As I have said before , we had assumed the engineers course would be quite simple, but whenever we commenced a new subject, we were constantly surprised at the complexity. Subjects like , pneumatics, and hydraulics, were we had to memorise working pressures, circuits, colour codes of pipes, etc. Electrics, were I had a reasonable knowledge already , I had to learn about Coulombs , and things like 746 watts equals one horse power., it was never ending. When we came to the subject of Dinghies, we thought surely we must know it all by now, but no, more writing and ,memorising .To prove it I have scanned two of the pages which should give you some Idea. Thought it was just a case of shouting “I’m in the dinghy Jack, let go the painter” ( A wartime expression). So the days were spent writing notes ,and the evenings, “mugging up” and questioning each other.
However Saturdays were a different proposition. We found three ‘singing pubs’ one in Tiger Bay, one in Bridgend, and I think one in Llantwit Major. All of these were easily accessible by steam train from St Athan station. I remember well, one night when it snowed hard ,the return journey should have only taken a few minutes from Bridgend,, but , talk about press on regardless , the engine driver rammed the drfts, backed up and rammed again, and again. We reached camp about six A.M. . Seven hours of ramming. Unfortunately no one claimed for whiplash in those days, or complained that it was a no corridor/toilet carriage. ( nuff said, or we will be back on Elsans again.) The grand finale to most evenings, was when friendly rivalry , between towns and counties began. Geordies sang ’Keep your feet still Geordie Hinny, Glaswegians ’I belong to Glasgae, Welshmen ’We’ll keep a welcome in the hillside’ Cockneys ’Doing the Lambeth Walk’ etc . All ‘at the top of their voices’ . The singing continued on the return train journey. don’t remember any serious arguments, or fights. Writing the foregoing reminds me of recently watching ‘Night Bomber’ on my video, and hearing all the flight mechs, who were fitting a Merlin to a Lanc, whistling the number one top of the hit parade tune, and thinking “don’t hear much whistling and singing these days.
Just wondering if there are any ex flight engineers reading this, could you come in and answer a question on Merlin engines that I was asked on my final exams. I had much difficulty answering, but managed it in the end. If there are no replies, I will give the answer later.
A Lancaster lands and taxies down the perry track into the dispersal. Engines are switched off, they almost stop, and then fire up again. They continue to do this, add infinitum,. What is the cause ?.
Although most will understand the words ‘perry track, and ‘dispersal’ I should explain for the benefit of any one who does not ,that ‘perry track’ refers to the concrete track running round the perimeter of the airfield not , only to allow aircraft to taxy to all runways, but also to reach dispersal points located at intervals around the perry track. This reduced the chance that all aircraft could be destroyed by one bomb. During the war this was also practised by civilian firms who operated any type of transport. At the end of the day the vehicles would be taken home by drivers so that they were well dispersed. Should two drivers live close together an office staff member would take it home instead.
Reg , I notice the words in ditching subject, Sutton Harness. Is this what we now call seat belts, I can’t remember .
N.B Call light signal D.D.D represents the call "Dinghy, Dinghy, prepare for ditching. da dit dit X 3 in morse. I can still remember my morse.