The Fireman on A4 Silver Link – 27th September 1935

[LStewart]

I was very interested to read the post about Jack Woodcraft - Arthur Taylor's son in law

Jack Woodcraft was my Dad and Grace Goddard (Nee Taylor - Formerly Woodcraft) was my
mother.
Arthur Taylor was my Grandad and his sons Arthur, Charlie and Ralph were my uncles.
As a child I lived with mum, dad and Grandad. Arthur Senior died in 1959 and Jack died in
1964 Aged 47. My mother then married Jack Goddard who was a controller in GN House
He unfortunately died in 1974
Grace died in October last year at the age of 94.

I wish she had been alive to see the new drawing on the Silver Link which now hangs in
pride of place on my wall - she was always so proud of her Dad as we all were. My elder son
now has his OBE which is also displayed with great pride

Linda Stewart (nee Woodcraft)

[hq1hitchin]

I was very interested to read the post about Jack Woodcraft - Arthur Taylor's son in law

Jack Woodcraft was my Dad and Grace Goddard (Nee Taylor - Formerly Woodcraft) was my
mother.
Arthur Taylor was my Grandad and his sons Arthur, Charlie and Ralph were my uncles.
As a child I lived with mum, dad and Grandad. Arthur Senior died in 1959 and Jack died in
1964 Aged 47. My mother then married Jack Goddard who was a controller in GN House
He unfortunately died in 1974
Grace died in October last year at the age of 94.

I wish she had been alive to see the new drawing on the Silver Link which now hangs in
pride of place on my wall - she was always so proud of her Dad as we all were. My elder son
now has his OBE which is also displayed with great pride

Linda Stewart (nee Woodcraft)

You have an impeccable railway pedigree, Linda. Stushy Goodard, who was engine controller on my shift in Kings X Control in the late 1960s, turned up one night with the congratulatory letter which Gresley had written to your Grandad after the run of September 27th 1935. 'You are the first man to show what one of my engines can really do' was one of the lines in it. Seriously impressive stuff. I also remember your Mum when she worked in the typing pool in GN House - it all seems a long time ago now.

[73D]

Linda,

Glad your enjoying my print of Silver Link and it's a great shame your mother didn't get to see it. Lets hope the exploits of Arthur Taylor and Jack Luty are brought to the notice of more people.

[brownie]

My son found this site and I thought the following information would be of interest to you.
I am the youngest daughter of John Hewlett Luty (Jack)
My Dad was a fireman, a driver, an inspector and then a foreman at Kings Cross locomotive
sheds and then, when the sheds were shut he worked at the station which he didn't
like. He was offered early retirement when the sheds closed but it would have left
him short on his pension so he stayed until he was 65 in 1967.
He was born 29th May 1902 and died 2nd April 1982 (the day the Falklands War was
declared) in Ilford, Essex just before he would have been 80. I was born in 1947 when
Dad was 45.
Of his family, he used to say their were 11 of them but I only knew Uncle Tom (Norma's
Dad), Uncle George, Aunt Lottie, Aunt Annie, Aunt Nellie, Aunt Cath and knew of an
Aunt Alice who I never met. My Dad's parents had both died by the time I was born
but my Dad said their eldest child (I think he was Arthur) died from tetanus at the
age of 16 and his mother never got over it.
My Dad's middle name, Hewlett, was his mother's maiden name.
I have copies of the following;
whole front page of the Daily Sketch dated Saturday 28th September 1935 and an
article in the London & North Eastern Railway Magazine both about the 27th
September run.
a copy of an article in The Star dated 18th February 1935 by O.S. Nock entitled
'Riding on the footplate' regarding the run of the Royal Lancer from Kings Cross
to Newcastle, Driver A.J. Taylor, Fireman J. Luty
a page from The Chronicle dated Thursday 7th January 1937 about the first run
of Golden Eagle from Kings Cross to Newcastle, Driver T. Ellis and fireman J. Luty

I hope the above may be of interest to you. It is wonderful to think my lovely Dad
is still remembered.

[52D]

Is there any chance of the newspaper articles being scanned and uploaded on site, I think i speak for the whole site when i say we would love to see them.

