Heading East

“Seeing the recent photograph of Dundee East station brought back memories from the 1950s when I attended the ‘Tech’, (now Abertay University) evening classes, studying for a Higher National Certificate,” says Don Clark.

“It was no joke leaving work as an apprentice in Keith Blackman, Arbroath, at 5.30pm, rushing home to wash and change and catch the 6.15pm train to Dundee, (3/9d return).

“Many of the lecturers were unwilling to allow us to leave early to catch the last train from the East station at 9.30pm, so, over a period of weeks we developed a fast route to the station.

“Leaving Bell Street at about 9.20pm, we came down past the High School and at the opticians at the top of Panmure St/ Meadowside there was an alleyway which took us on to Murraygate, then down Peter Street and Candle Lane on to Dock Street, and, with luck, we caught the train. On more than one occasion the train was leaving and I had to throw my books into the guard’s van and be pulled into the van by a guard, to wait until the first stop at West Ferry before changing to a compartment.

“Many of the lecturers were characters. The Maths Dept had Quentin Chalmers, a gentleman. Jock Main and Willie McCall were lecturers in Heat Engines, Thermodynamics, and Strength of Materials.

“Jock Main would come into the room with a 6” slide rule in his pocket and start lecturing as he walked down the room – no lecture notes. Willie McCall was a dead lookalike for Arthur Askey.

“For the record, I did pass my HNC in Mechanical Engineering and Production Engineering and went on to spend 32 years working for Timex – but that is another story!”

In addition to yesterday’s Traces Through Time feature on Lower Largo, here is an interesting shot from 1978. An intrepid “birdman” with wings is poised for flying in the self-propelled flying competition organised by Leven and District Round Table.

The Royal Burgh of Inverbervie Heritage Group are in the process of setting up a small museum (see above). It has been allocated a space in the library in Church Street and would be grateful for any items that anyone would like to loan or donate....