A Temporary End to Turnip Rail

Dear all. It is with much sadness that I write this post.

On Monday I had my Thesis Advisory Panel, where, after much discussion, it was decided that I need more work on my PhD than could be done within the three months of my remaining registration. Indeed, I may even need to extend my work until Christmas. Consequently, this has left me very disheartened, as I was hoping to start a book in October.

*UPDATE* I have decided not to pursue a career as an author and have decided to go into academia full-time when my PhD is over. It is why I did the PhD and, ultimately, I'll have the opportunity to do the thing I love, research. I am not saying I will never write a popular book - just not yet.

However, this said, I am determined to get the work done as soon is as humanly possible (before Christmas hopefully). The problem with a thesis, any thesis, is by the end those doing them want to get shot of them. Indeed, while I love my topic and the subject matter, I feel that after six years it is time to move on. Therefore, to speed my work, I have taken the decision to virtually suspend working on anything new for my sites, 'Turnip Rail' and 'Turnip Rail's Waiting Room'. Given my lovely, loyal readership, this decision has not been taken easily, and I do feel I am letting down the people who like the site and who have made it such a success over the past two and a half years. I thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for their support. But I have to get the thesis done ASAP. My career, and my sanity perhaps, depends on it.

But I will leave you with this thought: Turnip Rail will return, you can be sure of it.

With Love

David

Some Images of Railfest 2012

Weekly Round-Up

I have been working on my book proposal this week before my big meeting on Monday (in York) with my supervisor which, I hope, will set me up for four months of hard editing of the thesis. Bring it on!

So here's the round-up:

Monday: Britain's first Dining Car - 1879
Tuesday: "He was ordered to leave" - A Drunk at the Victoria Station - 1872
Thursday: "Special Trains to London for the Duke [of Wellington's] Funeral" - 1852
Friday: Britain's Largest Employers in 1907
Saturday: Some Railway Worker's Accidents in the 1880s

No main blog post this week (I've too much on I'm afraid). But check out last week's offeringDid the Management Ever Control Britain's 19th Century Railways?

Some Railway Worker's Accidents in the 1880s

Occasionally, I just like to browse the railway staff records on the Ancestry.com website. One of the saddest files I know is the London, Chatham and Dover Railway's book of injuries that its employees sustained. Indeed, there are some truly shocking stories recorded that highlight how dangerous working on the Victorian railway was:

Date: 14 November 1882
Name: Hibbert, G.
Grade: Engineman
Nature of Accident: Forefingers taken off (end of) had his hand on Brake block when fireman unexpectedly applied the brake - fingers caught between block and wheel.[1]

Date: 4 January 1884
Name: Driver of a cart
Nature of Accident: Knocked down while shunting train in Hatton's Yard, Faversham Creek, arm had to be amputated - Pilot Engineman R. Broadberry [2]

Date: 12 June 1885
Name: None given
Grade: Platelayer
Nature of Accident: Forefingers taken off (end of) had his hand on Brake block when fireman unexpectedly applied the brake - fingers caught between block and wheel.[3]

Date: 18 July 1887
Name: Foster, W.G.
Grade: Fireman
Nature of Accident: Head cut and body bruised thro. slipping off into pit in Battersea Shed. Engine 118, Driver, Goodhew [4]

Date: 31 December 1888
Name: J. Coventry
Grade: Engineman
Nature of Accident: When oiling engine at Victoria was struck on the back of his head with a bottle thrown from the 5.30 pm boat train. [5]

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[1] The National Archives [TNA], RAIL 415/108, Register of injuries to workmen: 1880 - 1891, p.45
[2] TNA, RAIL 415/108, Register of injuries to workmen: 1880 - 1891, p.46
[3] TNA, RAIL 415/108, Register of injuries to workmen: 1880 - 1891, p.87
[4] TNA, RAIL 415/108, Register of injuries to workmen: 1880 - 1891, p.112
[5] TNA, RAIL 415/108, Register of injuries to workmen: 1880 - 1891, p.124

Britain's Largest Employers in 1907

Britain's railways before 1914 were some of Britain's largest employers. Indeed, table below shows that of Britain's twenty-five leading employers in 1907, thirteen were railways.

"Special Trains to London for the Duke [of Wellington's] Funeral" - 1852

This small article appeared in The Leicester Chronicle on Saturday 30 October 1852 in the wake of the death of the Duke of Wellington. The 'Mr Cook' is, I presume, Mr Thomas Cook, who in the period arranged a great many excursions in the period. Notice also that the train went via Derby, as the shorter Great Northern Main Line was at that point incomplete.

