Chris Western was born in 1948, just after the war and raised in Fulham.
His parents had both been involved in the Air force during the war, with his Father working as a Pilot and his Mother a WAFF (Women’s Auxiliary Air Force). Because of this Chris always felt he wanted to be a pilot.
This wasn’t to be, and after working his way through technical college he eventually landed an apprenticeship on the underground as a Signal Engineer.
Working through a series of roles — in those days training involved learning a little bit of everything, from Guard to Train Driver — he landed the role of Duty Traffic Manager in charge of the operational side of running the District and Piccadilly line. It was in this role that he found himself on duty on the night of the 1987 King’s Cross Fire.
King’s Cross Fire
‘I received a phone call about 7.30 reporting a ‘smouldering’ under the escalator at King’s Cross’ – a smouldering was code used by underground staff for a fire’.
Travelling by tube to the fire Chris became involved in London’s biggest peacetime underground disaster.
Reflecting back on the day, Chris remains positive about any lasting effects from his involvement in the fire.
“There was a lot of talking between ourselves, because we’d never experienced killing that number of people really, we’d all seen fires before, but nothing like this. But it didn’t put us off doing anything”
‘When you’re in such a big thing like that, you’re just a tiny cog. Although you’re supposed to be the person in charge, you’re just a tiny cog doing what other people are telling you to do, quite weird. No control at all over the whole thing’
Now retired Chris Volunteers at the RAF Uxbridge — Battle of Britain Bunker, where he helps with the tours and back of house exhibition preparation.