Engine Drivers
There is a fairly extensive biographical literature on engine drivers. There are a few autobiographies in the form of books (either written by themselves or with the assistance of professional writers) and there are the footplatemen who became general writers notably McKillop and the Essery brothers. R.H.N. Harvey also wrote extensively about the footplatemen whom he encountered as he rose from being a fitter who enjoyed riding on the footplate to becoming in charge of large motive power depots. The Railway Magazine during the 1940s included a series Top Link Drivers based on about four photographs per issue with very brief biographical notes: Issue No. 570 included Numbers 78 to 81 Vaughan in his Grub, water & relief includes anecdotes on drivers back to the beginning of the broad gauge. Some important material is contained in Gooch's diaries and in Joy's diaries..
Addison, Thomas A. (LMSR)
Began railway career at Nuneaton in 1906, transferred to Leicester
mpd in 1925 and promoted to driver in 1928. Served in ROD on the footplate
in France during WW1. Top link drivers, No. 81.. Rly Mag., 1947, 93,
226-7.
Almond, Michael John (GWR)
Aged 15 in 1822. Began employment on pumping engines. Very calm practical
man. Probably arrived on GWR with the Sharp Roberts Lion. Involved
in a collision between West Drayton and Slough with
Appleby's North Star through negligence of
a policeman called BroomheadGreat physical strength and stamina. Survived
severral tyre failures. Allocated Great Britain of the Iron Duke class
in July 1847. Gained nickname of Mad Sandy. Regularly drove at 80 mile/h
and on 11 May 1848 drove the 53 miles from Paddington to Didcot in 47½
minutes: an evarage of 67 mile/h. He became Foreman of Paddington shed and
retired in 1873. Vaughan, A.
Grub, water & relief: being tales of the Great Western,
1835-1892. (1985).
Appleby, Harry (GWR)
Dour, surly Geordie: regular driver of North
Star.. Vaughan, A. Grub,
water & relief: being tales of the Great Western, 1835-1892.
(1985).
Bishop, F.C. (LMS)
Queen Mary of the iron road,
as told to M.C.D.Wilson and A.S.L. Robinson. (1946): A "ghosted"
autobiography of Driver Bishop — the driver who accompanied the
Coronation Scot to the New York World's Fair. See also
Essery, R.J. and Harris,
N. LMS reflections: a collection of photographs from the Hulton Picture
Company. 1986.: Contains several pictures of locomotive "6220" with
bell and headlight and of Driver F.C. Bishop and Fireman J. McKinnon Carswell
whilst on exhibition at Euston prior to trip (page 55). .
Carswell, J. McKinnon (LMS)
Essery, R.J. and
Harris, N. LMS reflections: a collection of photographs from the Hulton
Picture Company. 1986.: Contains several pictures of locomotive "6220"
with bell and headlight and of Driver F.C. Bishop and Fireman J. McKinnon
Carswell whilst on exhibition at Euston prior to trip (page 55).
Chicken, John GWR)
Perhaps not a good example as not reprimanded for drinking on duty
(was the GWR Board occupied by the brewerage?).
Vaughan, A. Grub, water &
relief: being tales of the Great Western, 1835-1892. (1985).
Cook, Francis (GWR)
Great grandfather of Adrian Vaughan. Joined GWR at Chippenham as
a cleaner in March 1875 when fourteen. He became aa fireman when seventeen
at 3/6 per day. Career troubled by excessive drinking. By 1891 he was driving
at Southall, but in June 1892 he was fined for putting drink before duty
and was dismissed in 1899, but the brewerage took care of him, firstly at
Simmon's brewery in Reading an then as landlord of the King's Arms in Wantage..
Vaughan, A. Grub, water &
relief: being tales of the Great Western, 1835-1892. (1985).
Deal, Bill (BR)
Essery, R.J. and
Harris, N. LMS reflections: a collection of photographs from the Hulton
Picture Company. 1986.: contains (pp 85-90) "day in life of" Driver
Bill Perry and Fireman Bill Deal based on Bletchley for Picture Post
in 1949.
Duff, Robert (GWR)
Driver on standard gauge Shrewsbury & Chester Railway absorbed
by GWR in 1854. Went to Egypt in June 1860. Returned to GWR in 1862 and in
October 1888 became shed foreman at Corwen..
Vaughan, A. Grub, water &
relief: being tales of the Great Western, 1835-1892. (1985).
Harry, Evan (GWR)
Boorn in February 1841, joined South Wales Railway at New Milford
in 1855. After many adventures involving excessive drinking became the driver
of the Malmesbury Railway when the line opened in Deceember 1877 and survived
until retirement in January 1908. .
