Swarming over concourse and stair

A swathe of navy and air force blue

Like starlings in the evening air

Drowning out all other hue

Late afternoon they could be found

Scots and Geordies – their accents tell

Away on leave and homeward bound

To Preston, Derby, Leeds as well

Matelots from Daedalus, Raleigh, Ganges

Rarely though were squaddies seen

Melding with Cosford’s young trainees

Sometimes though, the odd Marine

Each with kit bag on their arm

Around the platforms they’d swirl and dive
Polite and smart – old-fashioned charm
Until the northbound trains arrived

This spectacle can’t be seen these days

‘til recent times was quite the norm
The military have changed their ways
And stopped lads traveling in uniform