Rod Eddington: Steaming in the Seventies
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Rod Eddington: Steaming in the Seventies
Perhaps some of you old-timers can help me out here. Writing in today's Evening Standard (p.37 of the early edition), Rod Eddington, British Airways' Chief Executive, says:
"A lot has changed since I first visited England as a student from Perth in the early 1970s... Steam trains were still puffing away on mainline tracks. Commuters today would no doubt say the service is not noticeably faster."
Now I must admit I was in short trousers for most of the 1970s, but - steam trains? Surely the age of the Railway Children had passed by the era of the Stylophone, the New Seekers and the Austin Allegro?
Perhaps Mr. Eddington was himself puffing away on something more exotic when he was here as a student in the early seventies. Has he confused the resulting fug with the byproducts of rail travel of yesteryear?
In any case, my own memory of the era is none to clear. I could swear it was a DC-3 that took me to JFK when I got my first Junior Jet Club entry back in 1976!
"A lot has changed since I first visited England as a student from Perth in the early 1970s... Steam trains were still puffing away on mainline tracks. Commuters today would no doubt say the service is not noticeably faster."
Now I must admit I was in short trousers for most of the 1970s, but - steam trains? Surely the age of the Railway Children had passed by the era of the Stylophone, the New Seekers and the Austin Allegro?
Perhaps Mr. Eddington was himself puffing away on something more exotic when he was here as a student in the early seventies. Has he confused the resulting fug with the byproducts of rail travel of yesteryear?
In any case, my own memory of the era is none to clear. I could swear it was a DC-3 that took me to JFK when I got my first Junior Jet Club entry back in 1976!
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I can assure you Rod does not puff the funny stuff.
I didn't see the original article but I can assure you thast steam trains used to puff up and down between Perth and Fremantle when we were both youngsters in Perth. Ad to what chugged over the leaves on the line in the Old Dart...many would know better than I.
My Junior Jet Club Book has no DC3's in it...only Brittania's and 707's...
I didn't see the original article but I can assure you thast steam trains used to puff up and down between Perth and Fremantle when we were both youngsters in Perth. Ad to what chugged over the leaves on the line in the Old Dart...many would know better than I.
My Junior Jet Club Book has no DC3's in it...only Brittania's and 707's...
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Poor old "Papa Doc" has got it wrong re "the Steam in UK" . No DC3 in the Jet Club log book but mine had a picture of OP Jones and was issued whilst travelling on a Canadair Argonaut. Now there was a true "Jet Plane"!!
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The last BR steam service was indeed in 1968 - and they put me in a museum in 1965.
http://www.nmsi.ac.uk/nrm/html/coll_pb/st_eve.htm
http://www.nmsi.ac.uk/nrm/html/coll_pb/st_eve.htm
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I feel like a mere babe in arms compared to you old codgers ... only VC10s, Tridents, Viscounts and BAC1-11s in my JJC log book - which has a pic of Capt Leo Budd.
Wasn't Capt O P Jones the chap that had a habit of dressing in civvies when he was based up in the Islands, boarding with the rest of the pax. getting increasingly frustrated with the lack of pilot and saying "if that chap doesn't come soon I'll give it a go myself?" And indeed he did ... much to the consternation of the pax!!
Who says Southwest invented fun on board aircraft!
As far as Rod Eddington's concerned ... he was obviously puffing something during his student days (but did he inhale?)!!
Wasn't Capt O P Jones the chap that had a habit of dressing in civvies when he was based up in the Islands, boarding with the rest of the pax. getting increasingly frustrated with the lack of pilot and saying "if that chap doesn't come soon I'll give it a go myself?" And indeed he did ... much to the consternation of the pax!!
Who says Southwest invented fun on board aircraft!
As far as Rod Eddington's concerned ... he was obviously puffing something during his student days (but did he inhale?)!!
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Guv,
OPJ was reputedly much more of a gentleman of the old school than to be the perpetrator of that old coconut.
More like the immortal, "pass me my white gloves please, I wish to lower the flaps", I fancy.
OPJ was reputedly much more of a gentleman of the old school than to be the perpetrator of that old coconut.
More like the immortal, "pass me my white gloves please, I wish to lower the flaps", I fancy.
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boris: from what I have heard about him I think you are right.
One story attributed to OPJ was from the war when he was ferrying a Liberator across from the US.
The engineer managed to stop all four at once and OP didn't bat a eyelid, he just turned round and said "strangely quiet isn't it Mr Smith ?"
One story attributed to OPJ was from the war when he was ferrying a Liberator across from the US.
The engineer managed to stop all four at once and OP didn't bat a eyelid, he just turned round and said "strangely quiet isn't it Mr Smith ?"
