 A view of Bill Didcock, soon after he joined the Great Western Railway as a telegraphist at Weymouth in 1937. |
 The two Williams - father and son. William George Didcock (on the left in the above view) was Station Master at Weymouth. |
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THE SIGNAL BOX |
BRANCH LINES |
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It is thought this picture was taken after he transferred to Swindon. |
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The photograph was taken around 1955. |
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He often recalled stories from when he worked here, and remembered historical details that had been passed down from earlier railwaymen. Here are some of them: West box opened in December 1913 to replace the old Swindon West and Gloucester Junction boxes as well as a small box on the Gloucester branch platform. The new Swindon West originally had 163 levers, but later had a 174 lever frame. Inside the box was an iron casting of a lions head which used to hang on Swindon "C" cabin in 1880. Around 1965-1966, Bill moved and hid the lions head because the Station Master was after it. Later, it was discovered that the lions head had vanished, and it was generally thought that the Station master had discovered where it was hidden. |
Here we see a young Bill
Didcock dressed in GWR uniform, holding his cap.
This picture shows the inside
of Swindon Goods Yard box, with Bill (left) and his booking boy, Brian Hicks.
By coincidence, Brian later worked for the Royal Mail at the same time as
Bill's grand-daughter.
This is Swindon West box, where Bill
Didcock worked at one time.
And here is Bill at work at Swindon West
around 1955.