Hallo
Hi Tony - all. I am always so glad that I had those few years on BR as a fireman. Really it was done as a fill in job knowing full well at 18yrs I was going to be hauled off into the Services. I must say of course that I always did have this love of steam engines and even as a schoolboy I did what so many others did and collected the numbers. Funds were tight then as a youngster (as now!) and so travel was limited. We did get to the main London Stations and also some further out whose names now more or less escape me, was it Harlesden, Neasden or what?. Also spent quite a lot of time on the Station at my home Town Romford which for those now knowing is on the main route out of Liverpool St. Plenty of activity there and it was possible then to get a 1d Platform Ticket and you could stay on the platform as long as you wished. Saw some good action there with the Southenders, Harwiches, Norwiches etc going through plus all the locals to the stations to Chelmsford. Plenty of freight going through as well so a good variety of engines were seen.
As to my own experiences such as they were I can remember much but sadly a lot is now in that awful grey area. As an example I read the comments ref the LNER streamliners with interest and it made me recall the two B17s, I had seen them or certainly one of them. Without cheating thought long and hard and the names came back to me (I think) East Anglian and City of London, is that correct?.
However may I say again its really nice being on this Site and I will always try to contribute myself and also take an interest in others comments. Regards.
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