"Here - what do you reckon on this?"

I was sitting in my new local, the Heaven & Ale micro pub in the residential area of Agnes Road Barnsley, when Martin, who lives literally next door to the pub, asked me if I would like a pint.

Martin lives at Number 62

Martin is Barnsley through & through, he is best known in the pub for wearing Bermuda shorts 

all-year-round and in any weather. He had recently turned 60 and decided to Retire.

He asked me what I do for a living so I replied that I've worked on the Railway for 33 years.

Martin then said "Here - what do you reckon on this? I was working at London Waterloo station in the early 1990's refurbishing some of the offices when, due to an IRA Bomb scare, we were all stuck outside on the Station steps and the Police said we weren't getting inside today - and this bloke led everyone - and I mean EVERYONE - to a Pub and bought drinks for them all! What do you make of that?"

I replied "Martin, that was me" "What was you?" he said. "It was me that took everyone to the Pub & bought all the drinks!"

I explained that at that time I would probably have had long permed hair, been wearing a shirt & tie, (probably with a Class 33 "Crompton" embroided on it!) then told him which pub I took everyone too.

The day in question was Monday 18th February 1991. Bombs went off in Paddington station & Victoria station. Some time before 7am, a caller with an Irish accent said "We are the Irish Republican Army. Bombs to go off in all mainline stations in 45 minutes." The Paddington bomb went off at 4:20am, it was much smaller than the second bomb at Victoria and was designed to make sure the security services would take the Victoria bomb seriously and not as a hoax. The Victoria station bomb, which was hidden in a rubbish bin inside the station, went off at 7:40 am. Despite a 45-minute warning and the Paddington bomb three hours before, the security services were slow to act. The bomb killed one person instantly and injured 38 others from flying glass and other debris.

All London's rail terminals were closed, disrupting the journeys of almost half a million commuters (of which I was one) and bringing chaos to London, which was the IRA's intended goal.

By the time I walked from Waterloo East off my train from Sittingbourne, London Waterloo had been evacuated and the gates were locked with Police at every entrance. People who normally worked in the 400 Railway offices above Waterloo station were gathering on the steps leading to the main entrance, Victory Arch. No-one had any idea of what had actually happened at Victoria.

I could see that we would have little or no chance of getting into work today, also with all the major stations now shut there would be little chance of leaving the Capital and heading home either! To this end I popped down to a cashpoint on York Road and withdrew the maximum allowed in those days, which I think was £150?

I returned to the station steps, where shortly after a Policeman came out & said no chance of entering the station today. We explained to him that as long as a list of all our names was taken & passed on to the Station Security staff we would all get paid for attending, so he then took all our names down.

I then announced to the 50 or so people gathered "I am going to a pub with early opening hours where I intend to buy anyone who goes with me a drink - and no-one will be able to get home for at least a few hours anyway!"

Whilst people were deliberating whether to come with me or not, a tall bloke with jet black hair asked me if this offer included him & his mate as they were only refurbing the station offices - they didn't actually work here? Of course I said - we are all in the same boat. This was obviously Martin who I wouldn't meet again for 31 years!

So off we all set, me the Pied-Piper of Waterloo, with all grades of staff in tow from the very Top Bods to lads from the mail room - I'm glad to say everyone came with me.

The Public House in question being the Anchor & Hope on The Cut, just past the Young Vic Theatre.

This was a traditional Charles Wells pub at the time, with 2 of their core range of Beers on the bar - Eagle 3.6% & Bitter 4.0%.

I entered first and asked everyone to form a queue, which stretched well down the side of the pub in the street outside, then I set about taking orders for the Barman, he soon called upstairs for another member of bar staff!

Once people had their drinks they found seats for their groups, there was plenty of room in the pub and I believe Martin & his mate sat in the Pool room.

Buoyed by my success I worked out I could now afford to buy a second round for anyone who was staying for another drink - with the proviso "I don't expect to buy myself another pint for the rest of the session!"

So a day from my past, that I thought only I remembered, resurfaced in the most improbable way...

Cheers Poodle (Hic...)