Girder underbridge carrying the London Extension over a road between Cosby and Whetstone, Leicestershire, circa 1897 See Details
My motorcycling years of seventeen plus remind me of another G.C. related incident via the Whetstone Stationmaster, at the time being a Mr Billy (Merry or Martin - I cannot remember), who, resplendent in his uniform was walking his over-excited terrier dog in Whetstone Park one balmy summer evening. I was courting a young lady (who forty years later was to become my wife but that's another story) and we were strolling across the park towards the brook and "Three Arches". The dog chased up to us and began jumping up and down the young lady's legs, laddering her stockings in the process. The dog would not respond to its owner's calls, neither would it calm down, so, being the seventeen year old tough guy (as we all were) I kicked it. Mr Merry (or Martin) came running up to us shouting "You've kicked my dog!"
After further remonstrations I retorted that I would not be averse to kicking him as well! I am, to this day, still unaware of what happened next, I am, however, very aware of finding myself lying on the grass, on my back with Mr Merry's (or Martin's) foot upon my chest, his dog licking my face and my young lady laughing uncontrollably at my misfortune. "You silly young bugger" he said, "Didn't you know that I was Midlands Area Welterweight Champion for 10 years?"
The M1 motorway was built in the early 1960's and it severed the Great Central Railway's London Extension at a point midway between Whetstone and Cosby. A new girder bridge was built with little disruption to the railway services. See Details
