This page is one of a series introducing railway staff who worked in and around Stoke-on-Trent before 1939. They’ve been researched as part of the ‘Tracks through Time’ initiative – which you can read more about here.
The workers featured were largely selected from staff who appear in the Railway Work, Life & Death project database of accidents to pre-1939 British and Irish railway workers.
Please note that a fuller life story is under preparation – coming soon!
Whilst plenty of people in Stoke-on-Trent worked for the railways, lots of railway staff passed through. London, Midland & Scottish Railway temporary cook J Skinner was one of them.
On 27 June 1934, Skinner had been sent to Stoke with some others to ready the dining cars on a special train going to Stockport the following day. As the carriages had arrived separately, they had not been properly coupled together. There was a gap of about 12 inches between them. The men at work simply stepped over the gap.
When Skinner and one man finished their work at 8pm, they found everyone else had gone – and the cupboard containing their belongings had been locked. Skinner spent two hours trying to find the key, but without success – so the men decided to stay on board the carriages.
When trying to pass between the carriages, Skinner slipped and fell between them, injuring his right leg. The investigation said he should have been more careful – but did recommend changes to ensure it didn’t happen again.