Eddie Thompson, a much-loved family man who spent his life in service of the railways, has died aged 89.
Eddie shared his working life in the railway industry with wife Marina, 86, and son Alan, 64. In retirement, Eddie’s family home was the converted former Blencow station at Newbiggin, where he and his wife previously worked as signalman and woman.
Eddie was born in 1934, the loving son of Dora and Robert, at Embleton near Cockermouth. He attended school locally before working with his dad at the family’s butchers. Eddie was then called up for national service by the Royal Air Force, working as a fireman and seeing duty overseas in Libya and Egypt.
Returning to Cumbria, Eddie began his railway career as a signalman at Embleton Station in 1956. It was while working here, he met his future wife Marina at a young farmer’s dance, and they were married in 1958, with son Alan arriving in 1960.
Working as a man and wife team, Marina joined Eddie on Embleton station in 1963, the couple living beside the station at Station Terrace.
Eddie also enjoyed a spell as signalman at Bassenthwaite Lake station, another stop on the Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith Railway.
The couple later took up the position of signalman and signalwoman further up the line at Blencow station in 1966; working on opposite shifts, living initially in a caravan until the station house became vacant. Enjoying the location so much, the station building would later be bought by the couple once the line closed in 1972, and transformed into a unique home, the site of the tracks and platform becoming a garden with stunning views over the Eden countryside.
When Blencow closed Eddie was employed as senior railwayman at Penrith station and then as a rolling stock technician based at Hardendale, Shap, working on the Settle to Carlisle Line and West Coast Mainline. In another family twist, son Alan also worked closely with Eddie in this job during the 80s and 90s. Eddie eventually retired from the railways in 2000.
Alan says he has fond memories working closely with his dad “father and son, we never had a cross word”.
This was despite the serious and hard work, the pair called out on safety calls at all times of day and night.
Along with his career Eddie also enjoyed a “good long retirement”, enjoying regular winter holidays in Tenerife with Marina and he also liked bowling (a regular at Castle Park Bowling) and caring for his precious
gardens at Blencow, where he also enjoyed rustling
up a barbecue for his family.
Other pursuits throughout his life included darts, playing for the pub teams at The Clickham Inn and the former Joiners Arms (Newbiggin). Eddie and Alan also trained greyhounds together and they would race them at the greyhound stadium at Gretna in Scotland.
Along with Marina and Alan, Eddie is also survived by his daughter-in-law Louise, grandchildren Daniel and Nicola, and great grandson Kaden.
A service was held at Eden Valley Crematorium on Tuesday May 14. Richardsons Funeral Directors, Penrith, in charge of the arrangements.
