LOCAL railway workers have helped an author compile a fascinating record of Crewe station's track record during its busiest years - the 1950s.

Former train man Bill Rear has used memories and memorabilia provided by former colleagues and their families to help him reveal just how thriving and busy the railway scene was at that time.

'Crewe Station, Traffic and Footplate Working in the 1950s'

is packed with photographs and detailed information about the working lives of the drivers and firemen who operated the "various turns that ran out of Crewe".

Although recovering from the ravages of World War 2, junction was experiencing traffic density at its peak.

This new hardback book, produced by Ian Allan Publishing and priced £19.19s., provides a meticulous and detailed look at the heart of the railway scene around Crewe thoughout the decade.

That detail includes movements up and down the line, with starting and terminating points, arrival, departure and passing through times, locomotive and platform numbers and even which yard dealt with the freight traffic.

Mr Rear has chosen the busiest day of the week, Saturday, to illustrate the flow of passenger and freight trains.

While the study concentrates on the footplate men; the work and records of passenger and goods guards, shunters, signalmen, inspectors, foremen, porter guards, platform porters and cleaners have not been overlooked.

He dedicates the book to his young grandson and to all Crewe footplatemen , in particular to the late 'Piccolo' Pete Johnson and Tom Rigby who gave him free access to their personal diaries.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.