Where did it all begin? Earliest Photos of you Railway related.

[Georgeconna]

I'll kick this off, There is another picture somewhere 1971 of me on a Footplate but this will have to do for now.

Horsted Keynes 1972. Possibly still my favourite station in the UK. Love the subway, love the Waiting room having a sup while steamers pass by...Signal is gone now and this of course was the limit of the line back then, how they have blossomed.

Wonder how my Southern Interest Started...then this is it I reckon.

[Westcorkrailway]

5 minutes ago, Georgeconna said:

I'll kick this off, There is another picture somewhere 1971 of me on a Footplate but this will have to do for now.

Horsted Keynes 1972. Possibly still my favourite station in the UK. Love the subway, love the Waiting room having a sup while steamers pass by...Signal is gone now and this of course was the limit of the line back then, how they have blossomed.

Wonder how my Southern Interest Started...then this is it I reckon.

It’s for what the first photo I took, I haven’t a clue. I would imagine it would be of the Ruston In halfway 

 

but perhaps here lies my evidence of railway enthusiasm from a young age 

[Darius43]

My first and only experience of being on the footplate of a steam loco - aged 6 in 1971 in Pune, India.

I remember being allowed to pull the chain that blew the whistle.

Cheers

Darius

Edited January 15, 2022 by Darius43

[Mayner]

Started with one of these as a toddler a gift from a Grand Uncle and my mother talking about her late father a Broadstone loco driver

The engine went to a younger cousin when I got beyond the toddling stage.

My first 'train set' was tinplate possibly made in Japan or Hong Kong with an American steam loco (single battery in boiler), tender, freight car and caboose and circle of track, the second set I got a couple of years later was more modern a Tinplate American Streamliner a 3 car set with two streamlined cab units and an intermediate coach all 4w of course! As a child I liked to take things apart and the tinplate sets did not last very long a real pity, the next 'set" was the first Lego train that was pretty indestructable, I converted the loco from a Tank to a Tender engine by mounting the battery box on a set of road wheels with the tyres removed.

My introduction to Railway Modelling was a Triang-Hornby 'South African Goods" set when I got to choose my own Christmas present for the first time when I was 12. "The South African Goods" was not very African with the recently introduced M7 locomotive in British Railways lined black, two open wagons, a fish van and a British Railways Goods Brake and an oval of track.

Needless to say I dismantled the M7 including removing the wheels, but eventually managed to get it working again evening learning to replace a damaged insulated brush and quarter wheels and I am still learning.

I was about 10 or 12 before I actually got close to a real train a train ride behind a black diesel in a compartment coach from Killiney to Tara Street.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 16, 2022 by Mayner

[jhb171achill]

Coming from a railway family, with three generations and both my parents behind me as railway employees, as a child I was straightaway interested in .... cars.

And buses.

I did have a basic O gauge circle of track as a small child but - cars.

At age 10, we had to do a school project on any subject we liked. I chose television, as I was always fascinated by what went on behind the scenes, though we did have a TV until I was 13. (And with all the inane drivel on it, I'm glad; I still almost never watch TV...).

I couldn't find any suitable material in the school library, so home I went - and got a brainwave. I will tell Senior I have to do a homework about the railways.

And that's where it started. I got hooked. Next came another oval of track, this time 00 scale; a 2nd hand class 31 diesel with a loose roof, and 0.4.0 steam engine, a British Mk 1 carriage and three wagons........

And the cars? From the same point in time, my interest in those and the buses evaporated in its 100% entirety. I have not even the remotest beginnings of any interest in them since then!

Edited January 16, 2022 by jhb171achill

[Galteemore]

Never stood a chance.  My dad was RPSI treasurer and we lived 5 miles from Whitehead…..early photos show me in a pram beside 171. I was also introduced to a variety of classic Irish modelling in O gauge, and spent time in various signal cabins etc. The house was chock full of railway paintings and books. In those days my dad still had his collection of staffs, signal box diagrams and tickets, with shoeboxes full of his 1960s photos. I always liked the huge GNRI crest on the wall - with its cheery skeleton….

Once I was old enough to walk, I was enlisted into RPSI sales….much of my childhood was spent flogging pencils and badges. Much later in life, haggling in the bazaars of Asia posed no fears as a result! 

Edited January 16, 2022 by Galteemore

[Lambeg man]

Unfortunately I have no photographs of me as a youngster near a train. As a family we used the Lambeg to Belfast service often to visit 'Nannie Murphy'. The same 'Nannie Murphy' had the laurel bushes deemed redundant from the bank behind the down platform at Lambeg circa 1960 courtesy of the 'Station Master' Mr. McIntyre (he was actually graded as a 'Platform Foreman'). She carted the bushes up to Woodland Gardens underneath my younger brother's pram and set them at the front boundary wall, where they still are today. The first photo I have of me near a train was taken in 1979 when I was stationed at the British Army Railway Squadron in what was then West Germany. As I was then aged 24, I don't think that counts in terms of this thread???

[Galteemore]

That’s stretching the definition of boy soldier a bit far! But we’d love to see it anyway. The glory days of military railways in Germany…..around that time the RAF was still running brake van booze trains, at Wildenrath I think…. 

[jhb171achill]

I remember “Mr McIntyre”!

[Lambeg man]

Bizarre! Went looking for photo's of me in Germany on the railway and found this!

