I have just finished reading Boet's very interesting stories about his days on the Rhodesia Railways and this brought back some memories of my very early days in the Corporals' mess at New Sarum. The chap in the room next to mine was Ray Verdon and, prior to him joining the RRAF, he had been a fireman on the railways. He knew all there was to know about how to shovel coal. Ray told a number of us one evening as we were sitting on the verandha outside our rooms that he had annoyed his driver one day and as a result this driver decided to break the record from Norton to the goods yards in Salisbury. The meant that Ray was required to shovel at a flat out rate the whole way. He claimed to have shoveled 80 tons in about 2 hrs. Yes we had all sorts of people in the Blue Jobs even people who knew how to drive steam trains.
A fascinating collection of rail related, personal anecdotes.................a good read! Reminds me of some of the early 'rail' stories related to my parents when they first arrived in the country. Mention of Viv Wilson (Chipangali Wildlife Orphanage), who took in the orphaned ostrich chicks..................it could only happen at that time and in our country!
I have just finished reading Boet's very interesting stories about his days on the Rhodesia Railways and this brought back some memories of my very early days in the Corporals' mess at New Sarum. The chap in the room next to mine was Ray Verdon and, prior to him joining the RRAF, he had been a fireman on the railways. He knew all there was to know about how to shovel coal. Ray told a number of us one evening as we were sitting on the verandha outside our rooms that he had annoyed his driver one day and as a result this driver decided to break the record from Norton to the goods yards in Salisbury. The meant that Ray was required to shovel at a flat out rate the whole way. He claimed to have shoveled 80 tons in about 2 hrs. Yes we had all sorts of people in the Blue Jobs even people who knew how to drive steam trains.
ReplyDeleteSoft Landings Derek de kock
Nick Baalbergen (Intaf) Writes:-
ReplyDeleteA fascinating collection of rail related, personal anecdotes.................a good read! Reminds me of some of the early 'rail' stories related to my parents when they first arrived in the country. Mention of Viv Wilson (Chipangali Wildlife Orphanage), who took in the orphaned ostrich chicks..................it could only happen at that time and in our country!
Alison Smith Writes:-
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the effort you put into this project; enjoyed Tales from the Rails, and sent it out far & wide. Those were the days!