In the echoing train shed behind the grimy Greek façade of London's Euston Station, Driver Ambrose Grant climbed into the cab of locomotive Number 5508. The bells of London joined the shrilling of train whistles to welcome a new year. Guard Arthur Smith switched his lamp from red to green, waved the "go ahead" to Driver Grant, and swung into the guard's van. At two minutes past midnight, Number 5508 chuffed out of the station for the run to Crewe. It pulled the first nationalized train to leave London.
Henceforth the railway system...
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