BACK in 1952, Darlington Railway Athletic FC ended a remarkable season winning two pieces of silverware.

That season, they brought both the British Railways North-East Region Cup and the Great Britain Cup back to Darlington, and the picture, right, shows the winning side with their trophies.

That year, the Railwaymen had beaten off competition from railway teams across England to represent rail workers in the competition.

That meant they went through to play the rest of the home nations in a cup format and, after beating Scotland’s team in the semi-final, they progressed to the final where they would meet Wales, who had beaten Northern Ireland to secure their place in the final.

Both teams travelled to London and contested the final at Raines Park, and in front of a large crowd, the Railwaymen lifted the cup after beating their Northern Irish counterparts 3-1.

GWL Whalley had previously been a fringe player, who made some appearances for Glasgow Celtic FC, while Herbert Finney progressed to play and captain the England Railways team and was selected to play and beat the French Railway side in Paris.

The photograph of the team was taken in front of the RA cricket pavillion and, as one of the team, Maurice Anderson, revealed, it had to be taken there because they weren’t allowed onto the football pitch.

As the side were positioning themselves on the pitch, the club secretary raced up to them and informed them, as it was the Sabbath, no one – not even a trophy winning team – was allowed on the football pitch on a Sunday, so they had to move to the cricket pitch for the photocall instead.

PICTURED ARE - RAIL HEROES: Back row, from left, unknown, unknown, Bill Shaw, GWL ‘Tweet’ Whalley, Norman Ditchburn. Middle, Bunny Hawkings (committee), Bill Scott, Maurice Anderson, Cole, Hutchinson, Herbert ‘Herbie’ Finney, team captain, Peacock, Oliver (committee). Front, Dixon, Jock Vallier, Tex Dunn, Rolley Roberts, Ray Cleminson.

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