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LIFE IN A RAILWAY FACTORY
LIFE IN A RAILWAY FACTORY
UNIFORM WITH THIS VOLUME THE READERS’ LIBRARY 50 Volumes Published Full list of Titles can be had from the Publishers DUCKWORTH & CO. COVENT GARDEN, LONDON LIFE IN A RAILWAY FACTORY BY ALFRED WILLIAMS AUTHOR OF ‘A WILTSHIRE VILLAGE’ ‘VILLAGES OF THE WHITE HORSE’ LONDON DUCKWORTH & CO. 3 HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN, W.C. First Published 1915 Published in the Readers’ Library 1920 Printed in Great Britain by Turnbull & Spears, Edinburgh To My Friend ALFRED E. ZIMMERN...
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PREFACE
PREFACE
My object in penning “Life in a Railway Factory” was to take advantage of the opportunities I have had as a workman, during twenty-three years’ continuous service in the sheds, of setting down what I have seen and known for the interest and education of others, who might like to be informed as to what is the actual life of the factory, but who have no means of ascertaining it from the generality of literature published upon the matter. The book opens with a short survey of several causes of labo
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CHAPTER I
CHAPTER I
LABOUR UNREST Someone once asked the Greek Thales how he might best bear misfortune and he replied — “By seeing your enemy in a worse condition than yourself.” He would have been as near the truth if he had said “friend” instead of “enemy.” Everyone appears to desire to see every other one worse off than himself. He is not content with doing well; he must do better, and if his success happens to be at the expense of one less fortunate he will be the more highly gratified. This lust of dominion a
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CHAPTER II
CHAPTER II
THE STAMPING SHOP — GENERAL ENVIRONMENT — THE “COALIES” — THE ROLLING MILLS — PUDDLING AND SHINGLING — ACCIDENTS AT THE ROLLS — THE SCRAP WAGGONS — WASTE The Stamping Shop is square, or nearly so, each lateral corresponding to a cardinal point of the compass — north, south, east, and west, the whole comprising about an acre and a quarter. That is not an extensive building for a railway manufactory. There are some shops with an area of not less than five, six, and even seven acres — a prodigious
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CHAPTER III
CHAPTER III
THE SHUNTERS — WATCHMEN — DETECTING A THIEF — FIRES — CARRIAGE FINISHERS — PAINTERS — “WASHERS-DOWN” — CUSHION-BEATERS — CHANGES AND INNOVATIONS — DEPARTMENTAL RELATIONS A short way off in the yard, in a small space clear of the confusing network of lines that cross and recross here and there, running in every direction and connecting the various workshops together, are two old railway coaches dispossessed of their wheels and lodged upon baulks of timber let into the ground. Like the old scrap w
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CHAPTER IV
CHAPTER IV
THE OLD CANAL — THE ASH-WHEELERS — THE BRICK-LAYERS — RIVAL FOREMEN — THE ROAD-WAGGON BUILDERS — THE WHEEL SHED — BOY TURNERS — THE RUBBISH HEAP. West of the workshop the yard is bounded by a canal that formerly connected the railway town with the ancient borough town of Cricklade, eight miles distant. But things are different now from what they were at the time the cutting was made, for great changes have taken place during the last half century in all matters pertaining to transport. Then the
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CHAPTER V
CHAPTER V
“THE FIELD” — “CUTTING-DOWN” — THE FLYING DUTCHMAN — THE FRAME SHED — PROMOTION — RIVET BOYS — THE OVERSEER On the north the factory yard is bounded by a high board fence that runs along close behind the shed and divides the premises from the recreation grounds, which are chiefly the haunt of juveniles during the summer months and the resort of football players and athletes in the winter. Here also the small children come after school and wander about the field among the buttercups, or sit down
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CHAPTER VI
CHAPTER VI
