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Thanks to Nina Smith for this report

Friends of Hebden Bridge Station talk

Thursday, 9 November 2017

On Monday 30th October, the Friends of Hebden Bridge Station hosted the third lecture in the series by Peter Jeffery of Todmorden, entitled ‘Trials and Tribulations of Railway Passengers’.

As in the previous lec stures, Peter told us of problems faced by those pioneers, who had to invent solutions to these problems as they occurred, for never before had people seen powered mechanical transport, nor had anyone ever travelled so fast before. 

Peter explained how passenger carriages developed from horse-drawn carriages (for the first-class passenger) and from the coal wagon (for the unfortunate third-class). Well-illustrated by contemporary drawings and later photographs, we learned how third-class and first-class became a little closer in comfort and why second-class disappeared.

Passenger comfort and convenience(s) were discussed and, as always, before the advent of restaurant cars, pioneered by the Midland Railway in 1874 with Pullman Carriages, long-distance trains would stop at intermediate stations so that passengers could buy food.

They also took "comfort breaks" as train lavatories didn't arrive until late Victorian times. Peter laid great emphasis on the development of the safe working of the trains. The diagrams and explanations from Peter had plenty of detail for the knowledgeable enthusiast, but were easy enough to follow for the lay listener to understand.

The fourth lecture in the series will be in the Spring and is entitled “A Very Long Haul - a history of the Railway Horse”

Before then, and as a warm-up for Christmas, the Friends present:
Carol Singing at the Railway Station, on Monday 11th December at 5:15 pm (for about an hour).

This is to raise money for The Railway Children Charity   Come along and sing or bring an instrument. 

Our events are listed  on our website: