Remembering the bravery of a hero train driver

[northwichcat]

Saw this on the news a bit earlier. Nice gesture from the people who rasied the funds for a headstone.

A memorial headstone is being unveiled today in a service to honour Wallace Oakes, a hero steam train driver who lost his life saving his passengers on June 5, 1965.

After setting off from Crewe station his train's cabin filled with flames after the engine caught on fire. His fireman escaped from the cab, but Wallace stayed at the controls and brought the train to a halt before falling to the ground, suffering from 80% burns. He died a week later.

Wallace Oaks was posthumously awarded the George Cross and the Carnegie Hero Trust medal - the only railwayman to ever receive this honour - and also had an express locomotive named after him. He was buried without a headstone and his medal sold by the family. Now more than 50 years after his death, a group of ex-railwayman and a journalist from a railway magazine have raised the funds to provide a headstone for his grave.

http://www.itv.com/news/granada/2018-02-01/remembering-the-bravery-of-a-hero-train-driver/

 

[SPADTrap]

I'm ashamed to say I wasn't aware of this incident until now, thank you.
Respect to you brother Oakes for your actions that day.

 

[Malcmal]

Good article here too:

https://www.steamrailway.co.uk/steamnews/2017/9/7/nrm-acquires-wallace-oakes-george-cross

Andrew McLean, Assistant Director and Head Curator at the National Railway Museum, said: “I am delighted to confirm that the National Railway Museum has acquired the George Cross which was awarded posthumously to train driver Wallace Arnold Oakes in 1965.

“Wallace stayed on the footplate of a burning locomotive to bring his passenger train to a stop – an act of outstanding bravery which undoubtedly saved many lives. Sadly, he later died of his injuries and we plan to put this medal on display to recognise his heroism and to share his story which deserves to be more widely known by the public.

“During the age of steam working on the railways was a dangerous profession and accidents were unfortunately a common occurrence, so it is fitting that as well as commemorating Wallace’s incredible bravery, we recognise and remember all those who were killed or injured on the railways. I would like to thank the Friends of the National Railway Museum who were instrumental in bringing this rare and significant item into the National Collection

 

[Far north 37]

Such a brave act should be remembered fittingly glad to see its not been forgotten.

 

[Mag_seven]

also had an express locomotive named after him

86260

 

[rmt4ever]

I'm ashamed to say I wasn't aware of this incident until now, thank you.
Respect to you brother Oakes for your actions that day.

And shame on the family who flogged the medal, and failed to buy a headstone!!

 

[Master29]

And shame on the family who flogged the medal, and failed to buy a headstone!!

That`s pretty appalling if true. How a truly priceless act can be treated so shabbily.

 

[Intermodal]

This man is certainly very brave and it is nice to remember him.

On a technical point of curiosity - why did he have to remain in the cab as opposed to simply dump the brake and himself escape?

 

[Marklund]

And shame on the family who flogged the medal, and failed to buy a headstone!!

Bit harsh mate, unless you know the families circumstances.
Drivers weren’t running around in Mercs and Audis then, they’re not likely to have been that well off.

 

[zuriblue]

One of 3 drivers and one fireman to get the GC. The others were John Axon https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Axon who had 86261 named after him and Ben Gimbert https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Gimbert who had 47577 named after him. Ben Gimbert’s fireman, James Nightall, was posthumously awarded the GC and had 47579 named after him. Gimbert was the only one that lived to get the medal.

 

[driver_m]

And shame on the family who flogged the medal, and failed to buy a headstone!!

You could really say shame on BR for not sorting out a gravestone at the very least, for his heroic act.

 

[Taunton]

I believe the loco didn't "catch on fire" as such, but a superheater element suddenly failed in the boiler, blasting back steam and thence the fire contents through the firehole into the cab. The regulator would still be wide open and likely unreachable.

In a steam loco cab, and particularly the cramped one of a Britannia, there would not be a lot of places to go should this sort of thing happen when running at speed.

