Just Like Eddie

Sometime in 1965 or shortly before, Ian and I went down to New Brighton bathing pool where we obtained Heinz’s autograph. With the encouragement of record producer, Joe Meek, Heinz had left the Tornados after their stupendous hit single, Telstar. He had his only significant solo triumph with Just Like Eddie, a tribute to Eddie Cochran. On the same night, we also got Pete Best’s signature [the former Beatles drummer], as well as other members of the Lee Curtis All Stars. The performers entered the bathing pool on the seaward side of the complex, where the upstairs ballroom was situated.

A little later during the same year while I was staying with my uncle in Winchester, I visited Eastleigh locomotive works in search of Merchant Navy No. 35020 Bibby Line. I found her in the process of being broken up. Well, to be honest, she was already in bits, but I counted her anyway because she was the last one of the class that I needed and I certainly wouldn’t see her again. I have no idea at all how I managed to get around the works on my own because you normally needed a permit and to be part of an organised party.

This week, I went back to Eastleigh for the first time in 53 years. We had been invited to a family event just down the road and it was too good an opportunity to miss. Chris took this photo of the station frontage, while I reminisced about how I could possibly have bunked round the works.

Reminding myself online about Eastleigh before travelling south, I came across a newspaper article about Heinz Burt, a son of Eastleigh, no less, who worked at Eastleigh locomotive works after his career as a rock singer had folded. Heinz apparently missed out on royalties that should have come his way. He was living in a tower block in Southampton when he died, by then penniless, of motor-neurone disease in the year 2000. He was 57 years old. Heinz has a road named after him in his home town. We found Heinz Burt Close on the way to the station. It’s strange how things sometimes come together.