The Penzance-Aberdeen express train was steaming its way between Leicester and Banbury on a summer’s evening in 1921. Albert Harris had just become a fireman on the railways, and was stoking for driver Walter Saville.
Just after the train had rounded a corner, Albert was horrified to see the right-hand ‘big end’ rod - one of the main rods that powered the wheels - clatter down, sending pieces of sleeper
