Saltley Tales

[Saltleyman]

Hi Rugd 1022

Thanks for putting the link up to the sad,sad,fotos of what is left of Saltley,nice to see the "seagull" is still there !
I left Saltley in 2006(took early retirement,couldn't stand it anymore,thanks to the "Yanks" EWS.)
I remember it in far happier times and was proud to be called a "seagull".
I've spent many hours at Rugby in BR times waiting to relieve Freightliners to and from Lawley Street,I should imagine that I would know you if you were at Rugby any time between 1963 and 2006 ?
When I started at Saltley I remember walking down Duddeston Mill Road in the early hours on a Monday morning, in the summer,and seeing the "pall" of smoke hanging in the still air,just as if an atomic bomb had gone off!There were still nearly 100 steam engines allocated to 21A in those days.
I can still smell the sulphur and oil associated with steam locos,wonderful days,sadly never to return !

 

[tonyderidem]

I would like to say as starting as a freight guard at Saltley it was the best job i ever had,I could or maybe will write a book of my happy days with the BEST DIESEL DRIVERS ON BR.I will mention a few,only afew,Stan Massey,Arthur Taylor,Ray arrowsmith,dKRainbow,Eddie Irving,"Bunny Bunclarke",Kenny Griffin,"Sooty",MR Owen edgington,drvr Burton,thers many more,may still write my memoirsyet..Booking on staff ,"impy",Ray Powers,etc ,etc ,Inspectors,johnny ride (TCS),Norman Uzzell admin.Ernie Evans (LDC).Tommy Murdison.traction inspector.I loved it.21a is hallowed ground.T.Sandland.Guard 1988.SaltleY MPD..

 

[Rugd1022]

Hi Rugd 1022

Thanks for putting the link up to the sad,sad,fotos of what is left of Saltley,nice to see the "seagull" is still there !
I left Saltley in 2006(took early retirement,couldn't stand it anymore,thanks to the "Yanks" EWS.)
I remember it in far happier times and was proud to be called a "seagull".
I've spent many hours at Rugby in BR times waiting to relieve Freightliners to and from Lawley Street,I should imagine that I would know you if you were at Rugby any time between 1963 and 2006 ?
When I started at Saltley I remember walking down Duddeston Mill Road in the early hours on a Monday morning, in the summer,and seeing the "pall" of smoke hanging in the still air,just as if an atomic bomb had gone off!There were still nearly 100 steam engines allocated to 21A in those days.
I can still smell the sulphur and oil associated with steam locos,wonderful days,sadly never to return !

Hope the photos didn't make you too depressed.....! Alas it was still too dark to get any more shots this morning, fingers crossed I'll be able to bag some before it's too late.

I came back onto the railway in 2000 at Rugby so I dare say our paths have crossed somewhere or other, although I didn't sign the Saltley area until 2003. I only wish I'd been around in 1963 to see 21A in all it's smoke stained glory, same goes for a lot of my favourite railway haunts really..... oh for a time machine eh?

Nidge (2A!)

 

[ungreat]

I used to be at Toton..remember the"Zippy goes to Saltley" cartoons in the early 90's..that was me doing them!

 

[tonyderidem]

As a former Saltley operating man, I have the very highest regard for the men of this fine depot.

I have worked all over but I can safely say without any risk of contradiction, that the train crew down to a man would do anything in their power to help the job and keep it going when others would bale out.

I was never ever let down by a single Saltley traincrew.

I take my hat off to these men who are the creme de la creme of the Railway (no disrespect intended to others of course) and I am highly honoured to be privileged to regarded as one of their own.

The tales that emanate from this depot are a joy to behold, especially as they contrast so strongly with the Railway we now have.

I hope we will soon be able to read tales, such as The Headless Horseman of Fenny Compton, how "Stacker Steadman" got his name, and what "A Bridge Too Far" did one evening on the Lawley Street Up and Down Goods.

he put a few vans up in the air at washwood hth.

