Rambling Railwayman's Recollections - Introduction and Secondman Days at Woking MT 

Thanks very much Geoff for sharing your memories with us. My career was totally different starting at Machynlleth in 1978 in the booking office. These days I am a Traincrew Controller at XC in Birmingham so although never "footplate" I did spend a lot of time post 1982 with drivers who sorely missed their mate. I had moved to Bescot so 95% of Bescot work was freight on diesel and electric locos. Thanks again

Ive worked with You and the majority of Drivers you've mentioned as a Guard at Woking. I became a Guard at Eastleigh then a Driver at Eff Jct Guildford Salisbury and for a short while Bournemouth. This is a Great Video that has brought back Wonderfull memories of Dear Pals. Best Wishes Ian Clare

The 4SUB Westinghouse brake. My first use of this brake on a Sutton - London Bridge train in 1977, was at Hackbridge, where I managed to get 5 of the 8 coaches to actually stop in the platform. I overbraked initially, so released the brake & re-applied it, only to find you have to wait for a 7 second recharge - ooops. The Driver (I was actually the Guard) told me. "Well you better get the hang of it by London Bridge or we will hit the buffer stops" . Which fortunately I managed without trouble !!!

I never worked on the railway and always regret not doing so, my having a great interest interest it it from an early age. It sounds like you had so many adventures and memorable days and I always really enjoy listening to the recollections of those who did and do work there, there must have been some really interesting characters to work with. It must have been an especially interesting time in the 60's and 70's with so many changes taking place. I must write up my memoirs of my lifelong career in IT some day......including the time I accidentally hit the 'space' bar instead of the 'return' key one day. But seriously, thanks for posting this, it was really interesting and entertaining.

Absolutely fascinating video. I was born in 66 and it’s great to see things before my first train memory in 1970!

Interesting film. Brings back memories of my second man days that started at Kings Cross which was the beginning of a 45 year career on the footplate.

In 1968 I moved to Waterloo as a driver, After my three week emu training course at Waterloo south side I then was then rostered to learn the roads at the elctric link number 4 which included all the suburban lines out of Waterloo which included Reading, Horshom, and Portsmouth Harbour Most motormen if you rode with them while road learning were more than happy to let you drive the unit. Whiile the training instructers. would ride with during the training course on most of the electric units, they refused to do this with the Nelsons because they only had one front windowin front of the driver. I was learning the road to Portsmouth Harbour with 12 car Nelson and the motorman was leting me do the driving. We left Portsmouth High Level ( now called Portsmouth & Southsea) and were aproaching the harbour terminus which is built over the water when the motorman leaned over and turned the windscreen wyper on, I was mystified as it was a sunny day. so I looked over at him and he said " thats in case you overrun"

What an interesting video. My father was a steam, diesel and electric driver at Bournemouth and I was a second man at Eastleigh and Bournemouth.

Brilliant Geoff, really enjoyed that, cheers Mike

Fabulous video from an old career railwayman.

Happy days indeed working for British Rail as it changed so much with privatisation - and not for the better .I think in our day working on the railway was a job that you wanted to do which makes you wonder if todays new starters would last if they knew that it would be years before they would reach the grade of driver and the wages were very poor.

As I worked for Westinghouse Brakes (Knorr Bremse UK Ltd) for 18 years, it was nice to hear about your experience with the equipment

I grew up in Dorking, with the Reading-Tonbridge line running behind both houses we lived in. These photos of Guildford and Betchworth etc are wonderful. Guildford was such a grand station. Nice to see the Tadpole in the early bit of this film too. The 55 header on the 33 is so familiar! I bet you went to Boxhill of a Sunday............ Wow look at Guildford flooding. I wonder were they building The Friary by then? Thank goodness theres guys like you that took photographic records of these times.

Great video Geoff. Really liked the SUB content-I’m last driver at my depot to have passed on them. Colleague of mine has a restored controller in his lounge.

Geoff brilliant video there are a lot of names that you have mentioned I can remember 👍👍

hi, great video,i remember the 4cor units rushing past when i was at Petersfield station as a boy,but as i lived in east sussex the express trains were 6pul units with a pullman car in the middle, we also had booster electric loco 20003 which was on the Newhaven boat train,

Geoff, during the times you refer to, I worked in the General Manager's Traction Training section at Waterloo. At the time I was responsible for rostering all of the Traction Inspectors at Stewarts Lane, Waterloo. (South Side) Clapham Junction (St John's Hill) and Southampton Central. You mentioned Bob Phillips, who was originally a fireman at Norwood Junction and later a motorman at Selhurst. I did this job until I left the railway in February 1970.

Thanks Geoff, very interesting and informative film. Great comradeship and variety of work and traction in those days. I learnt a good deal from watching this. Thank you.

Very interesting video, thanks.

Incredible ramblings totally five stars

Nice one Geoff brilliant upload.

Thank-you!

Brilliant Geoff. Really interesting. Whilst I don't remember the 74s I remember everything else!

Great stuff, l think fantastic you kept a diary.

I have been reading a copy of this book during breaks at the ROC in Basginstoke whilst doing my Guards training! I did not expect this to pop up on my RU-vid feed but I'm glad it did. Great stuff, thanks!

That was fascinating, thanks for sharing. 🤩👏

Hi Geoff, what a wonderful and interesting story, not rambling at all, just full of passion and a record of history.

I have my grandfather's retirement certificate from BR (Southern) Board issued in 1972 for 44 years service. I've always kept it as otherwise he had 'f'all' from BR.

My Grandad was a shunter driver at Woking in 60s

That was fantastic, Thank you.

Excellent and very entertaining

Lovely story 👍🏻

Nice video. LIKE..

Perhaps a DVD release about your time on the line? Would be great.👍

👍

Ooh

Hi did'nt the SUB unit have a ammeter in the cab?.

it got better as it went on. Non-steam power unit w/o speedometer - talk about hair-shirt