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Thread ID: 87160	2008-02-10 22:17:00	Any 1940s, 1950s, 1960s railway workers about?	Roscoe (6288)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
639336	2008-02-12 18:59:00	Did you used to work on the railways in the steam (or later) era? Engine drivers, firemen and guards in particular. I am interested in railway history in NZ. I have heard conflicting stories of the method of dispatching a passenger train. My recollection is (the stationmaster?) ringing the station bell, the guard showing the driver his little green flag, the driver acknowledging with his whistle and away they went. I have worked for a government department myself and the practice in the Post Office was to have everything carried out in a standard fashion so any worker could be transferred to any town from any town and find the way of doing things was the same. I assume the railways did that too. NZR being a government department at the time would (I imagine) have the same practice all over the country. If that is the case, I would have thought that there would be no difference despatching a train anywhere from Opua to Bluff. My recollection is from riding the railcars and mixed trains (behind an Ab) up and down the Kaikoura Coast in the early 1960s. Is my recollection correct, missing something or completely incorrect? Thanks, people.:thumbs: You will find them talking to Zqwert as they lean on their shovels.	Cicero (40)
639337	2008-02-12 19:13:00	You will find them talking to Zqwert as they lean on their shovels. :D:D:D	Metla (12)
639338	2008-02-12 21:39:00	The fact that you said it was never used has vindicated my thoughts. Although my experience does not match yours at all, I was fairly confident that it was not used here. Haven't found an old guard yet but have questioned a loco driver. He never paid attention to anything that was said to hurry the passengers along as he was waiting for a flag signal. I don't think suburban unit experience would reflect what happened when trains stopped for longer periods for water etc.	PaulD (232)
639339	2008-02-12 23:49:00	Haven't found an old guard yet but have questioned a loco driver. He never paid attention to anything that was said to hurry the passengers along as he was waiting for a flag signal. I don't think suburban unit experience would reflect what happened when trains stopped for longer periods for water etc. As you say, Paul, he was watching for the little green flag. The suburbans were and are still different. The guard (or ticket collector) had a key that he inserted just inside the door so he could press a button to give the "all clear" to the driver. Not sure how they give the signal today but similar I would think. So far as stopping for water (and coal) is concerned, they also stopped at refreshment rooms (for the engine as well as the passengers) at places like Taihape as there was no dining cars. (Taihape and others was an experience like no other!) Thanks for your input.:)	Roscoe (6288)
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