A fond look back down the tracks.

DENNIS HOFFMAN sent in these Pix of the Past from his time on Coventry's railways.

Dennis, of Longfellow Road, Stoke, Coventry, said: "I was very interested in your Pic of the Past on Wednesday April 23, 2008 regarding the last train from Coventry to Rugby worked by the last driver and guard to be based at Coventry, as I was one of those last drivers.

"I have other similar photographs taken on Coventry platform at the same time. When the train crews at Coventry were made redundant they were all offered moves to other depots within the area, the nearest being Rugby, Nuneaton and Birmingham New Street.

"I opted for Birmingham, it having a convenient train service to get me to and from work for most of my shifts. This was a big change for me, going from a very small depot, dealing mainly with freight work, to a much larger depot, covering mainly express passenger trains and a few parcels and newspaper trains.

"Incidentally, I joined the railways on December 4, 1944 and worked until I retired on March 20, 1993 - 48 years and four months. During this time I worked firstly as a cleaner, then fireman (1945) and progressed to a driver in 1952. I drove steam, diesel and electric locomotives. Latterly, locals around the Birmingham area and expresses from Birmingham to London, Manchester, Liverpool and trains for Scotland as far as Preston.

"During its last few years I was lucky enough to drive 46240 City of Coventry and I also had the honour to be selected to drive the royal train bringing the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh to Coventry on one of their visits to the new cathedral. For the last 10 years of my career I became an instructor in the Road Learning School on platform one on New Street station.

"I have enclosed a few photographs, two of which (top and above right) are almost identical to the one published in The Coventry Telegraph, the only difference in these two photographs is the replacement of the area manager with the train crew clerk.

"Names I can remember of drivers and guards on these photographs, are as follows: Back Row: G Brian ?, D Ram Patel, D Roy Woodward, G ?, D ?, D A Smith. Middle Row: G Derek Black, D Mick Wileman, G Brian ?, Tony Townsend, D Dennis Hoffman, D Glyn Wigmore, G Derek Moran, D John ?, D Owen Reason. Front Row: G Mr Panesar, D Ray Bowers, Area Manager or Jean ? (clerk), D Frank Willetts, and G Mr Bhatti.

"Most of these colleagues I have worked with over many years, some from my steam days. There are a few other photographs I may be able to get hold of, covering Coventry Station, Coventry Goods Yard and Three Spires Marshalling Yard, all covering the Coventry area."