In the summer of 1941 the Headmaster of the local Boys School in the City of Carlisle, Northern England summoned a pupil to his office and said to him: My son. I have been studying your Academic achievements and have come to the conclusion that you would serve your country much better in this time of war if you joined the work force rather than remain at school for which it is obvious you are not suited . I have made arrangements for you to have an interview with the Station Master at the London North Eastern Railway for a position as a Train Register Boy at the Peterril Bridge Signal Box. He added that he did not have to take this position but it was an opportunity to serve his country and enjoy the good working conditions offered by the LNER.
Things began to move quickly, and in a short period of time and with his mothers permission he began work as a Train Register Boy at the Petteril Bridge Signal Box. It was Shift work and for the pricely sum of 11 shillings per week he soon settled into the job.The Company's description of the job was that he had to record in a very large log book all the train movements passing the Signal Box. He soon mastered this and it was not long before he started to assist the Signalman with the lever movements. He learned later that this was common practise with all TR Boys and in no time at all they became very proficient at running the train movements under the supervision of the Signalman who would sit beside the fire and watch every movement. In fact it soon became apparent that the roles of the TR Boy and the Signalman were reversed, but only when there were no visitors to the Signal Box.The Station Master on his periodic visits knew of this practise (of which he did not approve) but never made any comments knowing full well it had been going on for many years, and that because of the war some Signalmen were past retirement age and it would be difficult to replace them.
Train movements around Britain were consistantly interupted because of the German bombings and regular time tables were often useless, this made it difficult for Signalmen in the main line Signal boxes to plan the movements of traffic smoothly and very often a train with low priority would be diverted into a loop or siding and have to wait there while trains with a higher authority would be given preference. Troop trains had the highest priority and would always be given free passage. The Royal Train which travelled north regularly with members of the Royal family were always given top priority.
But there was one train which was accorded the highest priority and became known amongst the Railway staff as the "Midnight Express" It was a passenger train which travelled between Glasgow and London via Carlisle and Crewe. This train did not run to a regular schedule because of security, but would stop at the Citadel Station Carlisle for a change of crew and any other maintenamce required. The passengers were not allowed to leave the train and it invariably left Carlisle at Midnight travelling south to it's destination London.
As it passed the Peterril Bridge Signal Box it would have the blinds drawn and the carriage lights dimmed. Even the light from the Engine fire box was coverered with a sheet drawn between the cab roof and the tender to prevent any light attracting possible German aircraft. but no one ever spoke of it or about it you see it was war time and wherever one went there were posters which read "Walls have ears".
The Train Register Boy at Peterril Bridge Signal Box knew the answer but he will never tell you.