Smoke is healthy
I have a bit of a thing about trains.
I suppose it comes about from having a father who was a railway engineer and also from numerous trips on the old Irish Mail from Holyhead to Euston in the days when steam was the thing and trains had real beauty and character.
I watched a documentary the other night that I had recorded off the BBC a couple of weeks ago.
It was a documentary on the history of the London Underground which is celebrating 150 years in business.
At one point, I laughed.
Oh, how I laughed!
I often wondered about the Underground before the introduction of electric locomotion, and sure enough, they used to use steam locomotives. Now those of you who are familiar with steam locomotives will know that they produce one hell of a lot of smoke and steam – one of the joys of being on a steam train is watching the smoke and steam curl away across the fields, but underground? That must have been a completely different kettle of elephants.
As part of the Underground celebrations they actually ran a steam train trough the Tube and this of course was on the documentary.
The station just after departure.
Now that picture shows a station after just one train. How did they cope when trains were passing through on a regular basis? How did people even breathe in that atmosphere?
And this is where I laughed.
I’ll pass you over to the commentary –
Yup.
Smoke is healthy!
It just goes to prove you can tell the sheeple anything you like, and they’ll believe every word of it.
[If you want to see a steam train run on the Underground the full programme is here. The steam run starts at around 16:00. Very impressive!]
i love trains..how can anyone not love trains…can't imagine enclosed steam engines till i watched that clip *cough*cough* very health indeed
I must admit I was gobsmacked at the thought of underground steam locomotives. How times change!
I got a row for getting off the train in Inverness station and walking along with my ciggy smoking.
I laughed to think of the smoking trains which had been in that station.
My Grandfather was a steam train driver [took me to Edinburgh when I was 7. Me shoveling coal]
Welcome, Dave! Damnit! You must have been the envy of every kid in the area? I never rode the footplate and it's unlikely I ever will. Maybe in my next life?
Steam isn't smoke. Bit off the rails that.
It's the smoke from burning all that coal to heat the water to make the steam…….lovely smell of sulphur and all those soot particles. When I was young my mother wouldn't let me sit facing the engine in case I got covered in them. God that makes me sound old!
Those were the days when you could reserve a seat "back to the engine" or "facing the engine". My face was always black after a long trip from hanging out the window!
Now you are trying to quibble. You know damn well that steam locomotives produce vast quantities of coal smoke as well as steam.
thanks for the share, me and the mister had a nice watch of the whole thing.
hi grandad ny grandmother lived in the first house on church st.north wall lever brothers factory was about 300 yards away and i loved the smell of sunlight soap etc. blowing over the house.i used to inhale it thought it was good for me .did not kill me i am 75 see you at christmas .please hurry back to your computer