MY ENGINEERING BACKGROUND
IN THIS BLOG I`VE MADE COMMENTS ABOUT ENGINEERING PROCEDURES THAT I THINK ARE ADMIRABLE AND CONVERSELY, THOSE THAT I BELIEVE SHOULD NOT BE REPEATED. ALSO IN MY PARTS BUILD BLOGS, I`VE MADE MACHINING DECISIONS, THAT TO THE PROFESSIONAL MACHINIST, COULD SEEM TO BE LIGHTWEIGHT BUT THESE WERE MADE IN ORDER TO HELP THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE A LARGE WORKSHOP OF EXPENSIVE MACHINERY TO CARRY OUT THE PROJECTS, SUCH AS MYSELF!
SOME OF THE READERS OF THIS BLOG PROBABLY WONDER WHAT QUALIFICATIONS I HAVE TO MAKE SUCH COMMENTS ABOUT THE WORK OF OTHERS AND IF MY COMMENTS CAN BE RELIED UPON?
SOME OF THE READERS OF THIS BLOG PROBABLY WONDER WHAT QUALIFICATIONS I HAVE TO MAKE SUCH COMMENTS ABOUT THE WORK OF OTHERS AND IF MY COMMENTS CAN BE RELIED UPON?
QUALIFICATIONS SHOULD BE PRACTICAL BASED BACKED UP BY THEORETICAL KNOWLEDGE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIP THAT IS REQUIRED TO GIVE SOMEONE THE BASIS FOR GOOD ENGINEERING KNOWLEDGE, WHICH SHOULD LEAD TO SOUND ENGINEERING DECISIONS BEING MADE.
I`VE ALREADY TOLD YOU THAT I DID AN APPRENTICESHIP AS A TOOLMAKER AND THEN FOR MOST OF MY LIFE WORKED AS A DESIGN ENGINEER IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING. BELOW, I WILL WRITE DOWN A SHORT HISTORY OF MY EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION.
I WAS BORN IN THE CITY OF LONDON HOSPITAL, CITY ROAD, LONDON MAY 1938. THIS WAS WITHIN THE SOUND OF BOW BELLS WHICH MAKES ME BY DEFINITION A COCKNEY ALTHOUGH MY FAMILY IS OF SCOTTISH ORIGIN.
OUR FAMILY HAS HAD IT`S FAIR SHARE OF ENGINEERS, ON MY MOTHERS SIDE, MY GREAT UNCLE JOHN ALLAN SMALL BORN IN 1894 BECAME A SHIPS ARCHITECT AND HAD AN INCREDIBLE CAREER DURING WHICH HE DESIGNED THE CAROLINA DOCKS DUNDEE IN 1918 AND LATER IN 1930 BECAME CHIEF ENGINEER FOR THE METROPOLITAN ELECTRICITY COMPANY THAT COVERED AN AREA OF 650 SQUARE MILES AROUND LONDON.
AS A BOY JUST AFTER THE WAR, I MET HIM WHEN I WAS TAKEN TO SEE HIM AT HIS HOUSE IN GREENFORD MIDDLESEX. HE WAS AN IMPOSING FIGURE, A REAL VICTORIAN. WHEN I MENTIONED THAT I LIKED PHOTOGRAPHY, HE QUESTIONED ME AT LENGTH ABOUT FOCAL LENGTHS AND OTHER TECHNICAL DETAILS THAT I HADN`T A CLUE ABOUT, AS ALL THE EQUIPMENT I HAD WAS A PREWAR KODAK "BROWNIE BOX" CAMERA WHICH WAS THE SIMPLEST POINT AND SHOOT CAMERA AVAILABLE AT THAT TIME.
I WAS BORN IN THE CITY OF LONDON HOSPITAL, CITY ROAD, LONDON MAY 1938. THIS WAS WITHIN THE SOUND OF BOW BELLS WHICH MAKES ME BY DEFINITION A COCKNEY ALTHOUGH MY FAMILY IS OF SCOTTISH ORIGIN.
OUR FAMILY HAS HAD IT`S FAIR SHARE OF ENGINEERS, ON MY MOTHERS SIDE, MY GREAT UNCLE JOHN ALLAN SMALL BORN IN 1894 BECAME A SHIPS ARCHITECT AND HAD AN INCREDIBLE CAREER DURING WHICH HE DESIGNED THE CAROLINA DOCKS DUNDEE IN 1918 AND LATER IN 1930 BECAME CHIEF ENGINEER FOR THE METROPOLITAN ELECTRICITY COMPANY THAT COVERED AN AREA OF 650 SQUARE MILES AROUND LONDON.
AS A BOY JUST AFTER THE WAR, I MET HIM WHEN I WAS TAKEN TO SEE HIM AT HIS HOUSE IN GREENFORD MIDDLESEX. HE WAS AN IMPOSING FIGURE, A REAL VICTORIAN. WHEN I MENTIONED THAT I LIKED PHOTOGRAPHY, HE QUESTIONED ME AT LENGTH ABOUT FOCAL LENGTHS AND OTHER TECHNICAL DETAILS THAT I HADN`T A CLUE ABOUT, AS ALL THE EQUIPMENT I HAD WAS A PREWAR KODAK "BROWNIE BOX" CAMERA WHICH WAS THE SIMPLEST POINT AND SHOOT CAMERA AVAILABLE AT THAT TIME.
ABOVE A FAMILY WEDDING PHOTO FROM 1906. JOHN ALLAN SMALL IS SITTING AT THE EXTREME LEFT FRONT ROW. THE SMALL FAMILY WERE FAIRLY PROSPEROUS OWNING PROPERTY AND THREE BAKER`S SHOPS IN DUNDEE.
MY EDUCATION STARTED AT CLOCKHOUSE LANE INFANTS SCHOOL IN ROMFORD ESSEX AROUND 1943. MY FATHER HAD STARTED WORKING AS THE LECTURER IN PRINTING AT THE PRESTIGIOUS "SCHOOL OF ARTS AND CRAFTS" IN HIGH HOLBURN LONDON IN 1937 SO WE CAME TO LIVE IN ROMFORD WHICH WAS A COMMUTER TOWN FOR LONDON. WE RENTED A RATHER ART DECO STYLED SEMI DETACHED HOUSE ON THE NEW HUGE NASH ESTATE. CENTERED AROUND CARTER DRIVE. AFTER THE WAR WE BOUGHT THE HOUSE FROM NASH WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY AROSE.
MY ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOL WAS INTERRUPTED BY THE NECESSITY TO BE EVACUATED TWICE FROM LONDON BECAUSE OF THE EFFORTS OF THE NAZIS TO OBLITERATE THE AREA BY BOMBING IN 1941 AND LATER THE V1 AND THE V2 WONDER WEAPONS THAT RAINED DOWN ON US. WHILE EVACUATED TO MY MOTHER`S FAMILY IN DUNDEE, I ATTENDED THE HAWKHILL JUNIOR SCHOOL. I HAVE MANY HAPPY MEMORIES OF LIVING THERE AND OFTEN DID ERRANDS FOR MY GRANDMOTHER SUCH AS GOING DOWN TO DOIGS THE BAKERS TO COLLECT THE DELICIOUS MORNING ROLLS. THIS MEANT THAT I WOULD WALK DOWN PERTH ROAD PAST ALL THE SHOPS THAT HAD OPEN GRATINGS OVER THEIR CELLARS THAT JUTTED OUT OVER PART OF THE PAVEMENT, RELEASING ALL THOSE EVOCATIVE AROMAS OF BAKING, MEAT AND SAWDUST. BICYCLE TYRES etc. MY UNCLE JOHN OWNED THE CYCLE SHOP "PAT REILLYS" IN THE PERTH ROAD AND MY UNCLES WALTER AND JIM RAN THE CYCLE SHOP "THE WESTERN CYCLE DEPOT" IN THE HAWKHILL OWNED BY MY GRANDMOTHER. SADLY THAT BEAUTIFUL ASHLAR STONE BUILDING WAS DEMOLISHED TO CREATE A CAR PARK FOR DUNDEE UNIVERSITY AND THE CELLAR WORKSHOP STILL LIES INTERRED BENEATH THE TARMAC.
MY MOTHER WAS VERY SHY BUT VERY CLEVER, SHE WAS ALWAYS EMBITTERED BY MY GRANDFATHER`S DECISION NOT TO ALLOW HER TO TAKE THE SCHOLARSHIP THAT SHE HAD WON TO THE RATHER SNOOTY ESTABLISHMENT THE "HARRIS ACADEMY". INSTEAD SHE HAD TO LOOK AFTER HER MUCH YOUNGER SISTER DOROTHY. THE FURTHER EDUCATION OF WOMEN WAS NOT A PRIORITY IN THOSE DAYS.
MY MOTHER WAS VERY SHY BUT VERY CLEVER, SHE WAS ALWAYS EMBITTERED BY MY GRANDFATHER`S DECISION NOT TO ALLOW HER TO TAKE THE SCHOLARSHIP THAT SHE HAD WON TO THE RATHER SNOOTY ESTABLISHMENT THE "HARRIS ACADEMY". INSTEAD SHE HAD TO LOOK AFTER HER MUCH YOUNGER SISTER DOROTHY. THE FURTHER EDUCATION OF WOMEN WAS NOT A PRIORITY IN THOSE DAYS.
BACK IN ROMFORD AGAIN IN 1945, I STARTED AT THE CLOCKHOUSE LANE JUNIOR SCHOOL AND ATTENDED THERE UNTIL 1948 AND THEN ON TO CLOCKHOUSE LANE PRIMARY SCHOOL AND ON TO THE ELEVEN PLUS CROSSROAD IN 1949.
AT THIS TIME THERE WERE NO "O" OR "A" LEVELS, PUPILS TOOK AN EXAMINATION CALLED THE "ELEVEN PLUS" AND DEPENDING ON THE RESULTS EITHER WENT FURTHER TO A "GRAMMAR SCHOOL" OR A "SECONDARY SCHOOL". LOOKING AT MY SCHOOL REPORTS ALL THESE YEARS LATER IT`S OBVIOUS THAT I WAS A MIDDLE OF THE ROAD "PLODDER" AND DID NOT PASS THE EXAMINATION. I WAS OFFERED A LATE DEVELOPERS EXAM A FEW MONTHS LATER BUT FLUNKED THAT TOO!
THEN A STROKE OF LUCK! I WAS SENT TO "CHASE CROSS SECONDARY MODERN SCHOOL", THIS WAS NO VICTORIAN BARRACKS BUT A COMPLETELY NEW SCHOOL WITH ALL POSSIBLE AMENITIES AND AND A VIBRANT "ESPIRIT DE CORPS" CREATED BY THE HEADMASTER Mr. W GODDARD. A MAN OF YORKSHIRE,HE WAS NO WIMP AND LOOKED AS THOUGH HE CHEWED ON IRON FOR BREAKFAST!
AT THIS TIME THERE WERE NO "O" OR "A" LEVELS, PUPILS TOOK AN EXAMINATION CALLED THE "ELEVEN PLUS" AND DEPENDING ON THE RESULTS EITHER WENT FURTHER TO A "GRAMMAR SCHOOL" OR A "SECONDARY SCHOOL". LOOKING AT MY SCHOOL REPORTS ALL THESE YEARS LATER IT`S OBVIOUS THAT I WAS A MIDDLE OF THE ROAD "PLODDER" AND DID NOT PASS THE EXAMINATION. I WAS OFFERED A LATE DEVELOPERS EXAM A FEW MONTHS LATER BUT FLUNKED THAT TOO!
THEN A STROKE OF LUCK! I WAS SENT TO "CHASE CROSS SECONDARY MODERN SCHOOL", THIS WAS NO VICTORIAN BARRACKS BUT A COMPLETELY NEW SCHOOL WITH ALL POSSIBLE AMENITIES AND AND A VIBRANT "ESPIRIT DE CORPS" CREATED BY THE HEADMASTER Mr. W GODDARD. A MAN OF YORKSHIRE,HE WAS NO WIMP AND LOOKED AS THOUGH HE CHEWED ON IRON FOR BREAKFAST!
THE SCHOOL HAD WELL EQUIPPED WOODWORK AND METALWORK WORKSHOPS. I CHOSE THE METALWORK CLASS UNDER Mr. WINFIELD, AT THE AGE OF TWELVE I WAS ABLE TO USE THE BRAND NEW BOXFORD PRECISION LATHES TO MAKE MY OWN LITTLE LATHE THAT I DESIGNED, WHICH IS STILL UNFINISHED AND MOCKING ME FROM IT`S PLACE ON MY WORKSHOP SHELF! THERE WAS ALSO A FORGE AND Mr WINFIELD HAD CONSTRUCTED A FURNACE IN WHICH HE MELTED BRASS AND ALUMINIUM SO I WAS ABLE TO MAKE PATTERNS AND HAVE THE LATHE CASTINGS MADE BY USING SAND BOXES. IT WAS SO INTERESTING THAT I DECIDED THAT I WANTED TO BE AN ENGINEER.
IN 1949 I ENTERED THE SCHOOL IN CLASS B2 AND ENDED THE YEAR IN SECOND PLACE. THEN I WAS SHUNTED INTO THE TOP GROUP CLASS B1., SOMETHING HAPPENED AND AT THE END OF THE YEAR I WAS PLACED 20th IN CLASS AND IN THE NEXT TERM PLACED SECOND IN CLASS ALSO IN THE FOLLOWING TERMS AND IN MY FINAL TERM IN 1953, AT LAST BECAME FIRST IN CLASS.
MY FATHER CHANGED JOBS AND BECAME THE SALES REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE MIDLAND REGION FOR THE AMERICAN COMPANY "INTERTYPE" THEY PRODUCED TYPESETTING MACHINES FOR NEWSPAPERS AND THE PRINTING TRADE. THESE WERE COSTLY ITEMS AND MY FATHER WAS SOON EARNING VERY NICELY WITH THE BONUSES THAT HE RECEIVED, ALSO A FORD CONSUL AS A COMPANY CAR. WE LIVED IN AN EDWARDIAN HOUSE IN BROADWAY, EARLSDON, COVENTRY. THE NICKNAME OF THIS ROAD WAS "CARS AND KIPPERS" WHERE THE OWNERS ALL OWNED CARS AND WERE SUPPOSED TO LIVE ON KIPPERS THAT WAS CHEAP FOOD IN THOSE DAYS!
MY FATHER CHANGED JOBS AND BECAME THE SALES REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE MIDLAND REGION FOR THE AMERICAN COMPANY "INTERTYPE" THEY PRODUCED TYPESETTING MACHINES FOR NEWSPAPERS AND THE PRINTING TRADE. THESE WERE COSTLY ITEMS AND MY FATHER WAS SOON EARNING VERY NICELY WITH THE BONUSES THAT HE RECEIVED, ALSO A FORD CONSUL AS A COMPANY CAR. WE LIVED IN AN EDWARDIAN HOUSE IN BROADWAY, EARLSDON, COVENTRY. THE NICKNAME OF THIS ROAD WAS "CARS AND KIPPERS" WHERE THE OWNERS ALL OWNED CARS AND WERE SUPPOSED TO LIVE ON KIPPERS THAT WAS CHEAP FOOD IN THOSE DAYS!
I ATTENDED BROADWAY SECONDARY SCHOOL BUT WHAT A DIFFERENCE IT WAS TO ONE THAT I`D LEFT. I DISCOVERED THAT I WAS FURTHER ADVANCED IN MY KNOWLEDGE THAN THE STANDARD OF PUPILS IN THAT SCHOOL. THE TEACHERS THERE WERE VERY FRIENDLY TOWARDS ME AND GAVE ME GOOD ADVICE ABOUT WHERE TO LOOK FOR AN APPRENTICESHIP. I APPLIED TO "ALFRED HERBERT LTD" A WORLD FAMOUS MACHINE TOOL MANUFACTURER, ATTENDED THEIR ENTRANCE EXAMINATION FOR ENTRY AS A TOOLMAKER AND PASSED.
ABOVE LEFT LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE FROM HERBERT`S. JUST TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE, I ALSO APPLIED TO "THE COVENTRY GAUGE & TOOL CO", ANOTHER LEADING MANUFACTURER IN MACHINE TOOLS AND HIGH PRECISION GAUGES AND INSTRUMENTS. AFTER AN INTERVIEW WITH Mr. LANGLEY THE APPRENTICE SUPERVISOR AND A WRITTEN TEST I WAS ACCEPTED AS A CANDIDATE FOR AN APPRENTICESHIP THERE..
