The Blackpool Herald. — 1888-01-13 (Blackpool, Lancashire, England)

VETERAN ENGINE DRIVER.  One of the eldest and at the same time most respeeted,, servants of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company "signed off" for the last time on Saturday evening last, after an honourable and blameless connection with the railway, extending over something like 43 years. We refer to "Old John Sanderson," as he is popularly known of Warton-street, Lytham. His resignation caused pleasure and pain amongst his numerous fellow-workmen—pleasure at the thought of his being enabled, after so long a period of faithful service, to pass the afteraoon of life in peaceful retirement; and pain at the thought of losing from their midst a man of such sterling worth and integrity of character. By his consistency, upri.htness, and general straightforwardness, his genial disposition, and his care for the comfort and happiness of those around him, " John " has won the esteem and respect of a large circle of friends, who naturally felt a deep interest in the pleasing incident of Saturday evening. For the last time,he ran the 4-38 train into the Central Station on Saturday afternoon, and the progress of the train was something unique in the annals of railway life and customs. At every station crowds of enthusiastic friends flocked round lip engine, and gave utterance to many a heartfelrwish for his future happiness. On the train approaching Blackpool there was a general fusilade of fog signals, and when the engine proudly steamed alongside the platform at the Central Station, stationmaster, ticket examiners, guards, porters, &c., rushed up, and gave a cordial welcome to the one whose life-long labours were now drawing rapidly to a close. Such an enthusiastic welcome seemed to delight the heart of the recipient, whose honest face was wreathed with smiles, and whose spirits had a youthful buoyancy which spoke volumes for his contentedness of heart. Ever cheerful, John looked peculiarly happy as he stood surrounded by a heat of friends who vied with each other in the warmth of their : congrattilat ions as to the past, and the fervour of their hopes for the future. John's hand had many a hearty shake on Saturday, and it is almost a wonder that standing beneath such a shower of compliments, he was able to suitably acknowledge them all. His usual reserve, however, had perceptibly melted, and he entered into the pleasing proceedings with refreshing good humour and hilarity._ _ _ _  John Sanderson spent his early days in the ! pretty and secluded little village of Hambleton, and it must have been the healthful influences exercised upon him in his youth which have endowed him with a constitution hard almost as his engine wheels, for at 66 he is hale and hearty, notwithstanding the exposure to which he has been subjected throughout his life. At an early age he entered the services of the railway company, in fact shortly after the line to Fleetwood was opened (1841), and since then he has run more or less on their entire system. He was on the engine which breught the metals for the Lytham and Kirkham Railway, upon which for a number of years he ran. On one notable occasion an immense flood of water near the present Warton cabin washed away the wooden bridge then erected there, and so great was the force of the water that his engine fires were put out. John was in charge of the mails, and being unable to proceed further with his train, he shouldered the mail bag, and tramped through the deluge on to Kirkham, where he delivered it safely. When the line was construc'ed through to Blackpool he commenced to run between here and Kirkham,. and ever since with few intermissions he has continued to do so. During the whole of the years he has been in charge of an engine he has only had the misfortune to kill one person, and that was the man whl at Lytham, last summer deliberately committed suicide by throwing himself in, front of the train. He can probably say what no other driver of the same age can, and that is that during the whole of his service he has never been called upon to pay a single fine. John has had many an exciting experience, but these we must reserve for a further article, in which we hope to do greater justice to the subject. He leaves two sons in the railway service. His eldest son—John Sanderson, junior—is also a driver under the Lancashire and Yorkshire Company; while another son—James Sanderson—is also on the bltry at Wigan. Both are "claps off the old "—and_ like their father are most reliable and trustworthy workmen, being highly esteemed by all with whom they come in contact. We need hardly say that the veteran I engine-driver will be much missed by those travelling between Kirkham and Blackpool, all of whom, we are sure, join us in the hope that he may be long spared to enjoy the repose he has so richly earned, and upon which lie has had I such an auspicious and pleasing entry.