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Back in nineteen fifty nine
When boats worked the Union Line,
Thru’ tunnels, bridges, aqueducts
and
locks
From Midland wharfs to ocean docks.
The boss called John to his side,
“There’s a load to catch the tide
It’s a run that’s just for you
A job that only you can do”.
“Mr Morton Sir, if I be so bold,
I need to know what’s in ‘me ‘old”.
He cupped his hand around John’s
ear
And whispered so only he could
hear.
“Now I’ve let you know the secret
Promise me you’ll never speak it”.
John nodded his head and gave his
word
“From these lips it’ll not be heard
“The ship is waiting , you can’t
be
late,
For this job you’ll need a mate
Tied to the wharf’s your brother
Ron,
Now get fuelled up and be gone”.
Ron untied both fore and aft
And pushed the boat to deeper draft
Engine starts and into gear
Wind the speed-wheel, get out of
here.
Off they flew along the pound
Braunston to Dudley’s smoke
they’re
bound
Thru green fields and country wide,
Till factories closed on every
side.
On they went thru fiery ‘oles,
The landscape huern from iron and
coals
When to a hidden arm they neared,
Into its satanic depths they
steered.
“Get those crates in me boat,
We’ve no time to stand and gloat
We must wind this motor round
And head back south to London
Town”.
Ron said ”We’ll take the bottom
road,
We’re in a rush with this precious
load
‘Cos once were down the Curd’th
flight
We’ll carry on throughout the
night.
So on they sped till rose the dawn
Atherstone in early morn,
Up the locks and through the top
On again to Sutton’s Stop
Braunston turn, the locks and then
The tunnel Bugby locks go down
again.
Without a lock for fifteen miles
They took turns to rest a-whiles
From far and near you’d hear the
sound
As they raced along the Bugbrooke
pound,
Blisworth tunnel, black as night,
The flames and sparks glowed up the
pipe
Then the locks at Stoke Bruerne
Jack James was there to help them
thru-em.
Cosworth, Finney, Stoke ‘Ammond
Three,
Leighton, Maffers, Winkwell, Fishery,
Nash two and passed the mills
Climbing down the Chilton Hills
The locks were coming thick and fast
Under Bull’s Bridge, they turned at
last.
And dropping down at Commercial Lock
Finally reaching Regents Dock.
Now the load is aboard the ship
It’s time to get some well earned
kip.
When e’en to this day you ask
What they carried on that task
John winks an eye, scratches his chin,
Looks at you and gives a grin.
It’s a story He has never told
What was in those boxes in the hold
It’s a secret which will not be heard
Because a boatman gave his word
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