I have taken something of a liberty here in splitting the above post off to start a new topic - simply to justify my adding my own schooldays reminiscences. 

My inspiration then was not in the classroom but out in the open air.  On Friday afternoons at Brislington School (Bristol), the sixth form were timetabled 'Liberal Studies' - when we could choose whichever we liked.  My choice, with several others, was on the theme of industrial archeology, led by Martin 'Kipper' Lee. He had a PSV license (which he carried with pride) and thus access to the school minibus for the afternoon.

He took us out to Crofton Pumping House on the Kennet & Avon Canal and the railway signal box at Ashton Gate (now long gone), for example.  As the teacher in charge of a group of genuinely interested students, he was given favourable treatment and access at such sites.  That is why I was given the opportunity to work a traditional signal lever in the box at Ashton Gate, on the line which was still used for goods traffic.  I failed miserably, to the mirth of my fellow students and much eye rolling from the signalman and the train driver, who was waiting outside.

Those were happy days.  CfN. 

 

Fascinating.  Thank you.  The Manchester Ship Canal was one of the great engineering projects o the Victorian era that we studied for O-Level history.  Miss Wheelton in Room 4 at Evesham High School in 1970 seems now to be of a piece with the era that we studied!