Charles Burling - Railway Signalman of Cromford : ISBN 978-0-9552251-4-7
by Glynn Waite (Rowsley Association).
Published 2007 - 68 pages, illustrated, maps.
A4 - Softback : £9.99 from bookstores + £11.25 (mail order)

Glynn Waite was born at Cromford in 1943. Over the years he has researched the history of railway operations in the area – and the Midland Railway in general – in considerable detail. Glynn had made contributions to many railway publications. He was the co-author of Rowsley : A Rural Railway Centre, the editor of Rowsley Railway Miscellany (see below) and the editor of the Midland Railway Society's Journal from 1996 to 2006.

Charles Burling – a career railway man – joined the Midland Railway as a porter at Elsecar & Hoyland station, near Barnsley, in 1900. He came to Cromford as a signalman in 1911 and lived in the village for the rest of his life. After working in several other signal boxes in the district, he became a signalman at Matlock Bath in 1938 and retired from that position in 1947.

During certain periods of his life, Charles recorded details of his career and the local railway scene in notebooks. The publication is primarily based on information contained in two of these books. His railway career is covered in some detail, as is the local railway scene – and to a lesser degree, the national one – from 1912 to 1917. This has been supplemented by notes and appendices which are the result of research into some of the events recorded in the notebooks. The publication contains 68 pages and includes almost 100 illustrations.

The main text comprises 3 sections:-
1. Charles’ Railway Career
2. The Local Railway Scene Around Cromford 1912 to 1917
3. General Circulars, Notices and Other Miscellaneous Information 1912 to 1917.

There are 19 appendices, as under:-
A – Signalling Arrangements and Developments at Cromford.
B – Extracts from the Settlement Relating to ‘Rates of Wages, Hours of Labour and Conditions of Service’ of Midland Railway Signalmen Introduced on 1st July 1912.
C – Summary of Settlement Relating to Midland Railway Signalling Grades 13th February 1914.
D – Alterations to Signal Box Classification and Signalmen’s Pay 1920 to 1922.
E – A Willersley Tunnel Incident – The Death of William Boden on Monday 18th November 1912.
F – Trains Passing Cromford Sidings Signal Box July, August and September 1914.
G – Passenger Excursion Trains Timed to Pass Cromford Sidings Signal Box Between Monday 13th and Sunday 19th July 1914.
H – Trains Calling at Cromford Station July, August and September 1914.
I – The Cromford & District Branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants.
J – Members of the Cromford & District Branch of the ASRS During its First year – 1897.
K – Derailment of Goods Train at Church Lane Crossing, Darley Dale, on Friday 19th September 1913.
L – Cromford Station Masters.
M – The Death of Signal Fitter Frederick Eley in Dove Holes Tunnel, Friday 31st October 1913.
N – The Death of Ganger Samuel Smith in Milford Tunnel, Tuesday 16th December 1913.
O – The Tragic Death of Porter Joseph Pickering at Cromford Station on 21st February 1914.
P – The Death of Junior Porter Donald Preece Near Church Lane Crossing, Friday 19th March 1915.
Q – Fatal Accident to Stone Merchant John Sims Near Whatstandwell on Saturday 5th June 1915.
R – A Cycling Accident on Cromford Hill Involving Shunter John Ward of Matlock – 21st June 1915.
S – The Deaths of Two Passengers at Ambergate Station.

Copies of the book may also be obtained from the author - Glynn Waite, 113 Green Oak Road, Totley, Sheffield. S17 4FS.

Email Glynn.Waite (at) btinternet.com

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