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0607a <strong>Aslef</strong> journal.qxd 29/6/06 13:56 Page 22LET NO WHEELS TURN:THE WRECKING OF THEFLYING SCOTSMANEighty years ago, onwhat would prove tobe one of the last daysof the General Strike, agroup of angry, desperate andhungry miners set out fromthe village of Cramlington inNorthumberland to answerthe call of miner’s leader A.J.Cook to ‘Let no wheels turn’.Fired up by a stirringspeech from Northumberlandstrike leader William Golightly,they had reacted immediatelyto his call to halt trains andthereby stop coal reachingthe furnaces of industry.‘If you can’t stop them atthe station, stop thembetween the stations,’Golightly had insisted: andthat is exactly what manyfrom the meeting set out todo.The results – both nationaland local - were somethingno one could ever haveanticipated. By the end of theday the Flying Scotsmanhauled by the Merry Hamptonwas lying on its side, derailedbecause strikers had torn outa section of track. Althoughno one died, the reactionfrom the government and theestablishment was hysterical;the local community becamedivided and suspicious andeight miners wereimprisoned. It is a terrible taleof a small village drawn into a22scale of troubles it couldnever have imagined.The author, MargaretHutcherson, wrote this bookbecause of a promise shemade to her grandfather,Richard Brierley, fifty yearsago. A former Cramlingtonminer, he was working as ashopkeeper during theGeneral Strike. ‘With tears inhis eyes he unrolled a wad ofyellowing newspaper cuttingsof that time, saying that oneday I should write this story totell of the desperate actionshungry men will take to fightfor their rights.’Strangely perhaps, thewords of the judge at thesubsequent trial reinforce thebook’s major motivation. Hesaid, ‘How young men likeyou, apparently well behavedand respectable, could haveconceived and put intoexecution so nefarious ascheme has been entirelybeyond my comprehension.’From his position of privilege,his background and his classit would have been beyondhis understanding. MargaretHutcherson looks at whathappened with a differentperspective: unlike the trialjudge, she is desperate toknow what drove ordinarymen to such a drastic action.She is fascinated by howthese men thought and whatcircumstances drove them toso desperate a deed.The conflict of the wholestrike appears within thesepages: the derailed train wasdriven by a regular driver, buthis crew were ‘volunteers’ –including three students andone professional engineer. Atthe side of the track stood thepoor and the needy. And ofcourse there was the tragedyof the arrival of the FlyingScotsman – and not the coalbearingfreight trains theminers had expected.Three miners – Sanderson,Muckle and Baker – weresentenced to four years penalservitude. Two others –Stephenson and Ellison –received sentences of sixyears, while a further three –Harbottle, Wilson and Roberts– were condemned to eightyears penal servitude. Yetyears later they would play infootball matches with menwho had acted as witnessesagainst them: and once againchat with the local policemen,Sergeant Graham, who wasclearly distressed at finding‘his boys’ in the dock.Margaret Hutcherson hasdone much more than honoura fifty-year-old pledge to hergrandfather. She has alsowritten a very detailed, humanand touching book about onevillage’s innocently savagepart in the tragic days of the1926 General Strike.The normal price for ‘Let No Wheels Turn’ is £8.75 includingpost and packing. The book is available to order (usingPayPal) on line at www.letnowheelsturn.comHowever, ASLEF members can have the book deliveredto them for an inclusive total of only £7 by sending a chequeor postal order to Hutch/LNWT, PO Box 450, TorquayTQ1 9AZ
