| Notes |
- Western Star, March 1, 1946
NOTE FROM OUR CORRESPONDENTS
Queen's Cove
Quite a pleasant- evening was spent at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Stoyles. Northern Bight Station, on Wednesday, January 23, where a number of friends had assembled to extend Happy Birthday greeting to their son Alfred James. Amongst those present were members of the American Repeater Station, who are stationed at Shoal Harbour.
Reprinted from All Aboard, by Bill Baggs
I went to work with the railway in June 1943 as telegraph operator. In June 1945 I took up duties as brakeman until June 1946. In July 1946 I went back as operator and worked at Alexander Bay for 4 1/2 years. In 1951 I moved to Gander until October 1951. Then I moved to Northern Bight until 1955 and worked at Goobies and Clarenville swing shift, moving to Grand Falls April 1957. I was operator on work trains for several years. I retired October 1988 with 45 years service. A. Stoyles
Reprinted from All Aboard, Volume II, by Bill Baggs, 1997
Reminiscences of Co-workers on the Railyway. Memories of a Telegraph Operator (1943-1988) by A.J. Stoyles
In 1943 I started to work with the railway. I was influenced by my mother, who was working with the postal telegraph, and by my father, who was the railway agent at Northern Bight.
My mother would make me site at the telegraphy key and practise until I got it right, and, believe me, she wouldn't take "no" for an answer. Of course, I wasn't very fast, but as time went by I became much better, thanks to my mother's persistence. She was a great teacher and a very fast telegraph operator.
My first test came one day when I was only thirteen years of age. My mother was out of town and my father became very ill. My sister said, "Al, you have to get on the key and call Clarenville and have them instruct the conductor on the eastbound freight train to stop at Northern Bight to pick up our father, Jim Stoyles, and take him to Come By Chance to see the doctor."
I was so scared of the telegraph key, I said, "My God, how can I do that?"
She said, "Just do it, or our dad may die."
I thought, I guess I have no choice. So I got on the key and sen the message; and, believe it or not, they could read me! After that I figured, well, if they could read me, I couldn't be too bad.
When I turned fifteen, my first job was with the fire patrol. That lasted one and a half years; then I passed the job to my uncle, Alfred Vey, and from there I went to work as a telegraph operator at Northern Bight.
In 1944 I was the operator on a work train at Southern Bay (BO BCH) when engine No. 195 went off the track while backing up, rolling over an embankment into the salt water, wheels up. Engineer Ron Lowe and fireman Jim Hunt were seriously injured. Again I had to get on the key and call Clarenville for help.
That was a terrifying experience for a young kid. My mother was so proud of me she said, "Now, my son, consider yourself a qualified telegraph operator." That was all I wanted to hear: that's when I made up my mind to be a railroader.
Thanks to Bill Baggs for letting me share the space in his well-written new book, All Aboard! (Volume II).
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1927 - Yes, date unknown