THE SMITHY — THE SMITH — BUILDING THE FIRE — GALLERY MEN — APPRENTICES — THE OLDEST HAND — DEATH OF A SMITH — THE SMITH’S ATTITUDE TO HIS MATES — HIS GREAT GOOD-NATURE — THE SMITHS’ FOREMAN Adjoining the frame-building shed is the waggon smithy, where the thousand and one details for brake systems for the carriages and waggons, and other articles and uses are manufactured. Here, also, all kinds of repairs are executed, and a great number of tools of every description made for the permanent way m
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CHAPTER VII
CHAPTER VII
FITTERS — THE STEAM-HAMMER SHOP — FORGEMEN — THEIR CHARACTERISTICS — BOILERMAKERS — THE FOUNDRY — THE BLAST FURNACE — MOULDERS There are two large fitting sheds at the works — for engine- and carriage-fitting. They differ in several respects but are on the whole consimilar, both in the nature of the work done and in the composition and individuality of the staffs employed. The duties of the fitters are very well indicated by their denominative: they prepare and fit together all the machinery par
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CHAPTER VIII
CHAPTER VIII
GETTING TO WORK — THE AWAKENING IN THE COUNTRY — STEALING A RIDE — THE TOWN STIR — THE ARMY OF WORKMEN — “CHECKING” — EARLY COMERS — CLERKS AND DRAUGHTSMEN — FEATURES OF THE STAFF At an early hour the whole neighbourhood within a radius of five or six miles of the factory is astir; there is a general preparation for the coming day’s work. The activity will first begin in the villages furthest from the town. Soon after four o’clock, in the quiet hamlets amidst the woods and lanes, the workmen wil
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CHAPTER IX
CHAPTER IX
FIRST OPERATIONS IN THE SHED — THE EARLY DIN — ITS EFFECT ON THE WORKMEN — CHARGING THE HEATS — THE OIL FURNACE — THE “AJAX” — HARRY AND SAMMY — THE “STRAPPIE” — HYDRAULIC POWER — WHEEL-BURSTING Arrived in the shed the workmen remove their coats and hang them up under the wall, or behind the forges. If any shall be seen wearing them by the foreman when he enters they will be noticed and marked: it is a common rule, winter and summer, to take them off on coming into the workshop, except in places
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CHAPTER X
CHAPTER X
STAMPING — THE DROP-HAMMER STAFF — ALGY AND CECIL — PAUL AND “PUMP” — “SMAMER” — BOILERS — A NEAR SHAVE The drop-stamps stand in the corner, close under the wall. They are supplied by three coke forges, and by the coal furnace before mentioned. A drop-stamp, or drop-hammer, is a machine used for stamping out all kinds of details and uses in wrought iron or steel, from an ounce to several hundredweights. It differs from a steam-hammer properly so called in that while it is raised by steam power i
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CHAPTER XI
CHAPTER XI
FORGING AND SMITHING — HYDRAULIC OPERATIONS — “BALTIMORE” — “BLACK SAM” — “STRAWBERRY” AND GUSTAVUS — THE “FIRE KING” — “TUBBY ” — BOLAND — PINNELL OF THE YANKEE PLANT The drop-stamps and forgers, together with the plant known as the Yankee hammers — so called by reason of their having been introduced from the other side of the Atlantic — are the life and soul of the shed. The hydraulic machines, through their noiseless and almost tedious operation and the considerably less skill required on the
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CHAPTER XII
CHAPTER XII
FIRST QUARTER IN THE FORGE “ Hey -up!” “What’s up?” “Wake up!” “What’s the matter?” “Get up!” “Go to hell!” “You-u-u! Tell me to go to hell, will you? I’ll smash you. I’ll — I’ll — —” “Come on, then! Try it on! I’m not afraid of you! You’re nobody!” “Well, wake up! and jump about when I tell you.” “Wake up yourself, whitegut!” “Who are you calling whitegut, eh? Who are you calling whitegut?” “Who shot the sheep and had to pay for it?” “Blast you! I’ve had enough of your jaw. I’ll put your head i
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CHAPTER XIII
CHAPTER XIII
THE NIGHT SHIFT — ARRIVAL IN THE SHED — “FOLLOWING THE TOOL” — THE FORGEMAN’S HASTE AND BUSTLE — LIGHT AND SHADE — SUPPER-TIME — CLATTER AND CLANG — MIDNIGHT — WEARINESS — THE RELEASE — HOME TO REST Whatever the trials of the day shift at the forge may be, those of the night turn are sure to be far greater. For the daytime is the natural period of both physical and mental activity. The strong workman, after a good night’s rest and sleep, comes to the task fresh, keen, vigorous, and courageous. T
