The remarkable career of an 80-year-old railwayman finally reached the end of the line when he took his last turn as a driver on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway.
Jeff Madge's retirement comes after 65 years on the footplate and he intends to remain actively involved with the railway's steam locomotive department.
The veteran train man gets up between 04:00 and 05:00 so he can travel to, Greet, Winchcombe, and drive his beloved, engines on the Honeybourne Line.
He does not get back home until 20:00.
Mr. Madge, who began his career with British Railways at the age of 15, was joined for his final run with fellow BR veteran Chris Smith, 69.
The pair shared the footplate, and a few memories, before Mr. Madge hung up his hat for the final time.
Paying tribute to him, Mr Smith said, "Working with him for the last time was very special, and in some ways, an emotional experience. As ex-BR men, it took us right back to our young days. We spoke the same language, if you like. Jeff has so much knowledge, and it's wonderful that he has been passing that on to others in the steam department. Two ex-BR men together, it must be a very rare occurrence nowadays."
Mr. Madge, who lives in Caerphilly, South Wales, began his career when he joined British Railways' Cardiff Canton depot in August 1952.
The following year he moved to Old Oak Common in London where he passed out as a fireman.
Working his way up the ranks, he returned to Cardiff where he became a "passed fireman" and was put forward for driving.
"As a passed fireman I enjoyed plenty of opportunities to drive locomotives and did an awful lot of work on freight traffic," Mr. Madge said.
"I often worked up to Gloucester and sometimes further north over what we knew as the Honeybourne Line, the route over which the present-day Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR) operates. Unfortunately, although I was due to be passed as a driver, the end of steam came about too soon. Many steam men left the railway then, but I decided to continue and became a diesel driver, working on most types, including the InterCity 125s (HSTs) and retired in 1983. But railways, and especially steam, get into your blood and I decided to take an interest in the then embryonic GWSR at Toddington. It was a tiny operation with big ambitions then and I have seen it grow and have enjoyed encouraging youngsters as they start their voluntary footplate careers on the railway. They are the people who will keep the dream of steam alive for future generations to enjoy. They may never experience the challenge of handling a 700-ton coal train behind a Great Western 2-8-0 such as 2807, which is based at Toddington, or flying along at 80 mph or more on a Castle with 10 coaches in tow. But handling a steam locomotive in today's safety-conscious world demands the highest levels of skill and professionalism and it is just as satisfying and rewarding. And the engines are much cleaner and better maintained than ever."
In the wake of Mr. Madge's retirement, Mr. Smith is now GWSR's only ex-BR man still on the footplate.
Mr. Smith, of Woodmancote, Gloucestershire, joined British Railways in 1964 at Worcester, towards end of steam.
He moved to Honeybourne as a young fireman in 1965 and typically fired. and sometimes drove. shunting locomotives such as in the extensive goods yards at Evesham and Honeybourne, as well as heavy freight workings towards Oxford or over the Honeybourne Line.
But by 1966 he was made redundant when steam came to an end on the Western Region of British Railways.
Mr. Smith added, "The locomotives were filthy and very run-down but they continued to do their job well and I enjoyed every moment on the shovel. Although both Jeff and I worked over the Honeybourne Line I don't recall meeting him, although I might well have done."
Janet Hughes.