 

[Malcmal]

http://www.raib.gov.uk/cms_resources/120919_B042012_Wood_Green.pdf

Another related and interesting read. This is a report on a blowback Oliver Cromwell had on the main line in 2012

 

[Bromley boy]

Saw this on the news a bit earlier. Nice gesture from the people who rasied the funds for a headstone.



http://www.itv.com/news/granada/2018-02-01/remembering-the-bravery-of-a-hero-train-driver/

Fascinating - many thanks for posting.

Huge respect to the enormous bravery of the driver involved - not a nice way to go.

 

[james60059]

One of 3 drivers and one fireman to get the GC. The others were John Axon https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Axon who had 86261 named after him and Ben Gimbert https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Gimbert who had 47577 named after him. Ben Gimbert’s fireman, James Nightall, was posthumously awarded the GC and had 47579 named after him. Gimbert was the only one that lived to get the medal.

Of course, 66077 was later named after Benjamin Gimbert, as was an Optare Solo with the Norfolk Green bus company.
66079 was named after James Nightall.

I have no idea if the loco's and bus still carries their respective names however....

 

[142094]

I believe that 66079 still carries the nameplate.

 

[Royston Vasey]

And shame on the family who flogged the medal, and failed to buy a headstone!!

I think this is very judgmental. I don't know what death in service benefit the railway offered or the likelihood of him having a life insurance policy (I doubt it) but the chances are the family were left completely impoverished by his death.

 

[Raul_Duke]

I’m surprised there was nothing in the most recent ASLEF journal about this.

 

[northwichcat]

I think this is very judgmental. I don't know what death in service benefit the railway offered or the likelihood of him having a life insurance policy (I doubt it) but the chances are the family were left completely impoverished by his death.

The TV news report mentioned his age which I think was 33. Therefore I think it's possible he died with an outstanding mortgage and financially dependent family members. I also think in today's money a driver's salary at that time would be closer to a guard's salary is now than a driver's salary.

 

[DarloRich]

Saw this on the news a bit earlier. Nice gesture from the people who rasied the funds for a headstone.



http://www.itv.com/news/granada/2018-02-01/remembering-the-bravery-of-a-hero-train-driver/

interesting - thanks for sharing.

And shame on the family who flogged the medal, and failed to buy a headstone!!

seems a bit OTT - we don't know the family circumstances of the time. Perhaps more shameful is the fact that BR, colleagues and union didn't subscribe for the headstone. It is good to see the report indicates this is to be rectified.

 

[backontrack]

Wally Oakes was a real hero.

 

[silverfoxcc]

The medal was purchased for 60k and is on display at the NRM

Rather like the superb collection of VC's gathered by Lord Ashcroft and on display at the IWM so people can pay their respects,

Rather disappointed at some of the comments regarding the families actions on here. Perhaps they had a replica made, i understand many VC families have done the same. Please be careful to comment and judge when you do not have all the facts, perhaps they were on the verge of being evicted....

 

[LowLevel]

The TV news report mentioned his age which I think was 33. Therefore I think it's possible he died with an outstanding mortgage and financially dependent family members. I also think in today's money a driver's salary at that time would be closer to a guard's salary is now than a driver's salary.

I would imagine far less than a guard now and much closer to a station assistant if not less.

As for the point about getting off - a steam loco won't just stop powering if you drop the brake. You have to physically close the regulator.

 

[2HAP]

Wally Oakes has an article on Wikipedia too.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wally_Oakes

 

[Raul_Duke]

The TV news report mentioned his age which I think was 33. Therefore I think it's possible he died with an outstanding mortgage and financially dependent family members. I also think in today's money a driver's salary at that time would be closer to a guard's salary is now than a driver's salary.

Was 33 quite young for a driver in those days? Or had things got a bit quicker by then?

 

[driver_m]

I’m surprised there was nothing in the most recent ASLEF journal about this.

? ? He was in the most recent one.

 

[Raul_Duke]

? ? He was in the most recent one.

I’ll have another look then.

 

[Monty]

Was 33 quite young for a driver in those days? Or had things got a bit quicker by then?

Not really, especially by the mid to late 60s when BR was having to recruit drivers and other staff from the Caribbean due to the chronic staff shortages the railways were experiencing. One could progress quite quickly, that said even during the 'golden years' of steam most men in their mid 30s would of been passed out engine drivers rather than firemen, it was only the top link men who were much older.