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CHAPTER XIV
CHAPTER XIV
INFERIORITY OF WORK MADE BY THE NIGHT SHIFT — ALTERING THE GAUGES — THE “BLACK LIST” — “DOUBLE STOPPAGE CHARLIE“ — ”JIMMY USELESS” — THE HAUNTED COKEHEAP — THE OLD VALET — THE CHECKER AND STOREKEEPER The work produced on the night turn is greatly inferior to that made by the men of the day shift. It is impossible to do good work when you are tired and weary. One has not then the keenness of sense, the nerve, nor the energy to take the requisite pains. You are not then the master of your machiner
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CHAPTER XV
CHAPTER XV
SICKNESS AND ACCIDENTS — THE FACTORY YEAR — HOLIDAYS — “TRIP” — MOODS AND FEELINGS — PAY-DAY — LOSING A QUARTER — GETTING MARRIED. Sickness and accidents are of frequent occurrence in the shed. The first-named may be attributed to the foul air prevailing — the dense smoke and fumes from the oil forges, and the thick, sharp dust and ashes from the coke fires. The tremendous noise of the hammers and machinery and the priming of the boilers have a most injurious effect upon the body as well as upon
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CHAPTER XVI
CHAPTER XVI
COLD AND HEAT — MEALS — FAT AND LEAN WORKMEN — WAYS AND MEANS — PRANKS — ALL FOOLS’ DAY — NEW YEAR’S EVE Two kinds of weather go hard with the toilers in the shed; they are — extreme cold and extreme heat. When it is very cold in the winter the men will be subjected to a considerable amount of draught from the doors and roof; on one side they will be half-baked with the heat, and on the other chilled nearly to the bone. The furnacemen and stampers will be drenched with perspiration day after day
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CHAPTER XVII
CHAPTER XVII
GETTING A START — THE NEW HAND — TOWN AND COUNTRY WORKMEN — PROMOTION — DISCHARGING HANDS — LANGUAGE OF THE SHED — EDUCATION — THE EDUCATED MAN NOT WANTED — GREASING THE FORGE Formerly , when anyone was desirous of obtaining a start in the factory, he tidied himself up and, arrayed in clean working costume, presented himself at one or other of the main entrances immediately after breakfast-time so as to meet the eyes of the foremen as they returned from the meal. Morning after morning, when work
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CHAPTER XVIII
CHAPTER XVIII
SHORT TIME AND OVERTIME — “BACK TO THE LAND” — THE TOWN INFLUENCE — CHANGES AT THE WORKS — GRIEVANCES — THE POSITION OF LABOUR — ILLS AND REMEDIES — THE FUTURE OUTLOOK Frequent spells of short time occur at the works, which are most certain to be followed by brisk and busy periods, as though the officials were anxious to make up for every moment of the previously lost time. It usually happens that the change is made direct from prosperity to adversity and vice versa . One week the machinery in t
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APPENDIX
APPENDIX
Table of average day wages per week of fifty-four hours paid to men employed at Swindon Railway Works, July 1914: — Abingdon, 44 Accident, 14 , 243 Accumulators, 149 Africa, 92 Agora, 298 “Ajax,” 141 Alexandria, 298 All Fools’ Day, 270 America, 92 , 102 , 150 , 301 Annealed, 21 Antiquated, 25 Antonio, 234 Apprentices (smiths), 90 Aquatic plants, 44 Archæologist, 177 Army, 77 , 302 Ash-wheelers, 47 Athens, 298 Athletes, 63 Atlantic, 139 , 169 Atlas, 73 Avon, river, 22 , 45 Axles, 20 “Back to the
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A LIST OF THE LIBRARIES AND SERIES OF COPYRIGHT BOOKS PUBLISHED BY DUCKWORTH & CO.
A LIST OF THE LIBRARIES AND SERIES OF COPYRIGHT BOOKS PUBLISHED BY DUCKWORTH & CO.
3 HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN LONDON, W.C.2 The Popular Library of Art — continued The Pre-raphaelite Brotherhood. By Ford Madox Hueffer. Perugino. By Edward Hutton. Millet. By Romain Rolland. Watteau. By Camille Mauclair. The French Impressionists. By Camille Mauclair. Whistler. By Bernhard Sickert....
