Obit: 60th Anniversary of Driver John Axon

Subject: Obit: 60th Anniversary of Driver John Axon
From: Jim Martin
Date: 06 Feb 17 - 09:04 AM

Rapidly approaching the 60th anniversary of Driver John Axon's death on 09Feb2017 which was commemorated by the BBC a year later by the production of one of their renowned radio ballads:

http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/eventsummary.php?eventID=112

Subject: RE: Obit: 60th Anniversary of Driver John Axon
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 06 Feb 17 - 11:02 AM

Thanks for that. I actually got the train through Chapel this morning so remembered him on seeing the plaque.

For anyone who hasn't heard the radio ballad, it's available on youtube: The Ballad of John Axon

Subject: RE: Obit: 60th Anniversary of Driver John Axon
From: Leadfingers
Date: 06 Feb 17 - 07:20 PM

Ballad of John Axon should be a MUST for anyone with an interest in English Folk Song !

Subject: RE: Obit: 60th Anniversary of Driver John Axon
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Feb 17 - 02:33 AM

Sadly the Youtube clips are not available.

Subject: RE: Obit: 60th Anniversary of Driver John Axon
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 07 Feb 17 - 05:43 AM

We saw his medal on display at the National Railway Museum in York, and saw an excellent two-hander drama performed on the footplate of a steam locomotive.

Subject: RE: Obit: 60th Anniversary of Driver John Axon
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 08 Feb 17 - 07:45 AM

What is often forgotton about the Radio Ballads, John Axon being the first, is their groundbreaking role.
This programme was conceived as a tribute to a hero for which information would be gathered on the subject and a script would be written to be read by actors.
When MacColl and Parker visited the railway sheds they found a goldmine, not only of information on the event, but on the lives of the railwaymen, all in beautiful vernacular speech.
Charles Parker once told me that at first he was reluctant to move from the tried antd tested formula, but it was MacColl who persuaded him that what they had recorded stood on its own merits.
Between them, the team produced the first major programme where working people spoke for themselves in their own language and were not caricatured or stereotyped.
The BBC hailed the programmes and one, Singing the Fishing', won the Italia Prize, but eventually they became an embarrassment - real working people - miners talking about pneumoconiosis, deep sea fishermen who had had their insides torn apart by the work they were forced to do, boxers forced to fight because of the poverty they were trying to escape from, racial, social and cultural prejudice..... and finally, a Councillor and Justice of the Peace demanding that Travelers who wouldn't conform should be "exterminated"
The BBC had a tiger by the tail and they did not like it.
I attended the showing of the Philip Donellan film, 'The Irishmen' a couple of weeks ago - a magnificent account of Irish building workers leaving Ireland and working on the sites in London.
It was made in 1965, censored by the Beeb and not shown publicly until after Philip's death in early 2000 - it is still an extremely rare bird
Philip made excellent but controversial films and spent his life fighting to get them shown undefiled by censorship - his 2 programme on the history of the British Army led to howls of protest from the establishment and 'Questions being asked' in Parliament.
The features department of the BBC was eventually closed and Parker and others were fired - such was the importance of the voice of the working man to the Beeb.
An excellent introduction to the "decline" of the BBC, 'Prospero and Ariel' by D.G. Bridson, is well worth searching out and Peter Cox's excellent 'Set Into Song' is indispensable for those with an interest in the making of The Radio Ballads and their role in British culture
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Obit: 60th Anniversary of Driver John Axon
From: GUEST,Jim Martin
Date: 13 Dec 17 - 09:34 AM

Jim Carroll - I need to correct myself after our conversation last night - air brakes were used on SOME British railway companies a long time ago, but did not come into general use until some time much later (the 90's, I think), & most standard gauge heritage railways.! Sorry if I misled you!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_brake

http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/docsummary.php?docID=290

Subject: RE: Obit: 60th Anniversary of Driver John Axon
From: GUEST,Jim Martin
Date: 13 Dec 17 - 09:38 AM

Sorry Jim, that should have read "I need to correct myself after our conversation last night - air brakes were used on SOME British railway companies a long time ago, but did not come into general use until some time much later (the 90's, I think), apart from some diesel railcars, a diminishing number of main line vintage special trains & most standard gauge heritage railways.! Sorry if I misled you!

Subject: RE: Obit: 60th Anniversary of Driver John Axon
From: Peter the Squeezer
Date: 13 Dec 17 - 01:56 PM

Subject: RE: Obit: 60th Anniversary of Driver John Axon
From: Peter the Squeezer
Date: 13 Dec 17 - 02:01 PM

Sorry - that last one was me.

He had the ultimate accolade for a railway man, having a locomotive named after him.

On 19 February 1981, a British Rail Class 86 electric locomotive number 86261 was named Driver John Axon, GC at a ceremony at Euston Station, London.

In February 2007, a DMU Class 150 train (150273) was named 'Driver John Axon, GC' at Buxton. This name has now passed onto a Class 156 DMU, 156460. A plaque commemorating the events was unveiled, to be mounted at Chapel-en-le Frith station. The plaque is now mounted on the station buildings at Chapel-en-le-Frith facing onto the southbound platform.

From Wikipedia

Subject: RE: Obit: 60th Anniversary of Driver John Axon
From: GUEST,CJB
Date: 13 Dec 17 - 06:32 PM

John Axom

Radio Ballads - John Axon

Subject: RE: Obit: 60th Anniversary of Driver John Axon
From: RTim
Date: 13 Dec 17 - 06:57 PM

You can still listen to most, if not all, on YouTube.....

Ballad of John Axon - part.

You can also find other parts on this link.

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Obit: 60th Anniversary of Driver John Axon
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Dec 17 - 01:48 PM

Some links ...

http://cdn.flatpackfestival.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/landmarks.pdf

Gone for a Soldier

http://www.tcd.ie/irishfilm/showfilm.php?fid=61592

The Long Journey

http://www.pebblemill.org/blog/the-long-journey-documentary-by-philip-donnellan/

Travellers

http://travellerstimes.org.uk/Blogs--Features/GRT-on-film.aspx

CJB

Subject: RE: Obit: 60th Anniversary of Driver John Axon
From: GUEST,CJB
Date: 14 Dec 17 - 01:50 PM

Don't forget that the three Radio Ballad films are on YouTUbe - The Big Hewer - The Fight Game - Singing the Fishing. Thanks Jim!!