Albert Coe

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Mickey

Albert Coe

Post by Mickey »

Albert Coe was a signalman on the GN route out of Kings Cross possibly from the mid/late 1940s just after WWII until the early 1970s. Albert was known to have been a regular signalman at both Hatfield No.3 at sometime during the 1960s(?) & Finsbury Park 3 during the early 1970s and possibly until the box closed in late 1974?. Albert may well have been on the railway pre-WWII?.

During a long near half forgotten conversation from around 43-44 years ago with Harry Fitzgerald who was a regular signalman at Welwyn Garden City during the 1960s & 1970s (and until the box closed in 1976) Albert's name came up one day in conversation in regards to Albert being at Hatfield No.3 although no dates were mentioned during this conversation I assumed from Harry's remarks that Albert had been at Hatfield No.3 during the 1960s.

Mickey
Dave Cockle
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Re: Albert Coe

Post by Dave Cockle »

Micky,

when I went to Finsbury park No 3 as a Junior Railman (Telegraph Lad) in 1969 Albert Coe was the newest of the three resident signalmen.

I got the impression that he may have come straight to Finsbury Park No 3 after the closure of Hatfield No 3.

I'm still in regular contact with Les Coe, who is Albert's nephew. Les retired as MOM Potters Bar about ten years ago.
Mickey

Re: Albert Coe

Post by Mickey »

Dave Cockle wrote:when I went to Finsbury park No 3 as a Junior Railman (Telegraph Lad) in 1969 Albert Coe was the newest of the three resident signalmen.

I got the impression that he may have come straight to Finsbury Park No 3 after the closure of Hatfield No 3.

I'm still in regular contact with Les Coe, who is Albert's nephew. Les retired as MOM Potters Bar about ten years ago.
I didn't know Albert personally I never even met him I was a youngster myself back in the early 1970s he's just a name that I heard of from way back although I think I may have seen him a few times when passing Finsbury Park 3 on a train and the one and only time that I ever visited Finsbury Park 3 around 1972/73 in the company of Alister a telegraph lad at the box a asian signalman who I believe was called Danny was working the box.

From memory Hatfield No.3 closed in late November 1969.

The name Les Coe is another name that I remember hearing from the way back as well.

Mickey
mickj.signalman
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Re: Albert Coe

Post by mickj.signalman »

On same shift as Albert Coe, him at No3 and myself at No5. (1971 - 1974)
Finsbury Park No.5 part of lever frame and in distance Finsbury Park Station (Down side)
Finsbury Park No.5 part of lever frame and in distance Finsbury Park Station (Down side)
and working other side was Mick Sargent at Haringay and when that was shut with Hornsey No1 with George Creek
Mickey

Re: Albert Coe

Post by Mickey »

A nice colour photograph taken inside Finsbury Park 5 mick thanks for posting it. There was a signalman at No.5 during the early 1970s about the time that you was there who I believe was called Mick or more probably Michael Wilson (I believe Wilson was his surname?) there is mention of him on one of the other topic threads dedicated to Finsbury Park 5.

I visited Finsbury Park 5 one afternoon back in 1971 or 1972 in the company of Jim Churcher who was a relief signalman in the area back in the 1960s & early 1970s and who was working the box that afternoon and thats just how I remember it looked in your photograph.

Mick Sargent at Harringay (passenger) was a west indian bloke and I remember seeing him quite a few times when he was working the box from passing trains when the box was open (07:00-19:00hrs Mon-Fri in the early 1970s) and the Creek brothers have been mentioned on here before although I didn't know either of the brothers personally but one or two others on here did.

Mickey
Last edited by Mickey on Sun Nov 20, 2016 11:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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StevieG
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Re: Albert Coe

Post by StevieG »

The 'asian' signalman was surely Danny D' (or De?) Souza, I think of Portuguese / Phillipino/Polynesian origin(s?) : Once heard of as previously working at Wood Green 3 and, post-Fins.Pk., signalman at Liverpool St. old-power box and IECC until retirement in the early-mid 1990s.
Believe Albert Coe was at Hat.3 until, or until not long before, closure : Once saw a photo of a youthful him on the steps of (while on duty at) Holloway Carriage Sidings Box (so, pre-closure of it and the old Holloway North Down, and commissioning of the 1940s new HND).
BZOH

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Mickey

Re: Albert Coe

Post by Mickey »

StevieG wrote:The 'asian' signalman was surely Danny D' (or De?) Souza, I think of Portuguese / Phillipino/Polynesian origin(s?)

Yes I believe it was Danny De'Souza Stevie because several years ago when I previously mentioned that I had visited Finsbury Park 3 one afternoon back in 1972 or 73 in the company of Alister the box telegraph lad who was at Finsbury Park 3 at that time (Alister had also been a telegraph lad at Finsbury Park 6 for about one year during 1971/72 before moving to Finsbury Park 3 during 1972/73) and that the signalman who was on duty in the box that afternoon was a asian bloke Dave Cockle said that sounded like it was Danny De'Souza and from my vague memory of my visit that afternoon he Danny didn't seem to mind me being in the box at all although I was mostly talking to Alister for the hour or so I was in the box.

As far as Albert Coe goes I read that he was at Kings Cross PSB circa 1978.

Mickey
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StevieG
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Re: Albert Coe

Post by StevieG »

Mickey wrote: " .... As far as Albert Coe goes I read that he was at Kings Cross PSB circa 1978."
..... and well into the (late-?)1980s until retirement.
BZOH

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