Vaughan, A. Grub, water &
relief: being tales of the Great Western, 1835-1892. (1985).
Hayward, Jim (NER>BR)
Joined NER as a cleaner at Tyne Dock. Involved
in derailment on a coal staithe when working on FGH shunter. Also told McKillop
of his very rough treatment as a fireman by some of the drivers. Spent his
driving career on heavy freight at Tyne Dock. Portrait.
McKillop, N. Ace enginemen
(1963)
Hurst, Jim (GWR)
Friend of Daniel Gooch: originated in Lancashire. Enjoyed driving
fast, but was frequently fined for misbehaviour and had to be sent to Totnes.
Ended as a labourer in Swindon Works and retired in May 1876 aged 64. His
son with same name was an apprentice at Swindon
Works and ended up being its Foreman. For a time he was Locomotive Superintendent
of the Jersey Railway. Vaughan,
A. Grub, water & relief: being tales of the Great Western,
1835-1892. (1985).
Leonard, John (GWR)
A driver who was involved in a contratemp with one of the GWR directors.
Vaughan, A. Grub, water &
relief: being tales of the Great Western, 1835-1892. (1985).
Liver, John (GWR)
Mentioned on page 7 of
Vaughan, A. Grub, water &
relief: being tales of the Great Western, 1835-1892. (1985).
Mason, Harry (LNWR>LMS)
page 52 Essery, R.J.
and Harris, N. LMS reflections: a collection of photographs from the Hulton
Picture Company. 1986: Driver Harry Mason retiring on 6138 London
Irish Rifleman at Euston on 26 May 1933 (joined LNWR in 1888).
Merryweather, F.G. (GER>LNER)
Began railway career on 11 September 1901 on GER at Palace Gates.
Transferred to Stratford in 1914. Promoted to driver in 1920. Eventually
worked non-stop trains to Yarmouth, Lowestoft and Cromer, the Continentals
and the Eastern Belle. Top link drivers, No. 80. Rly Mag., 1947, 93,
226-7..
Moore, Herbert (GWR)
Began railway career as a cleaner on 2 January 1904 at Stourbridge.
Appointed fiireman at Landore on 8 January 1907 and promoted to driver on
16 June 1919. At time of publication was working express trains from Swansea
to Carmarthen, Cardiff and to Paddington.. Top link drivers, No. 79. Rly
Mag., 1947, 93, 226-7..
Perry, Bill (BR)
Essery, R.J. and
Harris, N. LMS reflections: a collection of photographs from the Hulton
Picture Company. 1986.: contains (pp 85-90) "day in life of" Driver
Bill Perry and Fireman Bill Deal based on Bletchley for Picture Post
in 1949.
Pibworth
See Hughes Rly Wld 42
638 for account of his skill in handing A1 4474 on the extremely
difficult GWR mainline to Exeter where the curvature was uncompensated during
the 1925 locomotive exchange.
Pink, A.
Driver A. Pink oiling LMS 4-6-0 with vacuum pump on "31 August 1927".
page 11 of Essery, R.J.
and Harris, N. LMS reflections: a collection of photographs from the Hulton
Picture Company. 1986.
Roscoe, Bob (GWR)
Born Liverpool in 1818. Joined LMR in 1834 as a cleaner. Moved to
GWR where associated with locomotive Sultan. Noted for his good humour.
In trouble (annd fined) for arriving at Gloucester too quickly and in placing
excessive reliance upon Clarke chain brake, but rewarded fo stopping train
in time to save hounds of Old Berks Hunt. Beacame Royal Train driver (for
which he was paid an extra sovereign for every journey) and drove "Sir Daniel
Gooch's" 09.05 Windsor to Paddington.
Vaughan, A. Grub, water &
relief: being tales of the Great Western, 1835-1892. (1985).
Thompson, 'Wor Bill'
Mentioned on page 7 of
Vaughan, A. Grub, water &
relief: being tales of the Great Western, 1835-1892. (1985).
Till, George (SR)
Born in 1884 and joined LSWR at Barnstaple in 1898 as a cleaner.
Appointed fireman 1911, moved to Nine Elms depot and promoted to driver in
1917. During WW2 in charge of many private and special trains. Top link drivers,
No. 78. Rly Mag., 1947, 93, 226-7.
Webster, J.W.
Essery, R.J. and
Harris, N. LMS reflections: a collection of photographs from the Hulton
Picture Company. 1986: page 11 Driver J.W. Webster in front of 6164
at Euston
Witkins, Sid
Driver who introduced David Joy to the footplate
(see Joy's Diaries)