Mystery name KX driver?

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Mickey
LNER V2 2-6-2 'Green Arrow'
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Mystery name KX driver?

Post by Mickey »

Here is a hard one to solve without a name to go on but I have been wondering what the name of this Kings Cross driver was for many years now to no avail?. The driver in question use to live in a old house beside the Welwyn Garden City to Luton single line and the house in question was a old house located beside the single line track at the edge or a clearing in the woods on the long left-hand curve after leaving Welwyn Garden City station and then passing underneath the Hunters road over bridge with the single line curving around to the left and then passing the back of the Cherry tree pub which was set back from the single line with the single line still on a long left-hand curve heading towards the White bridge on the Digswell road.

The driver in question I believe was possibly in 4A link the 'Cambridge gang' during 1973-74 and as for the old house in the clearing in the woods that was probably demolished many years ago during the 1970s I suspect.
Original start date of 2010 on the LNER forum and previously posted 4500+ posts.
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manna
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
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Re: Mystery name KX driver?

Post by manna »

G'Day Gents

The Driver that lived beside the mainline just North of WGC station was my regular driver, and yes he was in the Cambridge link, but like you I'm damned if I can remember his name.

manna
EDGWARE GN, Steam in the Suburbs.
Mickey
LNER V2 2-6-2 'Green Arrow'
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Re: Mystery name KX driver?

Post by Mickey »

manna wrote: Fri Aug 20, 2021 10:09 pm The Driver that lived beside the mainline just North of WGC station was my regular driver, and yes he was in the Cambridge link, but like you I'm damned if I can remember his name.
Wow what a coincidence that he was your regular driver manna!.

It's nothing bad the reason why I am asking after his name in case anyone is wondering he was a ok bloke.
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manna
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Re: Mystery name KX driver?

Post by manna »

G'day Gent's

Made a few enquiries, His name was/is 'Jimmy Hayes', aka The ' Hertfordshire Budgie', Hoping my contact, will know what became of him.

manna
EDGWARE GN, Steam in the Suburbs.
Mickey
LNER V2 2-6-2 'Green Arrow'
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Re: Mystery name KX driver?

Post by Mickey »

That's his name Jimmy Hayes now you mentioned it manna thanks. I didn't know him personally but a secondman friend of mine worked with him on a number of loco diagrams at Kings Cross around 1973-74 in 4A gang 'the Cambridge gang' I recall.

Thanks again manna.
Original start date of 2010 on the LNER forum and previously posted 4500+ posts.
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manna
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Re: Mystery name KX driver?

Post by manna »

G'Day Mickey

A little more info, Ex Hornsey man, it is strongly believed he is still with us, I might learn a bit more over the next few days.

manna
EDGWARE GN, Steam in the Suburbs.
Mickey
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Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2019 7:27 am
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Re: Mystery name KX driver?

Post by Mickey »

Blimey Jimmy mite still be around today?. At a guess I reckon he mite have been about 40 years old back in 1973-74 but that is a guess on my part. He wouldn't know who I was I only remember seeing him around a handful of times back then although I can still see him in my minds eye. An ex Hornsey man was he so he would have been very familiar with the early Brush type 2s at Hornsey.

Thanks again manna.

Two green livered Brush type 2s photographed at Hornsey with D5609 carrying a 0B03 Hornsey head code with possibly D5578 standing behind D5609 and English Electric type 4 D356 standing along side D5609 and what looks like a BTH type 1 (class 15) just seen behind D5609 as well- https://www.rcts.org.uk/cache/photograp ... 99.780.jpg

From a few years earlier and half a mile away south of Hornsey at Harringay Up Goods s/box a couple of Hornsey J50s at Harringay Up Goods probably 'waiting the road' over the Harringay flyover to Ferme Park North Down- https://everipedia-storage.s3-accelerat ... 179969.jpg
Original start date of 2010 on the LNER forum and previously posted 4500+ posts.
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manna
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Re: Mystery name KX driver?

Post by manna »

G'Day Gents

I've learnt today that it's Jimmy Hayes birthday, he's 89, the railway house he used to live in at WGC, was demolished but he bought the land and built a another house in the garden.

manna
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Mickey
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Posts: 1189
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2019 7:27 am
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Re: Mystery name KX driver?

Post by Mickey »

That is Jimmy Hayes nowadays. Well I only remember him vaguely from around late 1973 or early 1974 when I assume he was aged about 38 or 39 years old so obviously he would have looked a lot different 50 years ago. Jimmy may have been in 4A gang at 'the cross' back then (the Cambridge link) and maybe his regular secondman at that time may have been apart from yourself manna a young bloke from WGC called Tony Oliver?.
Original start date of 2010 on the LNER forum and previously posted 4500+ posts.
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