Southampton

On Train Announcements leads me to remember this gem, a classic mistake which I hold my hand up to….
After serving my time as a goods shunter at East Yard in Eastleigh, I transferred to Southampton Central as a passenger shunter. One of the shunter’s duties at that time was to relieve the station announcer at lunch time, and tea breaks. Most of the announcements were recorded on tape, but I preferred to use the microphone, and make the announcements myself. My voice is quite clear, and I was usually able to avoid the edict becoming “the next train on platform ffwll is for Patigwilog and Nanesburing on Sea. Change at Twilesigmoroo for Gerofmeknee”
Sometimes even the best (or worst) of us can get it wrong so wrong….
Southampton Airport Parkway in those days was simply known as Southampton Parkway, and fast trains left Southampton, and called at the Parkway before running fast to Waterloo Station. It was the semi-fast service that called at Clapham Junction to allow Gatwick Airport passengers to change for their trains.
A fast service approached Southampton platform one. My broadcast came gushing from my lips, “The next train to arrive at platform one, is for Southampton Parkway and London Waterloo only. Southampton Parkway and London Waterloo only, the next train at platform one. Passengers for Gatwick Airport, please change at Clapham Junction.”
I knew my blunder as soon as I said it.
I called myself a pillock, and threw the mike across the desk. It was out there, and I was not about to try to correct it and cause more confusion. The beauty of it was…….no one noticed! At least, no one let me know!!

 

Two shunters were employed at night at Southampton Central. Very little happened at night, but an extra hand was needed on just one train that arrived at about 4.00am. In those days Red Star parcels were carried by the railways, and the parcel train was allowed just 2 minutes standing time to clear the Southampton parcels before departing for Bounemouth. The extra shunter’s assistance was needed to get the parcels off before departure. Believe it or not, that extra person’s wages were worth it if the parcels were late at their destination, compensation costs could be astronomical.
Southampton’s Station Manager decided one week to try to save the wage bill.
“I will stay this week and see if it can be done without the extra hand” he announced. The extra night shunter was laid off for the week, (with pay, I am lead to believe, but it was not me worse luck). The Station Manager stayed with us for the night shift. Needless to say this crimped our style a bit, but we coped with his presence. The night parcel train arrived. “Right lads, lets see if it can be done!” said the SM, and lo and behold, he started grabbing parcels! Lo and behold, we let him help! Parcels off, the train departed, on time. This happened the first few nights, and we did not let him know.
By the end of the week, he was a happy man. Until….
“I knew it could be done” said the SM, delightedly; “We don’t need the extra shunter!”
“Your right” we replied,” All we need is an extra Station Manager”!!
The second shunter was back the next week. I guess the SM needed his beauty sleep!!

 

What follows is a true story about an incident that happened to my grandfather sometime during the early years of WW2. It was printed in the obituary that appeared in his company's house magazine after his death in 1958.

This is the incident as described in the obituary:

'In the early years of the war he (my Grandfather)
accompanied Mr C-----d to Southampton guarding a
bullion wagon. While this was waiting in Southampton
station it was coupled, by mistake, to a troop train
which then departed. Mr C-----d and he promptly told
the stationmaster, and the three of them commandeered
a locomotive which pursued the troop train on a
parallel line and eventually caught up with it. The
stationmaster took off his top hat and waved the troop
train down. Then the locomotive was shunted to the
rear of the troop train and the bullion wagon coupled
to it. And so the company's reputation for security was
saved.'

The incident sounds like something recalled by a
colleague of my Grandfather, perhaps the Mr C-----d
who is mentioned. This could explain why Grandad never
mentioned it to me; he might even have forgotten all
about it.

The date of the incident is not certain but at a guess
possibly 1940/41. The track layout at
Southampton station at that time would have allowed
parallel running westwards as far as Millbrook. Even
so, a chase such as that described would be a highly
unusual occurrence on the railway even if it did
involve a troop train, a bullion wagon and a light
engine.

I don't know any more about the incident. Grandfather never told me about it although he knew I was keen on railways. I did manage to find out the name of the Southampton stationmaster who wore the top hat, but that was all.

 

Location: Bournemouth

When: Many years ago when the Waterloo - Weymouth mail trains used to run

The down Mail has arrived at Bournmouth and over the tanoy:

"For those that require it, its (tea) made..."

 

only just discovered this thread, and if it was between 1970 and 1976 it was probably me who made that announcement !!!!!!!

 

Were you also the fellow at Southampton Central who always announced the stopper to Bournemouth as stopping at Hinton Aidmiral ..as apposed to its correct name of Hinton Admiral ...always gave us a chuckle , I worked at the TOPS office on the up side .....

 

Not in steam days but I had cause to visit the Docks a few times, amazing amount of activity back in the seventies, Class 07s everywhere.