When did train drivers stop wearing hats?

[WesternLancer]

I will just add something that may have some bearing, whilst respecting various views posted up thread. I was in the signalling grade, as some may know, and when I joined (mid 70's) the uniform consisted of heavy duty material, black trousers (more a drain pipe design hangover from the 50's?), blazer (jacket), overcoat and hat/cap. In my case I never saw the headgear, either none was available at all or being a size 7 & 5/8, I suspect none to fit was available. The jacket was fine and is still tucked away in my loft (with the trousers). Those trousers are technically still brand new, only tried on for one shift, and now near 50 years old - and that assumes they were 'new' (as opposed to been in stores) when issued to me (unlikely). The reason they remained unused by me, is likely many others were unused by other signalman, in that the material was as itchy as hell (for some, myself included), just couldn't wear them. In my case I resulted to a supply of decent black trousers (never quite as BLACK as the issued version) from my local Burton's at my own expense.
Part of my point here, is that some people have problems with certain clothing materials/skin conditions (as I did and still do) and so find certain uniform types difficult to wear. This does admittedly make uniform matters somewhat more difficult for the business concerned, especially in todays world with more complex employment rights to boot, so it's not always as black and white as some might like?

Sounds like today it would be pretty fashionable kit!
Hope you’ve got some moth protection or old skool moth balls with it in the loft.
Pesky moths have damaged my late uncles RAF jacket that I have and wasn’t properly protected.

 

[Gloster]

I also had a signalman’s peaked cap with my uniform (issued circa 1979) and I probably still have it somewhere, but it looked more like a long overripe banana than anything else when I last saw it. It has seen extensive use, both on the railway when I was doing jobs like hand-signalman or Pilotman, and also off during the couple of years that I cycled to work. It has been sat on, been shoved into pockets or saddlebags, got soaked, used to carry detonators and I know not what else. It served me well.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

Sounds like today it would be pretty fashionable kit!

Not so sure in present condition. Have just been up in the dust of my loft. My uniform somewhat less than presentable, unwashed/un-ironed, but moth free. I have it stored in a sealed storage bag. Just tried the overcoat on - two sides just about meet, but as for buttoning up, don't even go there! Had forgotten it came with waist coat (also unused) and not one, but two pairs of troosers! I also have ex service items, my dad's peaked RAF cap, from peace keeping days in West Germany late 40's and my grandads army forage cap WW2 amongst other odd and sods.

 

[LowLevel]

it's a pity that rail companies have let uniform standards lapse. Airlines and shipping companies give their pilots and bridge officers proper uniforms and you will rarely see an airline pilot without a cap outside of the flight deck.
I can remember when station masters wore a top hat on special occasions and traction inspectors had bowler hats. Maybe drivers should be issued with a dress uniform for special duties like the Royal Train!

No thanks - much prefer comfortable and practical! I hate wearing hats and will only concede to wearing a beanie or baseball cap if it's absolutely freezing or excessively sunny. Hats cause me significant discomfort. Traincrew don't tend to get special duties anymore, since privatisation only a small number of people get involved with things like the royal train, the most unusual work at most depots is the odd local football special - ironically the Royal Train crews are freight drivers and staff nowadays rather than the "top link" passenger people of yore owing to privatisation.

I realise this is a nostalgia section so will temper my usual comments about uniforms, thier value and practicality ( or lack thereof, especially in them olden days) and simply say the last TOC people I can recall with hats were GNER types.

Many people "on the railway" still wear hats at work but as they aren't guards or drivers no one cares

East Midlands Trains still had a peaked cap with badge as optional item until about 2017 or so - they weren't popular, were expensive to produce and only a handful of people wore them, none of them drivers. It was a hangover from Midland Mainline for whom operating the railway under the influence of a hat was for some reason compulsory.

 

[Pigeon]

Those trousers are technically still brand new, only tried on for one shift, and now near 50 years old - and that assumes they were 'new' (as opposed to been in stores) when issued to me (unlikely). The reason they remained unused by me, is likely many others were unused by other signalman, in that the material was as itchy as hell (for some, myself included), just couldn't wear them. In my case I resulted to a supply of decent black trousers (never quite as BLACK as the issued version) from my local Burton's at my own expense.
Part of my point here, is that some people have problems with certain clothing materials/skin conditions (as I did and still do) and so find certain uniform types difficult to wear. This does admittedly make uniform matters somewhat more difficult for the business concerned, especially in todays world with more complex employment rights to boot, so it's not always as black and white as some might like?

As a fellow sufferer, I find it immensely refreshing to encounter some acknowledgement that this problem exists.

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

The answer to the original question is very simple - railway workers stopped wearing hats at the same time as everyone else - the mid 1960s.

There's a great book called "Hatless Jack" about how JFK's refusal to wear a hat destroyed a whole US industry.

 

[D6130]

The answer to the original question is very simple - railway workers stopped wearing hats at the same time as everyone else - the mid 1960s.

I would take issue with that assertion. Many of my ex-colleagues - although admittedly in ever-decreasing numbers - were still wearing caps into the 1990s....and even a few into the early 2000s.

 

[Ashley Hill]

The answer to the original question is very simple - railway workers stopped wearing hats at the same time as everyone else - the mid 1960s.

No,many railway staff wore hats well into the 2000s. GWT for example expected hats to be worn and FGW also issued hats too.

 

[Grumpy Git]

I would take issue with that assertion. Many of my ex-colleagues - although admittedly in ever-decreasing numbers - were still wearing caps into the 1990s....and even a few into the early 2000s.

My dad, who briefly worked as a fireman in the 1950's, would never be seen hatless outdoors.

His best cap was on top of his coffin when he was cremated in 2014 at the grand age of 84.

 

[80sGuard]

I have two caps - a red railman's cap that was the only uniform item I had working on P11 at Clapham Junction before a place was found for me at the Guard's school at Eastligh and then full Guards uniform which I've still got! When I finally left the railway, I had to hand my kit in at Waterloo for some reason (Clapham was run as a sub-depot of Wimbledon Park). The Guards Inspector ticked off the contents of my bag then asked for the uniform back. I had to refuse, pointing out that it wsan't the best idea to have me go walking around Waterloo in my underwear, in January too. I had to promise to return the uniform, and I will leave it to the heirs and successors of the Southern Region in my will.