Recollections

Haymarket

Railway Sheds

Thank you to Edward Thomson, Glamis Castle, Angus, Scotland for the following message about his father and grandfather.

Ed writes:

Haymarket Sheds

1918

"My Grandfather John Thomson was an Engine Driver based at Haymarket Motive Power Depot during WW1. He originally came from Perth but had to move because of Wartime rail operations.

In those days a driver had his own locomotive and regular Fireman. My Grandfather's loco was named 'Bailie Nicol Jarvie' after the character in one of Sir Walter Scott's novels. His Fireman was called Lowery or Lourie.

Spanish Flu

1918

Grandfather brought an evening Passenger train down from Perth on the 12th October 1918 and was complaining of feeling unwell on arrival at Waverley Station on completion of his turn of duty. The carriages were parked an the loco was run "light" back to Haymarket Shed

On dismounting from the loco the Fireman noted that steam(!) was coming through Grandfather's overcoat.  He staggered over the tracks assisted by the Fireman bur only made it as far as Lowery's cottage in Balbirnie Place.

One of the Fireman's children was despatched to warn my Grandmother at her home.  Someone else sent for  a  horse-drawn ambulance and he was taken to the Royal Infirmary in Lauriston Place. He died there two days later, aged 53, from the world-wide epidemic of Influenza called "The Spanish Lady" which killed over 40 million people in a devastating epidemic."

Waverley Station

1930

My Father was the eldest son and was serving with the Royal Artillery in France at the time of my grandfather's death.

He was immediately returned home and spent the last few months of his Wartime service at Redford Cavalry Barracks.

He was a Railwayman too, all his life.  When he worked  at  Waverly Station in the 30's he used to delight in showing me my "Grandfather's" engine anytime it was operating

Ed Thomson, Glamis Castle, Angus Scotland,  April 12, 2006

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