 

[sykarost]

I remember Lenny very well - he was something of a scary bus driver,thinking nothing of turning around to speak to you for ages while someone else watched the road for him.There was another driver had a very stiff right leg.He used to swing it into the van and jam it onto the accelerator,and there it stayed revving the guts out of the engine !!!

I remember him too, especially the nightmare trips to/from Kingsbury to work the colliery branch. I also recall the 'banter' that went on especially if several sets of men were being hurled around like 'peas in a pod' going up to New St.
Oh Happy Days!!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I would like to say as starting as a freight guard at Saltley it was the best job i ever had,I could or maybe will write a book of my happy days with the BEST DIESEL DRIVERS ON BR.I will mention a few,only afew,Stan Massey,Arthur Taylor,Ray arrowsmith,dKRainbow,Eddie Irving,"Bunny Bunclarke",Kenny Griffin,"Sooty",MR Owen edgington,drvr Burton,thers many more,may still write my memoirsyet..Booking on staff ,"impy",Ray Powers,etc ,etc ,Inspectors,johnny ride (TCS),Norman Uzzell admin.Ernie Evans (LDC).Tommy Murdison.traction inspector.I loved it.21a is hallowed ground.T.Sandland.Guard 1988.SaltleY MPD..

I fired for Stan (what a character), Arthur,Eddie & Ernie as well as the likes of Cliff Fletcher,Tom Wooton, Frank Smith,Frank Cannon, Billy Lane, Howard Worley & many more between 62 & 68. Sadly,circumstances forced me to move on but I will never forget the pride of being a 21A man & I look forward to reading your book!!

 

[saltley]

This year i plan to make a series of dvds about saltley as i used to spend many hours there filming from about 1976-1988 i have put a clip on youtube here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4jmPFZiOm8 for you to see.
any information about the man at the depot would help too, see the video and you will know what i mean.thanks

 

[the sniper]

This year i plan to make a series of dvds about saltley as i used to spend many hours there filming from about 1976-1988 i have put a clip on youtube here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4jmPFZiOm8 for you to see.
any information about the man at the depot would help too, see the video and you will know what i mean.thanks

Nice video. Some proper Brummie accents on display there!

 

[Lower Quadrant]

This year i plan to make a series of dvds about saltley as i used to spend many hours there filming from about 1976-1988 i have put a clip on youtube here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4jmPFZiOm8 for you to see.
any information about the man at the depot would help too, see the video and you will know what i mean.thanks

The man on the video looks v.much like a chap who is deceased.No name,nor pack drill.

 

[oldrailman]

This year i plan to make a series of dvds about saltley as i used to spend many hours there filming from about 1976-1988 i have put a clip on youtube here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4jmPFZiOm8 for you to see.
any information about the man at the depot would help too, see the video and you will know what i mean.thanks

Just tried to watch the Saltley video as I knew guys from there when I was at New Street. Message on Youtube says 'video removed by user'.

 

[tonyderidem]

impy ,ray powers,norman uzzell,tommy murdison,jonny ride,pete martin,stan massey,eddie irving,bunny bunclarke,bernard rainbow,ray deltic arrowsmith,pat morrisey,etc,i could carry on.the 3 "as" your train is on the main line,.sup up,.ciderhouse at gloucester hic stacker roy steadman.joe onions,and many more,they kept the railway going,and im proud to be a 21a,2e seagull.freight /pass guard ,saltley mpd..

 

[oldrailman]

I remember the name of 'Bunny' Bunclarke, I think his name was Alan. He is in fact mentioned on an excellent series of Oakwood videos about Deltic 'Royal Scots Grey' as the driver on some of RSG's trips. Also, driver Maurice Newman was a good pal of mine, but not sure if he was a Saltley man.

 

[Old Timer]

Maurice Newman was indeed a Saltley driver.

I had the pleasure to work with him briefly many, many years ago.

He was very well regarded at that depot, and indeed by all who knew him.

He was working out of at Derby with Midland Cross Country (and later presumably Virgin?) when I last spoke with him back in 1992.

