NBHS ANECDOTES - NBHS OBA - Newcastle Boys' High School Old Boys' Association

ANECDOTES

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As Russell Cheek said in his after dinner presentation at one of our annual dinners, NBHS had a sense of humour.

From the nicknames for staff and each other, to the pranks we played, there are numerous stories that we continue to share “in the years far ahead”.These stories provide a human dimension to the history of the school, and the legacy that we are leaving.
Contributions are now sought from Old Boys from other years (indicate name or just initials, and NBHS Year that you identify with).

Year of ’57 – Tales Told out Of School
Tales Told Out of School

In 1982, the Year of 1957 produced “Nostalgia Notes” for their 25 Year Reunion, and these are given below. Names of the contributors have been deleted, and only initials used.
Names of students in the anecdotes have been retained.

“In November 1954, Harold Beard stood me out in front of the whole school because I had convinced my parents that there was nothing doing at school (swimming school was in progress).
Well … ?
It was imperative that I remained at home as the First Test was also in progress. I heard every ball, and we won by an innings.
Because of Harold Beard, I was not allowed to hear the next two tests which we lost. Harold Beard, and not Frank Tyson and Trevor Bailey, was responsible for England taking the Ashes home that summer. Had I been permitted to listen, I should never have let it happen.” (DM) more

Eric Gibbons (’65er) … 29 Dec 2024

I am compiling a short article to accompany some photographs I took of the school train in the late 60’s. Prior to 1964, the school trains were just regular Maitland passenger trains in the public timetable. Sometime around 1964, the railways provided a separate loco-hauled train that ran between Waratah and Newcastle only, specifically for NBHS boys, and hence not listed in the public timetable. This continued into the 1970s.

In the afternoon, the regular Maitland passenger passed through Waratah at around 3:25pm, and the school train left at 3:40pm, hauled by a variety of motive power – hence my interest. I photographed it 9 times in 1966/67 behind 6 different classes of steam locos.

There are plenty of gaps in my research. Perhaps you may be able to assist by contacting our 1965ers and your 1964ers with the following questions.

How many boys used the train (was it packed out, or plenty of room)?

How many, who used the train, changed to another train, or bus to complete their homeward journey (e.g. changing at Hamilton)? How tight was this connection? Some of the locos used would have been restricted to as little as 25mph.

Why was the special train provided and exactly when? First mention in the railway Working Timetable is 21st June 1964. When did it stop running (in 1974 it seems to have reverted to a 2-car diesel from Maitland)?

How long did it take to get from the classroom to the train? Walking time from the back gate to the station was about 3 – 4 minutes. I can recall boys, late out from class, sprinting all out to make the train! What did they do if they missed the train? What time did our “bell” ring at the end of the school day? 3:30? Was our “bell” an air-raid siren? What year(s) did the boys on muck-up day fill it with flour?

Hope some of you have some memories of this aspect of our school day.

Best wishes to all for the festive season,

Eric Gibbons

from Jack Caldwell (NBHS Teacher)

I remember that train, particularly on Friday’s when I kept miscreants in because of their behaviour during the week. The Stockton boys, particularly, sweated on it. Perhaps the only deliberately cruel thing I did as a teacher was to wait till I saw the 3:40 train arriving from the window before let the detainees go But it worked phenomenonallly!

Good luck with your research.

Jack Caldwell (alias Hermann the German).

Eric’s reply

I note a communication from Jack Caldwell and reply as follows:

“Cruel indeed, Jack. The school train left on the dot at 3:40. There was no chance that it could wait for a few stragglers, because the Northern Tablelands Express was due through Waratah just a few minutes later. Miss the school train and you had to wait till 4:24 for the next. No mobile phones to notify anxious parents in those days!”

Cheers,
Eric

More TRAIN stories from Eric Gibbons

Up until the June 1964 working timetable (WTT) the morning train No.715 was shown as a loco-hauled Maitland passenger, hence in the public timetable.

The June ’64 WTT shows No.715 as a 4-car diesel train, splitting at Maitland so that the leading 2 cars continued on to Singleton.

The next WTT, October 1965 shows No.715 as a 2-car diesel all stations to Singleton, followed 3 minutes later out of Newcastle by a loco-hauled school special to Waratah.

Now here’s the thing. The boys would quickly figure out that they could get to school quicker and in cleaner comfort by hopping on the Singleton 2-car diesel, so that after the first week, the special school train would arrive at Waratah virtually empty, except maybe for a few 1^st-years and a prefect or two!

I presume the railways had thought of this, too, and took appropriate measures. I can imagine some written note or announcement at morning assembly to the effect that “ANY BOY FOUND GETTING OFF THE SINGLETON TRAIN WILL HAVE HIS OVAL PASS CONFISCATED, BE PUT ON DETENTION, EXPELLED, AND SENT TO TECH HIGH!”

There would also be a Gestapo-trained station master at Waratah closely scrutinising the disembarking passengers from the Singleton train.

All of the above may not have happened at all. Dave Timbury says that he caught the train through 1964 and 1965 and it was always loco-hauled end-platform cars. Perhaps the railways decided, before implementing it, that the 4-car diesel would not have enough seats for the general public and the boys. Can anyone else comment on this?

FLOURED SIREN
Russ Dyer says that it was our year (1965ers) that floured the siren. Anyone else remember that?