THE Flying Scotsman special edition (Memories 291) inspired Philip Sedgwick of Leyburn to visit the famous locomotive during its Shildon sojourn and to look out some old newspaper cuttings telling how his railwayman grandfather once saved the day for a goalkeeper.

His grandfather was Vince Sheard who was stationmaster at Durham for several years until he retired in 1962.

“I remember visiting him at the station with my mum and going out on the steam shunter – no health and safety then – and being shown into the cabs of other locomotives at a time when being train driver was every boy’s ambition.”

Those that didn’t wanted to be footballers. For example, goalkeeper Christopher Harper who, in May 1959, was granted special leave from the Royal Engineers stationed at Farnborough in Kent to play for his team, Consett, in the Durham County Challenge Cup Final.

The final was an evening kick-off, against South Shields, at Sunderland’s Roker Park – which is a long way from Kent.

Harper was obviously good at catching footballs but not so good at catching trains because he missed the 11.10am out of King’s Cross. The next train didn’t leave until 1pm and stopped only at York and Newcastle. In a panic, Harper rang the Consett chairman, Hyman Sandler, and said there was no way he would make it from either station to Roker Park in time for kick-off.

Mr Sandler, who seems to have had a textile company in Newcastle, told him to get on the one o’clock and then he called his friends at British Rail.

When the goalkeeper reached York, he was amazed to learn that his train was to make an unscheduled stop at Durham just for him at 5.35pm – the first time the 1pm had ever stopped in the city.

“It was largely due to Mr Sheard’s efforts that the stop was made so that Harper could get off the train in time for kick-off,” said The Northern Echo. “Harper was met at the station by Mr Sandler and rushed to Roker Park – and they took Mr Sheard with them as guest of honour.”

They arrived at 6.45pm with just enough time for the keeper to be ready for kick-off.

“I am greatly indebted to Mr Sheard and British Railways,” said Mr Sandler.

He was even more indebted on the final whistle as Consett won 2-0, and so the Durham stationmaster was invited to the celebratory dinner held at the Freemasons Arms in Consett on May 27.

Grandson Philip says: “It is typical of him as he was sport-mad playing cricket to an age when he shouldn’t have been and bowls until he died in 1978.”