I was deeply sadddened to learn of his subsequent death. He was a very professional chap whom I respected very much, and it was an honour to have worked with him, and ridden on the footplate with him, albeit for such a short period.

I think it would be fair to say that Maurice encapsulated all of the qualities of a typical Saltley driver, and the world is a poorer place for his passing.

 

[oldrailman]

Maurice Newman was indeed a Saltley driver.

I had the pleasure to work with him briefly many, many years ago.

He was very well regarded at that depot, and indeed by all who knew him.

He was working out of at Derby with Midland Cross Country (and later presumably Virgin?) when I last spoke with him back in 1992.

I was deeply sadddened to learn of his subsequent death. He was a very professional chap whom I respected very much, and it was an honour to have worked with him, and ridden on the footplate with him, albeit for such a short period.

I think it would be fair to say that Maurice encapsulated all of the qualities of a typical Saltley driver, and the world is a poorer place for his passing.

Thanks for that, Oldtimer. I agree with your sentiments regarding Maurice. He always had time for colleagues and many times I saw him assisting passengers in his usual polite and chatty way. I am deeply saddened to hear of his passing. RIP Maurice, you were a gent.

 

[Saltleyman]

Thanks for that, Oldtimer. I agree with your sentiments regarding Maurice. He always had time for colleagues and many times I saw him assisting passengers in his usual polite and chatty way. I am deeply saddened to hear of his passing. RIP Maurice, you were a gent.

Maurice started his railway career at Walsall Ryecroft depot in 1954 and when the depot closed in 1958, or just after, he transferred to Saltley where he stayed until privatisation when Inter City Cross Country decided to transfer their drivers to a new Booking on point at Birmingham New Street in October 1994, Saltley Depot then became a Railfreight Distribution Depot.I knew Maurice very well, having been a Driver at Saltley myself from the 1960's until privatisation.It was a total shock to myself and indeed all my colleagues at Saltley(and New Street) when Maurice suddenly "passed away",he was as you say a true Gent,and is still sadly missed.

 

[tonyderidem]

i worked with morris newman quite a few times,one of them was aturn in link 11.bookon 19.25 at saltley releive derby crew on 8v62 to 7 tunnel,ex whitemoor,we got releif on gloucester tramway.we was booked 6e88 llandeilo /whitemoor with a 45 .we never needed a banker at bromsgrove,open controller allthe way.hit the bank at 70,come over the top at 35.those were the days pinning down the brakes at blackwell.what a driver maurice was.and so many more.i.e steve chapman,"ginger".Does anyone remember Owen edgington..I do !. to be concluded. ex saltley guard.

 

[Saltleyman]

hit the bank at 70,come over the top at 35 those were the days

That must have been a very "light" train,and also the max speed for a class 6 was/is 60 mph !

 

[tonyderidem]

6e88 llandeilo -whitemoor steel coil,sometimes fully loaded,normally a crompton, the drivers i worked in that link on that roster called the loco "we got a gud un" after releiving gloster men on he tramway.also remember times when saltley crews had their return workings" caped," and we,d probably have up to six in the cab backto landor st jnc.never did we slow.the sulzers were great engines,and sy men knew how to give them the whip..60mph,you must be joking,full controller all thewway to blackwell.i used to get the road offthe bobby green un ,main route indicator ,then that 12lda sulzer did its job.great machines,better than all this crap they use today..and i remember pinning brakes down on 8v62 at blackwell,cant see many wet behind the ears rail? personel doing that now.do they still give newst drivers gloves and fusewire..ha SY maybe gone.but its name will liveth forever more!!!!!!!!

 

[Saltleyman]

6e88 llandeilo -whitemoor steel coil,sometimes fully loaded,normally a crompton, the drivers i worked in that link on that roster called the loco "we got a gud un" after releiving gloster men on he tramway.also remember times when saltley crews had their return workings" caped," and we,d probably have up to six in the cab backto landor st jnc.never did we slow.the sulzers were great engines,and sy men knew how to give them the whip..60mph,you must be joking,full controller all thewway to blackwell.i used to get the road offthe bobby green un ,main route indicator ,then that 12lda sulzer did its job.great machines,better than all this crap they use today..and i remember pinning brakes down on 8v62 at blackwell,cant see many wet behind the ears rail? personel doing that now.do they still give newst drivers gloves and fusewire..ha SY maybe gone.but its name will liveth forever more!!!!!!!!

