THIS fed-up young boy was one of many holidaymakers whose plans were dashed by a national rail strike in the summer of 1955. The Clyde coast resorts were hard hit: as the June holidays began, hotels and boarding-houses suffered large numbers of cancellations, especially from England. One Dunoon hotel lost 157 bookings.
Some irate folk, however, did not taking the strike lying down. In London, a 60-year-old widow stormed into the ASLEF union HQ and demanded to see secretary James Baty. ‘Where is Mr Baty? I’ll wring his neck,”she said. “Because of the strike I’ve got to walk all the way up this hill. It’s a pity Hitler isn’t here. He would shoot a few of you. If I had my way I’d drag you through the streets by the hair. It would do you good.” Ignoring their protests, she hammered on the oak-panelled door of a room in which Mr Baty was working. ‘Are you him?” she demanded as the door opened slightly before being slammed shut again. The strike ended later that month after pay rises were awarded.
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