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Those of us who travelled to Alleyn’s School from Streatham Hill felt that we had our own private train to take us to school in the morning. We sort-of did…except that it wasn’t private.
Streatham Hill was primarily on a line that ran between Victoria and Norwood Junction.
North Dulwich – the train station for Alleyn’s School – was on a line between London Bridge and several places, including many stops with the word Croydon in the name, avoiding Streatham Hill.
To get from North Dulwich to Streatham Hill, you needed to change at West Norwood. And vice-versa…
…except that, once a day, in the mornings, there was a special train that started at Streatham Hill that went to London Bridge via Tulse Hill and then North Dulwich.
Harry Potter hadn’t been invented back then, so it didn’t go from platform two-and-three-quarters, but it was, rather magically, emblazoned with the number “01”. Just like a London telephone number in those days.
The train had those claustrophobic little integral compartments that had no corridor connection with other parts of the train. Only access via the door/window on either side of the compartment – one side to the platform, the other to the track. Health and safety hadn’t yet been invented.
There are rumours…witness statements even…that some Alleyn’s boys, on some of these suburban railways trains, took advantage of the temporary privacy to make some mischief of their own. I cannot speak for such boys in such carriages, I can only speak of my cohort, who tended to be more sinned against than sinning.
My cohort usually included Andy Levinson and (I think by that time) Justin Sutton & Rupert Jeffries. I have written about this before:
In my diary I report, on Thursday 29 January:
train trouble…
…and on the next day…
…more train trouble.
I think it was this multiple instance of roughs causing us “trouble” on the train, that led to an informal intervention.
No British Transport Police, no formal reporting of the incidents, no public demand for British Rail to do something. The parents suggested, sensibly, that we have a word with the driver before embarking the next day.
Enter Aiden. A young, long-haired (well it was the 1970s), Irish train driver, who, it seemed, was on shift for the 01 for quite some time. he invited us to ride in the drivers carriage for a few days, after which he recommended that we travel in the nearest compartment to the drivers carriage.
We became friends with Aiden for many months – by which I mean we’d always have at the very least a cheery “hi and bye” with him and sometimes a proper chat – especially if the 01 pulled into the station a couple of minutes before the scheduled time for its departure. It was a disappointment if Aiden was not on our shift, but most of the time the 01’s driver was our good friend, Aiden.
Thems were simpler times.
For the benefit of completists and those who like to see what I was watching on the TV at that time, here is a complete extract of that period’s diary entries:
Tuesday, 20 January 1976 – all ok, rugby good. TV Bugs [Bunny], Ellery Queen, Pro-celebrity golf, Fawlty Towers.
Wednesday, 21 January 1976 – CCF ok. TV – And Mother Makes Five, Kenneth Williams.
Thursday 22 January 1976 – drama, great. TV – World At War, When The Boat Comes In.
Friday 23 January 1976 – All OK. TV – Candid Camera, Hawaii Five-O, The Good Life.
Saturday 24 January 1976 – exeat. Library. TV Upstairs Downstairs.
Sunday, 25 January 1976 – classes and Shalom great. TV Italian job (unfinished).
Monday, 26 January 1976 All OK. TV – Ask The Family, Hello Cheeky.
Tuesday, 27 January 1976 – rugby great. TV Ellerry Queen, Pro-celebrity golf, Fawlty Towers.
Wednesday, 28 January 1976 – CCF cold. TV This Is Your Life, Andy [Levinson] snooker etc.
Thursday 29 January 1976 – train trouble. TV World At War, When The Boat Comes In, The Good Old Days.
Friday, 30 January 1976 – more train trouble. TV Candid Camera, Walt Disney, It Ain’t Half Hot Mum, Yes Honestly.
Saturday, 31 January 1976 – All OK – TV New Faces, Sale [Of the Century], Film [Danger Has Two Faces], Upstairs Downstairs.