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Grand Old Days of Steam By W W Stewart Hard Cover 1975 8 color plates, other p
Grand Old Days of Steam By W W Stewart Hard Cover 1975 8 color plates, other photos black and white, 125 Pages
Includes Train sof the North Island, Wellington Trains, Pulverised coal. Stations, the Garratts, Coronation Day 1902, Royal trains, troop trains, Sheds and shops. Much more.
THE STEAM LOCOMOTIVE has passed, like the sailing ship and stage coach. It has left many memories, for it was the most human machine invented by man, and through its long life of over a hundred years it had many admirers. Boys of all ages and men in all walks of life whether clergy, dukes or kings -all have paid homage to its achievements. Indeed, today one could say that the steam locomotive has become the Patron Saint of the mechanical world.
Michael Reynolds, a noted English locomotive engineer and author, wrote the following many years ago : "The locomotive is the best God's gift of our time, and only to be erased from the history of this country by the last fire." He did not realise that there was to be a fire in the name of Rudolf Diesel before the final conflagration !
It was Milton who wrote: "Not to know at large of things remote from us, obscure and subtle, but to know that which before us lives in daily life, is the prime wisdom." It was the steam train that gave our forefathers that wisdom, for it took them to school, picnics, races, different towns, country relations and so on, and played a major part in their lives.
To be true, the steam engine had its faults; black smoke that sometimes spoilt mother's washing, and a noisy whistle, though it must be said the latter did have its uses besides giving warning. It could mean time to put the tea, on, or lay the table for supper, or even put little Johnny to bed. Indeed, the shortcomings of smoke and noise were by and large overlooked, for there was little other pollution in those days (in New Zealand at least) and the shrieking whistle faded ; people were too occupied in paying off their mortgages anyway. So the good old steam locomotive went on its majestic way unmolested.
Many years ago I was riding on the footplate of the Wellington Express. We were miles from anywhere and as we passed a small farmhouse a light appeared at the window. The driver popped his whistle and said to me, "They do that every night." To me, this was symbolic of the link the old steam trains had with the people. Here the farmer and his wife had waited before going to bed to see their nocturnal friend go by.
In this book, I have tried to capture the old days of the steam locomotive and its trains, and I hope it will convey to the reader some of the atmosphere of the past. My memory has gone back over sixty years for this, to the old drivers I used to know, drivers such as Jack Sargent, Dick Huston, Bill Smyth, Pat Ruddy and many, many more. In thinking of them 1 am reminded of Michael Reynold's words from eighty years ago.
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