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New street station masters.
- Thread starter robert
- Start date
jennyann
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
Hi Robert: When I worked in the office at New Street Station in 1957 the Station Master did wear a top hat and tails for special occasions
i.e Royalty arriving via train swas one instance. I remember the Station Master from that time, Mr. Smith, all rigged out in his gear when Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother came for a visit. He wore a red rose also. I also remember the staff repainting the white lines along the edge of the platform where the Queen would be alighting from her carriage. Here's an interesting article about this. I am glad that I saw Mr. Smith all dressed up that day. He was so proud. https://nationalrailwaymuseum.wordpress.com/2013/01/16/100-years-of-station-master-memories/
i.e Royalty arriving via train swas one instance. I remember the Station Master from that time, Mr. Smith, all rigged out in his gear when Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother came for a visit. He wore a red rose also. I also remember the staff repainting the white lines along the edge of the platform where the Queen would be alighting from her carriage. Here's an interesting article about this. I am glad that I saw Mr. Smith all dressed up that day. He was so proud. https://nationalrailwaymuseum.wordpress.com/2013/01/16/100-years-of-station-master-memories/
jennyann
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
Hi Dave, I believe that you are correct about the Station Master's office in the l950's at New Street Station. I remember seeing him come up those stairs dressed to the nines as it were on the day that the Queen Mother visited Birmingham. It would be nice to know what other celebrities he dressed up for. There were many high profile people that arrived in Brum by train back then. American film stars, for one, famous actors and actresses arriving for Repetory theatre plays, etc.
Mr. Smith's secretary interviewed me for my job at New Street. She had her own office adjoining the main secretarial pool. She was formidable but not standoffish. Let's face it, New Street Station back then was a fascinating and grubby place. I can understand why the Station Master had his own office away from the other offices. On hand problem solver needed to be close to the action. There were not many separate offices in the station complex. There was one large office with several departments operating from it. No cubicles or even desks...long polished wooden tables with each department having it's own area. Parcels, Excursions, etc. The Office Manager, Mr. Warrington, had his own office and I can still picture to this day.
Mr. Smith's secretary interviewed me for my job at New Street. She had her own office adjoining the main secretarial pool. She was formidable but not standoffish. Let's face it, New Street Station back then was a fascinating and grubby place. I can understand why the Station Master had his own office away from the other offices. On hand problem solver needed to be close to the action. There were not many separate offices in the station complex. There was one large office with several departments operating from it. No cubicles or even desks...long polished wooden tables with each department having it's own area. Parcels, Excursions, etc. The Office Manager, Mr. Warrington, had his own office and I can still picture to this day.
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terryb18
Gone but not forgotten R.I.P.
some of you may find this interesting. https://wolvertonpast.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/19th-century-stationmasters.html
jennyann
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
Thanks for posting the link re Wolverhampton station master. I can remember that Wolverhampton High Level and Wolverhampton
Low Level stations were different to some others in the Region. They only had one station master at both as they were very close to each other
when they were operative. A fax machine was installed in our office at Birmingham New Street in 1958.
A noisy hulk of a thing that operated on a radio wave principle using a black powder which imprinted the words and pictures electronically on to a chemically treated paper via a spinning drum. The powder often came off on your hands. Most of the messages I remember receiving came from Wolverhampton. I think that the installation of these fax machines in Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton Stations were an experiment only. Not much happened with smaller fax machines until the 1970's.
Low Level stations were different to some others in the Region. They only had one station master at both as they were very close to each other
when they were operative. A fax machine was installed in our office at Birmingham New Street in 1958.
A noisy hulk of a thing that operated on a radio wave principle using a black powder which imprinted the words and pictures electronically on to a chemically treated paper via a spinning drum. The powder often came off on your hands. Most of the messages I remember receiving came from Wolverhampton. I think that the installation of these fax machines in Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton Stations were an experiment only. Not much happened with smaller fax machines until the 1970's.
