I started in 1948 as a cleaner (you were not allowed on the footplate till you were 16), then in the shunting link with a driver named Bert Lawman. It was firing Jinties (Dobbings) 47360, 47677 were two I can recall. When we shunted the goods shed it was a super D because of the water capacity, there was no water there.

I went main line in 1950 in the special link with various drivers Frank Mayo, Jack Peters, Tom Minor, Cyril Wolve. One occasion I recall with Cyril was booking on at about 00.45 to work the 01:45 freight to Bletchley. We had a Super D, which was only a G1(6F). We backed into the yard, the shunter said, "Would you take 76?",my mate laughed and said 70 was the limit for that engine.

We set off the loco, steam was blowing everywhere, we got to Northampton, took water and set off as we got to Hunsbury Hill tunnel. Cyril told me to put a rag over my mouth and get on the floor and he would fire. After the tunnel we were held at the next box for a considerable time, and being a winter night the wagons which had fat boxes (not oil) had frozen, and we had to be banked up to Roade. Then into Hanslope loop behind two or three others, and in due course of time we were first in the queue and short of water.