Part three of a conversation with a British Railways Southern Region Loco Fireman (1955 -1964)

@penrose9975 This is a continuation of the second recorded conversation (and the final one I had) with former British Railways Southern Region Locomotive Fireman Ted Swain back in 2017, when I was a Volunteer/Trustee with the Southwold Railway Trust and Ted was a also a Volunteer with the Trust. The photo shows Ted holding a brick from the fire brick arch in the Firebox of the locomotive Scaldwell, which had then not long arrived at Steamworks in Southwold, having before that been among the exhibits at Amberley Museum in Sussex and before that having working in the iron ore fields of Northamptonshire.
The interviews were carried out after having heard Ted’s stories about how he had been first a Locomotive cleaner, then a Locomotive Fireman on the Southern Region of British Railways.
I soon realised that this was a man wanting to tell his story. He had much to say and it seemed to me an absolute necessity for posterity’s sake that Ted’s story was recorded. At one time I had considered writing a book from the transcripts I had produced from the recordings. I had a title in mind. “Only a Fireman”. It was available phrase that the ever modest Ted said to me more than once. “After all, I was only a Fireman.
Ted liked to be at Steamworks but sadly was not physically able to do too. After James and I created a new Society, the Halesworth to Southwold Gauge Railway Society in April 2018 and had a workshop at Wenhaston, Ted used to drive down from his home in Lowestoft to come and see us occasionally.
So, here is Ted’s story in three episodes.
Part 3
Speed record out of Waterloo with 73117
Freight train passes the Tavey train that is the 5.39pm train and there is a blinding flash. Go past starting signal at the end of the platform at Walton on Thames on the London up line signal dropped down for danger. Doing 40 to 45 mph but had to stop. Ted has to get back to the signalman’s cabin to make call to see what has happened. The signalman said you’ve had a collision with a passing train so as a result a large piece of metal was on the trackbed lying next to the third (electrified rail) so was the given the all clear to go back to Nine Elms. Got to Wimbledon Station and went out over the East Putney line but ran into thick fog. Couldn’t see your hand in front of you. Then down to Wandsworth and then Clapham Junction and up to Nine Elms and into the yard there. Eventually they built a crossover from the main line to Nine Elms so you could access it directly. Used to be up and down lines at Nine Elms but they took out one of them and made the remaining line dual way.
Experienced bad snow on Exmouth line 1962/1963. Left Exmouth at 7.10am with 2 coaches to Tipton St John’s(sic).You did next stop Littleham East Budleigh Budleigh Salterton, Newton Poppleford and Tipton St John’s (sic) which was the junction for the trains coming from Ottery St Mary, Sidmouth Junction and Teignmouth. There was not one footprint at Tipton St John’s (sic).there should have been because they should have been two trains before Ted’s. The snow was 4 foot 6 inches deep. O snow ploughs but later they did have 30336 fitted with a snow plough because they had£ train leave Exeter going to Plymouth and it got stuck at North Porton just past Meldon Quarry. The engine went into the snow drifts and it took a fortnight to get it out. The passengers were rescued by helicopter which came from Culdrose in Cornwall. The first civilian passengers to be rescued by a Navy helicoptor. Mo’s snow Ted had ever seen. Often vey cold in cab. Driver and Fireman both had seats.
30699 was the loco driven by Dick Mantelow with Ted as the Firenan.
At Tipton St John’s (sic) as we were running around signalmen stuck out a red flag from the signal box and said he wanted Ted’s train to go up to Sidmouth Junction with their two coaches. There was another five coaches at Sidmouth Junction. He said if they can get the points over Ted’s train would then have seven coaches. When they got to Tipton St John they deposited the coaches but only had two and a half inches spare to get round the train. When they got to Exmouth as the passengers got off Ted got silver coins but the driver got all the notes (one pound notes and maybe five pound notes). Driver had a wad of notes and said to Ted “they didn’t want to know you, you’re only the Fireman”. Not long after that they push the diesels in (1963) and that was the end of steam.Ted left British Railways in May 1964. Drivers could drive the diesels but the Firemen became redundant. Branch lines were being closed. Ted went on the buses.
On Ted’s birthday on 12 September 1991 or 1992 one of Ted’s mates from Nine Elms got him a ride down to Exeter. Ted got a train from his local Station Grove Park and got a train to Waterloo No.12 platform and there was a 50 Class diesel
The views and opinions expressed are those of Ted Swain.
Recorded by and the copyright of Ken Ledran Penrose.