"SPECIAL TRAINS TO LONDON FOR THE DUKE'S FUNERAL - Although the arrangements for visiting London are not yet completed, it will be seen by advertisement that Mr. Cook is desirous of consulting teh convenience of two classes-those who wish for an opportunity of being in town at the Lying-in-State, and the working classes, who can only make it convenient to be present at the funeral. The Scottish newspapers announce a special train, under Mr Cooke's management, from the extreme point of the northern railway, commencing at Aberdeen, and bringing passengers from Montrose, Dundee, Perth, St. Andrews, Coupar Fife, Coupar Angus, Stirling, Edinburgh, Galashiels, Haddington, Berwick, and other towns. The whole distance from Aberdeen to London is about 570 miles. The train is arranged to reach Derby at 6 o'clock on Tuesday morning, November 16th and the party will stop here for an hour for breakfast, Mr Cuff having arranged to provide on liberal terms at the station refreshment rooms. It is hoped Mr Cook will succeed in promoting a spirit of reciprocity amongst those north of the Tweed who have benefited so much from his arrangements from these parts to Scotland."

"He was ordered to leave" - A Drunk at the Victoria Station - 1872

On Saturday I posted a story about a drunk at the Midland Railway's Sheffield Station in 1872. However, this story was found directly below it:

'DRUNK AT THE VICTORIA STATION - Thomas Williams, miner, living at Handsworth was charged with being drunk at the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Station. at about seven o'clock on Saturday evening the prisoner went to the Victoria Station in a state of intoxication. He was ordered to leave, and two porters accompanied him off the premises to see him safe away. Shortly after eight he was found wandering upon the line a short distance from the station, and narrowly escaped being run over by a train. He was given into custody. - The bench inflicted a fine of 20s and costs.'[1]

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[1] The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent, Tuesday, February 06, 1872, p. 7

Britain's first Dining Car - 1879

On Monday 27 October 1879, Britain's railways witnessed the first appearance of a dining car on the Great Northern Railway (GNR). This car was not how we would expect railway dining facilities to be today, and there were actually two coaches, one when the passengers ate and another where the food was cooked. This was a widely reported event, and the press heaped praise on the GNR, with poetry being produced to mark the occasion. If you would like to read more about this event, I wrote a whole blog post on it last year.

Weekly Round-Up

Another busy week, but I managed to get my work off on Wednesday so now I am a bit freer to do things. I am so glad I got a main Turnip rail Blog Post out this week. I hate it when I cannot. Anyway, on with the round-up.

Tuesday: 'A Disgraceful Clergyman' (or not) - On a train - 1859
Thursday:'Watch Out' for Fagin and co. on a train - 1863
Friday:
Sack containing overcoat, boots etc. without a label- 1912
Saturday:
Great Western Railway 'Camp Coaches' - 1935
Saturday:
"Could not give any account of himself" - Drunk on a train -1872


And don't forget the latest main Turnip Rail post - Did the Mangement Ever Control Britain's 19th Century Railways?

"Could not give any account of himself" - Drunk on a train -1872

In know people who have been in a similar situation...really I do:

'DRUNK IN A RAILWAY TRAIN' - Richard Shaw, turner, Leeds, was charged with being drunk at the Midland Station. Mr Curtis stated that the prisoner was found drunk in a train on its arrival at the station, on Saturday evening. He had no ticket, and was so drunk that he could not give any account of himself, and was locked up. His ticket was afterwards found in the carriage - Fined 10s and costs, or 14 days.[1]

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[1] The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent, Tuesday, February 06, 1872, p. 7

Great Western Railway 'Camp Coaches' - 1935

In the inter-war years large numbers of Victorian railway carriages were taken out of service and transformed into 'camp coaches.' One of the largest providers of these was the Great Western Railway, and in April 1935 the company's staff magazine carried a feature on them with images from one stationed at Dyffryn-on-Sea in North Wales. The article revealed that for the coming summer the number of coaches the company would be offering around its network was being increased to thirty-eight. Available for six, eight or ten people, all came equipped with a living room, kitchen and two sleeping compartments. The cost of such accommodation, which the magazine stated would not increase during the holiday season, was £3 per week for a six berth coach, £4 for an eight and £5 for a ten.

Sack containing overcoat, boots etc. without a label- 1912

Sometimes I am astounded by the amount of paper the railways in the past generated. This one such example of a little bit of paper generated in the period. It appears someone didn't label their sack correctly...