David Canning

Photo © Marion Canning
David joined British Rail in July 1968 as a messenger in Western Tower at Reading, but pestered the Operations Manager so much that in September of that year he began training to be a signalman at Midgham SB where he worked until 1970. David then transferred to Thatcham SB, working there until 1973. He then worked as a Relief Signalman, covering all the Signal Boxes between Theale and Newbury West. As MAS worked it's way along the B&H line, so did David - eventually working all the boxes down to Lavington.

When MAS finished David did a spell on the Tamping Gang, but did not enjoy this as much. He worked at Newbury Station for a while, doing just about everything possible, until a vacancy arose at Colthrop in 1981. David remained there until his retirement on 24th September 2004.

Fortunately for us, David always took his camera to work with him and amassed many photographs. The Signalmen used to laugh, saying that these places would be there "long after we had gone" - little did they know.

We would like to thank David for the photographs that he has allowed us to use for this web site. He has allowed us unlimited access to his photograph collection, enabling those of us "young-uns" who knew nothing of the pre-MAS railway to see the people and signal boxes that our older colleagues talked about with such fond memories. Most of the "old-uns" that remember those halcyon days are long retired. But the legacy they left us can live on through the photos David has taken over the years.