JUST A WORD ABOUT FINDING AN APPRENTICESHIP IN AND AROUND 1953, IN THE ROMFORD AREA THERE WAS NO CHANCE THAT I`D BE ABLE TO FIND ONE AS THERE WAS LITTLE INDUSTRY THERE BUT IN COVENTRY APPRENTICESHIPS WERE AVAILABLE TO SUITABLE CANDIDATES, SO AGAIN LUCK WAS WITH ME!
I DECIDED TO START AT THE "GAUGE" AS IT WAS CALLED IN COVENTRY BECAUSE I COULD WALK TO WORK BUT WHEN I STARTED THERE I LATER DISCOVERED THAT APPRENTICES WERE NOT GIVEN DAY RELEASE TO GO TO THE COVENTRY TECHNICAL COLLEGE. I HAD WON A SCHOLARSHIP FOR THREE YEARS TO STUDY FOR THE ORDINARY NATIONAL CERTIFICATE IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING (SEE RIGHT HAND DOCUMENT ABOVE).
THIS WAS NO BIG DEAL REALLY BUT IT DID PAY FOR ALL MY TUITION FEES, BOOKS DRAWING INSTRUMENTS SLIDE RULE etc. I PUT IN MY REQUEST TO THE COLLEGE FOR THE ITEMS THAT I WOULD NEED AND WAS DISAPPOINTED TO RECEIVE THE LOWEST QUALITY DRAWING INSTRUMENTS AND SLIDE RULE ( NO ELECTRONIC CALCULATORS THEN!)..
JUST A WORD ABOUT FINDING AN APPRENTICESHIP IN AND AROUND 1953, IN THE ROMFORD AREA THERE WAS NO CHANCE THAT I`D BE ABLE TO FIND ONE AS THERE WAS LITTLE INDUSTRY THERE BUT IN COVENTRY APPRENTICESHIPS WERE AVAILABLE TO SUITABLE CANDIDATES, SO AGAIN LUCK WAS WITH ME!
I DECIDED TO START AT THE "GAUGE" AS IT WAS CALLED IN COVENTRY BECAUSE I COULD WALK TO WORK BUT WHEN I STARTED THERE I LATER DISCOVERED THAT APPRENTICES WERE NOT GIVEN DAY RELEASE TO GO TO THE COVENTRY TECHNICAL COLLEGE. I HAD WON A SCHOLARSHIP FOR THREE YEARS TO STUDY FOR THE ORDINARY NATIONAL CERTIFICATE IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING (SEE RIGHT HAND DOCUMENT ABOVE).
THIS WAS NO BIG DEAL REALLY BUT IT DID PAY FOR ALL MY TUITION FEES, BOOKS DRAWING INSTRUMENTS SLIDE RULE etc. I PUT IN MY REQUEST TO THE COLLEGE FOR THE ITEMS THAT I WOULD NEED AND WAS DISAPPOINTED TO RECEIVE THE LOWEST QUALITY DRAWING INSTRUMENTS AND SLIDE RULE ( NO ELECTRONIC CALCULATORS THEN!)..
IN 1953 THE ONLY OTHER WAY APART FROM BEING IN POSSESSION OF A UNIVERSITY DEGREE, TO BECOME A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER, WAS TO PASS THE INSTITUTE OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS EXAMINATIONS AND BY TAKING THE ORDINARY NATIONAL AND HIGHER NATIONAL CERTIFICATES IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, WHICH TOOK FIVE YEARS AT A TECHNICAL COLLEGE, GAVE EXEMPTION FROM TAKING THE INSTITUTIONS OWN EXAMS AND BECOME A GRADUATE OF THE INSTITUTE. THIS WAS THEN CONSIDERED TO BE THE EQUIVALENT OF A DEGREE AND AN OPENING TO BECOME A FULL MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTION AND THE TITLE I Mech. E
WORKING EIGHT HOURS A DAY AND THEN GOING TO THREE EVENING CLASSES PER WEEK, PLUS THE HOMEWORK INVOLVED AND SOME KIND OF SOCIAL LIFE WAS A STRAIN BUT IN 1957 I PASSED THE THREE YEAR COURSE AT THE COVENTRY "TECH" FOR ORDINARY NATIONAL CERTIFICATE. THE MANAGEMENT AT THE GAUGE WERE PLEASED AS FEW OF THEIR APPRENTICES EVER MANAGED TO GET THIS FAR UP THE EDUCATIONAL LADDER!
I TOOK THE FIRST YEAR OF THE 2 YEAR HIGHER NATIONAL CERTIFICATE COURSE AT COVENTRY TECH BUT FAILED IN MATHEMATICS DUE TO NOT INVESTING ENOUGH TIME TO LEARN THE SUBJECT PROPERLY. THIS MEANT THAT I NO LONGER HAD EXEMPTION FROM NATIONAL SERVICE AND THE GAUGE WAS GOING THROUGH A FINANCIAL CRISIS, SO THAT I RECEIVED MY CALL UP PAPERS AND DESPITE MY ENGINEERING EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATION, INSTEAD OF BEING ASSIGNED TO THE ARMY ENGINEERING CORPS (THE R.E.M.E), I ENDED UP AS A SQUADDIE IN THE SHERWOOD FORESTER BRIGADE AT GLEN PARVA BARRACKS, AN INFANTRY DIVISION!
THIS WASN`T AS BAD AS I HAD HEARD, THERE WAS NO WHITEWASHING OF COAL OR ANY OF THAT KIND OF NONSENSE BUT I DID HAVE TO CLEAN THE TOILETS ONCE!
MOST OF THE INTAKE WERE 18 YEAR OLD MINERS FROM COALVILLE IN LEICESTERSHIRE WHO LOVED TO PARADE NAKED IN THE COMMUNAL SHOWERS AS WAS THEIR WONT. THE TRAINING WAS HARD FOR A SOFT, RATHER OVERWEIGHT, RECRUIT AS MYSELF AND I SOON LOST A LOT OF WEIGHT. THE STRANGE THING WAS THAT WE WERE BEING TRAINED TO KILL BUT THIS "K" WORD WAS NEVER USED. INSTEAD IT WAS "TAKE OUT THE ENEMY". I WAS PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF "RECRUIT LANCE CORPORAL" NO BIG DEAL, IT MEANT THAT I WAS QUITE OFTEN MADE GUARD COMMANDER TO PROTECT THE ENTRANCE TO THE BARRACKS, THIS MEANT BEING AWAKE ALL NIGHT. THE CATERING CORPS WOULD BRING UNCOVERED TRAYS OF FOOD INTO THE GUARDHOUSE AND LEAVE THEM ON TABLES AND AFTER MIDNIGHT, THE MICE WOULD EMERGE FROM THEIR HOLES AND TAKE THEIR PICK FROM THE FOOD JUST LAYING THERE.
THE SERGEANT IN CHARGE OF TRAINING WAS SGT. FREAKLEY HE WAS OK BUT TRIED TO PSYKE ME OUT ONE DAY WHEN HE ASKED ME TO ACCOMPANY HIM TO DRAW HAND GRENADES FROM THE STORES BEFORE GOING ON THE DREADED HAND GRENADE THROWING EXERCISE. IN THE STORE HE PICKED UP A GRENADE SAID THAT THE LEVER ON IT WAS BENT, REMOVED THE SAFETY PIN AND THE LEVER AND STARTED TO HAMMER THE LEVER AGAINST THE DOOR FRAME WITH THE BODY OF THE GRENADE! AS I HAD BEEN IN THE AIR TRAINING CORPS AND HAD WEAPONS TRAINING THERE, I KNEW THAT IT WOULD NOT EXPLODE WITHOUT THE FUSE BEING IN IT AND THAT HE WAS JUST HAVING SOME FUN WITH ME. ALL I DID WAS TO COME CLOSER TO HIM AND PRETEND TO OBSERVE CAREFULLY WHAT HE WAS DOING.
THE WORST THING THAT HAPPENED WAS THAT BEFORE BEING ALLOWED HOME ON SATURDAY MORNING FOR THE WEEKEND THE INTAKE HAD TO DO A 5 MILE CROSS COUNTRY RUN. I WAS NOT GOOD AT THIS AT FIRST BUT SOON LEARNED THAT IT REQUIRED WILLPOWER TO SUCCEED AND WAS ABLE TO IMPROVE MY PERFORMANCE. PERHAPS THAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON THAT I LEARNED DURING MY TIME IN THE ARMY.
I TOOK THE FIRST YEAR OF THE 2 YEAR HIGHER NATIONAL CERTIFICATE COURSE AT COVENTRY TECH BUT FAILED IN MATHEMATICS DUE TO NOT INVESTING ENOUGH TIME TO LEARN THE SUBJECT PROPERLY. THIS MEANT THAT I NO LONGER HAD EXEMPTION FROM NATIONAL SERVICE AND THE GAUGE WAS GOING THROUGH A FINANCIAL CRISIS, SO THAT I RECEIVED MY CALL UP PAPERS AND DESPITE MY ENGINEERING EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATION, INSTEAD OF BEING ASSIGNED TO THE ARMY ENGINEERING CORPS (THE R.E.M.E), I ENDED UP AS A SQUADDIE IN THE SHERWOOD FORESTER BRIGADE AT GLEN PARVA BARRACKS, AN INFANTRY DIVISION!
THIS WASN`T AS BAD AS I HAD HEARD, THERE WAS NO WHITEWASHING OF COAL OR ANY OF THAT KIND OF NONSENSE BUT I DID HAVE TO CLEAN THE TOILETS ONCE!
MOST OF THE INTAKE WERE 18 YEAR OLD MINERS FROM COALVILLE IN LEICESTERSHIRE WHO LOVED TO PARADE NAKED IN THE COMMUNAL SHOWERS AS WAS THEIR WONT. THE TRAINING WAS HARD FOR A SOFT, RATHER OVERWEIGHT, RECRUIT AS MYSELF AND I SOON LOST A LOT OF WEIGHT. THE STRANGE THING WAS THAT WE WERE BEING TRAINED TO KILL BUT THIS "K" WORD WAS NEVER USED. INSTEAD IT WAS "TAKE OUT THE ENEMY". I WAS PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF "RECRUIT LANCE CORPORAL" NO BIG DEAL, IT MEANT THAT I WAS QUITE OFTEN MADE GUARD COMMANDER TO PROTECT THE ENTRANCE TO THE BARRACKS, THIS MEANT BEING AWAKE ALL NIGHT. THE CATERING CORPS WOULD BRING UNCOVERED TRAYS OF FOOD INTO THE GUARDHOUSE AND LEAVE THEM ON TABLES AND AFTER MIDNIGHT, THE MICE WOULD EMERGE FROM THEIR HOLES AND TAKE THEIR PICK FROM THE FOOD JUST LAYING THERE.
THE SERGEANT IN CHARGE OF TRAINING WAS SGT. FREAKLEY HE WAS OK BUT TRIED TO PSYKE ME OUT ONE DAY WHEN HE ASKED ME TO ACCOMPANY HIM TO DRAW HAND GRENADES FROM THE STORES BEFORE GOING ON THE DREADED HAND GRENADE THROWING EXERCISE. IN THE STORE HE PICKED UP A GRENADE SAID THAT THE LEVER ON IT WAS BENT, REMOVED THE SAFETY PIN AND THE LEVER AND STARTED TO HAMMER THE LEVER AGAINST THE DOOR FRAME WITH THE BODY OF THE GRENADE! AS I HAD BEEN IN THE AIR TRAINING CORPS AND HAD WEAPONS TRAINING THERE, I KNEW THAT IT WOULD NOT EXPLODE WITHOUT THE FUSE BEING IN IT AND THAT HE WAS JUST HAVING SOME FUN WITH ME. ALL I DID WAS TO COME CLOSER TO HIM AND PRETEND TO OBSERVE CAREFULLY WHAT HE WAS DOING.
THE WORST THING THAT HAPPENED WAS THAT BEFORE BEING ALLOWED HOME ON SATURDAY MORNING FOR THE WEEKEND THE INTAKE HAD TO DO A 5 MILE CROSS COUNTRY RUN. I WAS NOT GOOD AT THIS AT FIRST BUT SOON LEARNED THAT IT REQUIRED WILLPOWER TO SUCCEED AND WAS ABLE TO IMPROVE MY PERFORMANCE. PERHAPS THAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON THAT I LEARNED DURING MY TIME IN THE ARMY.
I WAS INJURED DURING MY SERVICE AND AFTER ABOUT A YEAR IN HOSPITAL. RECEIVED AN HONOURABLE DISCHARGE. THE GAUGE HAD A DUTY TO RE EMPLOY ME AFTER NATIONAL SERVICE BUT WHEN I CONTACTED THEM TO RETURN TO WORK THERE, THEY OFFERED ME A JOB WORKING ON A CAPSTAN LATHE DOING REPETITIVE WORK. I WASN`T KEEN ON THIS AS I HAD REALIZED THAT WORKING ON THE SHOP FLOOR WAS NOT AS FULFILLING AS I HAD IMAGINED AS A BOY.
OVER THE YEARS, I HAD BEEN QUITE ACTIVE DESIGNING ALL SORTS OF THINGS FROM MODEL AIRCRAFT TO MACHINERY AND HAD BEEN IN THE DRAWING OFFICE AT THE GAUGE. I WAS A GOOD DRAUGHTSMAN AND SO I STARTED TO LOOK FOR A JOB IN A DRAWING OFFICE. I WAS OFFERED A JOB AT "SIR W.G. ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH AIRCRAFT CO. LTD" AS A JIG & TOOL DESIGNER. THIS WAS NEXT TO COVENTRY AIRPORT. AND THE COMPANY WAS NEARING THE END OF THE COMPLETION OF THEIR LATEST DESIGN, THE AW 660 CARGO CARRYING AIRCRAFT THAT WAS BEING FUNDED BY THE GOVERNMENT, THEIR LAST AIRCRAFT BEFORE THEY WENT BUST. THEY ALSO DID WORK ON GLOSTER METEOR, HAWKER HUNTER AND SEA VAMPIRES THAT I SAW IN PROGRESS IN THE HANGARS.
I HATED TO WALK THROUGH THE ROUTING DEPT WHERE HUNDREDS OF WOMEN WORKED, THE INCREDIBLE WOLF WHISTLES AND CAT CALLS THAT ECHOED THROUGH THE HANGAR WERE EXCRUCIATINGLY EMBARRASSING FOR ME AND I WOULD EMERGE RED FACED.
OVER THE YEARS, I HAD BEEN QUITE ACTIVE DESIGNING ALL SORTS OF THINGS FROM MODEL AIRCRAFT TO MACHINERY AND HAD BEEN IN THE DRAWING OFFICE AT THE GAUGE. I WAS A GOOD DRAUGHTSMAN AND SO I STARTED TO LOOK FOR A JOB IN A DRAWING OFFICE. I WAS OFFERED A JOB AT "SIR W.G. ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH AIRCRAFT CO. LTD" AS A JIG & TOOL DESIGNER. THIS WAS NEXT TO COVENTRY AIRPORT. AND THE COMPANY WAS NEARING THE END OF THE COMPLETION OF THEIR LATEST DESIGN, THE AW 660 CARGO CARRYING AIRCRAFT THAT WAS BEING FUNDED BY THE GOVERNMENT, THEIR LAST AIRCRAFT BEFORE THEY WENT BUST. THEY ALSO DID WORK ON GLOSTER METEOR, HAWKER HUNTER AND SEA VAMPIRES THAT I SAW IN PROGRESS IN THE HANGARS.
I HATED TO WALK THROUGH THE ROUTING DEPT WHERE HUNDREDS OF WOMEN WORKED, THE INCREDIBLE WOLF WHISTLES AND CAT CALLS THAT ECHOED THROUGH THE HANGAR WERE EXCRUCIATINGLY EMBARRASSING FOR ME AND I WOULD EMERGE RED FACED.
I HAD ALWAYS DREAMED OF BEING A RACING CAR DESIGNER AND A STEP TOWARDS THIS CAME WHEN I READ A FULL PAGE ADVERTISEMENT IN THE COVENTRY EVENING TELEGRAPH THAT WAS OFFERING EMPLOYMENT IN THE CAR INDUSTRY DOWN IN THE DAGENHAM AREA. I WENT TO THE GODIVA HOTEL IN BROADGATE, IT WAS AN INFORMAL OPEN MEETING WITH SOME FORD ENGINEERS AND I WAS INVITED TO GO DOWN TO RAINHAM WORKS, DAGENHAM FOR AN INTERVIEW WITH FRED RAY THE CHIEF OF TRUCK DIVISION.
