Steaming into the Firing Line: Tales of the Footplate in Wartime Britain

by Michael Clutterbuck, Katharine Smith (Editor)

“The tales are a fascinating mix of anecdotes about the working lives of footplate men... readers with a railway bent will find themselves moved. This ebook is incredibly good value for money.” Gauge 0 Guild Gazette Steaming into the Firing Line is a set of short stories based on and around the railways of North West England during the Second World War.Humorous and moving, the collection tells the tale of a group of railwaymen during the latter days of the memorable age of steam. Readers will quickly warm to the book’s characters and will be compelled to read of the day-to-day lives of drivers and firemen, their colleagues and their passengers, during this particularly challenging time in British history.Author Michael Clutterbuck is himself the son of a railwayman from that era. This is clear from the realism and detail evident throughout the book. By no means just for steam rail enthusiasts, Steaming into the Firing Line offers an insight into the Second World War from an unusual and interesting vantage point. “The author’s railway family background ensures that the stories are very realistic – especially in the banter between the, by and large, well-drawn characters! ... even a working engineman couldn’t find too much to fault. Recommended.” Steam Railway magazine

Genres: Nonfiction

184 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2012

Reviews

[Joseph Spuckler · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.authoralliance.net/book-re...

Steaming into the Firing Line: Tales of the Footplate in Wartime Britain by Michael Clutterbuck is a collection of short stories about the lives of railway workers during WWII. Clutterbuck is the son of a Chester railway man and he, much like myself, spent many childhood hours spotting trains. He currently resides in Melbourne, Australia.

For some, trains are more than just machines to move people and goods. There is a mystique with trains, much like biplanes and old motorcycles, and steam engines hold a special place. In America, they helped build the West. Steam engines connected the coasts of America and every school kid has seen the picture of the driving of the golden spike linking the coasts by rail. Trains made America. Today our rail system is neglected and far below the standards of the rest of the developed world. In Europe trains still live on and are considered a part of everyday life. The connection to the rails still exists.

Steaming follows the lives of driver (engineer) George Denton and fireman Lance Hargreaves. George is the conservative, professional, father figure to the young fireman Lance. Lance is young and a bit rough around the edges. His actions at times make him an example for others rather than an example to others. He tries his best and has promise to be promoted to driver. George does his best to guide him along.

The book spans years and the beginning at the dawn of the second world war. Thoughts of the war being over by Christmas are quickly crushed by the previously unimaginable bombings of England. Railroads take on an important role in the war effort. From hauling wounded from the evacuation of Dunkirk to hospitals in the interior of England to carrying war supplies military bases, the railroad workers were the unsung heroes of the war. Working the rails was by no means safe, in fact trailways were prime targets for the Luftwaffe bombing raids.
The setting and storytelling is superb. Reading the book felt very much like watching an old 1940s movie: A little gritty, maybe a bit over acted to make the point, and characters that are very familiar. There was almost the feeling I was reading in black and white instead of color. The characters make real life choices and get caught up in real life dilemmas. You feel the pain of the war and at the same time comfort of a pot of tea boiled over the engine’s fire. There are slightly humorous stories such as being mistaken for a spy and some very serious stories too. The stories are important too in that they give a picture of wartime England.

“Get your facts right” shows how quick people were to make judgments. People were losing their sons and spouses in the war and then see railroad drivers and firemen living in the “safe” civilian world while ours died. Firemen and drivers were protected positions; they could not even volunteer for combat because they were so badly needed at home to support the war. England did not have enough drivers and the training was long. There was a formal apprenticeship program that took years to for a person to move to the position of driver. War accelerated the process, but there still remained a shortage of drivers.

Trains, of course, make up the other part of the story and the casual reader will learn a few things about the steam engines and maybe a bit of English geography too. There is an appendix that will help the readers with the railroad terminology. For Americans reading the book, your Kindle dictionary and Wikipedia will help with the English slang of the 1940s. For those not familiar with steam engines, there is also a helpful guide to explain the number strings like 2-4-0 or 0-6-0. Once you understand the engines they are very easy to visualize.
Steaming is a combination of of steam engines, World War II, great characters, and very good story telling that link a collection of short stories into a fine novel. A great book for fans of steam engines and the home front of WWII.

Steaming into the Firing Line: Tales of the Footplate in Wartime Britain Book Review by Joseph Spuckler/4 Stars

[Simon wiemers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Railway life during and after the war

Very interesting series on anecdotes about life on the railway during the war driving for the GRAND others. My uncle worked for the GWR in Birkenhead during the war

[TERRY BANCROFT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steam memories

A really good read.Very informative with light hearted additions. Would recommend it to any train buffs. Read it and enjoy.

[Rupert Owen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started reading this book as it has been written by the grandfather of two of my children. The subject matter I was quite unfamiliar with and wasn't sure what to expect. By the end of the book I was quite gripped as not only does this book provide an interesting glimpse into how the railways ran during the Second World War, it is also a rather wonderful tale of the working friendship between an engine driver and a passed fireman. The story belongs to two characters, George and Lance, and although the stories themselves are fictional accounts, it's difficult not to get attached to these two characters. The technical language is broken down adequately enough for a non-railway enthusiast to be able to sustain the flow of the narrative and Michael has included a handy glossary of terms to ensure that readers don't get lost in the processes throughout the running of the locomotives. For the railway enthusiast I imagine this book would have plenty in it to revel in.

There are some memorable moments in the book which is an indication of a good story teller, each chapter follows the timeline from 1939 to 1945, and concludes in a one off chapter when British Rail began to take its steam engines off the tracks in the 1960s. The types of locomotives featured are not so much characters in themselves but rather esteemed colleagues (Pardon the pun) of the men who ran them, and we learn about each type of engine through the dialogue of the railway men and what duties they perform in each chapter.

Michael states that there are minor details within the stories that have a basis of truth, and having known the author I am slightly amused at the thought of him hurling snow balls at passing locomotives. I remember as a child wanting to be a train driver, my friend and I used to watch the electric trains. One time when a train pulled up to the platform we raced along and caught the driver's attention, we asked if we could ride with him in the driver's compartment, but he said no. I think that ended the desire but for a short time there we were dead keen on being train drivers.

I think the era of steam still beats strong in the hearts of many, and it is encouraging to find recollections and homages to this particular age of transportation. If you are a railway buff or simply curious to learn about a unique period of history, then Steaming into the Firing Line is a jolly nice light read that will provide both pleasure and substance.