Introduction by Ian Giles
I was prompted to write these stories about my life as a young man living in 1950s Kingswear, in the ‘1980’s after seeing a restored loco on the Settle Carlisle route. If you’ve not seen this ‘route’ then I encourage you to so, It is a fantastically engineered railway, tunnels, viaducts, hard climbs, it’s got the lot, all set in the magnificent scenery of the Cumbrian fells. It is typically representative of the Victorian spirit of ‘can do’ engineering.
This is the engine responsible for my stories, a year earlier (1983) passing Settle signal box. These engines were designed in the 1930’s to be the motive power for Anglo Scottish express services between Euston and Glasgow, they were the most powerful steam passenger engines built in Britain. 46229 was named Duchess of Hamilton and designed by ex GWR engineer Sir William Stanier and built at Crewe for the LMS. (London Midland Scottish Railway).
Note from Reg Little
Ian Giles, whose Father had two shops in Kingswear in the 1950s and 1960s has written some very atmospheric tales of his life in the village in the 1950s. I wanted to include them here for others to enjoy !
Kingswear Historians 