Derek started work in the traffic department at Salisbury LSWR in 1943 straight from School at the age of 14. When Derek became 16 years of age, he transferred from being a message boy to becoming a booking boy in Salisbury West Box.
Derek then transferred to Salisbury MPD and following an examination, he was passed out as a passed cleaner and was booked as a passed cleaner/fireman on all of the local shunting duties at Salisbury Yards including Milford Goods before moving into a decent link which involved running turns.
Following quite a number of years of being a fireman, Derek moved from Salisbury to attain his drivers position at Guildford MPD in 1962 which is when we first became acquainted and I fired to Derek on a number of occasions.
Derek moved again to Farnham EMU before attaining an Inspectors position at Waterloo South Side Training School where we met up again; Derek instructing me on various types of Electric Units on my driver's course.
Upon joining the Training School myself as an Instructor in 1987, we often worked together training drivers on EMU and Class 73 Electro-Diesel traction.
Following both our retirements, We'd meet up at railway social gatherings and retirement events and when visiting him at his home last year, he allowed me to record some of his experiences.
Sadly, Derek passed away peacefully on 4th January 2024 after a short illness aged 94 and I had the honour of reading his eulogy at his funeral.
Derek was one of the 'old school' of men I had the opportunity of working with during my railway career and he will be sorely missed.
30 янв 2024
