Re: No detail is too trivial.....I'm Thirsty.

Mister Earl,

Thanks for replying, I was interested in finding out just when and where the Grande crews got a break, but have never heard of it referenced, thinking they must have got one surely?

"Boil-Up" was the NZR Loco Branch slang for make a cuppa(Tea), actually a 20 minutes meal break between your 4th and 5th hour as arranged * by Train Control.
You could "demand" another after 12 hours or so, most didn't, just wanted to get on home, we always go out and back per shift whether it be changing over onto another Train, travelling passenger back in a trailing Loco cab, Guard'svan, Carriage or by Railways Road Services Bus.

Getting the Bun, i.e. paid a "Meal Allowance" was a matter of 10 hours service later reduced to 9 Hrs, with a second paid after 14hrs, hence giving rise to the term "got the double Bun".

* Back in the 70's-80's, our daily Goods run was scheduled to cross the Southbound at Waipawa, a small rural supply town that was devoid of a decent Pieshop, Waipukurau some 12 minutes back was the larger centre and possessed a Home Cookery, baking the most wonderful Pies and Cream Buns.

You can guess where we wanted our Boil-Up eh! Many an interesting discussion was had on the Train Control phone about that little item and where it was shown on his train graph.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/03/2019 03:53PM by Chris Walker.