Retiring After Nearly 60 Years On Railways

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29880, 21 July 1962, Page 14

Retiring After Nearly 60 Years On Railways

A record of nearly 60 years' service with the railways will be set when Mr A Ullrich, of St Albans, who last week began his final leave, retires in October for the second time. Mr Ullrich retired the first time as foreman at New Plymouth in 1944 after 41 years in. the traffic branch, working at a variety of jobs, but mostly as a guard. After building his home in Christchurch. he rejoined the railways “for something to do," intending to work for two or three years, but he stayed for 18.

Mr Ullrich began his service in February. 1908. in the lamproom at the Christchurch station refilling the oil lamps used to light the carriages. “After two months there, I went to Belfast as a shunter. We worked 65hour weeks then without any overtime, and got 5s a day. he said. In all. Mr Ullrich has lived at 32 different towns and has travelled through hundreds more. “I’ve been in every tin-pot place there is." he said. "While I was single. 1 was sent all over the country" The most unusual circum-

stances in which Mr Ullrich collected tickets occurred when the Mataura river washed out the line at Wyndham where he was stationed as a guard. Horsedrawn drags were used to carry passengers on the three-mile run from the Edendale junction to Mataura. "I had to take the tickets on one drag, then jump down and climb on the next to get the tickets there, he said Collision at Horotui In 1918 he was involved in his only collision. He was guard on a tram taking coal from Hunlly to Frankton Junction Another goods train stopped at Horotui on another line, and its guard uncoupled the train for shunting without braking Mr Ullrich's train, rushing to leave the line clear for the Auckland-Wellington express, ploughed into the runaway guard's van. Box waggons at the front of the train were crushed like a concertina with the impact. A special loop around the crash was built the next day to let other trains pass.

During the Duke of Gloucester’s visit in 1935. Mr Ullrich was guard on the train which took the Duke from the West Coast to Dunedin. “Afterwards I was given a small badge bearing :he Duke's coat of arms.” he said.

In 1935. Mr Ullrich was appointed foreman at New Plymouth. where he stayed until his' first retirement. When he rejoined the railways tn Christchurch, he worked for nearly eight years as an assistant guard. His last job was in charge of the bicycle stands in Christchurch In retirement. Mr Ullrich plans to travel by car. ‘‘l’ve had enough of trains. I've been running to a timetable for years so now I’ll go by car and please myself when I stop and start.” he said.