Cliff Howes interviewed by Jo Bath

Oral history interview with Cliff Howes conducted and recorded by Jo Bath on 4 March 2004, as part of the Time Tracks oral history collecting initiative. The interview includes contributions from the interviewee’s wife, Marjorie, also present during the interview. Duration: 1 hour 19 minutes. [Track 01] Born 1924 in Leeds, move to Bishop Auckland 1938, start railway career 1939, lad parcels porter, signal lamp lad [00:50:48] [end of track 01] [Track 02] 1946 back in Shildon, after serving in army during 1939-1945 Second World War, signalman training, Shildon North, Sim Pasture Junction, Darlington locomotive department; [00:02:00] incidents at Dunns, Berwickshire, express crash at Beale, railway bridges collapsing in heavy rain, Aydon; driving Mallard A4 locomotive; [00:06:10] 1952 joining British Transport Police (BTP), Darlington, 32 years BTP career, uniform, career progression and ranks occupied within BTP; [00:10:00] theft from night parcels train in York, arrest of railway staff; [00:12:43] commendations received when in post in York, catching copper thief; parcels thieves at Darlington [00:14:46] 1975 celebrations, Stockton and Darlington 150th anniversary, inspector of Shildon railway works, policing the cavalcade, BTP team dispatched for event, enjoyment attending the event; July 1975 Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother opening the Timothy Hackworth Victorian Railway Museum in Shildon, being in charge of the Royal Train, interaction with the Queen Mother, allowing for children to see the Royal Train; [00:19:15] 1975 cavalcade, crowd, safety on train journey between Darlington and Shildon, queues; [00:21:35] fatalities on railway lines around York, suicides, impact on service and vehicles; [00:26:51] accident at Darlington, train collision; crashes at Parkgate Cabin when working as signal lad; [00:31:00] night shift at Sim Pasture Junction, shunting coal wagons, runaway wagons, accidental coal wagon spill; [00:32:38] arresting delivery driver stealing parcels; [00:35:56] (contribution from Marjorie) how busy ticket office was during Second World War, special train from Gateshead for Shildon railway works; [00:39:38] (contribution from Marjorie) work at ticket office, communicating with Sim Pasture signal box about livestock on the line, relationship with Shildon works, privilege passes, holidays, Saturdays, travel passes; [00:42:15] (back to Cliff) BTP experience, anecdote taking statement from driver after accident with a van; [00:43:47] arrests at Shildon works, brass theft, wagons bearings, working with the works security and fire officer (Jack Watson), confronting thief; [00:46:50] many thefts at Shildon works, night watch for thieves, chasing thieves; [00:49:43] other thefts after lines closure; [00:54:15] timber theft, Sim Pasture; [00:56:16] arrest of wagon brass thief, Shildon; [00:58:40] making model railway; [01:00:37] work at Shildon North cabin, safety issues Shildon tunnel, anti-theft measures for coal; [01:04:00] Alan Pierce, making models; [01:07:38] former stables near museum; Locomotion museum development; Shildon gasworks, Brusselton reservoir; [01:11:16] (Cliff and Marjorie) Timothy Hackworth; [01:12:26] accidents and deaths at Shildon works; [01:14:00] extreme weather, snow in winter 1947, snow in 1943 [01:17:54] [end of track 02] [end of interview]

Time Tracks, Shildon Railway Village Community Project was an initiative funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund that encouraged members of the public to bring photographs and documents at Locomotion to form a community archive, when Locomotion museum was opened in Shildon, 2004. Over 50 oral history interviews were also recorded with members of the community. They shared their memories of Shildon as they knew it in their childhood and throughout their lives, from as early as the 1920s, as well as their work experiences in local factories and industries, including Shildon railway works.