With plans afoot to regenerate Derby’s Roundhouse, former locomotive fireman Ted Cartwright, of Chaddesden, looks back with pride at its rich history.

The Midland Railway Spinner, an engine that had a single driving axle with wheels of enormous size – hence spinner – was kept in the Roundhouse.

Every September, Derby Loco Works staged its horticultural show which was always a great success. There were always steam locomotives on show and the star of them all was the Spinner.

As a locomotive fireman at that time, in the 1960s, I can remember going over to the Roundhouse to set up the table for the Spinner.

With pinch bars, I would pinch the engine on to the table; then, turning the table and hooking a shunt engine on to it, I would place it outside for the show.

On the day of the show, kids were allowed to clamber all over the steam engines on parade and they could pretend they were working on the 8.15 Derby to Bristol.

Railway runs through my family like Blackpool runs through rock.

My dad worked for the Midland Railway, and later the LMS, from around 1908-48. He would have been around and about the Roundhouse when the Spinner was in its pomp.

Another engine which has connections with Derby and would have been stabled in the Roundhouse was Midland Railway Compound No1000.

This engine was refurbished in Derby Loco Works and I was the fireman when it went down to Neasden depot, London, and from there into a museum.

Joe Snape was the driver and Ernie Barber was the locomotive inspector. That was probably the last time this fine engine was in steam.

In the article, it states that it is envisaged that engines will be displayed in the building.

At the present moment, I believe that the Spinner and MR Compound 1000 are on display at York Railway Museum.

If we have any pride whatsoever in our rich railway history, every effort should be made to bring the Spinner and MR Compound 1000 back to the Roundhouse, their spiritual home.

• The Roundhouse: Locos should be brought back to the Roundhouse
• Locos should be brought back to the Roundhouse

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