Chris Booth

I began work at Dinnington Colliery Junction on the South Yorkshire Joint line between Brancliffe East Junction and Maltby Colliery South in August 1975. The shifts at the time were 12 hours 06:00-18:00 and 18:00-06:00 due to a vacancy other than the one I had applied for. So, after training for two weeks on either shift I was quizzed by the Station Manager of Worksop, Mr Albert Fox and passed out as competent to work the box on my own.

My first shift was to be a nights turn, so arriving at 17:50 to relieve Dick Richardson he told me what was about, what issues there were and with a cheery wave and " I'll see you in the morning", disappeared off on his bike.

So I settled in to do my first complete shift in my own, unpacked my snap, put my milk in the sink with some cold water (no fridges in signal boxes then)checked on the fire to see how it was doing (bit too warm in the box but Dick was nesh and it may get cooler later anyway) spread out my magazines to read and settled down to wait the first train.

It wasn't long before there was a ding on the bell from Brancliffe and an empty coal train was offered. This was a train for Harworth Colliery which was accepted and after a short while I received Train Entering Section. So now I had to deal with the train. Setting the route from the Down Main to the single Line, I then went to the Key Token machine and offered the train on to Maltby Colliery South. The signalman accepted the train, I turned the Key Token, removed it from the machine and placed it in a pouch, ready to give the driver. The train approached and so I cleared all my signals and then went down the stairs to give the driver the pouch with the Key Token inside and off he went. First train signalled ok and it was now a wait for the train to clear the single line.

So that set the scene for the rest of the shift, and as it wore on I was enjoying myself.

Midnight came and went, the temperature dropped a little so I stoked the fire a bit. More trains came and went, and as the hours wore on I began to flag somewhat. Come 3 am my eyes felt like they were full of sand and so I thought a 10 minute power nap would be in order, the bells would attract my attention if anything was to come.

The next thing I knew there was a pounding on the door! Jumping up, the clock said 4am and there was a Driver staring through the door window at me!

Turns out Brancliffe had offered me the train at 3:15 but there had been no reply, he had then rung the phone and got no response, so then rang control to say that he couldn't get me and was worried. Control had also tried to rouse me but to no avail and so the train had been sent through the section with instructions that the driver must stop at my home signal and walk to the box. This he did to find me sound asleep with my feet up and snoring alike a good un!

Needless to say a 'Please explain' was required and 43 years later with hundreds of night shifts under my belt, I have never fallen asleep on the job again, well, not heard the bells, telephones or footsteps on the steps again! After 43 years I signed off duty for the last time in 2019 and I can now drop off to sleep any night without being concerned about bells!