Shushshush. The black
steam train bellowed
white and grey smoke.
You and I watched it
rise up and push from
the engine.Waterloo Station.
Smell of smoke and bodies.
We sat on the metal seat
on the platform. People
passed us to get in carriages.
Voices called out. Porters
rushed past with trollies
of mail or cases. Your
mother had not been
pleased when I knocked
earlier to take you out.
She stood at the door,
arms folded, smoking.
She said you couldn't go
trapsing round the train
stations.I said we wouldn't
be trapsing, but walking.
A whistle blew; the guard
waved a green flag madly.
The train chuffed, spewed
steam and pulled out of
the station. We watched
it go, waving at hands waving
from windows on the train.
We'd wait for the next one
and watch all over again.
Dec 4, 2017
Dec 4, 2017 at 3:53 PM UTC
Shushshush. The black
steam train bellowed
white and grey smoke.
You and I watched it
rise up and push from
the engine.Waterloo Station.
Smell of smoke and bodies.
We sat on the metal seat
on the platform. People
passed us to get in carriages.
Voices called out. Porters
rushed past with trollies
of mail or cases. Your
mother had not been
pleased when I knocked
earlier to take you out.
She stood at the door,
arms folded, smoking.
She said you couldn't go
trapsing round the train
stations.I said we wouldn't
be trapsing, but walking.
A whistle blew; the guard
waved a green flag madly.
The train chuffed, spewed
steam and pulled out of
the station. We watched
it go, waving at hands waving
from windows on the train.
We'd wait for the next one
and watch all over again.
Kids in London in the 1950s
