The waiting room it was great, just like entering a toaster as the fire was blazing away
It is hard to believe how cold it is on today’s railway stations compared to years ago. Way back in the good old days, when it snowed for days and was freezing cold, you could be sure of a warm at the nearest railway station.
Me and the lads, if we had been out snow shovelling or just playing or wandering about, would often go to the likes of North Shields, Tynemouth, Percy Main or whatever station for a warm. I would say most of the station workers had hearts of gold and would welcome you as we were often rattling with the cold. They would take us into the waiting room and there was always a roaring coal fire blazing away. Down we would plonk ourselves for a bit until we’d thawed out again. Of course, once you’d thawed out you went back out again until the same happened again.
The station that always comes to mind is Percy Main, for it was like climbing Mount Everest to get in. But once you reached the waiting room it was great, just like entering a toaster as the fire was blazing away, With the waiting room not being very big to say the least it was always like an oven. The only time we got chased, if I remember right, was if one of the station masters was about.
Happy times of happy days.