British childhood memory

[daveklepper]

is this a line that did not make the Beeching cut?

[scilover]

Wow, amazing story! Thanks for sharing this. I can’t believe back then it’s so easy to hop onto a train with a stranger without any worries. Times sure have changed since then.

[daveklepper]

thanks for the details!

[M636C]

This appears to be a LNER Class J71 or J72 0-6-0 tank locomotive.

These were numbered by British Railways in the 68000 (and low 69000) series. The last locomotives were built as late as 1951!

Selby is just south of York on the river Ouse. The branch line ran North West from Selby to Cawood which was also on the river Ouse.

This is a view of a J72 as built. The J71 had larger driving wheels.

The J72 happened to be the first model made by Bachmann for the Briish market and while a good reproduction, has been replaced by an even better model. I have one of the originals.

Peter

[Flintlock76]

Good story David!  Thanks!

Imagine, the best show in town and it was free!  And even better, at least once your friend got a chance to be part of the show!  

[daveklepper]

A friend now living in Israel sent:

 

Part of my childhood....

 

Note the sheaves in the field - it was harvest time (August).

 

 

 

We 4 cousins would spend the school holidays at my grandfather's (he died on June 17th 1980, exactly 40 years ago today, English date). It would have happened before 1959, because I was younger. 

 

Every day we could hear the train on its way from Selby. We were usually in the fields. We'd drop everything and run up to the station gates just in time to wave. Sometimes the train went straight through to Cawood, and sometimes it stopped at Wistow. It wasn't a passenger train.

 

One day one of the men asked us if we'd like a ride to Cawood. Of course! We jumped on the train into the guard's van at the end, got to Cawood, then the train started back again and safely left us at Wistow.

 

In those days there was no thought of men being dangerous and we didn't even ask permission, as I remember.

 

It was so exciting!