalmen under their control and for frequently visiting the signal boxes to maintain proper supervision over the working. They must also sign the Train Register below the last entry upon each visit.

(f) a daily inspection of the station, also the cleanliness and neatness of all premises.

(g) all orders and instructions being duly recorded and complied with, and books and returns being regularly written up.

(h) the proper exhibition of all statutory and other notices.

(i) promptly reporting complaints made by the public.]

(j) stores being properly and economically used.

(k) exhibiting in their offices, up to dat lists of names and addresses of employees (including Fogsignalmen) connected with the traffic working.

All employees attached to a station, or employed in an area which is under the control of the Station Master, are subject to the Station Master's authority and direction in the working of the railway.

At this juncture it may be opportune to set out what the supervision of the mainly old manual type signalboxes involved. At each visit he would satisfy himself that the signalman was in a fit state to carry out his duties and that he was working the box in a satisfactory manner. His priority would be to ensure that the rules, appendix instructions and signalling regulations were being properly observed. To fulfil these requirements the following items would need to be checked:-

(a) That the box was in a clean and tidy condition.

(b) The Special Instructions to Signalmen were in good condition and displayed in a conspicuous position.

(c) That clean red and green flags and hand lamp, with red/greed shafdes, also detonators, were all readily available for immediate use.

(d) The train register book entries since the last SM's visit. Looking for emergencie, testing of equipment, receipt of daily time signal and any consequent clock correction, staff signing on and off times, opening and closing times including thoses of adjoining boxes.Noting, so far as possible, whether all rules and regulations had been correctly observed.

(e) That signal repeaters and light, and other indicators were in good order, testing where appropriate.

(f) That paper seals on sealed releases were in good order.

(g) That only authorised persons were in the box.               

To be continued...                                                                                                 

 

 




TedGo to Top of Page
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