Britain’s first black train driver has been honoured with the unveiling of a plaque at King’s Cross station in London on Monday, to mark Black History Month.
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Wilston Samuel Jackson – known as Bill – started driving trains in 1962 and went on to drive the Flying Scotsman.
He was born in Jamaica, moved to London in 1952 and took a job as a cleaner on the railway, learning how to look after trains. He worked his way up to be a ‘passed cleaner’ – a fireman in all but name – and would return home to study for his locomotive driver exams.
However on his first day, some white colleagues were furious at news of the promotion of a black man from fireman to driver. When the allotted fireman told Wilston he would not work for him, a line manager told the fireman to go home.
Faced with the sack, the fireman changed his mind and asked if he could stay. Wilston replied: “I don’t have a problem with you, it is you who has a problem with me. If you do your job well, we’ll get along fine.”
In 1964, Wilston broke both legs when his train crashed into the back of a stationary goods train near Finsbury Park, after a signalman mistakenly gave a green light. After a long recovery, he returned to the railway in 1966 and went on to drive the Flying Scotsman and The Elizabethan.
Wilston later emigrated with his family to Zambia where he taught the locals how to drive trains and died in 2018, aged 91.
His youngest daughter Polly Jackson said: “My father dedicated much of his life to the railway. He was never late or missed a day, and he was so proud of his work, despite the many challenges he faced. Today was a fitting tribute to his life and career.”
Figures from train driver’s union ASLEF show just 10% of train drivers in England, Scotland and Wales are from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.
Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines described Wilston as “a real trailblazer for our industry” and added “we owe him a huge debt of gratitude for his incredible service.
“This plaque is a fitting tribute to his career, and I hope it helps to inspire the next generation of train drivers and railway workers from minority ethnic backgrounds.”
A similar plaque at Euston station honours Asquith Xavier, the first black train guard at the station.
(Photograph: Network Rail)
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