Posted by Peter H on April 27, 2003 at 21:38:49 from 81.131.214.82 user Peter_H.
In Reply to: Re: sailor's delights posted by Robert Hill on April 27, 2003 at 20:46:17:
Rugby station is indeed on the main line from London Euston to the North and Scotland. Its main through platform was a quarter of a mile long. It was the junction for Birmingham, Leamington, Leicester, Market Harborough, and the East of England. It had a large engine shed (locomotive depot) – No. 2A. Around 1930 it is likely that most northbound trains stopped there, either to change engines or (more likely) engine crews, and certainly to take water.
Therefore it doesn’t look as if Dick’s school was Rugby. As Dick and Dorothea’s relationship was close and perhaps idealised*, he would have made sure to join his sister at Rugby rather than go separately and needlessly to Crewe. I am afraid that ‘Crewe’ is not a helpful clue at all – if Dick had attended any of the public schools in the west of England or the West Midlands, he would have had to change at Crewe on his way to the Lakes. However, I’d still go for Shrewsbury - the satirists came later!
*Over-idealised? Anyone care to pick the bones out of that?