Railway Time

What’s the time, Mr. Wolf?

6:45 The factory hooter sounds (17 seconds)

Heard for miles.

Viscount Bolingbroke at Lydiard Millicent

Once complained that it disturbed nesting pheasants,

Not caring that it was a call for workers

In surrounding villages to earn their daily bread.

Here:

Time to snuggle under blankets.

Dreamily listening to the day begin.

Time to spare

There:

Boilermakers, carpenters, smiths,

fitters and turners get ready.

While wives brew tea, make toast and sandwiches.

Time to hurry.

Here:

Time for my weather forecast.

Was the hooter loud? – rain.

Was the hooter ragged? – windy.

Can I hear shunting,

Express train whistles doppler through the station?

There:

Streams of bikes become rivers.

Pedestrians, Woodbine dangling,

All make their way.

Hurrying to keep the wolf from the door.

What’s the time, Mr. Wolf?

7:20 The factory hooter sounds (12 seconds)

Here:

Time to rise.

Frost on the window.

“Have you washed behind your ears?”

Bicker with my sister by the kitchen stove.

Toast and dripping a Monday breakfast.

There:

Time to hurry.

From North, South, East and West.

From Highworth and Wootton Basset,

By workers' train.

Stratton, Old Town, Rodbourne, Gorse Hill,

By bike and foot.

Here:

Torment my sister -,

“Old Town for money,

New Town for wit,

Gorse Hill for swearing,

Rodbourne for shit”

What’s the time, Mr. Wolf?

7:25 The factory hooter sounds (7 seconds)

Here:

Mum tells of Hooty.

Who could imitate the Hooter,

Ironically, fired for lateness.

Became a rag and bone man,

Exchanging paper windmills for jam jars.

Celebrated in postcards.

There:

Through the gate, down the tunnel, head for the shops.

A, B, C, D, E …

Erectors, Boilermakers, Painters, Machine and Wheel, Tenders, Concentration Yard, Carpenters, Masons, Electrical.

F, G, H, J, K …

Smiths, Chainmakers, Millwrights, Pattern makers, Foundries, Coppersmiths.

On through the alphabet to

X Points and crossings, Z Transport.

To get your pay check on the hook.

Don’t get on the wrong side of the foreman!

What’s the time, Mr. Wolf?

7:30 The factory hooter sounds (12 seconds)

Here:

Relax in the warmth of the kitchen,

An hour before school.

There:

Late by a minute – lose a quarter.

Late by 15 – lose a half.

What’s the time, Mr. Wolf?

Railway time