My first proper job was as a jointers mate at the British Rail Cable Depot in the Down Yard at Haywards Heath. I started on 09/07/1979 and am still working for the same department but under a different name and a different company. All the people who worked there with me, and there are many, remember the depot with great affection. It's hard to say why exactly but my years there were probably the best years I've spent on the Railway. There were many strange characters coming and going and the working practices were not tied up with red tape as we are now. There was a sensation of history to the place, it was a part of the Southdown bus garage before and had huge double doors at each end to enable single decker buses to drive in and out. It was also used as a soup kitchen for the soldiers leaving for the First World War via Newhaven. Tony Joyce, my boss, started there in 1970 and can remember there being a coal fired stove there.

On my first day, the following people were employed there... Tony Joyce - Supervisor, Brian Martin - Chargehand, John Taylor - Chargehand, Barry Foulkes - Jointer, Graham Bowles - Jointer, Dave Jackson - Jointer, Alan Farley - Shop Jointer, Harry Weller - Mate, Peter Stewart - Jointer, Tom Collins - Lorry driver, Les Boxall - Mate, Trevor Hazlewood - Mate, Willy O'brien - Mate, Smelly Derek - Mate, Bob Starnes - Mate, Cyril ? - Mate, Roy Smith - Mate, Ray Lansdown. Out of these, only myself, Tony Joyce and Graham Bowles are still here.


This is my boss, Tony Joyce, in his office with Mick and George in attendance
This is the original office, where everything for Sussex was run!
Mick with his 24 hour kettle!
This is inside the depot with Tonys original office in the background, I had my interview here
Another view inside the depot, showing Micks big drum of 1000mm cable in the background
A view of the depot 25 years after I started there, June 2004
The front yard of the depot showing the old box wagons which held tools and scrap cable, Ken and Muppet taping-up a lug.
My length of copper cable prepared and ready to sweat into a lug for my jointers exam
My straight-through joint for my jointers exam
My brass lug is now sweated on, complete with metal collar
Frank Herdman, Nigel Pillen, Mark Catford, Tom Fogarty and Jim Wickenden sitting in the old mess room
The mess room.
Mick Pratt taking it easy.
Tom and Jim in the mess room
This shows Glenn Geer measuring George for his bib & brace, note the butt.
George "wot" Betts, melting the solder out of old lugs in front of Tonys old office
A view of the rear of the depot showing the huge doors enabling buses to leave and enter. Dirtbox, Jim and Squeaker are there
A view of the back yard showing the bike shed
Looking into the tiny washroom with Ken Saunders in front of the coat hooks
ken Saunders, Graham Bowles, Trevor Harding, Mark Catford, Jon Klatt, Jim Seal, Les Boxall, Frankie Vaughan, Nigel Pullen, Muppet and me on the floor
A view of the three fly presses for making copper bonds ready to be welded to the running rails, some of them are hanging up in the background
Taken in the late 1980`s
The same photo taken in June 2004
Barry Foulkes standing outside the front in the late 1980`s
Setting light to the redundant cadweld powders

Setting light to the redundant cadweld powders

Setting light to the redundant cadweld powders

The resulting smoke damaged the ozone layer I`m sure!