Leaving Home

Leaving home

Travelling to RAF Cardington

Monday 5 July 1957

Arthur took the morning off work in order to see Harry off on his way to begin his service.

Harry had packed some clean under clothes pyjamas and a tee shirt into an holdall he had used to carry his clothes and racing gear on the Isle of Mann holiday just two weeks earlier.

He had put all his pay into a wallet and left it in a drawer in his bedroom, he just put a few pounds into a wallet to take with him.

His papers from work with employment and pay details were put into a large envolope in the bottom of the bag underneath everything else.

Arthur had given him his RAF issue brushes "They give you these; Clothes brush, Brush for cleaning your bresses and one for your boots. You will ned to use them, but if you do they get soiled so you have to scrub them clean, use these and kep the issue ones clean for inspections"

Harry had also been told to take two old toothbrushes, one to appy the metal polish and the other to put cloth overt the head to use for burnishing the brasses

 

They had been up from six o'clock, Arthur insisted he had a good breakfast "You must always have breakfast, you never know when you will get your next meal"

Harry had chosen his red and black check shirt, dark blue trousers and his showerproof cycling jacket, black shoes; no tie although Arthur was insistant he should wear one; It wasnt as if he was going to be judged on his apperance, comfort was more important than apperanc to him, it was going to be a long rail journey.

As they walked across town to the station Arthur carried the holdall; he asked "Are you sure you have got every thing? Travel warrant, National Insurance papers, every thing from ICI ?"

Harry replied "Yes everything is in one envolope nvolopes with stamps on including writing paer and e at the bottom of the bag"

A "Have you got the brushes?
H "Yes and I put some dubbin in to soften the boots"

A "Dubbin that will stop them from being shiny"

H "Well the idea is to apply a thin layer around the creases to make them more supple and comfortable"

A "It might work but rub the insides with soap, that smooths out all the roughness"

When the arived at the train station Harry exchanged the warrant for a ticket "Change at Wakefield and Birmingham, good luck, train wil be here in fifteen miuntes" said the clerk

They walked out on ot the platform and walked to the end to see over the town.

The woolen mills alonside the river, where they were built to use the water to drive machinery, the water wheels now long gone, replaced by individual electric motors; the streets of houses spreading up the hill side To the football field where they used to play, often chased of by the groundsman; Saint Andrews church which had a near miss when a German bomber released it load before crashing just outside the football ground, and the recovery men chased them away

The bells rang in the signal box signifying that the train was just a few minutes away, the signal just outside the plat from changed from red to orange as the arm moved safe to enter the station with care, the one at the end of the platform remained red.

The train rolled in spurts of steam leaking from its cylinders indicating leaking seals,,,,, the squeal of the braked as it finaly came to a halt

Opening doors, the porter shouting " Step back please - Mind the doors step back please - Batley - Batley" warning thos who were too eager to gey on the train and so all knew where the were.

Harry and Arthur looked for a compartment, there was no coridor on this train so make your choice and stick with it to Wakefield.

Harry picked an empty compartment with an open door left by the prevoius occupants. arthur came in with the bag "Where do you want this/ he asked

"Well their no one else here so it might just as well sit on a seat until Wakefield, I will put it up if anyone else cares to join in" Harry replied.

Arthur left the bag as requested, left the compatment and closed the door with a bang; Harry dropped the sliding window "Well that it I suppose until I get some leave"

Arthur replied "Write to mum when you can she said to give you some paper and envolopes, she just needs to know you are safe"

The guards whistle sounded. A toot from the engine as the signal arm fell and the light went green, cuff from the engine, the train began to move.

Both called "Bye" at the same time "Take care, write to mum" all Harry could do now was wave the trainwas picking up speed and the smokey steam was being blown over the train by the wind and drawn into the open window. He gave one last wave and closed the window.

The Journey

Harry sat facing forwards, He liked to see what was ahead rather than what was now behind.

From the station they went over a short viaduct, over a service road to a few factories, past the sewerage works, the remains of the skating rink that had not been cleared following a disastrous fire, how long was it 5 years? no longer He was at school, yes seven years now. Past Batley Carr village and the road to the coal rally, where the coal trucks ran down the hill side from a now closed colliery, driven by gravity coupled to a wire rope pulling up the empty trucks.

The line seperated; One going off left over a viaduct on its journey under the Peninnes to Lancshire and Liverpool

Their line bared left to Wakefield and the min lines. There was a short stop in Dewsbury, where passengers alighted and new ones joined; parcels were exchanged in the guards van. The train now went into a series of cuttings and tunnels until they reached Wakefield.

The Birmingham train was already in the station. He had to take the footbrige across to another platform, this was a coridor train with enclose compartments off. He chose an empty one, prefering to be alone with no questions.

They set of after fifteen minutes. He sat watching the country go by, for the first few miles he could recoginse many od the places Hunslet Engine works where many of the railway engines were built like "Fireless" in the chemical works; It had no fire taking steam from the works steam plant for use in amonst the petroleum products: Ramsdens Brewary between Rothwell and Swillington.

They made stops at Sheffield; Chesterfield; Derby before Birmingham

In Birminham he had to change stations from New Street to Snow Hill; He asked directions from a porter and followed those going by the street names

He was directed to the London train. It stopped at Coventry and Northampton.

Finaly, for Harry it stopped in Bedford

Reviews

[barleygirl]

This is one of your strongest stories that I've read in recent months. This storyline is so logical & easy to follow (a contrast to the last story I reviewed, where I was not following you). You bring up things I've never heard mentioned about preparing to go into the service, part of that being the possible preparations for if the guy doesn't return! I love all the details you use to give us the feeling of how strong "place" can be for some people, especially when leaving one's steady place! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Wild Rose]

Hi, Margie, I just returned to this and found your comment wasn't by any means my first time awayfrom home I had been cycling from age 11 and cycle racing for 5 years
Now at 21 this was to be 2 years away. and I fully expected that they would tell you what to do and when
What was it going to be like > I paced what I thought were the essentials > I had no money to speak of > Yoo didn't know what to expect - food would be provided - what else could I need???