Personal Recollections from Dursley's Railway Past

These recollections were taken from audio recordings which were originally broadcast on Cam FM in 2000 and 2001, with the kind permission of Allan Guy. Listening to them it is easy to imagine the hard-working engines bustling up and down the line between Coaley Junction and Dursley. Old railwaymen and schoolboys alike recall a time when the pace of life was much slower.

An MP3 Player or Windows Media Player are required to listen to the audio recordings. If required they can be downloaded by clicking here.
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Recollection

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Evacuee in Cam - Recollections of a wartime childhood in Cam with tales of the Dursley Donkey, trucks, homing pigeons, broken gates and the upset caused to a certain director of Cam Mill.
From a recording made by Allan Guy - first broadcast on Cam FM.
(Audio recording duration - 6min 31sec)

Elephants come to town - A driver of the old Dursley Donkey recalls the time when the circus came to town and some of the visiting animals decided to take their own tour.
First part of a recorded interview with John Humphries made by Allan Guy - first broadcast on Cam FM.
(Audio recording duration - 6min 55sec)

Incident on the line - A tale of an overworked engine, lineside fires and "a medal as big as a dustbin lid".
Second part of a recorded interview with John Humphries made by Allan Guy - first broadcast on Cam FM.
(Audio recording duration - 3min 21sec)

Mind the gate! - Stories of broken gates at Box Road and a hearty meal, bacon and eggs on the fireman's shovel.
Third part of a recorded interview with John Humphries made by Allan Guy - first broadcast on Cam FM.
(Audio recording duration - 4min 46sec)

School journey to Stroud - A memory of the lengthy daily train journey from Cam station to Marling School in Stroud.
From a recorded interview with Harold Fryer made by Allan Guy - first broadcast on Cam FM.
(Audio recording duration - 4min 37sec)

Busy junction - Recollections of a working life at Coaley Junction station in the immediate post war years.
From a recorded interview with Francis Mann made by Allan Guy - first broadcast on Cam FM.
(Audio recording duration - 4min 01sec)

Coaley signalman - Tales from the 'box in a time when the junction really was a very busy place to be.
From a recorded interview with Derek Markey made by Allan Guy - first broadcast on Cam FM.
(Audio recording duration - 4min 54sec)

Don't pull too hard! - Broken wires in the 'box lead to a fall for an unwary signalman.
First part of a recorded interview with Gilroy Kerr made by Allan Guy - first broadcast on Cam FM.
(Audio recording duration - 1min 20sec)

Nosy wren! - A further tale from Coaley Junction recalling the amusing incident which occurred when a visitor made an unexpected appearance.
Second part of a recorded interview with Gilroy Kerr made by Allan Guy - first broadcast on Cam FM.
(Audio recording duration - 2min 27sec)

Schoolboy memories - Reflections of schoolboy train spotting in the 1960's, the cuckoo train whistle of the old GWR pannier tank engines and the final days of the line.
First part of a recorded interview with Ian Thomas made by Allan Guy - first broadcast on Cam FM.
(Audio recording duration - 5min 45sec)

Foggy days and spinning wheels - A memory of the day when "fog on the line" caused problems for the Dursley branch train.
Second part of a recorded interview with Ian Thomas made by Allan Guy - first broadcast on Cam FM.
(Audio recording duration - 1min 01sec)

A Guard's tales - An ex guard tells the story of the last passenger train to Dursley and admits to the time when, as a shunter, a runaway wagon nearly caused chaos on the line.
From a recorded interview with Mike Smith made by Allan Guy - first broadcast on Cam FM.
(Audio recording duration - 6min 41sec)

The audio recordings can be played using RealPlayer (MP3 files) or Windows Media Player. These can be downloaded using the following links if required.

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