Paint didn’t dry on speedy royal visit

One MondAy morning, there was feverish activity at Wellingborough railway station. Staff and tradesmen were giving the edges of the platforms a lick of paint — plus just about anything else that didn’t move and looked a bit grubby. on inquiring about this sudden rushing and tearing about, I was told in a hush-hush voice that royalty was coming in the next day or two. I was only being told this because I was a regular — it was the 1960s and I was commuting to my job as a projectionist at the Savoy cinema in Kettering. As to who and when it would be, that was on a need-to-know basis due to the official

Secrets Act, which was hinted at with a knowing wink. I later discovered this event did happen on the Wednesday, my day off, so I missed all the excitement — and most of the station staff did as well. I was reliably informed that a royal train did pass through, but despite the new paintwork and dusting that had taken place, it didn’t stop on its way up north. Porters Jack and Mick had stood to attention on platform one and saluted as the train sped past. The waitress in the cafe had her autograph book in anticipation of getting a royal signature to go with Frankie Vaughan and Roger Bannister, so she was quite miffed. After all these years, I feel that disclosing this information might not infringe the official Secrets Act — hopefully!