Tonight we have another story from retired Engine Driver John Anthony that really brings the age of steam coughing and spluttering back to life!.

Hi, lovely folks,

Tunnels were not very nice in the steam days. Get stuck in one and very soon there were two “gaspers” on the footplate!  The worst were single bore.  Just south of Redditch in the midlands was an absolute “stinker!”  It had all the ingredients for suffocation… You had to go dead slow at the entrance (to pick up the token,) had a rising gradient, greasy rails and very narrow walls! So you slipped and slid through satanic fire!  I used to use my coat sleeve as a “snorkel” in search of oxygen!

John. Many thanks to John for sending this in!  John’s contributions can be found on a dedicated web page (please click here.)