Professional Recovery 354

MYOPINION
Fred Henderson
A great train
journey
Fred Henderson
Breakdown Doctor
As we move on into the New Year, I sadly find no recovery issues that at the moment need putting to
rights. So, in order, not to leave Paul with a blank page, I decided to return to nostalgia and make no
apologies for re-visiting a chapter in my book “The Adventures of a Road Rescue Man.
In this case the story begins when I was just over six years old
and continues until I was just over six years old and one long
day. To set the scene, I was brought up on a farm which was
about a mile away from the local Railway Station which, in turn,
was a two mile journey to my school. These were different times
and a six year old boy trotting one mile was normal happenings.
In fact, a couple of other kids arrived at the Station from other
directions. We were a small group of about seven or eight, just like
the Railway Children, with the older ones looking after the more
fragile.
The story begins as I arrive at the station to find out that
something like a measles or mumps infection meant I was the
only one travelling that morning. Normally, the oldest would have
been about 14-years old and he would make sure that we all got
onto the train safely. I was fairly unmoved by the whole occasion,
handing over my tuppence and being issued with a little cardboard
ticket that was then duly stamped in a heavy metal machine. This
confirmed I was fit and right to embark on my journey. Time was
now about 8.30 am and the journey to school would normally
take three or four minutes. The train was of the rural variety with
a small steam engine in front with four individual carriages with
separate compartments that were not linked to each other. When
14 PROFESSIONAL RECOVERY MAGAZINE
14,15 Fred H.indd 1 18/01/2022 08:59