Page 22 - link magazine

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Swurdø i Wide
Railway veteran explains the real cost behind the Diana nameplate
John Fleetwood, 86, now living in the Vendée region of France with his daughter, wrote to thank The Link for publishing his picture making the
Lady Diana Spencer nameplate in the September 2008 Link and comments on the engine swap at Steam Museum that month.
I had the honour of making the 1937, starting in the them in the foundary for
nameplates for Evening Star, which Scraggery with 30 other twelve shillings and six-
was swapped for the King George lads puffing threads on pence (60p) each. The
V engine, and I was very proud to nuts and bolts. I then casting had to be abso-
have done. started my five year lutely perfect.
It was a really good locomotive apprenticeship to be- Working in those days
and did what it was asked to do come an iron and brass was really in another
but I, like so many who worked in- moulder, working in both world. When I started
side the works, felt it is not really a the iron and brass foun- inside we had no breaks
GWR loco as it was not designed daries at different times. except at 10am or 3pm
in Swindon like the King George V. It was not recognised as and a toilet break over
I recall one of the loco foremen a trade until some years 10 minutes resulted in
saying, 'it was not a Swindon loco- later, but then I always pay being docked.
motive with all those bits hanging thought it was a craft Life in France is very
on the outside.' not a trade. We had no John Fleetwood, centre, chief foreman of the non-ferrous different. The village has
I imagine quite a few of the old drawings to work to, just foundary, with colleagues in 1981. Photo: Roy Nash about 250 inhabitants
railway men are not impressed by the skills, the eyes and the experi- Regarding the nameplate Lady but still has a bakery, restaurant,
the change, as they always talk of ence of the old moulders. Diana Spencer the cost of making cafe and hairdresser. I'm still not
a special loco as if it is one of their My father was a tractor driver on and casting it was about fifteen used to the lack of traffic here. I do
children. I spent many hours listen- the works internal transport which shillings - 75p in today's money. miss chatting to my neighbours in
ing to their tales about what they was classed as a semi-skilled job I noticed in a recent railway Swindon but keep in touch by let-
had done and seen as they drove which meant I was not able to be- magazine that a nameplate from ters. The French are very welcom-
their engines on the mainline. come a fitter, turner or erector ap- a warship class loco recently sold ing and there's always a friendly
I started inside the works in prentice. for £5,500. I remember making handshake whenever we meet.

Voices from the inside
Workers from the railway works in Swindon tell their own stories in the latest book by local historian, Rosa Matheson.
Drawing from an lished photographs, Loco and Carriage Works. She her research for this and previous
extensive collection covers the period also investigates the idiosyncra- books about Trip Week and women
of interviews and from the late 19th sies of work practices and oddly in the GWR, Rosa Matheson has
writings from those Century until the named jobs such as the 'hotter collected the memories of hun-

who worked in the works' closure in upper.' dreds of people and has a unique
workshops and of- RMLWAY VOIcrs 1986. It looks at the There was a fierce pride among insight into what made the works
fices of GWR, Rosa INSIDE' differences across those who worked 'inside' and their such a special place.

has created an af- SWINDON each era, the ups loyalty was such that it was joked Railway Voices costs £9.74 in-
fectionate record of WORKS and downs of work- that the workforce came with GWR cluding free postage from:
the famous works in ing for GWR, the re- stamped on their back sides. In
www.thehistorypress.co.uk
Railway Voices. lationships between
The illustrated workers, men and Mayor's birthday tribute to his dad
book, using many women, workers and
previously unpub- management, and the Keen railway historian and Swindon mayor Steve Wakefield has self-
published a book about his father's career on the railways: Ken Wakefield
Locoman 44 years on the Footplate. The tribute for Ken's seventy-fifth
birthday was pieced together from diaries he kept during this working
SWINDON OVULES years. For details and cost, mail: toothillandwestleacouncillor@yahoo.
co.uk

More memories wanted for the record
Former rail workers and their relatives have been making tracks to record
their memories with community radio station, Swindon 105.5FM.
With 250 bikes An appeal in October's Link for people to tell their stories provoked
on show a huge response and volunteer Emily Roberts from Abbey Meads has
been capturing memories for a series of radio programmes called Wag-
THE price is right ons & Waterways.
"We had so many people make contact with their stories which are all
THE parking is free
absolutely fascinating and are great material for a really wonderful set of
programmes," she said. "Most people think they haven't got a lot to say
T44 do~a but once we get started they can talk for 25 minutes about the railways.
It's so interesting listening to the stories and histories."
't4 Emily, whose dad has worked for Network Rail for 35 years, was de-
Parts,
lighted when she was asked to be involved with the project. "The railway
repairs, accessories, has always been part of my life but I didn't know as much as I do now; it's
back up stock been really phenomenal. I didn't realise until I started to talk to people,
Open: Mon to Sat how much the railway had meant to Swindon."
9am to 530pm People can go into the radio station to record their oral history or Em-
ily can interview them at home if that is more convenient. In addition to
Closed Sundays
collecting tales of life inside GWR, she would like to hear from people
who have memories to share about the Wilts & Berks canal.
Tel: 1011931100105 60a Beechcroft Road The first series of Wagons & Waterways programmes was broadcast
Between Stratton Crossroads & Kingsdown in January. To contribute to the next series contact Emily on 611555.