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MASTERS OF PAINTING
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With many illustrations in photogravure. A series which gives in each volume a large number of examples reproduced in photogravure of the works of its subject. The first series of books on art issued at a popular price to use this beautiful method of reproduction. The letterpress is the same as the volumes in the Popular Library of Art, but it is reset, the size of the volumes being 8¾ ins. by 5¾ ins. There are no less than 32 plates in each book. Bound in cloth with gold on side, gold lettering
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THE CROWN LIBRARY
The books included in this series are standard copyright works, issued in similar style at a uniform price, and are eminently suited for the library. They are particularly acceptable as prize volumes for advanced students. Demy 8vo, size 9 in. by 5¾ in. Cloth gilt, gilt top. 7s. 6d. net. Postage 6d. The Rubá’iyát of ’Umar Khayyám (Fitzgerald’s 2nd Edition). Edited, with an Introduction and Notes, by Edward Heron Allen. Science and Religion in Contemporary Philosophy. By Emile Boutroux. Wandering
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Including the dramatic work of leading contemporary writers, such as Andreyef, Björnson, Galsworthy, Hauptmann, Ibsen, Maeterlinck, Eden Phillpotts, Strindberg, Sudermann, Tchekoff, and others. In single volumes. Cloth, 3s. net; paper covers, 2s. 6d. net a volume; postage 4d. The Revolt and the Escape. By Villiers de L’Isle Adam. ( Cloth binding only. ) Hernani. A Tragedy. By Frederick Brock. ( Cloth binding only. ) Tristram and Iseult. A Drama. By J. Comyns Carr. Passers-By. By C. Haddon Chambe
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THE READERS’ LIBRARY
THE READERS’ LIBRARY
A new series of Copyright Works of Individual Merit and Permanent Value — the work of Authors of Repute. Library style. Cr. 8vo. Blue cloth gilt, round backs. 5s. net a volume; postage 5d. Avril. By Hilaire Belloc. Essays on the Poetry of the French Renaissance. Esto Perpetua. By Hilaire Belloc. Algerian Studies and Impressions. Men, Women, and Books: Res Judicatæ. By Augustine Birrell. Complete in one vol. Obiter Dicta. By Augustine Birrell. First and Second Series in one volume. Memoirs of a S
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THE ROADMENDER SERIES.
THE ROADMENDER SERIES.
The additional volumes in the series are books with the same tendency as Michael Fairless’s remarkable work, from which the series gets its name: books which express a deep feeling for Nature, and render the value of simplicity in life. Fcap. 8vo, with designed end papers. 3s. net. Postage 4d. The Brow of Courage. By Gertrude Bone. Women of the Country. By Gertrude Bone. The Sea Charm of Venice. By Stopford A. Brooke. Magic Casements. By Arthur S. Cripps. A Martyr’s Servant. By Arthur S. Cripps.
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A New Series of Handbooks, being aids to interpretation in Biblical Criticism for the use of the Clergy, Divinity Students, and Laymen. Cr. 8vo. 5s. net a volume. Postage 5d. Christianity and Ethics. By Archibald B. D. Alexander, M.A., D.D., author of “A Short History of Philosophy,” “The Ethics of St Paul.” The Environment of Early Christianity. By Samuel Angus, Professor of New Testament Historical Theology in St Andrew’s College, University of Sydney. Cr. 8vo. 2s. 6d. net. History of the Stud
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Stiff Covers, Crown 8vo. Postage 4d. The Brassbounder: A Tale of the Sea. By David W. Bone. Broken Stowage. By David W. Bone. If Age Could. By Bernard Capes. The House in Marylebone. By Mrs W. K. Clifford. The Widow’s Necklace: A Detective Story. By Ernest Davies. Wrack: A Tale of the Sea. By Maurice Drake. The Exploits of Danby Croker. By R. Austin Freeman. Beyond the Rocks. By Elinor Glyn. Halcyone. By Elinor Glyn. The Reason Why. By Elinor Glyn. The Reflections of Ambrosine. By Elinor Glyn. T
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