Guilt Trip

John T Ackroyd was born in the Yorkshire town of Castleford. The town is situated on the confluence of the Aire and Calder Rivers, the main arteries of the Yorkshire coal fields, transporting coal to Goole and the rest of the world. Jonty grew up watching the boats, particularly the tugs and trains of coal boats, to the extent his own ambition was to be a tug driver. Being of slight build in a tough neighbourhood, he joined a boxing club that taught him strength and stamina. It was the coming together of these two strands of his life in a sudden and unexpected way where he was instrument in a docker falling into a collier under 40 tons of coal, followed by a further 800 tons. Jonty quickly left the scene only to regret his actions. On his way back to the depot driving his Tug No 7 he reflects on his life and his remorse as he makes his Guilt Trip.