TPO on ECML

[locojoe]

When I was firing at Kings Cross in the number 3 mainline link we had a job which was working a TPO train from Kings Cross to Doncaster. It was on this train we sometimes had the Prototype Deltic and it was an evening turn. I do remember that at Huntingdon there was the PO apparatus where mail would be picked up without stopping. Fred a chap who lived next door to me was a regular PO sorter on this train, he would go through to Newcastle and return to London the next night. I would let him know when I was on this job, and when we stopped at Grantham he would bring us a couple of bottles of beer one for me and one for Arthur my driver. The beer went down well especially if we had a steamer. Can you imagine the uproar today drinking on duty. I believe the post office sorters got through plenty of bottles before they reached Newcastle. On this job we returned from Doncaster with an Anglo Scottish express.
Cheers Alan

[paperman]

Great story Alan, keep 'em coming! Enjoyed reading that.

[locojoe]

Hi Jeff
Thanks for replying to my message I was begining to think nobody was interested in what I had written. It's many years since I worked on BR and I've forgotten a lot of stuff from that time but if you want have a look at the group I have just started there is a lot of BR steam stuff there. I've only just started it so it's not really got going properly.
Cheers Alan.

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/s ... shrailways

[richard]

No, we're reading and enjoying it

"Drunk as a postman..."


Richard

[x568wcn]

Yes, they're very intresting, and would make a good book.

You don't hear much 'unofficial' life on the railway!

[karlrestall]

Very interesting and yes we enjoy reading your accounts of working for BR. The sad thing is, like Mark said we don't hear much about the lives of railway men as it was carried out and if you don't put it down somewhere soon there will be no personal recolections left ; so keep em coming:D.

Regards

Karl