At the beating heart of Valley steam

The late Philip Williams recorded and wrote the memoirs of 23 surviving Pontypool Road shed staff spanning the years 1914 to 1967, researching hundreds of photographs along the way. Robin Jones reports.

The late Philip Williams spent more than four years recording and writing the memoirs of 23 surviving Pontypool Road locomotive depot staff spanning the years 1914 to 1967, researching hundreds of photographs along the way.

Phil’s interest in railways was derived from his father JohnWilliams and a near neighbour, also by coincidence named Phil Williams, a Pontypool Road driver who started his railway career in 1923 and retired in 1968.

It was the stories of life on the rails that driver Phil imparted to the young Phil growing up in the 1970s which sparked his interest and would eventually lead him to write up the life and times of the steam age railwaymen of the Welsh valley shed, 82GPontypool Road.

The result is a two- volume work, the first of which has been published by the Silver Link imprint of Mortons Books.

Railwaymen Of TheWelsh Valleys 19141967: Memories of steam working from ( 86G) Pontypool Road shed, is a remarkable work which records in detail a period of Britain’s railways that, although long since passed into history, is still fondly remembered by many who lived through part or all of it. For those born since the steamage years, this volume provides an insight into the detailed workings of a steam age locomotive shed and the services for which it provided the motive power.

Told by themen who lived it, the story is one of hard, often physical work, of grit and determination, and of unsociable shift working, in an often tough and dirty environment. However, the author has also captured the lighter moments, recallingmany humorous tales and events that were also part of a railwayman’s life.

Reproduced here is a small selection of the more than 300 illustrations contained in this first volume, available from www. mortonsbooks. co. uk or telephone 01507 529529 to order your copy.