Longport Depot

Discussion in 'Locomotives' started by paul_l, Dec 9, 2019.

  1. paul_l

    paul_l Staff Member Administrator

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    For all the Stokies (and ex-pats)

     
  2. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Interesting footage Dundee, I note that the ex City Council masonette flats in Princes Square are still standing having been condemned as unfit due to subsidence defects way back in 1980. The place looks a shadow now of what it used to be, back in the day when the PCD was going and Longport had an Assistant Area Manager to Archie Coe at Stoke, the Chief Clerk was Frank Upton, parcels counter clerk was Dick Hurst, the yard foreman was Harry Bonsall (who came from Leek Goods in 1970) and PCD supervisor was Ken "Thunder" Thorley the egg man from Uttoxeter. I've forgotten the surname of the AAM who's first name was George... a kindly but authoritative figurehead who took no messing about. I knew them all and sadly as usual all are now not with us. Longport had a fleet of about 20 Rail Express Parcels delivery vans, it had full loads a travelling crane and Wass used to unload china clay for Middleport Pottery in the back sidings where those 56's are stored. Clay would arrive in 13Ton VB Hoods sheeted with a tarpaulin bar from St Blazey, half that train would be backed off at Cockshute and then tripped down into Shelton Sidings next to the NCL depot on Vernon Road. There was a lot of coil traffic from Middlesboro that came on steel plate wagons and the full loads still handled BD containers which went to Price's Teapots for loading. I can still sense that cold damp musty lingering smell tinged with 08 loco exhaust, creosote and wet masonry in the old goods shed along with puddles of water in the yard and the slippery cobblestone sets in the drive. That was all 45 years ago when I first started on BR and seems like it was yesterday but it was a last snapshot of what the old railway must have been like when the Loop Line was going and Stoke was full of railway lines everywhere.
     

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