Railwaymen

Between 1979 and 1981 I worked as a station coupler at Euston station in London. The job entailed uncoupling the engine from the carriages of an incoming train, then walking up to the other end of the train and coupling on another engine to take it back out again.

The job was dirty and dangerous because you had to climb down between the engine and the carriages to unhook the coupling and detach the brake hoses and power cables. Often the coupling was pulled tight and the easiest way of undoing it was to get between the engine and the coaches, isolate the brakes and detach the cables, then shout to the driver to 'ease up' and he would push the engine into the coaches to slacken the coupling which you could then unhook. You were meant to get out from between the engine and the coaches during this operation but we never did.

The couplers were part of the shunting department based in the supervisor’s office at the end of platform 18. The senior men were the trip shunters, in charge of backing complete trains in ‘trips’ from the downside shed to the station. The department was run by a shift supervisor assisted by a chargeman.In the history of the railways it was a short-lived job, coming between the days of steam, when the fireman would do it, and the current system of multi-coach units.

During my time there I didn't take too many pictures, I was too busy doing the job. Now I wish I had shot more since I think what I did is among my best work.

Our Hero - Euston 1980

This is me standing next to two class 86 locomotives. You get a sense of how big these things are from track level that you don't get standing on a platform.

Yard Supervisor Johnny Moran - Euston Station 1979

Johnny was in charge of shunting and train movements between the station and the shed. He was also in charge of station couplers and so was my ‘line manager’ as we say these days. Actually, rather an appropriate title if you work on the railways.

Coupler Gulam Ismail - Euston 1980

Gulam was a keen cricketer and would always try to change his shifts if they fell on a match day.

Shunters McCloud and Brown - Euston 1980

Brownie styling it out in flares and white moccasins. These were probably not quite up to the British Safety Standard for footwear. Gloves in the foreground really were necessary to protect your hands. The widely-adopted procedure was to keep them in your pocket in a sliced loaf wrapper which was just the right size.

The Anguses resting - Euston 1979

We were supposed to work a three shift system of eight hours each but in practice they took out the late turn on overtime and we worked twelve hour days and nights. This could be particularly wearing in the winter when you wouldn't see daylight on a night shift. These two were cousins, as I recall. The man in the foreground was a trip shunter and the chap in the background was a coupler, like me.

Couplers Biondini and Ali - Euston 1979

Steve and Hanif messing about for the camera. I'm not sure what my colleagues thought of me photographing them but they were remarkably tolerant and relaxed.

The fly-spattered front of a Type 47 - Euston 1979

Shunter Brown tired in the Yard Supervisor's office - Euston 1979

Couplers Ali and Ekmekci with Shunter Brown in the background - Euston 1979

Yard Supervisor Moran - Euston 1979

A type 2 and the 350 in the morning light - Euston 1979

There were a couple of little roads between the Yard Supervisor's office and the signal box that were used for parking shunting engines, wagons, failed carriages etc. The points controlling them were the old-fashioned hand operated type.

Shunter Angus on the rails - Euston 1980

Roger Angus on the rails with a Class 08 shunt loco in the background. This locomotive was used for all sorts of shunting jobs, including bringing sets of carriages from the downside shed. It had various names: 'The 350' (referring to its 350 hp power output), 'The Jock' and I once saw 'The Flying Flea' written on the side of it in dirt.

Chargeman Corridon - Euston 1980

Bill Corridon was always immaculately turned out, just look at those boots! Here he is standing by the points lever for the shunt road by the office.

Yard Supervisor Cedric Pearce on the parcels' dock - Euston 1980

The trolleys behind him were known as Brutes (British Rail Universal Trolley Equipment) and were used to move parcels and other items on and off trains and around the station. They seemed to have metal wheels because the racket they made when being towed around was horrific.

Coupler Valentine - Euston 1980

Steve Valentine shuffles cards in the Shunters' break room.

Shunter Brown and Chargeman Corridon in the Yard Supervisor's office - Euston 1980

Coupler Angus having lunch - Euston 1980

There was a subsidised staff canteen in the station but it wasn't very good. We had a little kitchen in the Shunters' room and the Caribbean guys would all put in money for Brownie (one of the shunters) to cook for them. It was usually stew and dumplings and was delicious. The chaps from the Indian subcontinent brought snap tins of curry and rice or chapattis from home. For my part, I usually ate take-away puris and Indian sweets from nearby Drummond Street.

Coupler Mehta with jumper cable - Euston 1980

These cables, one on each side, were the 1000v electricity supply from the locomotive to the train.

Coupler Moriarty with a parcel train - Euston 1980

Cedric Pearce in the Yard Supervisor's Office during a night shift - Euston 1980

Coupler Lloyd in the Yard Supervisor's office - Euston 1980

One of the Trip Shunters getting warm in the shunters' room under the signal box - Euston 1980

Coupler Joy Etienne in the staff canteen - Euston 1980

He always looked cool wearing these slightly tinted glasses, which I think were prescription, even on night shifts.

Couplers Valentine and Moriarty with Yard Supervisor Pearce next to the 350 shunt locomotive.

Johnny Moran at the points lever, letting a locomotive through.