In which I continue my studies at Reading University and ride a steam lorry at Rag Day.

Monday 5 March.
1 went to a party at Professor Campbell's this evening. There were several people from the political economy department and a few others. I had a very good time. It was of the drink, eat, talk type. I left at 11.45 and got back to Connaught Road to find that I was locked out. I managed to get to Dave to come down and let me in. I don't know whether it was done on purpose.

Tuesday 6 March
I went to see Professor Campbell my tutor, about last night. He says that he will be prepared to back me up about being out late last night.

Wednesday 7 March.
I went on the rag bus this afternoon to Maidenheah. We all dressed up and sold rag draw tickets when we arrived. I went around the town with Sylvia Roth - we had quite a good time and collected at least £2.

Thursday 8 March
Lord Robertson (formerly Sir Brian), former chairman of the British Transport Commission came down to lecture to the Adam Smith Club today. I was invited to dinner with him afterwards in the old senior common room in Patrick's hall. It was a very good meal which I enjoyed very much. I didn't get a great chance to talk to him but I did have a little chat. I went to the Rag Revel afterwards. Sylvia Roth, who also went to the dinner, went down with me because she didn't know the way to the Town Hall. I didn't stay long.

Friday and Saturday 9 and 10 March
(this is being written on Sunday the 11th I am still so tired that I can hardly think what I am doing)
I am writing diary for these two days because it really forms one continuous run. Friday was Rag Eve. I did some work this morning and went out to Theale to see the float on which we are going in the procession. This is a 40 year old Foden steam lorry. After dinner I went into University to pick up some Rattlers to sell in the flats at Coley Park. We didn't do too well really although we sold a fair number. I went back to the union coffee bar and then went down to the Post Office race. I ran around three times - David's won as usual. Afterwards we sang Auld Lang Syne around Queen Victoria statue (which, later on had a chamber on the crown) and then went back to David's for a short pause before going into the town once again to put up the decorations. The organization was very bad and there wasn't a great deal to be done. We went back at about 2.00 a.m. and had a small party in a study in David's. I had a bottle and, to say the least became quite merry. I managed about an hour's sleep after which I cycled, very slowly, back to get breakfast. I went out with Tommy to Theale to check about the lorry and then back to Redding. It was raining steadily. Johnny and I went into town to help John Stewart sell some hot dogs - quite good fun.

The lorry didn't arrive until about 13.30.  It didn't have any decorations on it but it is a big enough novelty as it is.  I went in the cab with the driver.  It is really like a light, narrow gauge engine, in controls etc., which is mounted on a lorry chasis.  It is a two cylinder compound engine which can run as a compound or as a simple engine.  The firebox is about two feet wide and about the same in length.  It is fired in rounds of four, one to each corner from a supply of coal under the driver's seat. which is on the left hand side.  The boiler water level is maintained by means of either a force pump which runs from the flywheel or an injector which is very easy to work.  The injector runs off live steam nut the water control is simply set and then left, it is worked by merely opening the steam valve.  Maximum steam pressure is 250 lbs. per sq. in but on the run it varied between this and 175 lbs. per sq. in.  The regulator moves horizontally, being pulled back when set for simple, high pressure working and pushed forward for compounding.  In practice, this wasn't opened for more than a third of the way.  Reversing was by means of a small lever, there being two positions for fore gear and one for aft, as well as mid-gear.  The drive to the wheels is by means of a chain on the rear axle through three posible gears which are changed manually.  The lorry was a great success even though the rain was quite heavy at times, (I was under cover and close to a warm fire!), the steam whistle was verry popular - it frightened several people.  The lorry was very economical, we only put in about ten small shovelsful of coal in the whole trip round, and steamed very well.  It was dfficult to stop the valves from lifting at times and the water was above the top nut all the way, except when running down hill.  I really enjoyed the ride.
I went out with Pat this evening. We intended to go to the Odeon but there was queuing for all seats, so he went to the Saloon bar of The Travelers Friend and chatted. I took her back quite early and got back to bed at about 11:00

Saturday 17 March.
I watched part of the Head of the River Race this afternoon - very exciting. Went to the pictures this evening with Pat, a Macbeth and the Mouse that Roared (Peter Sellers) at the Glendale.

Sunday 18 March
Mum, Dad and the Biggss came up in the car today. We had to dinner in a Chinese restaurant and then went for a ride around. We went to Whiteknights Park, then to Sonning, Henley, Wallingford, South Stoke, Streatlry and Mapledurham. Did some work this evening.

Monday 19 March.
John bought a car today for £14!!  It is an open Austin eight of 1939. It has a good engine and goes very well when it has been started. We took it into the garage and had a great laugh finding out where the petrol, oil and water goes etc.

Wednesday 21 March
Had a letter this morning from the Western Region offering me a job on footplate duties.  I hope I can fit it in with my holiday in Greece. I went out with Pat this evening. She took me to the Three Tuns and just sat and talked. It went quite well and I think I should be going out with her next term.

Thursday 22 March
Went home to Orpington for Easter this morning.  I just missed the 10.28 train from Reading South and had 30 minutes to wait.  I sauntered up Reading South platform to where a 2-6-0 was waiting on the other side.  It turned out that the driver who had fired to my grandfather was there.  I went up on the engine and had quite a chat with him.  I didn't notice what engine he was on but it had right hand drive.  He showed me how to work the injectors, they are much simpler than on the 2-6-4 tanks.  I also put a shovelful of coal on the fire. He told me his name is Curd.  Good job I missed my train.

Friday 30 March
Had a letter from the Railways today which confirms my job as a cleaner in the summer.

Saturday 31 March
Dave Wright and Pete Gregory came round this afternoon just in time to watch the Grand National which was won by Killmore. I went to East Ham stadium with them, Clive Grenier and Roy Bennett to watch the stock car racing. It was the first time that any of us had been, we only just got there in time. It is great fun although it may perhaps become a little boring after a time. The cars are all brightly painted but there seems to be a grading system by the color of the roof. White seems to be first, I think, then comes red, yellow and blue. There weren't as many crashes as I had expected but there was plenty of excitement. After each race a whole army of breakdown lorries would come out from the paddock to tow back those cars that had stopped for some reason or other, and that were littered around the track. I think that perhaps the worst bit of bad luck was in the last race where the car which was about to be lapped by the leader did a broadside and the leading car crashed into it and could not extricate itself. This crash was on one of the bends and of course caused some trouble. One car hit it a glancing blow and received a burst rear tire but kept going. Another car got a badly buckled back wheel, so much so that part of the wheel rim was rubbing against the body work and by the end of the race the rim was literally red hot.