Diplodicus
Member
- Joined
- 8 Mar 2013
- Messages
- 214
At my age, I spend quite a lot of time wandering down the lanes of my memories suddenly recalling event thought long-forgotten. This forum's content reminds me just how much "Health & Safety" imposes itself on so many aspects of our lives. Please let us not embark on another panegyric about HASAWA: you have all said much on many threads. So, I offer the following tale as a counterpoint...
It's about 1960 and I am an enthusiastic trainspotter besotted by all things GWR. I decide that "bunking" 81A Old Oak is offering diminishing rerurns for 'cops' so it's time to hunt further afield. Southall? Too small. Where's next? Ah... 81D - Reading. Off I go. Aged thirteen, no money, what could possibly go wrong?
East Putney to Paddington. Wait for the porter to return to his cuppa and up to the platform. Oh goody: a Q Stock journey. Leather, veneer, lampshades over light bulbs. Perfect start. Paddington ticket barrier? Eezy peezy.
Now for Reading. The "safe" way would be a down stopper (hauled by a 'Tanner One' and in non-compartment stock). That would take too long so hop on the first down fast and be prepared to climb onto the luggage rack if "The Inspector Calls". He didn't. 81D here we come.
Reading shed is visible from the ramp at the west end of platform one. Seems daft to try and get through the barrier so immediately after a down departure, I sneak down onto the main line, across the narrow path on the bridge over the road and down into a a whole new world of Halls, Granges and 57xx.
Job done so back along the down line to platform 1 and the waiting porter who dispensed the usual "you could haven been killed, diatribe but, being a young teenager, I had already perfected the direct auditory route from one 'in' ear and straight out t'other. Time to go home.
Up stopper this time, and the same LT technique homeward for my tea.
"Hi Dad."
"Hi. What have you been up to?
Noffink much.
It's about 1960 and I am an enthusiastic trainspotter besotted by all things GWR. I decide that "bunking" 81A Old Oak is offering diminishing rerurns for 'cops' so it's time to hunt further afield. Southall? Too small. Where's next? Ah... 81D - Reading. Off I go. Aged thirteen, no money, what could possibly go wrong?
East Putney to Paddington. Wait for the porter to return to his cuppa and up to the platform. Oh goody: a Q Stock journey. Leather, veneer, lampshades over light bulbs. Perfect start. Paddington ticket barrier? Eezy peezy.
Now for Reading. The "safe" way would be a down stopper (hauled by a 'Tanner One' and in non-compartment stock). That would take too long so hop on the first down fast and be prepared to climb onto the luggage rack if "The Inspector Calls". He didn't. 81D here we come.
Reading shed is visible from the ramp at the west end of platform one. Seems daft to try and get through the barrier so immediately after a down departure, I sneak down onto the main line, across the narrow path on the bridge over the road and down into a a whole new world of Halls, Granges and 57xx.
Job done so back along the down line to platform 1 and the waiting porter who dispensed the usual "you could haven been killed, diatribe but, being a young teenager, I had already perfected the direct auditory route from one 'in' ear and straight out t'other. Time to go home.
Up stopper this time, and the same LT technique homeward for my tea.
"Hi Dad."
"Hi. What have you been up to?
Noffink much.