MORRIS SHARP

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Morris entered the service in 1944 and was a shunter at Beeston Sidings. When the yard closed in the sixties Morris moved to Toton and rain or shine would ride to work on his bike from Beeston Rylands. Sharpy was train preparer on the Upside when he retired in 1991 but spent most of his time as senior railman in the North Yard. He was in the North Yard one night when Malc Henshaw walked in.
‘Watch out tonight,’ said Malc, ‘they reckon there’s a dog loose at the bottom end of the yard.’
‘Dogs don’t bother me,’ Sharpy growled, ‘If I see it I’ll brake stick the little bastard.’
With that he picked up his hand lamp and shunting pole and set of to get the Tinsley ready. When he’d gone Malc turned to Ron Evans the Chargeman and winked.
‘He wont be so cocky in a bit,’ he said. ‘What are you up to now,’ asked Ron.
‘You’ll see,’ Malc replied as he left the cabin. Half an hour later Sharpy had piped up, attached the tail lamp and was making his way back down the far side of the train. The lighting in the North Yard had always been poor and on this particular night with no moon it was worse than ever. Under the cover of this gloom Malc had crept half way down the train and was crouched in the four foot under the wagons in wait. As Sharpy drew level Malc stuck out his hand and grabbed his ankle at the same time letting out a ferocious bark. Sharpy dropped his pole lamp and shunt list and took off through the sidings like a bat out of hell. He burst into the cabin almost taking the door off its hinges in the process and collapsed into a chair in the corner. Now Morris did not have the outward appearance of an athlete but they do say that on this particular night he would have given Linford Christie a run for his money.