It is me in 1968/69 in my NIR 'Guards' outfit. I am wearing a railway peaked cap. The NIR logo on the case was cut from a timetable. No train though as it was taken in our back garden... LM

[Lambeg man]

20 hours ago, Galteemore said:

around that time the RAF was still running brake van booze trains, at Wildenrath I think…. 

Initial point of order Galteemore, the RAF never ran trains. Trains were always the prerogative of the Army. Train operations at RAF Wildenrath circa 1978 were under the control of 79 Railway Squadron RCT based at Monchen-Gladbach. More to follow. May have to start a separate thread. LM

19 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

I remember “Mr McIntyre”!

William McIntyre. He lived in the cottage at the south end of the down platform at Lambeg. I think he left around 1964/65. Do you remember anything else about him JHB? Do you know where he hailed from? He and my nannie were good friends.

[jhb171achill]

5 minutes ago, Lambeg man said:

 

William McIntyre. He lived in the cottage at the south end of the down platform at Lambeg. I think he left around 1964/65. Do you remember anything else about him JHB? Do you know where he hailed from? He and my nannie were good friends.

Not sure, LM. My dad knew him well, as he was a GNR man. I’ve a notion his origins might have been south of Portadown somewhere but I could be wrong. There was a PW Inspector Thompson who both my dad and William were very friendly with. Did you know him? (And who could forget Noel Scott!)

[DAVID WILSON]

I lived at Lambeg from 1953 to 1958 (aged 1 to 6 yrs) and remember Mr McIntyre as being a very nice man.  He kept a good fire going in the winter for passengers in the waiting room and he had postcard size photos of GNR trains. I last met him after the funeral of my uncle Theo Wilson in Theo's house just down from the station. At that stage, 1980, he was well retired living in a bungalow in the Dunmurry area I think.

Theo had worked in the GNR traffic department office at Great Victoria Street, and the biggest thrill I ever had was him putting me in with the driver of an AEC railcar on the way back to Belfast one Sunday evening at Lambeg after visiting.  This was around 1964.  Mother, father and younger brother were seated behind the glass.  She got a fright when she saw me rise from the tip up seat and move forward as the train approached Dunmurry.  The driver had shown me where the horn was and invited me to sound it before reaching the level crossing!

At Lambeg there was also a senior porter called Percy Gibson when I was a child.  I don't remember his face but apparently he was quite a character.

 

[Lambeg man]

On 13/3/2022 at 12:12 PM, DAVID WILSON said:

At Lambeg there was also a senior porter called Percy Gibson when I was a child.  I don't remember his face but apparently he was quite a character.

Fascinating material David. Per-1965 Willie McIntyre is the only Lambeg railway man I remember. My nannie was a 'southerner' and I have often wondered if Willie from the south as they clearly got on very well.

I was informed much later that one of the signalmen at Lambeg had the surname Jackson, but I know nothing else about him. Post 1965 Lambeg was downgraded to a 'Halt' coming under Lisburn and the two regular 'Porters' were then Tommy Morrison and Sammy (surname forgotten).

Morrison used to leave me to issue any tickets needed for the 08.15 Lisburn-Belfast while he went over to the up platform building to sort tickets for the about the same time Belfast-Lisburn service.

On a winter's day both Tommy and Sammy had a great fire going, in the down platform ticket office... I was often glad I was allowed in!

Do you remember the "Ulster Railway" embossed fire fender in the main waiting room? How I wish I had that away when the station was de-staffed in 1969! 

Edited March 19, 2022 by Lambeg man

[DAVID WILSON]

Hi LM, I greatly missed the Lambeg to Gt Victoria St trains when the family moved to Gilnahirk in east Belfast in the summer of 1958, both steam and diesel, and then on to granny's house at Bloomfield by trolleybus.

I don't recall the UR fire fender in the main waiting room but the fireplace was one substantial piece of work.

I phoned cousin Neill who is eight years older than me, Theo's son, and he was able to provide some more information.

Sammy to whom you refer may have had the surname Wallace. I may have over-promoted Percy Gibson, he was a relief porter from Lisburn. Mr McIntyre hailed from around Armagh and when retired lived in a semi detached house in Harmony Heights area, Lambeg.  Prior to Mr McIntyre, the post was held by Bob Campbell. Mr Campbell moved to Adavoyle as signalman when Mr McIntyre arrived.

[Lambeg man]

Hi David,

Yes, it was indeed Sammy WALLACE. He lived in Ballynaskeagh, south of Lambeg. Noel Scott from Lisburn station was the regular Rest Day Relief porter at this time.

8 hours ago, DAVID WILSON said:

Mr Campbell moved to Adavoyle as signalman when Mr McIntyre arrived.

Platform Foreman to Signalman? Surely a move down the grades? Obviously not someone I was familiar with.

 

8 hours ago, DAVID WILSON said:

Mr McIntyre hailed from around Armagh

I  must scour the 2nd 'Golden Years' book to see if he gets a mention. - LM 

[Darius43]

On 15/1/2022 at 5:33 AM, Darius43 said:

My first and only experience of being on the footplate of a steam loco - aged 6 in 1971 in Pune, India.

I remember being allowed to pull the chain that blew the whistle.

Cheers

Darius

As a follow up, my paternal Grandfather was a permanent way engineer and later inspector for the Great Indian Peninsula Railway as witnessed by this photo of a trial assembly taken in 1945.

 

My Grandfather is sitting to the left on the inspection trolley.

Cheers

Darius