THE INTERVIEW WENT WELL AND I WAS OFFERED A JOB ON TRUCK DESIGN TOGETHER WITH DAY RELEASE TO CONTINUE MY STUDIES. AGAIN MY LUCK WAS IN, FORD WAS STARTING A HUGE EXPANSION OF ITS TRUCK DIVISION AND STARTING ON THE DESIGN OF THE "D SERIES" TRUCKS. THESE NEW TRUCKS WOULD HAVE TILT CABS AND A RANGE OF VARIANTS WAS PROPOSED, LOOSELY BASED ON THE RANGE OF AMERICAN TRUCKS.
HEADING UP THE DESIGN TEAM FOR THE D SERIES WAS CHRIS COPE AN AMERICAN FROM FORD DETROIT, THE CHIEF ENGINEER WAS WALLY MANNING WHO LEFT THE SAME POSITION AT GUY MOTORS. THE CREAM OF THE MOTOR INDUSTRY WAS WORKING THERE ,TEMPTED BY THE EXCELLENT SALARIES THAT FORD WAS OFFERING. CHIEF ENGINEERS AND SECTION LEADERS FROM OTHER COMPANIES WERE BACK WORKING ON A DRAWING BOARD AGAIN
HOWEVER I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT TRUCKS SO WAS ON A STEEP LEARNING CURVE THIS WASN`T RACING CARS BUT IT WAS A START!
THE INTERVIEW WENT WELL AND I WAS OFFERED A JOB ON TRUCK DESIGN TOGETHER WITH DAY RELEASE TO CONTINUE MY STUDIES. AGAIN MY LUCK WAS IN, FORD WAS STARTING A HUGE EXPANSION OF ITS TRUCK DIVISION AND STARTING ON THE DESIGN OF THE "D SERIES" TRUCKS. THESE NEW TRUCKS WOULD HAVE TILT CABS AND A RANGE OF VARIANTS WAS PROPOSED, LOOSELY BASED ON THE RANGE OF AMERICAN TRUCKS.
HEADING UP THE DESIGN TEAM FOR THE D SERIES WAS CHRIS COPE AN AMERICAN FROM FORD DETROIT, THE CHIEF ENGINEER WAS WALLY MANNING WHO LEFT THE SAME POSITION AT GUY MOTORS. THE CREAM OF THE MOTOR INDUSTRY WAS WORKING THERE ,TEMPTED BY THE EXCELLENT SALARIES THAT FORD WAS OFFERING. CHIEF ENGINEERS AND SECTION LEADERS FROM OTHER COMPANIES WERE BACK WORKING ON A DRAWING BOARD AGAIN
HOWEVER I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT TRUCKS SO WAS ON A STEEP LEARNING CURVE THIS WASN`T RACING CARS BUT IT WAS A START!
WORKING AT FORDS WAS RATHER EXCITING, THERE WAS A LOT GOING ON THERE. I BECAME ACQUAINTED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT ENGINEERS SUCH AS TERRY DRURY OF SUPERVAN FAME AND ROD MANSFIELD (NOW SIR). THESE DEVELPMENT BOYS WERE HAVING A WHALE OF A TIME, THE FORD ANGLIA HAD RECENTLY BEEN INTRODUCED TO THE MARKET AND THEY WERE PUTTING IN SOUPED UP 105E ENGINES IN THEM AND GOING RACING.
WE BOUGHT A HOUSE IN A SMALL VILLAGE NEAR GRAYS ESSEX AND I RESTARTED MY HIGHER NATIONAL CERTIFICATE COURSE, NOW AT THURROCK TECHNICAL COLLEGE. I DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS MUCH MORE TO DO THAN BEFORE, AS THE INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS, IN ORDER TO BRING THE ACADEMIC LEVEL OF THEIR EXAMS UP TO THE STANDARD OF THE REST OF EUROPE, INTRODUCED SUBJECTS INTO THE CURRICULUM, SUCH AS WORKSHOP TECHNOLOGY, O LEVEL ENGLISH, PRINCIPLES OF ELECTRICITY 1 & 2, INDUSTRIAL ADMINISTRATION A & B. THIS WAS IN ADDITION TO THE NORMAL SUBJECTS IN THE HIGHER NATIONAL CERTIFICATE CURRICULUM, ALSO IN ALL OF THESE SUBJECTS ONE HAD TO HAVE A PASS MARK OF OVER 60% INSTEAD OF THE NORMAL 40%, IN ORDER TO FULFILL THE INSTITUTE`S REQUIREMENTS.
IN OCTOBER 1963 I PASSED THE HIGHER NATIONAL CERTIFICATE EXAMS WITH CREDITS BUT THEN THE RULES CHANGED AGAIN AND IN ORDER TO SATISFY THE INSTITUTE FOR EXEMPTION FROM THEIR EXAMS A FURTHER SUBJECT AT HNC LEVEL HAD TO BE DONE. I CHOSE THEORY OF STRUCTURES, THIS WOULD TAKE A FURTHER TWO YEARS TO COMPLETE.
IN FEBUARY 1964 I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THURROCK TECHNICAL COLLEGE THAT I WAS GOING TO RECEIVE THE Van den Burgh and Jurghens PRIZE FOR WORK ON THE NATIONAL CERTIFICATE COURSE. WHEN I ATTENDED THE PRIZE GIVING, I LEARNED THAT I HAD BEEN AWARDED IT FOR BEING BEST ENGINEERING STUDENT!
WE BOUGHT A HOUSE IN A SMALL VILLAGE NEAR GRAYS ESSEX AND I RESTARTED MY HIGHER NATIONAL CERTIFICATE COURSE, NOW AT THURROCK TECHNICAL COLLEGE. I DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS MUCH MORE TO DO THAN BEFORE, AS THE INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS, IN ORDER TO BRING THE ACADEMIC LEVEL OF THEIR EXAMS UP TO THE STANDARD OF THE REST OF EUROPE, INTRODUCED SUBJECTS INTO THE CURRICULUM, SUCH AS WORKSHOP TECHNOLOGY, O LEVEL ENGLISH, PRINCIPLES OF ELECTRICITY 1 & 2, INDUSTRIAL ADMINISTRATION A & B. THIS WAS IN ADDITION TO THE NORMAL SUBJECTS IN THE HIGHER NATIONAL CERTIFICATE CURRICULUM, ALSO IN ALL OF THESE SUBJECTS ONE HAD TO HAVE A PASS MARK OF OVER 60% INSTEAD OF THE NORMAL 40%, IN ORDER TO FULFILL THE INSTITUTE`S REQUIREMENTS.
IN OCTOBER 1963 I PASSED THE HIGHER NATIONAL CERTIFICATE EXAMS WITH CREDITS BUT THEN THE RULES CHANGED AGAIN AND IN ORDER TO SATISFY THE INSTITUTE FOR EXEMPTION FROM THEIR EXAMS A FURTHER SUBJECT AT HNC LEVEL HAD TO BE DONE. I CHOSE THEORY OF STRUCTURES, THIS WOULD TAKE A FURTHER TWO YEARS TO COMPLETE.
IN FEBUARY 1964 I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THURROCK TECHNICAL COLLEGE THAT I WAS GOING TO RECEIVE THE Van den Burgh and Jurghens PRIZE FOR WORK ON THE NATIONAL CERTIFICATE COURSE. WHEN I ATTENDED THE PRIZE GIVING, I LEARNED THAT I HAD BEEN AWARDED IT FOR BEING BEST ENGINEERING STUDENT!
ABOVE THE DOCUMENTATION ABOUT THE PRIZE.. IT WAS 25 POUNDS AND I SPENT MOST OF IT ON A NEW COPY OF "MACHINERY`S HANDBOOK" ONLY TO HAVE IT STOLEN FROM MY DESK AT WORK!
ABOVE LEFT, THE LAST OF THE HOOPS, THE NOTIFICATION THAT I HAD PASSED WITH CREDIT THE HNC IN THEORY OF STRUCTURES, AND ON THE RIGHT, THE CERTIFICATE THAT I RECEIVED FROM THE INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS WHEN I WAS ELECTED AS A GRADUATE MEMBER IN 1968. THIS WAS WHAT I HAD WORKED FOR ALL THESE YEARS, I HAD JUMPED THROUGH ALL OF THOSE HOOPS AND PASSED ALL OF THE NECESSARY EXAMINATIONS, NOW ALL I HAD TO DO WAS TO BE PUT FORWARD TO THE INSTITUTE BY A COMPANY THAT I WORKED FOR WITH A RECOMMENDATION THAT I BE TRANSFERRED TO MEMBER STATUS IN ORDER TO BECOME A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER!
I HAD BEEN WORKING IN TRUCK DESIGN FOR ABOUT THREE AND A HALF YEARS AND STILL TRYING TO ACHIEVE MY GOAL OF BEING A RACING CAR DESIGNER. I TRIED TO GET ONTO THE GT40 PROJECT THAT WAS BEING DESIGNED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE LOLA DESIGNER ERIC BROADLEY AT FORD OFFICES IN SLOUGH. MY REQUEST WAS DENIED, IT`S NO SURPRISE AS I DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH EXPERIENCE YET. ANOTHER TIME I APPLIED TO LOTUS WHEN THEY ADVERTISED FOR A DESIGNER AND WENT FOR AN INTERVIEW. I ARRIVED AT THEIR PREMISES IN EDMONTON AND WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THAT THE PRODUCTION LINE FOR THE ORIGINAL ELAN CARS HAD EXTENDED OUT IN THE OPEN IN FULL VIEW OF THE PUBLIC, OBVIOUSLY THEY HAD A LACK OF SPACE.
I HAD THE INTERVIEW BUT WHEN ASKED ABOUT MY SALARY THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT MATCH IT.
THIS WAS A TYPICAL PUT OFF AND AGAIN MY LACK OF EXPERIENCE WAS THE REASON FOR THE REJECTION.
THEN I HEARD ABOUT A NEW SECTION BEING CREATED AT THE FORD CAR DESIGN CENTRE AT AVELY ENGINEERING THIS SECTION WAS "ADVANCED VEHICLE ENGINEERING". I CONTACTED THE NEW MANAGER AND WENT FOR AN INTERVIEW, HE ASKED ME A FEW SIMPLE QUESTIONS AND THEN HAD I BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY SPECIAL PROJECTS . I TOLD HIM ABOUT THE TRIALS CAR THAT I`D BUILT THAT HAD SPECIAL FEATURES SUCH AS JOY STICK STEERING AND HAND CLUTCH AND THROTTLE CONTROLS SO THAT THE FEET WOULD BE FREE TO OPERATE THE FIDDLE BRAKES. HE ACCEPTED ME AND I WAS TRANSFERRED.
AVELY ENGINEERING WAS FULL OF WOULD BE CAR CONSTRUCTORS AND WELL KNOWN PERSONALITIES. IT WAS A PLEASURE TO TALK TO THEM BUT THE WORK THAT I WAS GIVEN WAS NOT REALLY INTERESTING. ALL WE SEEMED TO BE DOING WAS TO FIDDLE AROUND WITH THE VARIATIONS OF ENGINE AND GEARBOX LOCATION WHICH ALREADY HAD BEEN DONE BY OTHERS OVER THE YEARS SINCE THE INVENTION OF THE CAR. ONE COULD QUOTE THE WISE SAYING "THAT THERE IS NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN".
I HAD THE INTERVIEW BUT WHEN ASKED ABOUT MY SALARY THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT MATCH IT.
THIS WAS A TYPICAL PUT OFF AND AGAIN MY LACK OF EXPERIENCE WAS THE REASON FOR THE REJECTION.
THEN I HEARD ABOUT A NEW SECTION BEING CREATED AT THE FORD CAR DESIGN CENTRE AT AVELY ENGINEERING THIS SECTION WAS "ADVANCED VEHICLE ENGINEERING". I CONTACTED THE NEW MANAGER AND WENT FOR AN INTERVIEW, HE ASKED ME A FEW SIMPLE QUESTIONS AND THEN HAD I BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY SPECIAL PROJECTS . I TOLD HIM ABOUT THE TRIALS CAR THAT I`D BUILT THAT HAD SPECIAL FEATURES SUCH AS JOY STICK STEERING AND HAND CLUTCH AND THROTTLE CONTROLS SO THAT THE FEET WOULD BE FREE TO OPERATE THE FIDDLE BRAKES. HE ACCEPTED ME AND I WAS TRANSFERRED.
AVELY ENGINEERING WAS FULL OF WOULD BE CAR CONSTRUCTORS AND WELL KNOWN PERSONALITIES. IT WAS A PLEASURE TO TALK TO THEM BUT THE WORK THAT I WAS GIVEN WAS NOT REALLY INTERESTING. ALL WE SEEMED TO BE DOING WAS TO FIDDLE AROUND WITH THE VARIATIONS OF ENGINE AND GEARBOX LOCATION WHICH ALREADY HAD BEEN DONE BY OTHERS OVER THE YEARS SINCE THE INVENTION OF THE CAR. ONE COULD QUOTE THE WISE SAYING "THAT THERE IS NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN".
AFTER AROUND 18 MONTHS I BECAME WEARY OF THIS AND AFTER SEEING TEMPORARY WORKERS OBVIOUSLY EARNING A LOT MORE THAN I WAS, SPORTING NICE CLOTHES AND RUNNING FLASH NEW CARS, I DECIDED THAT I WANTED A PIECE OF THE ACTION. I GAVE A MONTHS NOTICE TO FORD AS ALL THIS TEMPORARY WORK USUALLY WAS "START NEXT WEEK" AND THEY WOULD NOT WAIT A MONTH. SO SEARCHED THE ADVERTS IN THE EVENING TELEGRAPH NEWSPAPER AND MADE NUMEROUS APPLICATIONS TO AGENTS THAT HANDLED THIS TYPE OF WORK.AND ON THE LAST FEW DAYS BEFORE I LEFT FORDS HAD AN OFFER TO WORK AS A JUNIOR ENGINEER IN AN ACID MANUFACTURING FACTORY IN STRATFORD EAST LONDON.
I WAS TO AID A SENIOR ENGINEER WHO WAS NEARING RETIREMENT, IN FACT BE HIS LEGS. HE HAD DESIGNED A SYSTEM WHERE SHOULD THE MAINS WATER SUPPLY BE TEMPORALLY CUT OFF A HUGE NEW WATER TANK BUILT QUITE HIGH ON A ROOF WOULD AUTOMATICALLY CUT IN AND FEED BY GRAVITY AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF NEW EQUIPMENT THAT COULD BE DESTROYED BY LACK OF WATER WHEN IN OPERATION. THIS EQUIPMENT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING INSTALLED. ONE DAY I TOOK A PHONE CALL FROM THE INSTALLATION ENGINEERS, THEY WERE IN A PANIC, THE WATER TANK WAS NOT SUPPLYING A SUFFICIENT HEAD OF WATER. THE ENGINEER WAS NOT IN THE OFFICE AND AS I HAD BEEN SHOWN ONCE THE OPERATION OF THE BOOSTER PUMPS FOR THE TANK. I RUSHED OUT TO THE PUMPS AND MANUALLY STARTED ALL THREE THUS SAVING THE DAY. THERE WERE A FEW MINOR LEAKS FROM THE OLD PIPES BUT ALL WENT WELL.
RATHER STRANGELY NOBODY COMMENTED ABOUT MY ACTIONS, NO THANK YOU`S OR WELL DONE COMMENTS. THE ENGINEER HAD NOT SIZED THE DOWNPIPE FROM THE TANK TO GIVE THE FLOW REQUIRED.
THE CONTRACT ENDED AFTER THREE MONTHS BUT THIS WAS ENOUGH TO LEARN THE BASICS AND I NEVER LOOKED BACK.
I WAS TO AID A SENIOR ENGINEER WHO WAS NEARING RETIREMENT, IN FACT BE HIS LEGS. HE HAD DESIGNED A SYSTEM WHERE SHOULD THE MAINS WATER SUPPLY BE TEMPORALLY CUT OFF A HUGE NEW WATER TANK BUILT QUITE HIGH ON A ROOF WOULD AUTOMATICALLY CUT IN AND FEED BY GRAVITY AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF NEW EQUIPMENT THAT COULD BE DESTROYED BY LACK OF WATER WHEN IN OPERATION. THIS EQUIPMENT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING INSTALLED. ONE DAY I TOOK A PHONE CALL FROM THE INSTALLATION ENGINEERS, THEY WERE IN A PANIC, THE WATER TANK WAS NOT SUPPLYING A SUFFICIENT HEAD OF WATER. THE ENGINEER WAS NOT IN THE OFFICE AND AS I HAD BEEN SHOWN ONCE THE OPERATION OF THE BOOSTER PUMPS FOR THE TANK. I RUSHED OUT TO THE PUMPS AND MANUALLY STARTED ALL THREE THUS SAVING THE DAY. THERE WERE A FEW MINOR LEAKS FROM THE OLD PIPES BUT ALL WENT WELL.
