Train Driver

This page is dedicated to the memories of Train Drivers.

Some memories, such as Martin Davis's version of Miami Vice and Michael Kaye's memory, are too long and interesting to add to this page, so they can be found as a sub page.

Paul Gardener

My favourite memory was the occasion when the generator on a class 37 caught fire whilst approaching Norwich. I discovered this whilst walking through the engine room to shut down the train heating steam generator. I informed the driver who made an emergency stop and shut the engine down. I got down and walked alongside the locomotive, seeing black smoke and hearing crackling sounds. I climbed up to the back cab, and opened the engine compartment door, to see black smoke descending past my waist. I then saw the driver handing me the portable extinguisher from the other cab.

I advised him that it was too far gone for that and he told me to pull the fire bottles. I did so, but had forgotten the compartment door was still open to be enveloped in a cloud of BCF!

I abandoned ship by jumping out of the cab! I did not break any bones and it did put the fire out.