David started work with the LNER in June 1934 as a Junior Porter at Smeeth Road Railway Station in the village of Marshland St James near Wisbech in Norfolk, but the job only lasted until October 1936.
In April 1937 David started work as an Engine cleaner at Spital Shed Peterborough.
Then as a Passed Cleaner, David's first firing job was on July 21st 1937 and three months later was allowed to fire engines on the mainline.
In October 1938 Spital Shed no longer required as many cleaners and David took an offer to transfer to Camden Shed.
March 1939 Dave was back to firing fairly regularly, but in July 1939 he was called up to join the Army.
David's Army service was in France, Wales and the south of England.
The LMS Railway was short of engine crews in 1941 and in that Spring Dave returned to Camden Shed.
A vacancy for a Fireman came up at Wellingborough Depot and in October 1941 David transferred.
David succeeded in passing his Driving Test in October 1947 and became a Passed Fireman.
1948 saw the nationalisation of the four separate Railway Companies into British Railways.
Watford Depot posted a vacancy for a registered Driver in September 1956 and David started at Watford in the October of that year and soon had to be trained on 350hp Diesel Shunters and later various Diesel-Electric Locos.
In 1965 Watford Loco Shed closed and with most of the local passenger work transferred to other depots David then trained on the D/C trains.
Eventually Watford drivers including Dave were trained on the A/C EMU's and driving local mainline trains again.
David had been at Watford for 27 years when he was asked to drive the Special Railcar Trip that celebrated the 125th Anniversary of the St Albans-Watford Branch Line on the 28th May 1983.
In July 1983 after 46 years on the Railway David retired.
David said in his memoirs that his years at the Watford Depot were some of the happiest days of his railway life.
David Harold Herbert passed away peacefully on November 1st 2012.