RATHER STRANGELY NOBODY COMMENTED ABOUT MY ACTIONS, NO THANK YOU`S OR WELL DONE COMMENTS. THE ENGINEER HAD NOT SIZED THE DOWNPIPE FROM THE TANK TO GIVE THE FLOW REQUIRED.
THE CONTRACT ENDED AFTER THREE MONTHS BUT THIS WAS ENOUGH TO LEARN THE BASICS AND I NEVER LOOKED BACK.
WORKING AS A "CONSULTANT", ALTHOUGH VERY REMUNERATIVE, WAS DEMEANING BECAUSE ONE WAS GENERALLY TREATED BADLY BY THE PERMANENT STAFF WHO RESENTED THAT ONE WAS EARNING FAR MORE THAN THEM. IN MANY CASES THE CONSULTANTS WERE FAR MORE EXPERIENCED THAN THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE.
AGAIN, LUCKILY FOR ME THERE WAS SUDDENLY A HUGE DEMAND FOR PERSONNEL FROM THE CHEMICAL AND OIL AND GAS COMPANIES. THE FIRST YEAR I DOUBLED THE MONEY THAT I HAD MADE AT FORDS AND AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS WAS EARNING MORE THAN THE PRIME MINISTER!
WHAT I HAD DONE WAS TO SPOIL MY CHANCES OF BECOMING A FULL MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTE AS I WAS NOT PERMANENT STAFF. WITH THE COMPANIES THAT I WAS WORKING FOR SO THEY COULDN`T PUT ME FORWARD.
IF I HAD STAYED AT FORDS I WOULD HAVE AUTOMATICALLY BEEN PUT FORWARD FOR ELECTION TO FULL MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTE.
AGAIN, LUCKILY FOR ME THERE WAS SUDDENLY A HUGE DEMAND FOR PERSONNEL FROM THE CHEMICAL AND OIL AND GAS COMPANIES. THE FIRST YEAR I DOUBLED THE MONEY THAT I HAD MADE AT FORDS AND AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS WAS EARNING MORE THAN THE PRIME MINISTER!
WHAT I HAD DONE WAS TO SPOIL MY CHANCES OF BECOMING A FULL MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTE AS I WAS NOT PERMANENT STAFF. WITH THE COMPANIES THAT I WAS WORKING FOR SO THEY COULDN`T PUT ME FORWARD.
IF I HAD STAYED AT FORDS I WOULD HAVE AUTOMATICALLY BEEN PUT FORWARD FOR ELECTION TO FULL MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTE.
MY FURTHER EXPERIENCE AS A FREELANCE ENGINEER
THE UPS AND DOWNS OF THE WORLD ECONOMY SOON TRANSLATE INTO PERIODS OF LACK OF OPPORTUNITIES AS PROJECTS ARE CANCELLED OR GREAT OPPORTUNITIES AS THE WORLD ECONOMY THRIVES.
I WILL CONTINUE THIS HISTORY WITH ANECDOTES FROM THE COUNTRIES AND OFFICES THAT I WORKED IN THAT MERIT A MENTION, LEAVING OUT THE BORING TIMES THAT I WOULD PREFER TO FORGET.
I WILL BE ADDING INFORMATION WHEN I HAVE THE TIME AND WHEN I REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED ALL THOSE YEARS AGO
I WILL CONTINUE THIS HISTORY WITH ANECDOTES FROM THE COUNTRIES AND OFFICES THAT I WORKED IN THAT MERIT A MENTION, LEAVING OUT THE BORING TIMES THAT I WOULD PREFER TO FORGET.
I WILL BE ADDING INFORMATION WHEN I HAVE THE TIME AND WHEN I REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED ALL THOSE YEARS AGO
LONDON UK
I WORKED IN LONDON ON AND OFF FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS ON VARIED PROJECTS ON CHEMICAL PLANT, REFINERIES, PIPELINES, SUBSEA, ATOMIC WASTE TREATMENT AND EARLY OFFSHORE DESIGNS. MOSTLY THESE OFFICES HAD AN OPPRESSIVE WORKING ATMOSPHERE THAT WAS TYPICAL FOR THAT TIME.
AT IMEG I WORKED ON THE "IRANIAN GAS TRUNKLINE" FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AROUND 1968. THE OFFICE WAS LOCATED IN SAVILLE ROW WHERE ALL THE TOP TAILORS HAVE THEIR PREMISES. WE LOOKED OUT ON THE FRONTAGES OF THESE ESTABLISHMENTS AND WERE REWARDED BY OBSERVING A PERSON DRESSED AS A "CITY GENT" ARRIVING DAILY TO START WORK THERE. HOWEVER THIS GENTLEMAN WORE HEAVY MAKE UP AND WAS QUITE A SPECTACLE FOR US AND PASSERS BY AS HE MINCED DOWN THE STREET TWIRLING HIS UMBRELLA. THE BEATLES HAD THEIR OFFICE OPPOSITE US AND IF WORKING OVERTIME, WE OFTEN SAW THEIR WHITE ROLLS ROYCE COMING AND GOING.
I USED TO GO LUCH WITH NORMAN MALTHOUSE THE COMPRESSOR SPECIALIST AND THERE WERE A LOT OF NICE RESTAURANTS AROUND TO CHOOSE FROM. ONE DAY AS WE RETURNED FROM LUNCH, WE HEARD LOUD MUSIC COMING FROM SOMEWHERE AND AS WE APPROACHED SAVILLE ROW WE SAW A CROWD OF PEOPLE GATHERED THAT WERE LOOKING UPWARDS TOWARDS THE ROOF OF THE BUILDING WHERE THE "APPLE" OFFICE WAS LOCATED.
AT OUR OFFICE ENTRANCE THE CARETAKER WAS BUSY KEEPING THE GENERAL PUBLIC FROM ENTERING THE PREMISES. WE WENT UP TO THE ROOF AND WERE AMAZED TO SEE THAT THE BEATLES WERE ON THEIR ROOF PLAYING SOME EXCITING MUSIC. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I HEARD THEIR FAMOUS SONG "DON`T LET ME DOWN". THIS SCENE WAS CAPTURED IN THE BEATLES FILM "LET IT BE" BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE POLICE HAD BEEN CALLED AND WE SAW THEM COME ONTO THE ROOF, TALK TO WHO WAS IN CHARGE AND THE MUSIC STOPPED. THERE WERE PEOPLE ON OTHER ROOFS HANGING FROM CHIMNEY POTS TRYING TO PHOTOGRAPH THIS AMAZING SCENE.
THIS WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE THAT STILL STAYS WITH ME TODAY.
WHILE I WAS WORKING THERE I ATTENDED THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES TO TAKE A COURSE IN THE GERMAN LANGUAGE AS I WANTED TO FIND A CONTRACT THERE AS GERMANY WAS OPENING UP FOR GUEST WORKERS AS THEY WERE EUPHEMISTICALLY CALLED.
AT IMEG I WORKED ON THE "IRANIAN GAS TRUNKLINE" FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AROUND 1968. THE OFFICE WAS LOCATED IN SAVILLE ROW WHERE ALL THE TOP TAILORS HAVE THEIR PREMISES. WE LOOKED OUT ON THE FRONTAGES OF THESE ESTABLISHMENTS AND WERE REWARDED BY OBSERVING A PERSON DRESSED AS A "CITY GENT" ARRIVING DAILY TO START WORK THERE. HOWEVER THIS GENTLEMAN WORE HEAVY MAKE UP AND WAS QUITE A SPECTACLE FOR US AND PASSERS BY AS HE MINCED DOWN THE STREET TWIRLING HIS UMBRELLA. THE BEATLES HAD THEIR OFFICE OPPOSITE US AND IF WORKING OVERTIME, WE OFTEN SAW THEIR WHITE ROLLS ROYCE COMING AND GOING.
I USED TO GO LUCH WITH NORMAN MALTHOUSE THE COMPRESSOR SPECIALIST AND THERE WERE A LOT OF NICE RESTAURANTS AROUND TO CHOOSE FROM. ONE DAY AS WE RETURNED FROM LUNCH, WE HEARD LOUD MUSIC COMING FROM SOMEWHERE AND AS WE APPROACHED SAVILLE ROW WE SAW A CROWD OF PEOPLE GATHERED THAT WERE LOOKING UPWARDS TOWARDS THE ROOF OF THE BUILDING WHERE THE "APPLE" OFFICE WAS LOCATED.
AT OUR OFFICE ENTRANCE THE CARETAKER WAS BUSY KEEPING THE GENERAL PUBLIC FROM ENTERING THE PREMISES. WE WENT UP TO THE ROOF AND WERE AMAZED TO SEE THAT THE BEATLES WERE ON THEIR ROOF PLAYING SOME EXCITING MUSIC. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I HEARD THEIR FAMOUS SONG "DON`T LET ME DOWN". THIS SCENE WAS CAPTURED IN THE BEATLES FILM "LET IT BE" BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE POLICE HAD BEEN CALLED AND WE SAW THEM COME ONTO THE ROOF, TALK TO WHO WAS IN CHARGE AND THE MUSIC STOPPED. THERE WERE PEOPLE ON OTHER ROOFS HANGING FROM CHIMNEY POTS TRYING TO PHOTOGRAPH THIS AMAZING SCENE.
THIS WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE THAT STILL STAYS WITH ME TODAY.
WHILE I WAS WORKING THERE I ATTENDED THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES TO TAKE A COURSE IN THE GERMAN LANGUAGE AS I WANTED TO FIND A CONTRACT THERE AS GERMANY WAS OPENING UP FOR GUEST WORKERS AS THEY WERE EUPHEMISTICALLY CALLED.
MANNHEIM GERMANY 1969
GERMANY WAS A SURPRISE TO ME AS FAR AS CULTURE IS CONCERNED. I STARTED WORKING AT A SATTELITE OFFICE IN MANNHEIM FOR THE FAMOUS COMPANY BASF THAT HAD IT`S HQ A FEW KILOMETRES AWAY IN LUDWIGSHAFEN. THIS MANNHEIM OFFICE WAS THE BASE OF THE HIGH PRESSURE SECTION HD1 (HOCHDRUCK I). AT THIS TIME PLASTICS WERE PRODUCED USING HIGH PRESSURE COMPRESSORS. THE PRESSURE REQUIRED WAS ASTRONOMICAL BUT LOW PRESSURE WAYS WERE HOVERING ON THE HORIZON. THE CHIEF OF THE TEAM WAS PROFESSOR LEHMAN WHO WAS HARDLY EVER SEEN AND THE TEAM LEADER THAT I REMEMBER WAS WAS Dr. BERGHURT. I`VE FORGOTTEN THE NAME OFTHE DIPLOMA ENGINEER. THERE WERE SEVERAL ENGLISH ENGINEERS THAT CAME FROM AROUND LIVERPOOL WORKING THERE AS WELL.
THE GERMANS LIKED YOU TO SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE AND I HAD BECOME REASONABLY PROFICIENT IN IT THANKS TO HELGA MY INSTRUCTRICE AT THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES.
IN 1969 THINGS WERE MUCH DIFFERENT THERE THAN IT IS TODAY, THE EXCHANGE RATE WAS AROUND 12 D MARKS TO THE POUND THERE WERE QUITE A FEW OLDER GERMANS WORKING IN THE OFFICE WHO HAD BEEN PRISONERS OF THE RUSSIANS AFTER THE WAR AND THE REST OF THE WORKERS WERE FROM TURKEY AND SOME GERMAN FREELANCERS..THE OFFICE LAYOUT WAS GOOD WITH EVERYBODY HAVING THEIR OWN NEW DESK AND DRAWING BOARD TOGETHER WITH A STANDARD TOWEL,DRINKING GLASS AND THERE WAS A PHONE ON A SWIVEL THAT WAS SHARED BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE AT ADJACENT DESKS.
MOST OF THE GERMANS WERE VERY FRIENDLY, IT MADE A WELCOME CHANGE FROM THE UK. I APPRECIATED HOW WELL THE GERMANS TREATED THEIR STAFF AT BASF, THE GUY IN THE PRINT ROOM HAD LOST AN ARM AND A LEG BUT THANKS TO THE MACHINES HE HAD AT HIS DISPOSAL HE COULD WORK NORMALLY. THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE MISSING LIMBS AROUND IN GERMANY AT THAT TIME.
IN THE AFTERNOON THE OLDER GERMANS BECAME A LITTLE WORSE FOR WEAR ON ALCOHOL WHICH KEPT THEM GOING AND OFTEN WHEN YOU CAME BACK TO YOUR DESK, SOMEONE HAD TAKEN OUT YOUR GLASS AND FILLED IT WITH ALCOHOL. THERE WERE BEER VENDING MACHINES IN THE CELLAR.
I WAS OFTEN CALLED INTO THE LEADER`S OFFICE FOR A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE WORK, I VOICED THE OPINION THAT THEY WERE STILL DRAWING IN INK ON TRACING PAPER AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT THE INK COULD BE SCRAPED OFF UP TO FIVE TIMES. TRACING PAPER IS A PROBLEM TO WORK WITH AS IT TEARS EASILY AND EXPANDS AND CONTRACTS DUE TO THE HUMIDITY IN THE OFFICE AND MOST OFFICES IN THE UK USED PLASTIC FILM WHICH DID NOT TEAR AND YOU COULD RUB OUT THE PENCIL LINES EASILY WHEN NECESSARY.
THEY ALLOWED ME TO DRAW IN PENCIL TO SEE THE RESULT BUT I SOON REALIZED THAT MY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE LEADERS WERE JUST TO IMPROVE THEIR ENGLISH, AS I WAS THE ONLY ENGLISH PERSON IN THE OFFICE THAT SOUNDED TO THEM LIKE AN ENGLISHMAN SHOULD.
ONE INCIDENT THAT STICKS IN MY MEMORY, WAS WHEN THEY ASKED ME TO CONVERT METRIC VALUES INTO US VALUES AS THEY WERE HOPING TO SELL THEIR TECHNOLOGY TO THE USA. I DECLINED SAYING THAT I WAS NOT GOOD AT THIS, AS FROM EXPERIENCE, I KNEW IT`S MORE DIFFICULT THAN IT SEEMS. A FEW DAYS LATER PROFESSOR LEHMAN STORMED INTO THE OFFICE AND IN THE CENTRE NOT IN THE LEADERS OFFICE GAVE Dr. BURGHURT A SEVERE DRESSING DOWN. THE HUMBLED DOCTOR CALLED OVER THE DIPLOMA ENGINEER AND GAVE HIM A GOOD VERBAL SPANKING AND THE DEFLATED DIPLOMA BOY CALLED FOR THE PERSON THAT HAD DONE THE CONVERSIONS AND GAVE HIM A SEVERE TALKING TO. THIS POOR GUY WAS ALMOST IN TEARS AND BLURTED OUT "I`M A GOOD TECHNICAL DRAUGHTSMAN, I DID MY BEST". OBVIOUSLY THERE HAD BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE CONVERSIONS AND I WAS VERY GLAD THAT I HAD NOT TAKEN THAT JOB ON.
ONE REMARKABLE EVENT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS THERE, ONE EVENING, WHILE PASSING A TELEVISION SHOP ON THE WAY TO MY HOTEL, I GLANCED THROUGH THE WINDOW AND SUDDENLY STOPPED. ON A LARGE TELEVISION SCREEN, THERE WAS LIVE COVERAGE OF THE LUNAR MODULE LANDING ON THE MOON. THE THOUGHTFUL SHOP OWNER HAD EVEN RIGGED UP A LOUDSPEAKER SO THAT THE SOUND WAS ALSO AVAILABLE.
