THE SWINGING 60s!

Shap Summit August 1965

This was the day I missed the Animals playing at the Central Pier in Morecambe on Saturday Night! The ticket cost me £5 10s 0d nearly a weeks wage at that time! You can see in my picture I was ready for the off with my winkle pickers, capstan full strength cigarette and my best clothes underneath my overalls!

Stuck on Shap Summit because we had been running late due to a slow moving freight train in front of us and then we had to turn back because the line was closed for engineering work! We got back to Carnforth a 5 O’clock on Sunday morning! I never did see the Animals!

My mate (driver) Freddie Morgan, a lovely bloke, kept singing to me ‘We've Gotta Get Out Of This Place’ the Animals number one hit at that time!

Fireman Peter Cooper next to Britannia Pacific 70012 John O'Gaunt on Shap Summit August 1965.

Driver Freddie Morgan next to Britannia Pacific 4-6-2 70012 John O'Gaunt, Shap Summit August 1965.

You can see in my picture I was ready for the off with my winkle pickers, capstan full strength cigarette and my best clothes underneath my overalls!