Snow Train - Dave Goulder

Fun fact: In the UK snow drifts could sometimes come as high as 13 feet at the time this song was written.

[youcannotknow]

As a switchman up near the Arctic circle, winter is the worst time to work anywhere on the railway. Wagons get wheelflats and their brakes refuse to work. Nothing rolls like it does in summer. Brakepads freeze to the wheels if the brakes are applied too long. It's not a fun time waiting for a train to charge in -20C, if it even does. Being a switchman isn't great. Especially in winter, but in the yard there are lights and warm offices. We drive diesel locomotives and they run hot, but I've heard winter horror stories from the drivers. The power is cut on the line so the locomotive is dead. It's -40C outside. Nearest town is 20km away and the sun went down two hours ago. That's when you're helpless.

[DieselD]

Lyrics:
The winter winds are blowing
The devil’s teeth are showing
I’m freezing to death with every breath
It’s a terrible way to be going

I wish to all creation
We’d never left the station
We wouldn’t be here in dark despair
And pitiful degradation

When we left the sheds this morning
We should’ve been given a warning
I’m a miserable sod and wishing to God
I’d stayed in the bed I was born in

We’re out of coal and water
Me time was never shorter
And here I am, an innocent lamb
Off to a certain slaughter

We have no fire to cheer us
There isn’t a soul who can here us
The snow is so deep, it could take a week
For anyone to get near us

If only the train had been faster
If only the fury had passed her
If only the men would come and then
We may have avoided disaster

O the winter winds are blowing
The devil’s teeth are showing
I’m freezing to death with every breath
It’s a terrible way to be going

[pikablob]

Having seen Hyce's latest video (about D&RG 491 getting stuck in the snow so badly that someone eventually had to walk out to it with a toboggan - after two days and two plough trains derailed trying to reach it - and found the thing buried so deep the crew had dug a hole *upwards* from the cab to get out) I feel like I understand this song better now lol

[Andrew-xsoj]

You are in a cab of steam locomotive. It's 5 below 0. You are freezing to death with no food, coal, or water.

[BottomOfTheBarrelProductions]

I've heard songs about war and famine less depressing than this, great song though

[FalkB]

I’m guessing this is about a driver suffering after a devastating train wreck in the snow