Lucas Aerospace - York Rd

Bored at work? Then why not try the game of Sudoku!

Want Broadband
or just a new ISP?
Click on the following icon for more details

A Lucas Aerospace York Rd Web site

At the moment these pages are hosted on my site and hence I have sole editorial ownership, etc., over said pages.  However, if there's an interest in a site then I could set one up on Google Sites and we can have limited or open access for all interested parties to edit/create pages.

I have created and maintain a couple of sites on Google if you want to take a look at the sort of thing one can do - Spital Bowls & Tennis Club and an Over 50's Club.

Another reason for using Google Sites is that you only need web access and don't have any files stored on your system nor do you need any special software on your system.  This makes it more versatile and user friendly.  You can just type in English but if you do want some effects it's useful to have a basic understanding of HTML, but it's not essential.  If I can do it then I have no doubt you can too!

I hear there's one or two of you out there that seem to have a 'limited' retirement. Have you not thought of joining a club or otherwise?  There are quite a few different types of clubs around and you can get details from the library for example.  Have a look at the U3A - University of the Third Age - for a club that usually has many varied activities.

Stop Press!  -  Bob Russell  1922-2009

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Bob Russell, on Sunday 16th August 2009.

Bob hasn't been too well for a while since his stroke a couple of years ago.  On the odd occasion I have spoken with him he was struggling to hold a conversation although he always spoke of the occasion when we had a mediaeval banquet at Gas Street in Birmingham and how we'd made him and Megan the King & Queen for the night.

His funeral was held on Friday the 28th August at Robin Hood Crematorium followed by a memorial service at 3:30 in Hall Green Baptist Church.

There was quite a few of his relatives from Cardiff and elsewhere in Wales and locally in the church along with quite a few of the parishioners as both Bob and Megan have been church members for quite a number of years.  Megan said she'll be back there from today!

Megan looked quite well considering and she too reminisced about the banquet to Mary & I as we passed on our sympathies to the family and on behalf of all his old friends and colleagues that weren't able to attend.

We met/saw quite a few of the "oldies" from York Road, including Ron Rigby (currently doing some work for the National Motorcycle Museum - soon to retire says his wife!), Tony Plant, John Barnard, Peter Wood, Beck Stevens, Gordon Williams, Bill Williams, Pete Phelps, Dave Bennett and not least, one person still at York Rd., John Knight. I think the other guy who turned up was Dae Bevan (hope I got his name and spelling right!).

Introduction

I've been thinking of putting a page together for the old stalwarts of Lucas Aerospace based primarily in Birmingham at York Road, incorporating those based at Shaftmoor Lane and Marston Green who later moved to York Road.

I personally moved into York Rd in 1977 as one of the first in there as I was involved with setting up equipment in the Clean Room, which used to be based in the far left corner of the original building when viewed from the front entrance.

When I first joined Lucas, I was part of Test Development, working for Bob Russell in the Clean Room in Shaftmoor Lane, where I remained for a couple of years before transferring to Marston Green.  It was whilst at Marston Green that I became involved with some test equipment for testing substrates that I ended up in Concord, Mass., 2 weeks before Christmas 1977 performing acceptance testing on the equipment we'd bought from a company called Genrad.

During my time at York Rd., I became frustrated with the lack of information that disseminated down to the workforce and so became a union rep and I also started the TASS Newsletter, with a hope of passing on information to fellow union members and employees.  The initial copies were produced at home with the use of my BBC computer and a dot matrix printer.  It started as a single page introduction edition to a multipage A4 document, and contained business and union information and an element of humour and cartoons.  The humour became known as "The York Rd Saga", written by Tony Ebden and the Cartoons by John Chance and Kevin O'Rourke.  These were topical of the events happening on site at the time.  Although all the characters contained with the magazine were fictitious, a number of the managers believed they were modeled on themselves, and they would attempt to get a copy for themselves!  One of the managers actually showed it off to the customer!!  We were threatened on more that one occasion with not having any copying facilities available to us because of the contents, but when we explained we'd reproduce it at Union HQ the managers capitulated.

This became so popular that eventually I was invited to extend it to the site for all employees and given proper facilities to produce it, with it actually being processed in house but printed in full colour by an external printing company.  One General Manager, having taken me aside and given me a right dressing down for one cover and said he would remove editorial responsibility from me until I said that I would than no longer be involved, actually then turned round and offered me an issue payment and put the production of 'The Gazette' as it had been named, on a formal footing.

The sad part was that as time progressed, the magazine became quarterly, and eventually, on a change of General Management and HR staff, I decided I'd had enough of their interference and so decided to call it a day.  Needless to say, once HR took it over, it became a "voice of the management" and lost it's way somewhat and hence folded altogether.

During my time at York Rd, 1977 through to 1995 or so, having been outsourced in June 1995 to CSC - bad move in my mind, but then who was I to question the management, although I believe I was proved right in the end, I made a number of friends and acquaintances!!

One of whom was Bob Russell, who I spoke with last week. He had a stroke a couple of years ago and one December 27th a few years ago (2006 I believe - memory's not what it used to be!), fell and broke his hip and still had problems walking.

I also had a lot of respect for our old manager, Ron Rigby , and if any of you knows where he is today I'd love to know.  The guy that took over when Ron retired was Mike Sporton, who was previously at Aerospace HQ.  I never had much contact with him so have no comment either way.  Other managers that I got to know/knew in various degrees included Beck Stevens, Dennis Magee, Dave Ashton, and Martin Williams.

I also got to meet and know a number of others around the factory, still keeping in touch with some, but would like to re-kindle contact with many others too, so I was thinking, maybe we ought to organise a re-union of all interested peoples, irrespective of whether still there, moved on to pastures new, or retired, like me!

If you are interested in a re-union, please email me via Contact Us with the word 'Reunion' as the subject matter.

We're looking at a decent number of participants to make it worthwhile so if you know of anyone who might be interested tell them about this web page and get them to sign up!!.

All the best for now and hope to hear from you in the near future!

Alan.

Contacts Page

If you would like your contact information adding to the relevant page please let me know with the relevant details you'd like adding to the list.

Interested in a Broadband Connection? Much faster downloads and upgrades. Microsoft and other companies now distribute their upgrades, updates and patches on line and some of these can be many Mb which takes an inordinate time via a standard 56k modem connection, and the cost of Broadband is lower than you might think. Click on the following graphic for further info! You know it makes sense!

© Alan Wiseman 2004-7