Hi Tonyderidem
You can't tell me much about class 45's ! I was on the footplate at Saltley for 43 years(from 1963 till 2006) and I used to work 6E88 on a regular basis I think you will find that the train started from either Troste/LLandiello and Saltleymen worked it from Gloucester to Landor St. and another Saltley set from Landor St to Leicester who worked back to New St (via Derby).The maximum single engine load,for a Cl 45, up the "Lickey" was 565 tons,well under the maximum load of 6E88 ?

 

[oldrailman]

I'm not sure if he was a Saltley man, but some time ago I read a book by Bill Alcock, who had a long footplate career mainly around the West Midlands and I remember he does mention Saltley. He came across in the book as a no nonsense railwayman and someone I'd love to have worked with. Does the name ring bells with anyone?

 

[Bill EWS]

I remember Maurice Newman well. A really great guy. He was a keen traveller and you would bump into him at various places and times of day and night when he woudl be getting himself to the site where he was to join any particular tour. Maurice is one of those people that you really do miss.

In the case of 'speeds' you have to take in that before the Spy-In-The-Cab days and management worried about getting blamed for everything, the driver was in complete charge of the train, in that going above any maximum speed would come under his route, train and loco knowledge and would be able to decide just how faster he/she would go at any one place. It was completely calculated and they knew just how far to go. It was even written into the regulations that a driver may endevour to make time up, but that he would be fully accountable if things went wrong. i.e. you may speed but don't get into trouble. That was before the present day system where you can't even buffer up to a train or wagon before stopping 6ft from it first and not touching a buffer stop, in case you may bump into it. They were quite different times.

 

[Saltleyman]

I'm not sure if he was a Saltley man, but some time ago I read a book by Bill Alcock, who had a long footplate career mainly around the West Midlands and I remember he does mention Saltley. He came across in the book as a no nonsense railwayman and someone I'd love to have worked with. Does the name ring bells with anyone?

Bill Alcock was indeed a Saltleyman,although he started his footplate career at Alsager.When I was a fireman/2nd man/passed fireman at Saltley Bill was my "booked" mate for three years,I'm even mentioned in his book !
He was a very good mate who taught me a lot,and helped me get my Drivers' job at Saltley,quizzing me on Rules and Regs all the time.He was a very proud railwaymen of the "old school" and it was a pleasure to work with him.

 

[motherclanger]

Here is the late Harry Willets.

What a gentleman he was. RIP

Just found this via the Birmingham Forum, great to see this photo of dad on here. He was a real gentleman, thank you for your lovely comments. x

 

[9K43]

Indeed there was a set of Saltley men there. They were onto Control looking for their back working

They had to wait for an Healey Mills Class 31. This loco had been on a possession that over run on the moon, and had been stuck up there for a week before the moon landing took place.
Dennis Huluk was the driver and Morris Ripley was the 2nd man and the Guard was Ernie Riley.
The So called Sea Gulls had to ride in the back cab.
Do not get excited about Saltly men cos HM were the elite of train crew and the Brummies did not have look in.
I know cos I had to lodge to conduct the Sea Gulls back to HM shed, cos the engine needed an A exam.
RIP Healey Mills. Opened 1963 closed 2010.

 

[oldrailman]

Further to memories of Maurice Newman, I've just watched an excellent DVD from www.tram-trainvideos.co.uk titled 'Final Days of the 47s Part 1- Class 47/8s'. On an item covering the Birmingham area I noticed a shot of Maurice looking back from the cab as he worked a train away from Birmingham International. I recall he also appears on videos covering Deltic 9000 from Oakwood. In one clip he is actually referred to as Steve Carter! A bit of research revealed that this was the name of the driver that should have covered the turn but the script didn't get changed in time. I eagerly await release of these programmes (4 in all) from Oakwood on DVD as I have played the videos to destruction, lol!

