'Jack' of Kings Cross platform no.10

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Mickey

'Jack' of Kings Cross platform no.10

Post by Mickey »

Some on this forum may well remember this fella a B.R. loco driver off the G.E. of Stratford shed in east London who regularly on Saturday afternoons back in the early 1970s use to stand on the end of no.10 platform at Kings Cross with all the other loco spotter's gathered around him chatting about all things railways and selling b&w photographs of steam & diesel locos that he carried around with him in a briefcase.

I believe his name was called Jack and he may well have been a driver/instructor at Stratford shed at the time of his visits to Kings Cross. Jack would usually arrive at the end of no.10 platform around 1:pm and usually leave around 5:pm and always wore a long beige overcoat and scarf and carried as previously mentioned a briefcase full of b&w photographs of steam & diesel locos that he would sell to the loco spotter's on the end of no.10 platform.

I wonder whatever became of him?.
jwealleans
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
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Re: 'Jack' of Kings Cross platform no.10

Post by jwealleans »

He's been mentioned before, either on here or RMWeb.
Mickey

Re: 'Jack' of Kings Cross platform no.10

Post by Mickey »

Yes you are right Mr.Wealleans i mentioned him myself a couple of years ago and there was a good response from a number of people on this forum who remembered him well from over 40 years ago so i just thought i would actually open a thread on him because he was quite a well known figure amongst loco spotter's at Kings Cross back in the early 1970s.

I think i first remember seeing Jack around 1970 or 1971?.
60526
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Re: 'Jack' of Kings Cross platform no.10

Post by 60526 »

The topic was "Photos from KX Jack" started on Jan10 2011. It was Jack Searle. I've still got some of his photos.
Mickey

Re: 'Jack' of Kings Cross platform no.10

Post by Mickey »

60526 wrote:The topic was "Photos from KX Jack" started on Jan10 2011. It was Jack Searle. I've still got some of his photos.
Jack was a nice old fella, i can still see him in my minds eye in his beige overcoat and scarf with his briefcase standing near the end of platform no.10 at 'the Cross' on a Saturday afternoon surrounded by a gathering of loco spotter's chatting and watching the loco movements in & out of the passenger loco and the main line arrivals and departures. Jack must have already done about 40-45 years on the job by 1970 also i think he was driver/instructor on Brush type 2s and that he was still doing some driving occasionally on rostered diagrams on the Liverpool street area on the G.E. on Sundays.
hq1hitchin
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Re: 'Jack' of Kings Cross platform no.10

Post by hq1hitchin »

Jack Searle was the man. Sold me a little photo of 'Sea Eagle' in LNER green livery, brand spanking new in the Plant at Donny which he'd taken in 1937, I think it was. Had the codsmouth open as well. RIP
A topper is proper if the train's a non-stopper!
Mickey

Re: 'Jack' of Kings Cross platform no.10

Post by Mickey »

Yeah nice one Frank. I recall a conversation amongst a small group of loco spotter's at the end of no.10 platform at Kings Cross one Saturday afternoon back in 1971 or 72 saying that if you showed up at Liverpool street on a Sunday and old Jack was rostered to work a Liverpool street to Norwich express and it's return working he'd let you ride in the cab of the loco there and back.

RIP as well to a nice old boy and an 'old school' railwayman. :wink:
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