Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-06-21
A TRIP WITH A GUARD.


On reading the Troubles of Tic -.
Clerk" wondered, like him. u,otto,.
any of the numerous peor' Nth ,uhor,
1 am daily brought - oo,taot wonId
o'lle 'r,;.i " I 49, " -ning of my grievances,
WHICH !- ''i0 4gh perhaps not so large as
MS l." . still grievances. 1 am acting
GARD on very large railway, and re,
ceive twenty-five shillings Per week,
which, when my duties are taken into
consideration, will not be considered
too much. To judge properly of the
arduous and wearisome nature of my
duties, it will be necessary to accompany
me one trip at least, which will give you
a very fair ides of a guards work. |
am on middle turn, and am working
the ten o clock express from London to
RolllnSton. After signing on, as it is
terUed, visit the train, inspect the
coupling of the carriages, see the lamps
all right, see that the communication
cord for passengersis properly adj djusted,
and last, though not least, that the
communication between myself and the
driver is in good condition. l next
superintend the packing of passengers
luggage in my van, let passengers into
the train, and wait for the signal to
start. am accosted by very shabby
ooking chap, who says :
Guard, I'll give you half crown to
post this letter in Rollington."
Il dare not; the Company's very
strict !" and finding me inexorable on
the matter, he walks away.
1 overhear passenger asking ques-
tion of porter "Do you know Toot-
ing?''
"No, sir. Yes, there's Tooton near
Nottingham ;" meaning Toton.
"No, no; it's somewhere in the
suburbs"
Never heard of the suburbs before,
sir, never !" and at this last sally the
passenger ceases his inquiries.
"Guard, says an elderly gentleman,
In a very nervous manner, "does this
train go to Camden ?"
"No, sir this train goes to Polewort,o ~
without stopping; the next train for
Camden"
A gentleman rushes up pantirAg and
out of breath, and says:
"Ware %
Where ?"
Ware u he reiterates.
"Where ?"
Ware!' he shouts g.t the top of his
voice" WARE p =
y" Oh, Ware. Ycyur train is on the
left, beyond the. refreshment room. "
and off he rusl les. wondering no doubt
at the stupidity of railway officials.
Inc nve-rAinutes' bell now begins to
ring, anf.l cry of "Take your seats,
please .--going on, warns the passengers
tnat. they must not linger any longer in
tie bar or in the waiting rooms and
they mostly take their seats, with the
exception of one or two obstinate ones,
who never will take their seats till the
very last minute, and thus frequently
delay the train.
Standing by the van door, am ad-
dressed by lady: 80 guard, I want
my boxes put far back, please I am so
afraid anything should be thrown upon
them if they were in the front"
Very good, ma'am I'll put them
behind )" and just as I have finished
she rushes up out of breath, and says
"Oh, my husband has not arrived I
shall have to have them out :" and ac-
cordingly they are got out with infinite
difficulty, in Consequence of their being
behind everything else.
A yodng gentleman asks me which is
the carriage for Lilly, and I am Just
opening the door for him, when two
men touch him on the shoulder, and
one says, "Your names Johnston, be-
lieve?"
Yes" he replies, looking round.
Well, want you"
You haven't been long about it. "
No, we never are" said the detec-
tive, quietly, and marches him away.
The signal is now given to start and
is instantly countermanded by the sta
tlon master, who, accompanied by the
lady, wants her boxes put in again, as
her husband has just arrived; and I put
her and her husband into carriage,
and leave her with her head out of the
window, adjuring me to put those box
es far behind; and after delay of quite
u mluuJ6 ana Hall, we SUdrU, leaving
on the platform testy old gentleman,
who had got out of his carriage to en-
JOY the minutes delay, and walked a
little too far. And now that we were
once started, there is plenty to do /; the
passengers luggage to sorG, the parcels
to sort and check, letters to sort, and to
keep a sharp lockout. So the train
goes on, rushing, screeching, grating,
till it steams into Poleworth Station,
where ten minutes are allowed for re-
freshments, and for the engine to take
water. The first person l meet on the
platform is, to my great surprise, the
elderly gentleman who wanted to 60 to
Camden.
"This is fine thing, sir, to be over
carried in this manner"
"It's entirely your own fault: I told
you the train didn't stop; you're about
forty miles away from Camden"
"Well, know that; / thought there
were two trains, it's 80 confoundedly
long. What am to do?"
"See the station master, by all
MEANS"
Guard, says lady at a carriage
window, "can you get little milk for
my little dog %
I manage to get it, take it to her, and
receive shilling for my trouble, as she
terms ID