THERE WERE MANY RESTAURANTS IN MANNHEIM AND THE FOOD WAS GOOD. THE WAITRESSES AND MANY WOMEN IN MANNHEIM WORE THE DIRNDLE, THE LOCAL COLOURFUL NATIONAL DRESS. IN SEPTEMBER THERE WERE WINE FESTIVALS TO BE ENJOYED AND THE ONE THAT I LIKED WAS IN BAD DURCHHEIM A FEW KILOMETERS FROM MANNHEIM THAT IS ON THE WINE ROUTE. A SIGN BOASTED THAT THEY HAD THE LARGEST WINE BARREL IN TH WORLD. HEIDELBERG WAS CLOSE BY AND IT WAS ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO WANDER ROUND THOSE MEDIEVAL STREETS.
SOMETHING THAT I DID NOT LIKE WAS THE DRIVING CULTURE ON THE MOTORWAYS, UNFORTUNATELY THE NATIVES LIKED TO BULLY EACH OTHER BUT IT`S EVEN WORSE NOWADAYS WITH ALL THOSE HIGH POWERED CARS ON THE ROAD. I THINK THAT THE DRIVING CULTURE SHOWS THE REAL CHARACTER OF THE POPULATION OF A COUNTRY. YOU NEVER SEE THE GERMANS DRIVING DRIVING LIKE THAT ON BRITISH MOTORWAYS.
THE GERMANS LIKED YOU TO SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE AND I HAD BECOME REASONABLY PROFICIENT IN IT THANKS TO HELGA MY INSTRUCTRICE AT THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES.
IN 1969 THINGS WERE MUCH DIFFERENT THERE THAN IT IS TODAY, THE EXCHANGE RATE WAS AROUND 12 D MARKS TO THE POUND THERE WERE QUITE A FEW OLDER GERMANS WORKING IN THE OFFICE WHO HAD BEEN PRISONERS OF THE RUSSIANS AFTER THE WAR AND THE REST OF THE WORKERS WERE FROM TURKEY AND SOME GERMAN FREELANCERS..THE OFFICE LAYOUT WAS GOOD WITH EVERYBODY HAVING THEIR OWN NEW DESK AND DRAWING BOARD TOGETHER WITH A STANDARD TOWEL,DRINKING GLASS AND THERE WAS A PHONE ON A SWIVEL THAT WAS SHARED BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE AT ADJACENT DESKS.
MOST OF THE GERMANS WERE VERY FRIENDLY, IT MADE A WELCOME CHANGE FROM THE UK. I APPRECIATED HOW WELL THE GERMANS TREATED THEIR STAFF AT BASF, THE GUY IN THE PRINT ROOM HAD LOST AN ARM AND A LEG BUT THANKS TO THE MACHINES HE HAD AT HIS DISPOSAL HE COULD WORK NORMALLY. THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE MISSING LIMBS AROUND IN GERMANY AT THAT TIME.
IN THE AFTERNOON THE OLDER GERMANS BECAME A LITTLE WORSE FOR WEAR ON ALCOHOL WHICH KEPT THEM GOING AND OFTEN WHEN YOU CAME BACK TO YOUR DESK, SOMEONE HAD TAKEN OUT YOUR GLASS AND FILLED IT WITH ALCOHOL. THERE WERE BEER VENDING MACHINES IN THE CELLAR.
I WAS OFTEN CALLED INTO THE LEADER`S OFFICE FOR A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE WORK, I VOICED THE OPINION THAT THEY WERE STILL DRAWING IN INK ON TRACING PAPER AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT THE INK COULD BE SCRAPED OFF UP TO FIVE TIMES. TRACING PAPER IS A PROBLEM TO WORK WITH AS IT TEARS EASILY AND EXPANDS AND CONTRACTS DUE TO THE HUMIDITY IN THE OFFICE AND MOST OFFICES IN THE UK USED PLASTIC FILM WHICH DID NOT TEAR AND YOU COULD RUB OUT THE PENCIL LINES EASILY WHEN NECESSARY.
THEY ALLOWED ME TO DRAW IN PENCIL TO SEE THE RESULT BUT I SOON REALIZED THAT MY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE LEADERS WERE JUST TO IMPROVE THEIR ENGLISH, AS I WAS THE ONLY ENGLISH PERSON IN THE OFFICE THAT SOUNDED TO THEM LIKE AN ENGLISHMAN SHOULD.
ONE INCIDENT THAT STICKS IN MY MEMORY, WAS WHEN THEY ASKED ME TO CONVERT METRIC VALUES INTO US VALUES AS THEY WERE HOPING TO SELL THEIR TECHNOLOGY TO THE USA. I DECLINED SAYING THAT I WAS NOT GOOD AT THIS, AS FROM EXPERIENCE, I KNEW IT`S MORE DIFFICULT THAN IT SEEMS. A FEW DAYS LATER PROFESSOR LEHMAN STORMED INTO THE OFFICE AND IN THE CENTRE NOT IN THE LEADERS OFFICE GAVE Dr. BURGHURT A SEVERE DRESSING DOWN. THE HUMBLED DOCTOR CALLED OVER THE DIPLOMA ENGINEER AND GAVE HIM A GOOD VERBAL SPANKING AND THE DEFLATED DIPLOMA BOY CALLED FOR THE PERSON THAT HAD DONE THE CONVERSIONS AND GAVE HIM A SEVERE TALKING TO. THIS POOR GUY WAS ALMOST IN TEARS AND BLURTED OUT "I`M A GOOD TECHNICAL DRAUGHTSMAN, I DID MY BEST". OBVIOUSLY THERE HAD BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE CONVERSIONS AND I WAS VERY GLAD THAT I HAD NOT TAKEN THAT JOB ON.
ONE REMARKABLE EVENT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS THERE, ONE EVENING, WHILE PASSING A TELEVISION SHOP ON THE WAY TO MY HOTEL, I GLANCED THROUGH THE WINDOW AND SUDDENLY STOPPED. ON A LARGE TELEVISION SCREEN, THERE WAS LIVE COVERAGE OF THE LUNAR MODULE LANDING ON THE MOON. THE THOUGHTFUL SHOP OWNER HAD EVEN RIGGED UP A LOUDSPEAKER SO THAT THE SOUND WAS ALSO AVAILABLE.
THERE WERE MANY RESTAURANTS IN MANNHEIM AND THE FOOD WAS GOOD. THE WAITRESSES AND MANY WOMEN IN MANNHEIM WORE THE DIRNDLE, THE LOCAL COLOURFUL NATIONAL DRESS. IN SEPTEMBER THERE WERE WINE FESTIVALS TO BE ENJOYED AND THE ONE THAT I LIKED WAS IN BAD DURCHHEIM A FEW KILOMETERS FROM MANNHEIM THAT IS ON THE WINE ROUTE. A SIGN BOASTED THAT THEY HAD THE LARGEST WINE BARREL IN TH WORLD. HEIDELBERG WAS CLOSE BY AND IT WAS ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO WANDER ROUND THOSE MEDIEVAL STREETS.
SOMETHING THAT I DID NOT LIKE WAS THE DRIVING CULTURE ON THE MOTORWAYS, UNFORTUNATELY THE NATIVES LIKED TO BULLY EACH OTHER BUT IT`S EVEN WORSE NOWADAYS WITH ALL THOSE HIGH POWERED CARS ON THE ROAD. I THINK THAT THE DRIVING CULTURE SHOWS THE REAL CHARACTER OF THE POPULATION OF A COUNTRY. YOU NEVER SEE THE GERMANS DRIVING DRIVING LIKE THAT ON BRITISH MOTORWAYS.
BRUSSELS BELGIUM 1971
THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN BRUSSELS BELGIUM WAS OFFERED TO ME AND I JUMPED AT IT, YET ANOTHER COUNTRY IN WHICH TO EXPERIENCE AND SAVOUR THE LOCAL CULTURE. THE AGENT WAS THE WELL KNOWN JACK ZELCER A SWISS NATIONAL. HE PICKED ME UP IN HIS NEW MACH1 FORD AND WE AND THE CAR FLEW IN A CONVERTED BRISTOL FREIGHTER FROM THE UK TO FRANCE AND THEN DROVE ON TO BRUSSELS. JUST BEFORE THE FRONTIER, JACK STOPPED THE CAR AND CHANGED THE NUMBER PLATES, I KNEW BETTER THAN TO ASK HIM WHY.
THE JOB WAS TO BE A PART OF A TEAM OF MOSTLY BRITISH ENGINEERS ENGAGED IN DESIGNING A LOW PRESSURE PLANT TO THE SOLVAY PATENT, TO PRODUCE PLASTIC FROM ETHYLINE GAS, A BY PRODUCT OF OIL DISTILLATION.
THE CITROEN AK 600 VAN WAS IN PRODUCTION I BRUSSELS AND I DECIDED TO BUY ONE TAX FREE AS BELGIUM HAD THE CHEAPEST TAX FREE PRICES AT THAT TIME. I RENTED A FLAT IN A HOUSE ON THE AVENUE MICHEL ANGE JUST NEXT TO THE NEW EU HEADQUARTERS BUILDING.
I STAYED IN BELGIUM FOR TWO YEARS EXPERIENCING BOTH GOOD AND BAD TIMES. THE GOOD TIMES WERE MANY INCLUDING THE WONDERUL FOOD WE HAD AT THE COMPANY CANTEEN THAT WAS A LOT BETTER THAN MANY LOCAL RESTAURANTS, YOU HAD TO BUY TOKENS AND THERE WAS ONLY ONE FIXED MENU AVAILABLE THAT CHANGED EACH DAY. ONE DAY THE MAIN COURSE LOOKED LIKE A DEAD SPARROW ON THE PLATE SO I GAVE IT TO ONE OF THE BELGIANS. THE BEER WAS VERY GOOD AND I GOT A TASTE FOR LAMBIC GEUZE THAT IS A BELGIAN SPECIALITY CHERRY FLAVOURED BEER. ALSO TRIPPLE TRAPPISTE SERVED IN A SPECIAL LARGE SHALLOW GLASS. THERE WERE MANY PUBS AND MANY BRITS TO FREQUENT THEM.
WHEN IN SEASON MUSSELS WERE CONSUMED IN LARGE QUANTITIES AND THE SHELLS WERE PUT INTO LARGE ALUMINIUM CONTAINERS ON THE TABLES LOOKING RATHER SURREAL. THERE WERE FLEA MARKETS THE MUSEE DU CINEMA WHERE RETROSPECTIVE SHOWS OF FAMOUS DIRECTORS FILMS WERE SHOWN, THE OPERA HOUSE ETC. HOWEVER WHEN WALKING ALONG THE PAVEMENTS GREAT CARE WAS NEEDED TO AVOID THE DOG DROPPINGS THAT THE OWNERS LET THEIR PETS DEPOSIT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PAVEMENT!
THE JOB WAS TO BE A PART OF A TEAM OF MOSTLY BRITISH ENGINEERS ENGAGED IN DESIGNING A LOW PRESSURE PLANT TO THE SOLVAY PATENT, TO PRODUCE PLASTIC FROM ETHYLINE GAS, A BY PRODUCT OF OIL DISTILLATION.
THE CITROEN AK 600 VAN WAS IN PRODUCTION I BRUSSELS AND I DECIDED TO BUY ONE TAX FREE AS BELGIUM HAD THE CHEAPEST TAX FREE PRICES AT THAT TIME. I RENTED A FLAT IN A HOUSE ON THE AVENUE MICHEL ANGE JUST NEXT TO THE NEW EU HEADQUARTERS BUILDING.
I STAYED IN BELGIUM FOR TWO YEARS EXPERIENCING BOTH GOOD AND BAD TIMES. THE GOOD TIMES WERE MANY INCLUDING THE WONDERUL FOOD WE HAD AT THE COMPANY CANTEEN THAT WAS A LOT BETTER THAN MANY LOCAL RESTAURANTS, YOU HAD TO BUY TOKENS AND THERE WAS ONLY ONE FIXED MENU AVAILABLE THAT CHANGED EACH DAY. ONE DAY THE MAIN COURSE LOOKED LIKE A DEAD SPARROW ON THE PLATE SO I GAVE IT TO ONE OF THE BELGIANS. THE BEER WAS VERY GOOD AND I GOT A TASTE FOR LAMBIC GEUZE THAT IS A BELGIAN SPECIALITY CHERRY FLAVOURED BEER. ALSO TRIPPLE TRAPPISTE SERVED IN A SPECIAL LARGE SHALLOW GLASS. THERE WERE MANY PUBS AND MANY BRITS TO FREQUENT THEM.
WHEN IN SEASON MUSSELS WERE CONSUMED IN LARGE QUANTITIES AND THE SHELLS WERE PUT INTO LARGE ALUMINIUM CONTAINERS ON THE TABLES LOOKING RATHER SURREAL. THERE WERE FLEA MARKETS THE MUSEE DU CINEMA WHERE RETROSPECTIVE SHOWS OF FAMOUS DIRECTORS FILMS WERE SHOWN, THE OPERA HOUSE ETC. HOWEVER WHEN WALKING ALONG THE PAVEMENTS GREAT CARE WAS NEEDED TO AVOID THE DOG DROPPINGS THAT THE OWNERS LET THEIR PETS DEPOSIT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PAVEMENT!
SLOUGH, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE UK
AS I`VE SAID, SOMETIMES WORK COULD BE DIFFICULT TO FIND, SO THAT TO KEEP EARNING MONEY, AS FREELANCERS DID NOT GET UNEMPLYMENT BENEFIT, ONE HAD TO BE FLEXIBLE TO FIND WORK. IT WOULD NOT PAY THE SAME RATES BUT IT WOULD BE AN INCOME.
I FOUND MYSELF WORKING AT THE MARS FACTORY, THEY WERE EXPANDING THEIR PRODUCT RANGE AND INTRODUCING FUN SIZE MARS, SO THAT A NEW PRODUCTION LINE HAD TO BE DESIGNED AND BUILT.
I FOUND DIGS JUST OPPOSITE WINDSOR CASTLE CONVENIENT FOR DRIVING TO SLOUGH. THE MARS FACTORY WORKED ON A THREE SHIFT SYSTEM SO THAT THE CANTEEN WAS ALWAYS OPEN FOR FOOD, VERY CONVENIENT FOR THOSE WORKING NORMAL HOURS AS FOOD WAS ALWAYS AVAILABLE. ONE WAS ALLOWED TO TAKE SWEETS FROM THE CONVEYORS AND SNACK ON IT AND THERE WAS ALSO A WEEKLY BAG OF SWEETS THAT COULD BE BOUGHT FOR ALMOST NOTHING.
MARS WAS AND PROBABLY STILL IS AN OK PLACE TO WORK BUT IN THE EYES OF AN OUTSIDER SUCH AS MYSELF, SOME OF THEIR ENGINEERING SEEMED A BIT ARCHAIC. THE PECKING ORDER WAS SYMBOLIZED BY THE COLOUR OF THE BOW TIES THAT THE SUPERVISORS WORE. Mr. MARS WAS THE ONLY ONE TO WEAR A GREEN BOW TIE WHEN HE CAME TO VISIT FROM THE USA, AND SUPERVISORS WORE BLACK BOW TIES, I WAS WORKING FOR JIM TRY AN EXCELLENT BOSS AND KEN EINCHCOMBE WHO LATER WENT INTO THE OIL INDUSTRY.
THE FACTORY HAD SHUTDOWNS TWICE A YEAR SO THAT THE CHANGES COULD BE MADE TO THE MACHINERY AND BETWEEN THOSE SHUTDOWNS THE DESIGN AND PROCUREMENT HAD TO BE DONE. THERE WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE TO GET THE DESIGN WORK DONE ON TIME SO THAT A LOT OVERTIME WAS REQUIRED TO BE WORKED.
DURING THE DESIGN OF AN ELEVATED STRUCTURE WITH CONVEYORS IN A TIGHT SITUATION THE DESIGN WAS SPOILED BY THE MARS STANDARD, THAT THE DRIVING MOTORS COULD ONLY BE MOUNTED AT THE END OF THE CONVEYOR. I PONDERED OVER THIS AND ARGUED THAT THE MOTOR COULD BE MOUNTED ANYWHERE ALONG THE CONVEYOR AS LONG AS THE BELT COULD BE KEPT IN TRACK. I MADE A DESIGN THAT ENABLED THIS AND IT BECAME A STANDARD DESIGN. ANOTHER PROBLEM WAS THAT THE GUARDING AROUND THE NEW CONVEYORS WAS GOING TO BE THE STANDARD HEAVY FIBREGLASS AND COMBINED STEEL STRUCTURE THAT LIMITED THE SIGHT OF THE FOOD ON THE CONVEYOR. THESE GUARDS TOOK A LONG TIME TO MAKE AND WERE VERY EXPENSIVE AND WOULD BE THROWN AWAY AT THE NEXT REVISION OF THE CONVEYOR. I DESIGNED A LIGHTWEIGHT STRUCTURE FROM HOLLOW STEEL SECTION AND COVERED THIS WITH FOOD GRADE PLEXIGLASS THAT SAVED MARS A FORTUNE AND IT COULD BE MADE IN HOUSE.
