I started on the Railways in February 1957 as an engine cleaner at Bescot M.P.D(Motive Power Department).
After several months I passed out to become a passed cleaner, then on to a Fireman and finally a passed Fireman.
I took a severance payment in April 1969 and started on the Permanent Way Department in the gang.
From the gang I went Lorry Driving at the main Depot at Walsall.
After some time on that Job I applied for the Tamper's(Ontrackmachine-Operater).
And finally after 24 Years in the Egineering Department I took early retirement in March 1993.
The Railway was my Fourth Job and the job that I stuck to through thick and thin as the old Drivers used to say when I was a youth "You have to take the rough with the smooth on this job my lad".
I have now been retired for 7 years and it has just fled by. I went to Walsall Technical College For a while On Hydraulics but it was too slow and boring so I only went for a couple of months.
When I had finished doing all the jobs in and around the house I went on a Computer Course I found this very interesting and I got hooked.
Now I have a computer of my own I just love to surf the Web and play chess, the only problem is that if your not careful you can spend a lot of time on your Machine and neglect other things Like the Garden, the Wife, the Grandkids and Yourself.
I have spent hours on my machine and it has only seemed like minutes.
I am now in the process of trying to Build a Web site because I want to share my railway memory's with other railway & ex railway Personell.
if their's anyone out there who would like to e-mail me my addy is.
lliam45@hotmail.co.uk
In 1997 the Walsall Branch Staff Association Club, Founded the, British Transport Pension Federation(B.T.P.F) Walsall Branch.......... They meet 1st Friday Of Each Month.
When I Build this site up a little better I hope that i can get the rest of my ex colleagues to join in and bring some memorabilia for me to upload onto this site for other railway people to have a look at and maybe add to it.
The first Photo's I have put on the site are:-
Top left-- The machine I was operating Prior to my Retirement.
It's a switch & crossing Tamping Machine Made by Plasser Theurer of Austria.
Top right :- The Flying Scotsman at Tyseley Loco shed about 1991.(That's me on the Footplate).
The bottom Photo I don't know anything about except it looks lilke a class 8 drowning.
Well that's where I must close for the time being.
Hope to get an e-mail or two next time I log onto this site.
Bye For Now,
Alan Davis.
