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Post by fsharpminor on Apr 3, 2008 8:19:36 GMT
In the 60's, many of 'us' lads were keen on trains and train spotting. The Worth Valley train had an intriguing nickname called the 'Bocker', as Im sure others will remember. But where did this name come from ??
On trainspotting in general there were always a number of lads on Keighley station, waiting to see the Thames Clyde Express, 'up' at 2pm, 'down' at 3pm, and the Waverley express 'down' at 2.10 and 'up' at 3.10, and hoping the engine was a 'namer' (usually 'Jubilee' class or 'Royal Scot' class).
There was a cafe on the station where we bought those biscuits with different sports portrayed on them Two a penny I think, but Digestives were a penny each.
Unruly behaviour was chastised by porter Mr Chenier.
Anyone any other memories of trainspotting ?
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Post by davefnd on Apr 3, 2008 13:33:48 GMT
going back a bit further I remember lying on the embankment at Marley Straight with other kids and getting wet through as some of the Great named trains gathered water.One I will always remember was the Mallard, whose picture I still go and see in the Mallard Public House near the Old station in Stevenage.
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Post by fsharpminor on Apr 4, 2008 7:55:50 GMT
I am surprised that Mallard came through Keighley as it was an LNER engine, whereas 'our' line was LMS. It broke the steam speed record just before the war on the LNER line between Grantham and Peterborough. I dont ever remember seeing any of this class (A4) of locomotives (known affectionately as 'streaks') thorough Keighley.
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Post by davefnd on Apr 4, 2008 12:08:47 GMT
Must have been a special occasion but I remember it was somewhere around 1948 and we knew them as Streamliners.
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Post by lawkholmelaner on Sept 29, 2008 8:05:09 GMT
All through the time that I was at school in Keighley (pre-1960), a picture of Mallard, as it passed through Keighley and taken by Canon Eric Treacy, was hanging near the entrance of the lending section of the Carnegie Library. I believe the date of the photograph was 1948 and the explanation given as a sub-text to the picture was that floods on the East Coast line caused the re-routing. I believe Canon Treacy, who was a prolific railway photographer, was Rector of Keighley and later Bishop of Wakefield.
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Post by davefnd on Sept 29, 2008 18:13:36 GMT
Thank you for this lawkholmelaner I didnt think I dreaming when I spotted this beautiful engine gathering water at Marley Straight.
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Post by malcolm on Sept 29, 2008 18:58:14 GMT
The Late and much missed Bishop Eric Treacy was also President of the Keighley & Worth Valley Preservation Society and much more involved than most people realise.
M
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Post by davefnd on Sept 30, 2008 9:30:42 GMT
Re nickname Bocker. Had this anything to do with the area around Cross Roads where the Bocking Working Mens Club is. Lovely view of the Worth Valley Line from the Lounge in the Club?
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Post by fsharpminor on Oct 2, 2008 14:05:42 GMT
That does seem to be one feasible explanation ! I hadn't thought of it.
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Post by davefnd on Oct 2, 2008 15:14:51 GMT
Would be interesting to find out where the name Bocking comes from and what it means.Also to see if it was connected to Bocker?
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Post by barcroftlad on Oct 2, 2008 20:52:38 GMT
From what I remember as a lad, the name Bocking comes from the particular weave of cloth woven in the mill there and originates from a place down south, maybe Kent. I'll have to do some research on it. Cheers.
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Post by Andy Wade on Oct 3, 2008 8:31:43 GMT
From what I remember as a lad, the name Bocking comes from the particular weave of cloth woven in the mill there and originates from a place down south, maybe Kent. I'll have to do some research on it. Cheers. It's originally from Bocking in Essex. Bocking cloth is esentially a worsted warp and woollen weft in plain weave. I think it was used for linings of uniforms. |
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Post by spiderman on Aug 7, 2012 14:57:20 GMT
My My - I just found this and it brings back many memories as I was one of the lads that frequented the station at that time!
There were many of us including Harry "Joe" Jessup, Tony "Dallas" Dalton and Barry "Jonah" Jones.
Indeed they were very happy days ( and evenings ) and we usually repaired ( finances permitting ) to the Alassio coffee bar on Cavendish Street afterwards. Indeeed they were very happy days.
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Post by sean1981 on Aug 10, 2012 8:42:44 GMT
I remember coming back from an arranged day out on the west coast and the black five, I think it was, did very well racing to Keighley. Unfortunately there had been a thunderstorm just before we drew into Keighley and I think the rails were wet and greasy.
The large engine tried a few time to pull the special trip train, chock full of day trippers, out of Keighley, up round the bend to go up the worth valley, but just could not get enough traction.
We had to sit and wait until the 'Bocker' was brought down from Haworth (I think they dropped the fire and kept it warm ready for the next day) it took a while to get it up and running but it did the job and stayed with us until folks had been dropped off in Oakworth and Haworth and one assume the weight and incline were less.
This would have been around 1958
John
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Post by rainbow332 on Aug 14, 2013 10:36:54 GMT
I used to live at Spring Bank when i was a youngster and i remember catching the Bocker at Ingrow station to go to Keighley station trainspotting on a Saturday afternoon , i used to go with Michael Sharp who lived across from me in Morning Street, also Tony Dalton lived in the next street [if its the same Tony] . Remember those biscuits very well , the namer was usually The Green Howards that came through Keighley on a sat , I remember coming back from holiday with my parents we were pulling into Doncaster Station and there was the niner namer VULCAN , it made my day .
Cheers.
T K
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Post by sean1981 on Sept 3, 2013 8:55:35 GMT
Could the 'Bocker' be anything to do with the small wheels/heavy pull resulting in a distinct coughing sound from the chimney?
John
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