THE LAUNDRY RAILWAY

In a block of flats somewhere in Ilford stood a railway in which residents loaded their dirty washing onto trains leading from a little station off the corridor. The trains then carried their load to the laundry room where people took the clothes off the laundry trains and loaded them into a washing machine. The station adjoined the laundry room which was entered through a door at the far end of the platform. A crane grabbed the washing and hoisted it up dropping it onto trolleys. The trolleys were taken to the end of the platform where the laundry room was entered through a door. The washing was then taken through the station door and into the laundry. Sometimes dogs were used to carry the washing all the way to the laundry. The dogs carried the washing in their mouths and away they went to the laundry room. For hygienic purposes the dogs had to have their mouths disinfected prior to using them for carrying the washing all the way to the laundry.

In the laundry soap powder laden with moths was emptied into the washing machine, together with Calgon.

Knives shooting out from inside the washing machine were used to grind the dirt out of the washing whilst stink bombs were used for purifying the clothes.

Once the washing was taken out salt and pepper was poured onto it to make it fresh. The clothes were then taken to the kitchen to be roasted. This was to make them crispy enough to wear. Once done a washer man was used to collect the clothes and load it on to the trains on the laundry railway. Before long they arrived at the station near the flats ready to be taken back to the residents’ flats.