Home People Residents Makes Good in Canada

Makes Good in Canada

February 1928

Mexborough and Swinton Times February 24, 1928

Over 44 years- ago, Arthur Mark West, then a youth, son of the late Mark West, farmer, of Mexboro’, and brother of Herbert West, of 24, Kirby Street, Mexborough (from whom we have this information), left Mexboro’ with five shillings in his pocket.

He bought a blanket and slept on the roadside till he found employment, and we now hear of him as one of five veteran locomotive engineers, retiring with a total of 185 years’ service on the Canadian Pacific and Canadian National Railways.

These veterans were honoured at the fifth annual ‘Old-Timers’ Night” of the Brotherhood of locomotive Engineers held in Winnipeg last month, when they were presented with illuminated addresses. Mr. A. M. West, who had the longest record of the five engineers, commenced his railway career in 1883. He worked for 20 years on the C.P.R. between Winnipeg and Kenora, first as a fireman and then as a driver. In 1904 he was promoted to the position of road foreman engineer, and three years later became division master mechanic, which post he held up to his retirement.

His term of 44 years’ service was completed without a single blemish on his record sheet, Mr. West is a widower with no family.