 

[tonyderidem]

Further to memories of Maurice Newman, I've just watched an excellent DVD from www.tram-trainvideos.co.uk titled 'Final Days of the 47s Part 1- Class 47/8s'. On an item covering the Birmingham area I noticed a shot of Maurice looking back from the cab as he worked a train away from Birmingham International. I recall he also appears on videos covering Deltic 9000 from Oakwood. In one clip he is actually referred to as Steve Carter! A bit of research revealed that this was the name of the driver that should have covered the turn but the script didn't get changed in time. I eagerly await release of these programmes (4 in all) from Oakwood on DVD as I have played the videos to destruction, lol!

its nice to remenice,i worked with m newman and ginger steve chapman at 21a on that line as a pass guard,and freight to rugby.and also with dvr burton ,but im damned if im gonna pay some company for a video of it,we was all there,we are still Saltley seagulls,and our name will liveth for evermore,we lived on type 1s,45s 4and halfs,jockos,56s,25s,and mirrlees.great stuff.

 

[sykarost]

We all have some great memories of former mates, certain trips & locomotives but what about all the hours whiled away in those snug little cabins awaiting your out or home working to arrive. The main ones for Saltley men of course were Gloucester South, Bromsgrove, Landor Street, Burton & Derby Nth not forgetting the Bank Pilot siding at Washwood Heath. Of course there were others but the above seemed to be where we spent a good deal of our shifts.
How many 'tales' were told when several sets of men were squeezed inside sitting around that forever burning 'pot bellied stove' with the smoke blackened cast iron kettle that never (ever) stopped boiling. The 'luxury' of being the only crew there & being able to lie full stretch for a bit of shut eye until either the 'Bobby' shouted to say your working was in sight or the phone rang & Control advised that (even better) your return was caped & you could find your way home. The camaraderie & banter that went on between Locomen,Guards, Signalmen, Shunters & Station Staff was an experience in itself & made the time spent sitting around waiting for trains pretty entertaining. Not to mention that during this time we were drinking the most awful stewed tea imaginable....Happy Times!!

 

[Saltleyman]

We all have some great memories of former mates, certain trips & locomotives but what about all the hours whiled away in those snug little cabins awaiting your out or home working to arrive. The main ones for Saltley men of course were Gloucester South, Bromsgrove, Landor Street, Burton & Derby Nth not forgetting the Bank Pilot siding at Washwood Heath. Of course there were others but the above seemed to be where we spent a good deal of our shifts.
How many 'tales' were told when several sets of men were squeezed inside sitting around that forever burning 'pot bellied stove' with the smoke blackened cast iron kettle that never (ever) stopped boiling. The 'luxury' of being the only crew there & being able to lie full stretch for a bit of shut eye until either the 'Bobby' shouted to say your working was in sight or the phone rang & Control advised that (even better) your return was caped & you could find your way home. The camaraderie & banter that went on between Locomen,Guards, Signalmen, Shunters & Station Staff was an experience in itself & made the time spent sitting around waiting for trains pretty entertaining. Not to mention that during this time we were drinking the most awful stewed tea imaginable....Happy Times!!

Two of the smallest "cabins" were at Burton-on-Trent the one on the "Up side" held a max of four and the "Down side one was roughly the same.Then there was Derby North roughly a 6x4 shed !(spent a few hours in that one !)Then Landor Street was only small,then there was Leicester Bell Lane.Happy Days.

 

[ungreat]

Who remembers using the NRN cab radio as a CB radio between drivers in BR days? Big fun! I was a Toton driver at the time

 

[Saltleyman]

Who remembers using the NRN cab radio as a CB radio between drivers in BR days? Big fun! I was a Toton driver at the time

I remember that very well.it was also "Authorised" in Wembley European Freight yard for communication between ground staff and drivers for carrying out brake tests ect.