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Testing Diesel Locomotives at Crewe Works

Class 50 diesel locomotive sandwiched between two Class 25 diesel locomotives at Preston

The last period of my duration in the erecting shop at Crewe Works included a time spent in the company of the Finished Work Inspectors ( FWI ). They conducted sequence testing of the electrical control systems on the locomotives. One Inspector I remember was Joe Beadle. The purpose of these tests was to ensure that […]

Studying Locomotives at Crewe Works

Class 76 locomotive at Crewe Works

Perhaps the most exciting part of my engineering training was studying locomotives at Crewe Works. I was really looking forward to getting up close and personal with actual locomotives!

Learning to be a Locomotive Engineer at Crewe Works

Class 50 diesel locomotive

My engineering training at Crewe Works continued. You can read about my earlier time there here. I was assigned to the Metallurgical Lab which involved spending time in the Steel Foundry.  

Memories of working on the P-Way

Lifting rails into position on the P-Way - Chilcompton - Somerset and Dorset railway

Just to explain – this blog post is about working on the P-Way in the 1970s but I didn’t have any photos from this time so I’ve put in photos of the track re-laying at Midsomer Norton to show the kind of work we did back then. When I worked as a salaried staff engineering […]

Memories of Crewe Works

Electric locomotive being listed by pair cranes at Crewe Woeks

Following my first 12 months with British Rail Engineering Ltd at Crewe Works in the training school I embarked on a further 2 years in the main Works from August 1975. If my memory serves me right, the Works employed around 5,000 people at that time. I would like to share some of my Crewe […]

Crewe Works Apprentice Training School

Turning Section Crewe Works Apprentice Training School

On the 23rd September 1974, I started my railway career which was to last for over 40 years. It was only a week since I had had my successful interview the works general offices (GO) Crewe Works. I was now an Engineering Apprentice.

Starting Out At Crewe Works

Class 40 - 40021 - Ivernia - Crewe Works -1974

I had been interested railways since I was frightened by an A4 Pacific as it stormed through the old Stevenage station from the North. I was a small child sitting in my pushchair on the Up platform. We were probably travelling to London to visit relatives. I also had an interest in engineering although, as […]

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