[hq1hitchin]

It is wonderful to think my lovely Dad
is still remembered.

Still remembered?

His exploits are recorded for all time on the silver screen -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2jEM0_g ... re=related

[hq1hitchin]

Just found this in the staff changes section of the April 1941 LNER magazine:

'J. Luty, Passed Fireman, King's Cross, to be Acting Running
Foreman'.

[brownie]

Below, as requested, photos - with the younger generation's help being enlisted! Articles to follow...

[brownie]

Articles, as requested...one more to follow.

[brownie]

Last article below...

[73D]

Thank you for taking the time to put up the pictures and articles, which are interesting to see.

I think all of us on the forum realise the hard work done by footplate crews in the days of steam and it is nice to acknowledge this. The top brass are well known, so to put faces and names to the crews who had to work with their designs – good or bad – is always nice to do!

[52D]

Thank you very much for sharing im sure those clippings will be well and truly devoured by all on here. Im interested to see the reference to Sir Walter Scotts works i didnt realise the connection with Silver Link.

[52A]

The Lay of The Last Minstrel, canto V stanza XIII

Oft have I mus'd what purpose bad
That foul malicious urchin had
To bring this meeting round;
For happy love's a heavenly sight,
And by a vile malignant sprite
In such no joy is found;
And oft I've deem'd perchance he thought
Their erring passion might have wrought
Sorrow, and sin, and shame;
And death to Cranstoun's gallant Knight
And to the gentle ladye bright
Disgrace and loss of fame.
But earthly spirit could not tell
The heart of them that lov'd so well.
True love's the gift which God has given
To man alone beneath the heaven:
It is not fantasy's hot fire,
Whose wishes, soon as granted, fly;
It liveth not in fierce desire,
With dead desire it doth not die;
It is the secret sympathy,
The silver link, the silken tie,
Which heart to heart, and mind to mind
In body and in soul can bind.
Now leave we Margaret and her Knight,
To tell you of the approaching fight.

[52D]

The last Minstrel a fitting name for the new P2 perhaps.

[61070]

Below, as requested, photos - with the younger generation's help being enlisted! Articles to follow...

brownie - the newspaper articles are a great read - I especially enjoyed the 'Sketch' front page photo coverage of the two photographers 'snapping' each other. The trilby hat of the man lying between the two tracks must have been very well-fitting (or maybe he lost it a split second later!). They did well to set that up; it would be easier these days with mobile phones - though not permitted on safety grounds, of course. Thanks to your family for helping out with the scanning etc.

There is also a short account of the send-off of the Jan 6th 1937 trip with 'Golden Eagle' in the L&NER magazine - Feb 1937, pages 70-71, with a mention of the names of the crew and a photograph of the Driver Ellis in the cab with one of the LNER's directors. I expect it was taken just before, or just after, the one of your father and Driver Ellis that you posted (the locomotive's number was 4482 - you can only see part of the two middle digits in your photo)

Also - did you know that in 1927 there was a photo of a T. Luty in the L&NER Magazine? The photo is of a championship-winning ambulance team. Perhaps it could be Jack's brother, Tom? I've copied the accompanying write-up below; the picture won't copy into this post, but if you think it could be him I can add it separately as an attachment.

L&NER Magazine August 1927, p.368:

Ambulance News

Grimsby and Immingham.

We reproduce a group photograph of the Immingham Electrical team, which won the silver challenge cup, competed for between local teams. They were also winners of this cup for the year 1926.

Immingham Electrical Team.
The key to the photograph is as follows :—
Right to left
(Back row).—H. Jacques, E. Collier, A. B. Warnes, T. Luty.
(In front).—J. Howsam, W. E. Griffiths (Capt.).

The annual gathering of the Grimsby and Immingham Docks branch was held on June 17. Mr. R. Hellyer presided, and the secretary, Mr. S. G. Steele, presented his report, in which he paid tribute to the services of Dr. Best and Dr. Fisher. There was a programme of music by the Orpheus Octette Male Voice Choir. Miss Collins acted as accompanist.