From 1964/5 I was a pupil at John Wilmot school and I travelled to school by train and bus. I had a free train and bus pass from Warwickshire county council to travel on the train and the bus to school.

I frequently used the train to go to school, often in the winter, when it was too cold for cycling.

During my travels I started talking to the station master, this was approximately 1966.

The station master at that time was Mr. Tom Compton and the assistant station master was Mr. Roy Guinness (his name was actually Ramatar Guinness, but he used the name Roy for convenience).

I became friends with both of these station masters, and as trust grew stronger, I started doing errands for them. Sometimes I would go totheBoldmere bookies to place a bet on a horse race.

Sometimes Roy who was Indian/ Caribbean would ask me to go to Slade Road to buy curry, goat and rice.

He would tell the station master at Gravelly Hill Station that I was coming and so I did not need a ticket.

This friendship continued for many years.

As a school boy, they would reward me with small amounts of money and cigarettes.

In later life when I was old enough to own a motorcycle I would sometimes transport Tom to his home in Dyess Road kingstanding.

I became a familiar face of the railway staff at Sutton station and at Chester Road station.

At Sutton station, I knew Johnny Forsyth.

At Chester Road station, I knew Eric Bowker.

I knew one of the guards whose name was Norman Coward.

I had many happy experiences at theStation. Sometimes filling the coal buckets to keep the fire going in the waiting rooms. Sometimes collecting tickets from passengers.I also helped with the lamp lighting.