THE RAISING OF BELLEROPHON
(London Midland and Scottish Railway, Number 5694)
(Composed prior to 1971; from manuscript held by B. Burke)Ay. Lad!
Are you supposed to be in ’ere?
THIS is the “Erecting Shop”.
Oh, you know that?
Well, Good for you.
Of course ’aving just started, you will know EVERYTHING, I expect!
’Spect you’re also mad on Ingines.
Oh well, it’s a “Good Qualification” for an apprentice, they say,
- Bein’ Mad.
What else d’you like? (As if I ’ad to ask …)
POETRY!!??
You write POETRY …??
Well …
I’ve news for you, you’ve got Competition ’ere
WE’VE got a shit-’ouse full of it.
You LOOK the part anyway.
I don’t know, this New Company’s slippin’
In the Old Days, lookin’ like that, the North Western would’ve ’ad your ’ead off …
THEN your ’air.
“Stay? …”
Well, if you like, But keep out of the road, like. Keep out of the way.
NO, not THERE!
Daft nit.
Not unless you want near as not eighty-ton of Locomotive down on top of you.
We-re droppin’ THAT, in ’ere.
That “Jubilee”, yonder beyond the “Scot”
Crane’s coming up for it, from where it’s putting-up the new “Coronation” there.
(Nice job, that. It’s for the North shed.)
Poetry, eh?
Not much scope for it ’ere, eh?
Still, at least you’ll be able to tell us what the Ingine names mean
“Bellerophon” Whatever that is.
No, don’t bother to … tell me. Was it? Oh.
Well, it’s “Sailing” in ’ere, so watch it.
Was it? Oh …
The North Western ’ad some pretty names
“Sirocco” “Falaba” “Medusa”
(A Seducer? Ee. Now I’M a Poet …!)
Yes, it was in ’ere, last week, aye.
Did you know it ’ad gone out on Friday?
NO!!?? Good!
We get’em all in’ ere, the old North Westerns – what’s left of ’em.
“Scott”
“Lusitania” “Queen of the Belgians”
Them two’s “Prince of Wales” class – Oh, I forgot, you knew.
Good Ingines, “Princes”, IN their day.
’Ard workin’ – when they were young. Like ME – when I was young …
I built ’em. Well, me and the lads built ’em. When we were young.
Started on “Precursors” … when I was young.
You?
Oh, you’ll be buggering about in the Boiler Shop, I expect.
That’ll larn yer!
Poetry in the din of the rivetin’
BRRRRRRRRRR!! It’ll rattle your bollocks off!
“Why can’t we get any YOUNG BOILERMAKERS …?”
Cos they’re all too scared.
Old ’uns don’t mind so much. Course, they’ve no further use for ’em anyway, some of ’em
They LIKE young Apprentices down there …
Or we’ve a Forge, with Steam ’Ammers to thump the ’Ell out of yer.
Or you might cop for the Foundry
Where it’s so bleedin’ ’ot you won’t know your arse from Payday.
Not that it’ll matter anyway
Cos if you’ve an arse on you to start off with, it’ll soon melt into sweat and trickle down the back of your leg
And you’ll be dead by Payday.
I’m not putting you OFF, am I, lad?
Likely young Poet like you?
Oh’ it’s not such a bad job, the Railway.
Seven quid a week, and the “Full resources” of the soddin’ L.M.S. be’ind you!
Right be’ind you. In London or Derby somewhere.
Still, there’s nowt else in Crewe.
The old North Western, mind, that was all right.
’Ard, you know, but it looked after you. And Crewe,
the North Western did.
No, ’old on a minute, don’t go. ’Old on a bit.
The Crane’s come up.
Oh, you’ll be all right.
But keep quiet about the Poetry, eh?
I mean, lads ’ere don’t go much for the ‘Arty’ stuff.
Just think what rhymes with “Luck”, that’s them.
Like Jack, you, up on the Crane
Astride “Bellerophon”
(That’ll be a novel ride for ’IM …)
Course, I’m not denying there ARE jobs for Poets, I suppose …(?)
But some’ow, I don’t think lads ’ERE ’ud APPRECIATE
a-complicated-fanfare-from-a-little-snot-like-you
to accompany THIS job.
Anyway, what Fanfare’s needed?
I mean, Jack, like, ’ull just sort of push a button and up it’ll all go.
No Fanfare. No fuss. None needed …
LOOK – Sithee! There!
Up i’ th’ air – eighty-ton o’ bloody “Jubilee” …!
Where’s your Fanfare NOW, lad, eh? Eh? Where’s your Fanfare NOW?
No, don’t tell ME. I KNOW. It IS …
Bloody marvellous!
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