Tail Lamp

摘要

Sir: Colin Maggs' article in Steam Days 377 (January 2021) provided an excellent and well illustrated history of a line I came to know very well. The article brought back half-forgotten memories from almost 60 years ago. In August 1963 I started as a graduate trainee with J S Fry & Son at Somerdale. Living in Bristol I caught a train each morning from Montpelier at shortly after 7am, changing at Stapleton Road and arriving at Keynsham & Somerdale station shortly after 7.30am. In those days the factory employed about 5,000 people and the train was well patronised by factory employees who promptly left the station for the five minute walk to the factory. I was not expected to arrive until well after 8am so tended to linger at the station watching the traffic. I particularly recall a daily ritual when the porter would approach the loco of an up stopping train and hand a bucket up to the footplate. This would be filled with hot water by the fireman and the porter would then take it, together with a mop, to clean the waiting room. Some mornings I also caught a glimpse of the 'Bristol Pullman' in its eye-catching blue and white livery. It looked splendid but I never rode in it so was unaware of its uncomfortable riding.