IT WAS GREAT TO WORK AT MARS AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT DURING THE SHUTDOWN, THE CHARGEHAND THAT WAS SUPERVISING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE WORK THAT I HAD DESIGNED BECAME DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH AND WAS HOLDING UP PROGRESS. HE WAS TOLD TO GO ON HOLIDAY AND I WAS LEFT IN PEACE TO SUPERVISE AND HELP MY OWN DESIGNS BEING INSTALLED. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN ON THE NEXT SHUTDOWN BUT AFTER A YEAR THERE IT WAS TIME TO GET BACK TO MY NORMAL WORK AND BETTER PAY.
I FOUND MYSELF WORKING AT THE MARS FACTORY, THEY WERE EXPANDING THEIR PRODUCT RANGE AND INTRODUCING FUN SIZE MARS, SO THAT A NEW PRODUCTION LINE HAD TO BE DESIGNED AND BUILT.
I FOUND DIGS JUST OPPOSITE WINDSOR CASTLE CONVENIENT FOR DRIVING TO SLOUGH. THE MARS FACTORY WORKED ON A THREE SHIFT SYSTEM SO THAT THE CANTEEN WAS ALWAYS OPEN FOR FOOD, VERY CONVENIENT FOR THOSE WORKING NORMAL HOURS AS FOOD WAS ALWAYS AVAILABLE. ONE WAS ALLOWED TO TAKE SWEETS FROM THE CONVEYORS AND SNACK ON IT AND THERE WAS ALSO A WEEKLY BAG OF SWEETS THAT COULD BE BOUGHT FOR ALMOST NOTHING.
MARS WAS AND PROBABLY STILL IS AN OK PLACE TO WORK BUT IN THE EYES OF AN OUTSIDER SUCH AS MYSELF, SOME OF THEIR ENGINEERING SEEMED A BIT ARCHAIC. THE PECKING ORDER WAS SYMBOLIZED BY THE COLOUR OF THE BOW TIES THAT THE SUPERVISORS WORE. Mr. MARS WAS THE ONLY ONE TO WEAR A GREEN BOW TIE WHEN HE CAME TO VISIT FROM THE USA, AND SUPERVISORS WORE BLACK BOW TIES, I WAS WORKING FOR JIM TRY AN EXCELLENT BOSS AND KEN EINCHCOMBE WHO LATER WENT INTO THE OIL INDUSTRY.
THE FACTORY HAD SHUTDOWNS TWICE A YEAR SO THAT THE CHANGES COULD BE MADE TO THE MACHINERY AND BETWEEN THOSE SHUTDOWNS THE DESIGN AND PROCUREMENT HAD TO BE DONE. THERE WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE TO GET THE DESIGN WORK DONE ON TIME SO THAT A LOT OVERTIME WAS REQUIRED TO BE WORKED.
DURING THE DESIGN OF AN ELEVATED STRUCTURE WITH CONVEYORS IN A TIGHT SITUATION THE DESIGN WAS SPOILED BY THE MARS STANDARD, THAT THE DRIVING MOTORS COULD ONLY BE MOUNTED AT THE END OF THE CONVEYOR. I PONDERED OVER THIS AND ARGUED THAT THE MOTOR COULD BE MOUNTED ANYWHERE ALONG THE CONVEYOR AS LONG AS THE BELT COULD BE KEPT IN TRACK. I MADE A DESIGN THAT ENABLED THIS AND IT BECAME A STANDARD DESIGN. ANOTHER PROBLEM WAS THAT THE GUARDING AROUND THE NEW CONVEYORS WAS GOING TO BE THE STANDARD HEAVY FIBREGLASS AND COMBINED STEEL STRUCTURE THAT LIMITED THE SIGHT OF THE FOOD ON THE CONVEYOR. THESE GUARDS TOOK A LONG TIME TO MAKE AND WERE VERY EXPENSIVE AND WOULD BE THROWN AWAY AT THE NEXT REVISION OF THE CONVEYOR. I DESIGNED A LIGHTWEIGHT STRUCTURE FROM HOLLOW STEEL SECTION AND COVERED THIS WITH FOOD GRADE PLEXIGLASS THAT SAVED MARS A FORTUNE AND IT COULD BE MADE IN HOUSE.
IT WAS GREAT TO WORK AT MARS AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT DURING THE SHUTDOWN, THE CHARGEHAND THAT WAS SUPERVISING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE WORK THAT I HAD DESIGNED BECAME DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH AND WAS HOLDING UP PROGRESS. HE WAS TOLD TO GO ON HOLIDAY AND I WAS LEFT IN PEACE TO SUPERVISE AND HELP MY OWN DESIGNS BEING INSTALLED. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN ON THE NEXT SHUTDOWN BUT AFTER A YEAR THERE IT WAS TIME TO GET BACK TO MY NORMAL WORK AND BETTER PAY.
AKJOUST MAURETANIA 1973
AFTER MY DIVORCE, I HAD NO PLACE OF FIXED RESIDENCE SO NEEDED TO RUSTLE UP SOME CASH TO PUT DOWN AS A DEPOSIT ON A HOUSE. AN OFFER CAME UP TO WORK AS A SITE ENGINEER AT A COPPER MINE IN THE SAHARA DESERT IN MAURETANIA WEST AFRICA. THE REMUNERATION WAS GOOD, ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD WERE PROVIDED FREE AND BEING STUCK IN THE DESERT WOULD LIMIT THE POSSIBILITY OF SPENDING MY EARNINGS. THERE WAS A TWO WEEK BREAK BACK IN THE UK EVERY THREE MONTHS.
I HAD TO FLY FROM LONDON TO PARIS AND STAY THERE OVERNIGHT WHILE A VISA WAS ISSUED BY THE MAURETANIAN EMBASSY. STAYED IN A NICE HOTEL AND MADE THE MOST OF MY EVENING IN PARIS. THE NEXT MORNING IT WAS A BUS RIDE TO ORLY AIRPORT WHERE I WAS TO TAKE A PLANE TO NOUAKSHOTT THE CAPITAL OF MAURETANIA. THIS WAS MY FIRST FLIGHT IN A DC9, AN EARLY ONE THAT HAD THE FLAWED LUGGAGE DOOR LOCK SYSTEM THAT CONTRIBUTED TO TWO FATAL CRASHES BEFORE THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. IT WAS A GOOD FLIGHT AND THERE WAS ROOM IN THIS WDE BODY JET TO STAND AT THE REAR OF THE CABIN WITH A DRINK WHILE CHATTING TO THE HOSTESSES. WE LANDED AT NOUHADIBOU A LONELY SINGLE AIRSTRIP IN THE SPANISH SAHARA WHERE I HAD TO CHANGE AIRCRAFT. I DESCENDED FROM THIS LUXURY AIRCRAFT INTO WHAT SEEMED TO BE A MEDIEVAL SCENE FROM A FILM!
I WALKED TO A SMALL CONCRETE BUILDING THAT WAS THE TERMINAL AND UPON ENTERING WAS SURROUNDED BY ARABIC LOOKING FOLK IN THEIR ROBES STARING AT ME. IT SEEMED THAT I WAS THE ONLY EUROPEAN IN THE TERMINAL. I WANDERED AROUND LOOKING FOR THE DEPARTURE BOARD BUT THERE WASN`T ONE. I WAS RATHER INTIMIDATED BY THIS SITUATION AND SUDDENLY HEARD MY NAME CALLED OVER THE LOUDSPEAKER AND WENT TO A DESK MANNED BY A FRENCHMAN. HE HANDED ME MY PASSPORT AND MONEY THAT I HAD UNKNOWINGLY DROPPED IN THE BUILDING. IT WAS CHAOS AND LOOKING OUT ON TO THE TARMAC I SAW A DC4 AIRCRAFT STANDING THERE. THIS WAS A DELAPIDATED DAKOTA FITTED WITH FOUR ENGINES. I WAS ABLE TO WALK OUT TO THIS AIRCRAFT AND BOARDED IT. THERE WAS SOMEONE ASLEEP IN THE FRONT SEAT THAT TURNED OUT TO BE THE FRENCH PILOT, HE TOLD ME TO GO BACK INTO THE TERMINAL AND WAIT FOR THE FLIGHT TO BE CALLED.
WE FLEW ABOVE THE SPARSELY INHABITTED COASTLINE PASSING OVER A DC4 THAT HAD CRASH LANDED IN THE SEA ,AND I COULD SEE OIL LEAKING FROM ONE OF OUR ENGINES, UNTIL WE LANDED AT NOUAKSHOTT AIRPORT WHERE I DISCOVERED THAT MY CASE WAS MISSING. I WAS MET BY THE DRIVER THAT WAS TO TAKE ME TO THE MINE, THIS WAS ABOUT TWO HOURS DRIVE INTO THE SAHARA ALONG A WELL METALLED ROAD. MY ACCOMMODATION WAS IN AN AIRCONDITIONED PORTACABIN THAT HAD A ROOM AT EACH END AND A SHARED BATHROOM IN THE MIDDLE. AFTER I HAD RETIRED TO BED I WAS SUDDENLY AWAKENED BY SOMETHING ON MY BARE CHEST, REMEMBERING THAT POISONOUS INSECTS WERE AROUND, I CAREFULLY REACHED OUT AND SWITCHED ON THE LAMP TO DISCOVER THAT THERE WERE THREE GIANT COCKROACHES LOUNGING AROUND ON MY CHEST.
THE NEXT MORNING I HAD TO WEAR MY YESTERDAY CLOTHES AGAIN AS I HAD NO CHANGES AVAILABLE UNTIL MY CASE WAS FOUND. MY BOSS WAS A RHODESIAN CALLED GERRY, DURING MY FIRST CONVERSATION WITH HIM, I WAS FASCINATED BY HIS REACTION TO A FLY THAT WAS RAMBLING AROUND ON HIS FACE. THIS FLY WAS ON HIS LIP WHILE HE WAS TALKING BUT GERRY JUST IGNORED IT. HE WAS AMBITIOUS AND DREAMED UP ALL KINDS OF IDEAS TO IMPROVE THE EFFECIENCY OF THE RUNNING OF THE MINE. HE WOULD TELL ME WHAT HE WANTED WITH A LITTLE SKETCH, THEN IT WAS UP TO ME TO TURN THIS IDEA INTO REALITY.
ALTHOUGH SOMIMA WAS A MAURITANIAN COMPANY IT WAS RUN BY THE FRENCH AND THERE WAS A CONNECTION TO A LARGE MINING CONGLOMERATE CALLED ANGLO AMERICAN. MOST OF THE EMPLOYEES WERE FRENCH BUT THE MANAGER WAS ENGLISH HIS SUBORDINATE WAS DUTCH.
IT WAS A SMALL COMMUNITY SO EVERYBODY KNEW EVERYBODY ELSE, THERE WAS A LOT OF INTRIGUE GOING ON INCLUDING THE USUAL FRENCH MARITIAL PECCADILLOS.
I HAD TO FLY FROM LONDON TO PARIS AND STAY THERE OVERNIGHT WHILE A VISA WAS ISSUED BY THE MAURETANIAN EMBASSY. STAYED IN A NICE HOTEL AND MADE THE MOST OF MY EVENING IN PARIS. THE NEXT MORNING IT WAS A BUS RIDE TO ORLY AIRPORT WHERE I WAS TO TAKE A PLANE TO NOUAKSHOTT THE CAPITAL OF MAURETANIA. THIS WAS MY FIRST FLIGHT IN A DC9, AN EARLY ONE THAT HAD THE FLAWED LUGGAGE DOOR LOCK SYSTEM THAT CONTRIBUTED TO TWO FATAL CRASHES BEFORE THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. IT WAS A GOOD FLIGHT AND THERE WAS ROOM IN THIS WDE BODY JET TO STAND AT THE REAR OF THE CABIN WITH A DRINK WHILE CHATTING TO THE HOSTESSES. WE LANDED AT NOUHADIBOU A LONELY SINGLE AIRSTRIP IN THE SPANISH SAHARA WHERE I HAD TO CHANGE AIRCRAFT. I DESCENDED FROM THIS LUXURY AIRCRAFT INTO WHAT SEEMED TO BE A MEDIEVAL SCENE FROM A FILM!
I WALKED TO A SMALL CONCRETE BUILDING THAT WAS THE TERMINAL AND UPON ENTERING WAS SURROUNDED BY ARABIC LOOKING FOLK IN THEIR ROBES STARING AT ME. IT SEEMED THAT I WAS THE ONLY EUROPEAN IN THE TERMINAL. I WANDERED AROUND LOOKING FOR THE DEPARTURE BOARD BUT THERE WASN`T ONE. I WAS RATHER INTIMIDATED BY THIS SITUATION AND SUDDENLY HEARD MY NAME CALLED OVER THE LOUDSPEAKER AND WENT TO A DESK MANNED BY A FRENCHMAN. HE HANDED ME MY PASSPORT AND MONEY THAT I HAD UNKNOWINGLY DROPPED IN THE BUILDING. IT WAS CHAOS AND LOOKING OUT ON TO THE TARMAC I SAW A DC4 AIRCRAFT STANDING THERE. THIS WAS A DELAPIDATED DAKOTA FITTED WITH FOUR ENGINES. I WAS ABLE TO WALK OUT TO THIS AIRCRAFT AND BOARDED IT. THERE WAS SOMEONE ASLEEP IN THE FRONT SEAT THAT TURNED OUT TO BE THE FRENCH PILOT, HE TOLD ME TO GO BACK INTO THE TERMINAL AND WAIT FOR THE FLIGHT TO BE CALLED.
WE FLEW ABOVE THE SPARSELY INHABITTED COASTLINE PASSING OVER A DC4 THAT HAD CRASH LANDED IN THE SEA ,AND I COULD SEE OIL LEAKING FROM ONE OF OUR ENGINES, UNTIL WE LANDED AT NOUAKSHOTT AIRPORT WHERE I DISCOVERED THAT MY CASE WAS MISSING. I WAS MET BY THE DRIVER THAT WAS TO TAKE ME TO THE MINE, THIS WAS ABOUT TWO HOURS DRIVE INTO THE SAHARA ALONG A WELL METALLED ROAD. MY ACCOMMODATION WAS IN AN AIRCONDITIONED PORTACABIN THAT HAD A ROOM AT EACH END AND A SHARED BATHROOM IN THE MIDDLE. AFTER I HAD RETIRED TO BED I WAS SUDDENLY AWAKENED BY SOMETHING ON MY BARE CHEST, REMEMBERING THAT POISONOUS INSECTS WERE AROUND, I CAREFULLY REACHED OUT AND SWITCHED ON THE LAMP TO DISCOVER THAT THERE WERE THREE GIANT COCKROACHES LOUNGING AROUND ON MY CHEST.
THE NEXT MORNING I HAD TO WEAR MY YESTERDAY CLOTHES AGAIN AS I HAD NO CHANGES AVAILABLE UNTIL MY CASE WAS FOUND. MY BOSS WAS A RHODESIAN CALLED GERRY, DURING MY FIRST CONVERSATION WITH HIM, I WAS FASCINATED BY HIS REACTION TO A FLY THAT WAS RAMBLING AROUND ON HIS FACE. THIS FLY WAS ON HIS LIP WHILE HE WAS TALKING BUT GERRY JUST IGNORED IT. HE WAS AMBITIOUS AND DREAMED UP ALL KINDS OF IDEAS TO IMPROVE THE EFFECIENCY OF THE RUNNING OF THE MINE. HE WOULD TELL ME WHAT HE WANTED WITH A LITTLE SKETCH, THEN IT WAS UP TO ME TO TURN THIS IDEA INTO REALITY.
ALTHOUGH SOMIMA WAS A MAURITANIAN COMPANY IT WAS RUN BY THE FRENCH AND THERE WAS A CONNECTION TO A LARGE MINING CONGLOMERATE CALLED ANGLO AMERICAN. MOST OF THE EMPLOYEES WERE FRENCH BUT THE MANAGER WAS ENGLISH HIS SUBORDINATE WAS DUTCH.
