FORMER railwaymen who rose through the ranks on the tracks have celebrated a 50th anniversary lunch.

The Hinds’ Lunch is held monthly in The Coachman Hotel, Darlington, for former middle and senior railway managers.

It was set up 50 years ago by Colton Richard Hinds, who was a locomotive works manager in Darlington.

Secretary John Squires, who has organised the event for a number of years, said: “The event is about the people. There are two breeds of people on the railways. There are railwaymen and those who worked on the railways.

“Every single person on the group is middle or senior management. They are railwaymen through and through, who loved the job and loved each other.”