Starting as an engine cleaner at Oxford in September 1964, I was passed for firing in January 1965. I had a wonderful career retiring in January 2017 after 52 years. Your photos rekindled many memories for me especially the coaling stage and the turntable which I pushed around a few times especially when we serviced the Southern locos off the down Pines Express from Bournemouth. I worked as far as Witney because the section to Fairford had closed. I remember 9653, 9654 & 9773, and later the North British 63xx. I really enjoyed the bit of firing I did but it seems so long ago now. l’ve attached a couple of photos of myself – the first was taken at Swindon in 1965 in front of 4079 by Oxford driver Richard Tolley. We had just left our loco in the yard, an 8f, topping the tank with water after working a freight from Oxford. We were to return light engine. The second was aboard 6998 on the steam special from Hereford to Didcot in 1975 with my late friend ex-Kingham and Oxford driver Jack Langan.
Ron Richards, 1965, Swindon. Photo: Richard Tolley
Ron Richards and Jack Langan, 1975
I worked a lot on the North British 63xx class locos. I always remember my regular driver Maurice Lambourne putting a clean set of overhauls on as he had just passed on them and we were booked to work a freight from Didcot to Banbury and we were in the relief cabin in the yard at Didcot and our train arrived with a run down Hall. He wasn’t very amused. We covered all the local trip work around Oxford with the 63xx including a booked turn to Chinnor. I used to always change turns as I was traveling from Moreton in Marsh at the time. Used to love going to Witney steam and later diesel. We used to book on and relieve the Southern Bournemouth men on the Pines Express and get the loco serviced on the shed to return it to the station for its return working to Bournemouth. It arrived one day with a hot inside big end and we were given 6910 as the replacement. The Southern fireman was not happy. Following on, on that turn we got a PT ready – usually 96xx – and went light engine to Witney for the blankets. We used to come back with a fairly long train of vans for Hinksey yard. Happy days. I’ve attached a couple of photos, showing Oxford driver Frank Parsons trundling back from Witney on a class 22. Frank was a real character and a good railwayman sadly no longer with us. I took the photo, as I was booked with him, and the view is from the front as we approach South Leigh. The other is Oxford driver Gerry Weston taken at Paddington on a Hymek. I wish I’d had a decent camera during my firing spell as I could have captured so much on the footplate.
Oxford Driver Frank Parsons, approaching South Leigh
South Leigh
Oxford Driver Gerry Weston, Paddington
I’ve attached a couple of photos, firstly 47079 GJ Churchward with myself as driver on the Avonmouth to Calvert bins, taken at Calvert June 1986. My secondman that day was John Crouch and the guard was Gary Clift from Abingdon. The other photo is of myself with 50035 on Oxford depot. Sorry no date but likely 1980s. We used to book on quite early for the Calvert and relieve Swindon men. The afternoon turn was to relieve the Oxford driver and take the unloaded empties as far as Swindon. We then travelled back to Oxford for a physical needs break (PNB) and then worked a passenger train to Paddington.
Rob, Calvert, June 1986
Ron, Oxford, 1980s
I mentioned the turntable and how after relieving the Bournemouth men on the down Pines Express we would coal and water the Southern loco to balance it for turning. They were a tight fit on that turntable.I was asked if I knew a Mr Isles that lived next door to someone’s Nan. I immediately knew it was Alec Isles ex-Swindon man who came to Oxford long before my time but someone I’d had the pleasure to work with.
I attach photos of two Oxford drivers. The one on the Hymek is George Sayce. I was put with him to work an express from Oxford to Paddington. I believe he came across from the LNWR shed in Rewley Road to the Western, as quite a few of them did. We returned with a parcels train over the New Road via High Wycombe, Princes Risborough, Tame and Morris Cowley. The other photo is driver Cecil Woodley taken in our mess room next to the old shed. Sorry no date but likely latter 1960s. They are both wearing the new diesel livery uniform’s. Cecil started in 1936, went to Banbury in 1948 to get his driver’s job, after which he came back to Oxford. Colin texted me earlier to say his dad Cecil got his driver’s job in Banbury at Christmas 1948 along with another Oxford fireman Ted Simmons. I worked with both Cecil and Ted. I’m friends with his son Colin Woodley. We both started at Oxford in 1964 and we both retired in January 2017 after 52 years on the footplate. Both of us became drivers. I went to Reading from Oxford in 1989 for ten years where I became a tutor on the new Thames turbo units. I also did class 47 locos and diesel shunters. I still can recall driving the earlier generation DMUs over the North Downs to Guildford, Redhill, Gatwick Airport and Tonbridge.
George Sayce
Cecil Woodley
Jack Langan
Oxford driver Jack Langan shunting at Abingdon latter 1960s on a class 63xx. I’m his mate that day and took the photo. Jack came from Neath in South Wales to Kingham as a fireman during WW2. When Kingham closed he transferred briefly to Didcot before locating to Oxford shed. We were very good friends and I visited him several times in retirement. Sadly no longer with us.
In answer to the above posted on Facebook, Ian Hudson asked. “Did you happen to know an Oxford driver named Isles? He was a neighbour of my gran in Botley and retired in the early 70s…. Ron replied. “Yes Ian Alec Isles ex-Swindon man. I liked Alec nice to work with. He was a diesel tutor when they first started to arrive. When he lived in Oxford – West Way is it – he told us at work he hammered a nail into a floor board and found a central heating pipe.” Pete Lawson commented, “Bob Preston was his regular mate, Bob always swapped turns with me when he was on the fish to Basingstoke. five or six blue spots on behind a packet, Jack would always say fill her up and you can have her to Reading, great bloke.”
Ron working DMU L417 from Reading platform 4B to Redhill December 10 1993
Tom Bowes says, “You were kind enough to oblige Peter with the headboard. I may have been your guard at times. That looks like Greg Hatt in your picture.”
Ron Richards replies, “Yes I remember being asked if the headboard could be placed on the front and I was only too happy to oblige. Quite a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then. I enjoyed my time at Reading working alongside the Redhill boys ’n’ girls before returning after ten years to my Oxford depot.”
The Eric Curnow Collection 