IT WAS A SMALL COMMUNITY SO EVERYBODY KNEW EVERYBODY ELSE, THERE WAS A LOT OF INTRIGUE GOING ON INCLUDING THE USUAL FRENCH MARITIAL PECCADILLOS.
THE ECLIPSE JUNE 6 1973
ONE VERY INTERESTING OCCURENCE WAS THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN ON JUNE 6 1973. THE SMALL MINING TOWN AKJOUST, WHERE WE WERE LIVING, WAS THE BEST VIEWING POINT FOR THIS ECLIPSE IN THE WHOLE WORLD AND IT BECAME CRAMMED WITH SCIENTISTS FROM MANY COUNTRIES. THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH FACILITIES FOR THEM ALL AND MOST HAD TO SLEEP ON THE FLOOR AT THE LOCAL SCHOOL. WE USED TO TALK TO THE SCIENTISTS AND THEY EXPLAINED WHY THEY WERE THERE. THE WORLD WAS RUNNING OUT OF FRESH WATER AND A SOURCE OF ENERGY HAD TO BE FOUND THAT COULD BE USED TO CONVERT SEA WATER TO DRINKING WATER. SO BY EXAMINING THE CORONA OF THE SUN DURING TOTALITY WHICH WAS SIX MINUTES, THEY HOPED TO FIND THE WAY TO CREATE FUSION, THE UNLIMITED FREE FUEL OF THE FUTURE.
THE ACTUAL ECLIPSE WAS FASCINATING, AS WE WATCHED THROUGH SPECIALPLASTIC FILM TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO OUR EYESIGHT, THE MOON GRADUALLY COVERED THE SUN UNTIL IT BECAME DARK AND ALL THE ANIMALS LAID DOWN AND THE BIRDS WENT BACK TO THEIR NESTS. THEN AFTER SIX MINUTES, LIGHT STARTED TO EMERGE FROM THE SUN AS THE MOON GRADUALLY MOVED AWAY FROM IT. THE ANIMALS AND BIRDS STARTED TO WAKE UP AGAIN, IT WAS REALLY AMUSING TO WATCH THEM SHAKING THEIR HEADS THINKING IT WAS MORNING AGAIN.
AFTER 49 YEARS THEY STILL HAVENT DISCOVERED HOW TO CREATE FUSION BUT HAVE FOUND CHEAPER WAYS TO TURN SEA WATER INTO DRINKING WATER. SADLY THERE ARE MILLIONS OF PEAOPLE IN THE WORLD THAT STILL DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO FRESH CLEAN DRINKING WATER.
ONE VERY INTERESTING OCCURENCE WAS THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN ON JUNE 6 1973. THE SMALL MINING TOWN AKJOUST, WHERE WE WERE LIVING, WAS THE BEST VIEWING POINT FOR THIS ECLIPSE IN THE WHOLE WORLD AND IT BECAME CRAMMED WITH SCIENTISTS FROM MANY COUNTRIES. THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH FACILITIES FOR THEM ALL AND MOST HAD TO SLEEP ON THE FLOOR AT THE LOCAL SCHOOL. WE USED TO TALK TO THE SCIENTISTS AND THEY EXPLAINED WHY THEY WERE THERE. THE WORLD WAS RUNNING OUT OF FRESH WATER AND A SOURCE OF ENERGY HAD TO BE FOUND THAT COULD BE USED TO CONVERT SEA WATER TO DRINKING WATER. SO BY EXAMINING THE CORONA OF THE SUN DURING TOTALITY WHICH WAS SIX MINUTES, THEY HOPED TO FIND THE WAY TO CREATE FUSION, THE UNLIMITED FREE FUEL OF THE FUTURE.
THE ACTUAL ECLIPSE WAS FASCINATING, AS WE WATCHED THROUGH SPECIALPLASTIC FILM TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO OUR EYESIGHT, THE MOON GRADUALLY COVERED THE SUN UNTIL IT BECAME DARK AND ALL THE ANIMALS LAID DOWN AND THE BIRDS WENT BACK TO THEIR NESTS. THEN AFTER SIX MINUTES, LIGHT STARTED TO EMERGE FROM THE SUN AS THE MOON GRADUALLY MOVED AWAY FROM IT. THE ANIMALS AND BIRDS STARTED TO WAKE UP AGAIN, IT WAS REALLY AMUSING TO WATCH THEM SHAKING THEIR HEADS THINKING IT WAS MORNING AGAIN.
AFTER 49 YEARS THEY STILL HAVENT DISCOVERED HOW TO CREATE FUSION BUT HAVE FOUND CHEAPER WAYS TO TURN SEA WATER INTO DRINKING WATER. SADLY THERE ARE MILLIONS OF PEAOPLE IN THE WORLD THAT STILL DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO FRESH CLEAN DRINKING WATER.
CONTINUING
NEW YORK USA 1973
MY FIRST TIME IN AMERICA HAPPENED WHEN I RECEIVED A CALL ASKING IF I WANTED TO WORK IN NEW YORK. THE MONEY WASN`T BRILLIANT BUT IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT I DIDN`T WANT TO MISS. I STARTED IN FEBRUARY AND WAS MET AT THE AIRPORT AND DRIVEN TO THE HOTEL IN BLOOMFIELD NEW JERSEY. ALONG THE ROUTE THE MOTORWAY HAD BEEN BADLY AFFECTED BY A LARGE SNOWFALL AND MANY CARS HAD BEEN ABANDONED BUT WE GOT THROUGH. THE WORKPLACE WAS IN BLOOMFIELD NOT NEW YORK BUT THE BIG APPLE WAS ONLY A SHORT BUS RIDE AWAY IN ONE OF THOSE NOISY TWO STROKE GM BUSSES.
I SAW A SIGN ADVERTISING GARAGE SERVICES AND THE PUNCH LINE ON IT WAS "WE SMILE"! I HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT BUT SOON LEARNED THAT MANY AMERICANS PLAYED THEIR CARDS VERY CLOSE TO THEIR CHESTS AND TREATED ANY STRANGER AS A POSSIBLE MUGGER. SMILES WERE SHORT ON THE GROUND AND IF YOU SPOKE TO A STRANGER THEY WERE EAGER TO HEAR YOUR LIFE STORY BUT IF YOU ASKED THEM A QUESTION THEY WOULD JUST CLAM UP.
THE COMPANY CE LUMMUS HAD WORK FOR OVER FOUR YEARS IN HAND AND I WAS ASSIGNED TO DESIGN A GIANT VACUUM TOWER LAYOUT FOR A REFINERY, JUST BREAD AND BUTTER BUT THERE WERE OTHER CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME. ALTHOUGH I COULD WALK TO WORK FROM THE RATHER STRANGE HOTEL A CAR IS USUALLY REQUIRED TO GET AROUND IN AMERICA. A WORK COLLEAGUE SOLD ME AN ANCIENT OLDSMOBILE 88 FROM THE 60`S, THIS SEEMED RATHER SLOW AS DROVE AWAY WITH IT BUT I DISCOVERED THAT I WASN`T PUSHING DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR HARD ENOUGH.
THE HOTEL WAS CALLED THE MELODY INN, PROBABLY BUILT IN THE EARLY TWENTIES, THAT HAD BECOME RATHER RUN DOWN AND HAD MOSTLY RETIRED PERSONS LIVING THERE. THERE WERE NO KEYS FOR THE ROOMS SO ANYBODY COULD JUST WALK IN IF THEY FELT LIKE IT BUT I HAD NO PROBLEMS WHILE I WAS THERE. IT WAS REASONABLY PRICED AND CONVENIENT FOR WORK. AND THE MAGIC OF THE BIG APPLE WAS AVAILABLE A SHORT BUS RIDE AWAY.
I HAD ALWAYS BEEN AN OPERA FAN AND HAVING THE LINCOLN CENTRE WITHIN REACH WAS A REAL TREAT AND IT HAD TWO OPERA HOUSES, THE METROPOLITAN AND THE CITY CENTRE OPERA HOUSE. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM THAT I RECALL, WAS THAT THE CHAMPAGNE SERVED DURING THE INTERVALS, WAS IN A GLASS AT THE MET AND A PLASTIC "GLASS" AT THE CITY CENTRE. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WAS GETTING TICKETS FOR THE PERFRMANCES, IF APPLYING AT THE BOX OFFICE THERE WERE VERY FEW TICKETS AVAILABLE, AND ONE OF THE REASONS WAS THAT ALL THE BEST SEATS WERE RENTED OUT ANNUALLY TO LARGE COMPANIES SO THAT THEY WERE NEVER AVAILABLE.
I GOT A TIP OFF THAT IF YOU WAITED OUTSIDE THE OPERA HOUSE PEOPLE WOULD COME AND OFFER FOR SALE TICKETS FOR THAT PERFORMANCE. I DID THIS, AND BOUGHT A TICKET FOR A VERY NICE SEAT CLOSE TO THE STAGE. ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WAS HOVERING AROUND THE MET WAS A CHARACTER THAT LOOKED LIKE THAT CARTOON CHARACTER "Mr. M`GOO" . HE WAS WEARING A LONG BLACK COAT BUT IT WASN`T THAT COLD, HE APPROACHED ME AND ASKED IF I WAS INTERESTED IN GETTING TICKETS AND I ASKED HIM IF HE COULD GET SOME FOR THE WAGNER RING CYCLE PERFORMANCES THAT WERE BEING STAGED AT THE MET FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE BEFORE THE WAR. HE TOLD ME TO COME BACK THE NEXT DAY AND WHEN I MET UP WITH HIM, HE LED ME DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS WHERE IT WAS RELATIVELY PRIVATE, OPENED HIS COAT WHICH, JUST LIKE YOU SEE IN THE FILMS, HAD MYRIADS OF SMALL POCKETS SEWN INTO THE LINING CONTAINING TICKETS. I BOUGHT TICKETS FOR THE FOUR OPERAS THAT COMPRISE THIS SERIES FROM THIS TICKET TOUT OR "SCALPER" AS THEY ARE CALLED IN NEW YORK.
I HAD NEVER BEEN A FOLLOWER OF ANY PARTICULAR OPERA SINGER BUT DO REMEMBER SEEING THE FAMOUS PAVAROTTI SINGING AT THE CITY CENTRE OPERA AND NOTED HIS HIGH NOTES SOUNDED A LITTLE TINNY. AT THAT TIME HE WAS UNKNOWN TO ME. I WAS ABLE TO SEE OPERAS THAT WERE RELATIVELY UNKNOWN SUCH AS "DIE TODT STADT" AND I HAVE A BOX FULL OF LIBRETTOS AND TICKET STUBS OF ALL OF THE MANY OPERAS THAT I WENT TO SEE AT THAT TIME.
I SOMETIMES USED TO DRIVE INTO NEW YORK, USUALLY AT WEEK ENDS, THROUGH THE LINCOLN TUNNEL.THERE WAS A GIGANTIC BILLBOARD ON HIGH GROUND JUST BEFORE THE ENTRANCE, WHERE POSTER ARTISTS USED TO SPEND DAYS ACTUALLY PAINTING THE ADVERTISEMENT DIRECTLY ONTO THE BOARD. ONE OF THE ADVERTS PROCLAIMED " TOYOTA BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE PEOPLE THAT GAVE YOU PEARL HARBOR" THIS WAS WHEN DETROIT WAS FEELING THE THREAT OF JAPANESE CAR SALES AND LATER ON TOYOTA CARS BECAME THE BEST SELLING CARS IN AMERICA. ONCE I PARKED NEAR TO THE LINCOLN CENTRE TO GO TO THE TICKET OFFICE AND AFTER WALKING A FEW PACES TURNED AROUND TO SEE A TOW TRUCK ALREADY PULLING UP IN FRONT OF MY CAR. RAN BACK AND WHEN THE DRIVER SAW ME, HE JUST GOT BACK IN HIS TRUCK AND DROVE AWAY. THERE WERE TOW TRUCKS CONSTANTLY PATROLLING THE STREETS.
I SAW A SIGN ADVERTISING GARAGE SERVICES AND THE PUNCH LINE ON IT WAS "WE SMILE"! I HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT BUT SOON LEARNED THAT MANY AMERICANS PLAYED THEIR CARDS VERY CLOSE TO THEIR CHESTS AND TREATED ANY STRANGER AS A POSSIBLE MUGGER. SMILES WERE SHORT ON THE GROUND AND IF YOU SPOKE TO A STRANGER THEY WERE EAGER TO HEAR YOUR LIFE STORY BUT IF YOU ASKED THEM A QUESTION THEY WOULD JUST CLAM UP.
THE COMPANY CE LUMMUS HAD WORK FOR OVER FOUR YEARS IN HAND AND I WAS ASSIGNED TO DESIGN A GIANT VACUUM TOWER LAYOUT FOR A REFINERY, JUST BREAD AND BUTTER BUT THERE WERE OTHER CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME. ALTHOUGH I COULD WALK TO WORK FROM THE RATHER STRANGE HOTEL A CAR IS USUALLY REQUIRED TO GET AROUND IN AMERICA. A WORK COLLEAGUE SOLD ME AN ANCIENT OLDSMOBILE 88 FROM THE 60`S, THIS SEEMED RATHER SLOW AS DROVE AWAY WITH IT BUT I DISCOVERED THAT I WASN`T PUSHING DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR HARD ENOUGH.
THE HOTEL WAS CALLED THE MELODY INN, PROBABLY BUILT IN THE EARLY TWENTIES, THAT HAD BECOME RATHER RUN DOWN AND HAD MOSTLY RETIRED PERSONS LIVING THERE. THERE WERE NO KEYS FOR THE ROOMS SO ANYBODY COULD JUST WALK IN IF THEY FELT LIKE IT BUT I HAD NO PROBLEMS WHILE I WAS THERE. IT WAS REASONABLY PRICED AND CONVENIENT FOR WORK. AND THE MAGIC OF THE BIG APPLE WAS AVAILABLE A SHORT BUS RIDE AWAY.
I HAD ALWAYS BEEN AN OPERA FAN AND HAVING THE LINCOLN CENTRE WITHIN REACH WAS A REAL TREAT AND IT HAD TWO OPERA HOUSES, THE METROPOLITAN AND THE CITY CENTRE OPERA HOUSE. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM THAT I RECALL, WAS THAT THE CHAMPAGNE SERVED DURING THE INTERVALS, WAS IN A GLASS AT THE MET AND A PLASTIC "GLASS" AT THE CITY CENTRE. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WAS GETTING TICKETS FOR THE PERFRMANCES, IF APPLYING AT THE BOX OFFICE THERE WERE VERY FEW TICKETS AVAILABLE, AND ONE OF THE REASONS WAS THAT ALL THE BEST SEATS WERE RENTED OUT ANNUALLY TO LARGE COMPANIES SO THAT THEY WERE NEVER AVAILABLE.
I GOT A TIP OFF THAT IF YOU WAITED OUTSIDE THE OPERA HOUSE PEOPLE WOULD COME AND OFFER FOR SALE TICKETS FOR THAT PERFORMANCE. I DID THIS, AND BOUGHT A TICKET FOR A VERY NICE SEAT CLOSE TO THE STAGE. ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WAS HOVERING AROUND THE MET WAS A CHARACTER THAT LOOKED LIKE THAT CARTOON CHARACTER "Mr. M`GOO" . HE WAS WEARING A LONG BLACK COAT BUT IT WASN`T THAT COLD, HE APPROACHED ME AND ASKED IF I WAS INTERESTED IN GETTING TICKETS AND I ASKED HIM IF HE COULD GET SOME FOR THE WAGNER RING CYCLE PERFORMANCES THAT WERE BEING STAGED AT THE MET FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE BEFORE THE WAR. HE TOLD ME TO COME BACK THE NEXT DAY AND WHEN I MET UP WITH HIM, HE LED ME DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS WHERE IT WAS RELATIVELY PRIVATE, OPENED HIS COAT WHICH, JUST LIKE YOU SEE IN THE FILMS, HAD MYRIADS OF SMALL POCKETS SEWN INTO THE LINING CONTAINING TICKETS. I BOUGHT TICKETS FOR THE FOUR OPERAS THAT COMPRISE THIS SERIES FROM THIS TICKET TOUT OR "SCALPER" AS THEY ARE CALLED IN NEW YORK.