0607a <strong>Aslef</strong> journal.qxd 29/6/06 13:56 Page 23Prize Crossword No. 3set by TLCEmergency hotlineASLEF has a confidential service if you are sufferingharassment, discrimination or bullying. Call0207 317 8600 and ask for the IR Department from 9 to5pm Mondays to Thursdays, 9 to 4pm Fridays or leave amessage on the answer service for a call back. Leaveyour name, telephone number and your branch.Alternatively, you can e-mail to info@aslef.org.uk markedfor the attention of the Industrial Relations Department.Arrested? Police Interview? Call the membersEmergency Hotline 07980 996159 at anytime day ornight. Any Accident, Anytime, Anywhere Call 0808 100 8009 at anytime day or night.Sacked, in trouble at work. If you cannot get holdof your branch secretary/local representative or districtsecretary ring our Industrial Relations Department 0207317 8600, 9 to 5pm Monday to Thursday or 9 to 4pmFriday or leave a message on the answer service, or email info@aslef.org.uk marked for the attention of theIndustrial Relations Department.the ASLEF JournalCLUES ACROSS1 A former MP for Hornchurch, he's aformer political advisor for ALSEF(4.5)8 He's in charge on the platform (7,6)11 Complimentary review of a book orplay - maybe a magic dragon? (4)12 Inclination to one point of view (5)13 Predatory sea-bird (4)16 To treat or represent as equal (7)17 Did they go to Gretna Green (7)18 Ciao Pat! I'm off to enjoy the milkpudding … (7)20 Dishevelled microns could makeone turn red (7)21 Well ventilated, - first class line (4)22 One of no fixed abode, a free spirit(5)23 Assorted peas found in church (4)26 David Steel was one (7,6)27 Where to register your vote insecret (6,3)CLUES DOWN2 Breakfast cereal for a hungry horse(4)3 Long thin strips of pasta (7)4 Talk extravagantly of love affair (7)5 Relax in comfort - could it be6 Showing courage (5,5,3)7 Exceeding the safety limit (8,5)9 Sapper Ted gets caught up by aPolice camera (5,4)10 He's being taken for a ride! (9)14 Seat without arms or back forperching on (5)15 Oil dispersed in cubic centimetresfor stomach complaint (5)19 Postal service - pigeon post perhaps?(7)20 Legendary seat of King Arthur (7)24 Letter from the Greek (4)25 Briefing for the North AtlanticTreaty Organisation (4)Solution to Crossword No 2 which appeared in the June edition of theASLEF Journal. Congratulations to VERNON NYE from ROMFORDCLUES ACROSS 3 Live rail 8 Cede 9 Thameslink 10 Stet 11 Eden 13Stein 17 Norman 18 Tracks 19 Loans 22 Anon 24 Stop 25 Membership26 Omit 27 Sediment CLUES DOWN Keith 2 Letterman 4 Inman 5Eases 6 Agile 7 Likeness 12 Etna 14 Trainspot 15 Inflames 16 Eton 20Armed 21 Steam 22 Arson 23 BogieWe had twenty entries for last month's crossword competition - which ispretty impressive because it is a very demanding puzzle. If you manageto complete this month's crossword, please send the solution to theEditor, ASLEF Journal, 9 Arkwright Road London NW3 6AB by the end ofthe month to stand a chance of winning a hardback copy of the unionhistory signed by the General Secretary.The solution to the crossword above will appear next month. Honestly -there is one!Name...................................................................................Address.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................Postcode...........................Published monthly by the ASSOCIATED SOCIETY OFLOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS AND FIREMEN9 Arkwright Road, Hampstead, London NW3 6AB020 7317 8600 Fax: 020 7794 6406 www.aslef.org.uk Theacceptance of an advertisement does not necessarilyimply endorsement by ASLEF of the product or serviceadvertised.A copy of the ASLEF Journal is sent to each member,including members of the Retired Members Section, attheir home address.Forms to enable other subscribers – former members at£5 a year, non-members at £12 a year – to register areavailable from branch secretaries or Head Office. Let usknow of any change of address (with post code) on theform below.Return to the membership departmentASLEF 9 Arkwright Road, London NW3 6ABChange of address formName........................................................................Address...............................................................................................................................................................................................Postcode...........................Phone........................................................................Branch.......................................................................National Insurance No..............................................Employer....................................................................23
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CONFERENCE CALLS: - Aslef

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