I HAD NEVER BEEN A FOLLOWER OF ANY PARTICULAR OPERA SINGER BUT DO REMEMBER SEEING THE FAMOUS PAVAROTTI SINGING AT THE CITY CENTRE OPERA AND NOTED HIS HIGH NOTES SOUNDED A LITTLE TINNY. AT THAT TIME HE WAS UNKNOWN TO ME. I WAS ABLE TO SEE OPERAS THAT WERE RELATIVELY UNKNOWN SUCH AS "DIE TODT STADT" AND I HAVE A BOX FULL OF LIBRETTOS AND TICKET STUBS OF ALL OF THE MANY OPERAS THAT I WENT TO SEE AT THAT TIME.
I SOMETIMES USED TO DRIVE INTO NEW YORK, USUALLY AT WEEK ENDS, THROUGH THE LINCOLN TUNNEL.THERE WAS A GIGANTIC BILLBOARD ON HIGH GROUND JUST BEFORE THE ENTRANCE, WHERE POSTER ARTISTS USED TO SPEND DAYS ACTUALLY PAINTING THE ADVERTISEMENT DIRECTLY ONTO THE BOARD. ONE OF THE ADVERTS PROCLAIMED " TOYOTA BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE PEOPLE THAT GAVE YOU PEARL HARBOR" THIS WAS WHEN DETROIT WAS FEELING THE THREAT OF JAPANESE CAR SALES AND LATER ON TOYOTA CARS BECAME THE BEST SELLING CARS IN AMERICA. ONCE I PARKED NEAR TO THE LINCOLN CENTRE TO GO TO THE TICKET OFFICE AND AFTER WALKING A FEW PACES TURNED AROUND TO SEE A TOW TRUCK ALREADY PULLING UP IN FRONT OF MY CAR. RAN BACK AND WHEN THE DRIVER SAW ME, HE JUST GOT BACK IN HIS TRUCK AND DROVE AWAY. THERE WERE TOW TRUCKS CONSTANTLY PATROLLING THE STREETS.
CONTINUING
SALON DE PROVENCE FRANCE 1979
ONE DAY I RECEIVED AN OFFER TO WORK IN PROVENCE AT AN ENGINEERING COMPANY CALLED POLYTRACE. THIS WAS LOCATED IN THE BEAUTIFUL MEDIEVAL TOWN OF SALON DE PROVENCE.
I PHONED THE AGENT AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE "SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES" AND THAT I SHOULD PHONE BILL BROWNING WHO WAS WORKING THERE FOR MORE INFORMATION. I DID SO AND BILL TOLD ME ABOUT THE JOB WHICH WAS THE DESIGN OF A HUGE TWIN GANTRY MILLING MACHINE NEEDED TO MACHINE THE SOLID TITANIUM WINGS FOR THE DASSAULT MIRAGE FIGHTER PLANE. BILL MADE IT SOUND LIKE A TERRIFIC JOB AND THE MONEY WAS EXCEPTIONAL! HE DID NOT MENTION ANY NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF WORKING THERE.
THE MD OF THE COMPANY WAS, SHALL WE SAY. Mr. KING (NOT HIS REAL NAME), HE WAS A GERMAN JEW THAT HAD JOINED THE FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION BEFORE WW2 AND HAD BECOME A FRENCH CITIZEN.
BILL CAME TO THE UK FOR A FEW DAYS AND I FLEW BACK WITH HIM TO MARSEILLES AIRPORT AND WE DROVE BACK TO BILL`S HOUSE LOCATED CLOSE TO SALON WHERE I MET HIS VERY ATTRACTIVE NORWEGIAN PARTNER BENTE.
THE POLYTRACE FACTORY TURNED OUT TO BE AN OLD AIRCRAFT HANGAR AND THE OFFICES WERE A STACK OF PORTACABINS ASSEMBLED INSIDE AT ONE END OF IT. ON THE FIRST DAY, BILL,MYSELF, KING AND A COUPLE OF OTHER EMPLOYEES WENT TO LUNCH AT THEIR NORMAL LUNCHTIME RESTAURANT LE TROTTOIR WHERE OVER A PLEASANT LUNCH, KING QUESTIONED ME ABOUT MY WORK EXPERIENCE AND SEEMED TO BE SATISFIED.
ALL THE MAIN MACHINING OF THE MILLING MACHINE PARTS WERE DONE IN GERMANY, ONLY THE ASSEMBLY WAS DONE IN SALON.
THE OTHER EMPLOYEES IN THE DESIGN OFFICE WERE ALL FRENCH BUT THEY ALL SEEMED TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE AND SOON I WAS TO LEARN WHY.
ONE MORNING WE HEARD A LOUD STAMPING AS SOMEONE WAS ASCENDING THE METAL STAIRS TO THE DESIGN OFFICE. IT TURNED OUT TO BE KING, WHEN HE WAS CALM HE WAS A FORMIDABLE FIGURE BUT NOW HE WAS IN A FURIOUS RAGE, JUMPING UP AND DOWN, ARMS WAVING, SHOUTING AND SWEARING AT THE TOP OF HIS VOICE. EVERYBODY LOOKED AWAY FROM HIS GAZE, BECAUSE IF YOU DIDN`T, HE WOULD FOCUS HIS ANGER ON YOU PERSONALLY.
EVERYBODY WAS TERRIFIED OF HIM THINKING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO GET FIRED, THIS WAS A FREQUENT OCCURANCE.
ON OTHER OCCASIONS WHEN KING JOINED US AT THE RESTAURANT LE TROTTOIR IN TOWN OR WITH HIS MISTRESS AT THE SWIMMING POOL RESTAURANT WHERE WE ATE LUNCH IN THE SUMMER OVERLOOKING THE POOL, WHEN WE ASKED FOR OUR BILLS WERE TOLD THAT KING HAD PAID THEM ALL.
SOCIALLY THERE WERE MANY THINGS TO DO, WE WOULD GO ST. TROPEZ ON THE BEACH, EAT OUT AT THE PIZZERIA IN GRANS OR I WOULD VISIT THE VINEYARDS IN THE REGION, GO TO THE CAR MUSEUM AT ORGON.
I ALSO BECAME INVOLVED WITH THE CAR RALLY "LE ESCARGOT D`OR" ORGANIZED BY THE COMMUNE OF JUAN LE PINS. THIS WAS A HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED OLD CAR RALLY THAT I PARTICIPATED IN 1979, 1980 AND 1981. WE HAD MANY ADVENTURES AND I WILL WRITE ABOUT THESE ON ANOTHER PAGE THAT I`M PREPARING.
THIS TURNED OUT TO BE ONE OF THE BEST TIMES OF MY LIFE BUT I DIDN`T REALIZE IT THEN.
CONTINUING
I PHONED THE AGENT AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE "SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES" AND THAT I SHOULD PHONE BILL BROWNING WHO WAS WORKING THERE FOR MORE INFORMATION. I DID SO AND BILL TOLD ME ABOUT THE JOB WHICH WAS THE DESIGN OF A HUGE TWIN GANTRY MILLING MACHINE NEEDED TO MACHINE THE SOLID TITANIUM WINGS FOR THE DASSAULT MIRAGE FIGHTER PLANE. BILL MADE IT SOUND LIKE A TERRIFIC JOB AND THE MONEY WAS EXCEPTIONAL! HE DID NOT MENTION ANY NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF WORKING THERE.
THE MD OF THE COMPANY WAS, SHALL WE SAY. Mr. KING (NOT HIS REAL NAME), HE WAS A GERMAN JEW THAT HAD JOINED THE FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION BEFORE WW2 AND HAD BECOME A FRENCH CITIZEN.
BILL CAME TO THE UK FOR A FEW DAYS AND I FLEW BACK WITH HIM TO MARSEILLES AIRPORT AND WE DROVE BACK TO BILL`S HOUSE LOCATED CLOSE TO SALON WHERE I MET HIS VERY ATTRACTIVE NORWEGIAN PARTNER BENTE.
THE POLYTRACE FACTORY TURNED OUT TO BE AN OLD AIRCRAFT HANGAR AND THE OFFICES WERE A STACK OF PORTACABINS ASSEMBLED INSIDE AT ONE END OF IT. ON THE FIRST DAY, BILL,MYSELF, KING AND A COUPLE OF OTHER EMPLOYEES WENT TO LUNCH AT THEIR NORMAL LUNCHTIME RESTAURANT LE TROTTOIR WHERE OVER A PLEASANT LUNCH, KING QUESTIONED ME ABOUT MY WORK EXPERIENCE AND SEEMED TO BE SATISFIED.
ALL THE MAIN MACHINING OF THE MILLING MACHINE PARTS WERE DONE IN GERMANY, ONLY THE ASSEMBLY WAS DONE IN SALON.
THE OTHER EMPLOYEES IN THE DESIGN OFFICE WERE ALL FRENCH BUT THEY ALL SEEMED TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE AND SOON I WAS TO LEARN WHY.
ONE MORNING WE HEARD A LOUD STAMPING AS SOMEONE WAS ASCENDING THE METAL STAIRS TO THE DESIGN OFFICE. IT TURNED OUT TO BE KING, WHEN HE WAS CALM HE WAS A FORMIDABLE FIGURE BUT NOW HE WAS IN A FURIOUS RAGE, JUMPING UP AND DOWN, ARMS WAVING, SHOUTING AND SWEARING AT THE TOP OF HIS VOICE. EVERYBODY LOOKED AWAY FROM HIS GAZE, BECAUSE IF YOU DIDN`T, HE WOULD FOCUS HIS ANGER ON YOU PERSONALLY.
EVERYBODY WAS TERRIFIED OF HIM THINKING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO GET FIRED, THIS WAS A FREQUENT OCCURANCE.
ON OTHER OCCASIONS WHEN KING JOINED US AT THE RESTAURANT LE TROTTOIR IN TOWN OR WITH HIS MISTRESS AT THE SWIMMING POOL RESTAURANT WHERE WE ATE LUNCH IN THE SUMMER OVERLOOKING THE POOL, WHEN WE ASKED FOR OUR BILLS WERE TOLD THAT KING HAD PAID THEM ALL.
SOCIALLY THERE WERE MANY THINGS TO DO, WE WOULD GO ST. TROPEZ ON THE BEACH, EAT OUT AT THE PIZZERIA IN GRANS OR I WOULD VISIT THE VINEYARDS IN THE REGION, GO TO THE CAR MUSEUM AT ORGON.
I ALSO BECAME INVOLVED WITH THE CAR RALLY "LE ESCARGOT D`OR" ORGANIZED BY THE COMMUNE OF JUAN LE PINS. THIS WAS A HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED OLD CAR RALLY THAT I PARTICIPATED IN 1979, 1980 AND 1981. WE HAD MANY ADVENTURES AND I WILL WRITE ABOUT THESE ON ANOTHER PAGE THAT I`M PREPARING.
THIS TURNED OUT TO BE ONE OF THE BEST TIMES OF MY LIFE BUT I DIDN`T REALIZE IT THEN.
CONTINUING
NORWAY 1980
THE CRANE COMPANY 1980
BILL BROWNING PHONED ME AND SAID THAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO WORK WHERE HE WAS WORKING IN OSLO. HE HAD OFTEN TOLD ME ABOUT HIS LIFE LIVING IN NORWAY SO I WAS TEMPTED TO GO THERE AND FIND OUT MORE ABOUT IT.
THE JOB WAS WORKING ON THE DESIGN OF A CRANE FOR A DRILLING RIG. THE TEAM WAS HEADED UP BY A JAPANESE ENGINEER CALLED DOI ORIGINALLY FROM THE JAPANESE CRANE COMPANY MATSUI. MOST OF THE DESIGNERS IN THE OFFICE WERE FROM NORTHERN ENGLAND THERE WERE A COUPLE OF NORWEGIANS AND BILL, MYSELF AND DAN EAST THAT HAD WORKED TOGETHER AT POLYTRACE IN FRANCE.
I WAS IN MY ELEMENT, I COULD USE MY STRUCTURAL DESIGN EXPERIENCE TO CALCULTE THE LOADINGS IN THE STRUCTURE. THIS WAS BEFORE COMPUTERS WHEN CALCULATIONS HAD TO BE DONE MANUALLY. ALL THEY DO NOWADAYS IS TO USE A COMPUTER PROGRAM TO DO THIS JOB.
WE WERE WORKING LONG HOURS TO GET THE JOB DONE, THE OFFICES WERE IN CHRISTIAN KROHGS GATE THIS WAS CLOSE TO THE BLUE CROSS UNIT THAT LOOKED AFTER ALCOHOLICS SO THAT IF THE FRONT DOOR WAS LEFT UNLOCKED THERE WOULD BE A MEETING OF THE ALKYS IN RECEPTION.WHERE THEY WOULD GATHER TO KEEP WARM. THE OFFICE HAD TO BE KEPT LOCKED AND AFTER THE PERMANENT STAFF HAD GONE HOME AROUND 15.30, IT WAS A PROBLEM IF WE WANTED TO GO OUT TO GET A SNACK AS THERE WAS ONLY ONE SET OF KEYS. SO DAN GATHERED TOGETHER CARDBOARD TUBES AND STUFF FROM THE STATIONARY CUPBOARD TO CREATE A FISHING ROD SO THAT WHEN SOMEBODY WENT OUT, DAN WOULD LEAN OUT OF THE WINDOW UNREEL THE STRING FROM THE ROD, THE PERSON THAT WENT OUT LOCKED THE FRONT DOOR AND PLACED THE KEYS ON THE HOOK SO THAT THEY COULD BE REELED UP AGAIN.
WHEN THE PERSON RETURNED, THE KEYS WERE ATTACHED TO A PARACHUTE AND DROPPED OUT OF THE WINDOW TO BE GATHERED UP BELOW. THIS WAS SUCCESSFUL, A TYPICAL BRIT SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM.
THE JOB WAS WORKING ON THE DESIGN OF A CRANE FOR A DRILLING RIG. THE TEAM WAS HEADED UP BY A JAPANESE ENGINEER CALLED DOI ORIGINALLY FROM THE JAPANESE CRANE COMPANY MATSUI. MOST OF THE DESIGNERS IN THE OFFICE WERE FROM NORTHERN ENGLAND THERE WERE A COUPLE OF NORWEGIANS AND BILL, MYSELF AND DAN EAST THAT HAD WORKED TOGETHER AT POLYTRACE IN FRANCE.
I WAS IN MY ELEMENT, I COULD USE MY STRUCTURAL DESIGN EXPERIENCE TO CALCULTE THE LOADINGS IN THE STRUCTURE. THIS WAS BEFORE COMPUTERS WHEN CALCULATIONS HAD TO BE DONE MANUALLY. ALL THEY DO NOWADAYS IS TO USE A COMPUTER PROGRAM TO DO THIS JOB.
WE WERE WORKING LONG HOURS TO GET THE JOB DONE, THE OFFICES WERE IN CHRISTIAN KROHGS GATE THIS WAS CLOSE TO THE BLUE CROSS UNIT THAT LOOKED AFTER ALCOHOLICS SO THAT IF THE FRONT DOOR WAS LEFT UNLOCKED THERE WOULD BE A MEETING OF THE ALKYS IN RECEPTION.WHERE THEY WOULD GATHER TO KEEP WARM. THE OFFICE HAD TO BE KEPT LOCKED AND AFTER THE PERMANENT STAFF HAD GONE HOME AROUND 15.30, IT WAS A PROBLEM IF WE WANTED TO GO OUT TO GET A SNACK AS THERE WAS ONLY ONE SET OF KEYS. SO DAN GATHERED TOGETHER CARDBOARD TUBES AND STUFF FROM THE STATIONARY CUPBOARD TO CREATE A FISHING ROD SO THAT WHEN SOMEBODY WENT OUT, DAN WOULD LEAN OUT OF THE WINDOW UNREEL THE STRING FROM THE ROD, THE PERSON THAT WENT OUT LOCKED THE FRONT DOOR AND PLACED THE KEYS ON THE HOOK SO THAT THEY COULD BE REELED UP AGAIN.
WHEN THE PERSON RETURNED, THE KEYS WERE ATTACHED TO A PARACHUTE AND DROPPED OUT OF THE WINDOW TO BE GATHERED UP BELOW. THIS WAS SUCCESSFUL, A TYPICAL BRIT SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM.
CONTINUING
I WORKED FOR MANY YEARS IN NORWAY UNTIL MY RETIREMENT AT 70 YEARS OF AGE. I WAS STILL IN FINE FORM BUT I HAD TO HELP LOOK AFTER MY MOTHER IN THE UK AND WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY IN 2008 AT THE RIPE OLD AGE OF 104, I NO LONGER WANTED TO GO BACK TO THAT KIND OF WORKING LIFE AGAIN.