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Tubes Limited

Hi Barry,
Yes it was, My Brother served his apprenticeship there and my dad was a fitters mate.. if i recall. Finding the old pictures will interest my Brother
he Left TI 26 Years ago
 
Tubes Ltd.

Hi again Merrell68. Regarding photos, I have some that another member of this site sent me regarding the Forge Dept. They are to do with the over-head cranes, and the furnaces etc. If you think they would be any help, just say so and I will send them to you. Thanks for keeping in touch. Barry.
 
hi there bazz,
nice to see you back on the forum ,
because ihaven,t seen you on site for awhile , how is yourself and family
KEEPING FINE I HOPE ,
JUST READ YOUR RESPONSE TO OUR FRIEND OF HIS FAMILY WORKING AT TUBES ,AND SOME OF THE THINGS HE WAS SAYING ,
REGARDING THE NAME MERREL, EDDY AND GRAHAM , I THINK I NOW WHOM THEY ARE , DO YOU RECALL ME ASKING YOU ALONG TIME AGO ON THE FORUM
IF YOU REMEMBER A GUY CALLED BY THE NICK NAME OF YOGI BEAR ,WELL I,M SURE HIS NAME WAS EDDY AS I HAVE PREVIOUSLY STATED ,HIS JOBS VARRIED ALL OVER THE PLACE AND I THIN GRAHAM WAS ON THE ANNEALING ,AT THE BOTTOM OF THE FORGE ,BUT THERE AGAIN THEY COULD HAVE BEEN ON NUMBER TWO FURNACE ,BUT WAS,NT THE BUNCHING DONE THE OTHER SIDE ON CHESTON RD ,
I SHOULD HAVE NOWN THEM BETTER THAN YOU BECAUSE I LIVED AROUND THE CORNER FROM THEM ,I LIVED AT 243 ING EDWARDS RD WHICH WAS ON THE SAME CORNER AS ST MARKS ST ,
STILL IF OUR FRIEND REPLYS AND TELL,S US WHAT WAS THERE JOB
WE CAN SAY YES WE KNOW THEM DO YOU REMEMBER OLD GINGER
WHOM CHECKED IN THE LORRIES ?
WELL BAZZ I WILL SIGN OFF NOW THE OLD DUTCHESS IS CALLING ME
TAKE CARE BAZZ SPEAK TO YOU SOON , ASTONIAN ;;;;
 
Tubes Ltd.

Astonian. Great to hear from you again. I thought you had fell out with me, as I sent you a PM some time ago with a photo, but you never replied. Im just off work at present with a recurring slipped disc problem, but my other half is OK. I hope you and yours are all well ? Regarding our new friend about Tubes, keep watching to see what develops. Catch you later, Barry.
 
Hi Astonian,
I'll give my Brother a ring over the weekend about nick names.. he may have an answer on it..
I must dig out a photo of me and my Sister in law meeting Father Christmas at TI back in the 70's in the offices
 
Hi Merrell
Thanks For Responding To Bazz,s Thread ,
And Bazzs And Myself Looking Forwards To Your Reply
I Myself Will Probaly Know You As We Came From The
Same Neck Of The Woods ,and I Did Know Most Of The
Familys In St Mark Street ,
Which St Marks Was You In The Little One By Leyland
Paints ,which Later Became Decco Cash And Carry
Or The Big St Marks Street
Me And Bazzs Both Worked At Tubes The Same Time
Bazzs Was In The Foremans Office [ Work Controller
And I Was On The Shop Floor ,
Started Labouring At Young Age In The Foundry ,
Team Hand On The Furnances , Slinger ,
Eventually Became No 1 Over Head Crane Driver
At The Gates By The Office ,
I Also Remember When The Lads Got Caught On
The Night Shift Nipping Across To The Hen And Chicks
That Ruinened It For The Afternoon Shift
Old Big Bill And Stan Fisher Kept A Very Close Eye On
If Anybody Stood By The Gates They Would Come
And Check That We Did,nt Nip Across To The Chicks
I Hope You Can Down Load The Info;;
So My Mate Bazz ,can Recall Your Brothers
Thanks For Putting Your Info;; On The Thread
Bazz,s And Myself Look Forewarded To Hearing From You
Best Wishes Astonian ;;;;;
 
tube investments

hi bazz
my dad worked at tube's in rockey lane, aston from around the late 50's untill he retired in the early 80's he was a foreman, as far as i can remeber he worked on the furnices, he,s name was Donald Fell, i don't know wether you would remember, him. mkent1:)
 
Hello mkent1. Sorry for taking so long in replying, I obviously missed your post of 15/5. What a small world. I remember Don Fell very well. I shared the office in the forge with him and the other foremen from 1971-77. He was great. Him and Georgie Bevan always worked together.Is he still about ? ( I hope ) Feel free to correspond any time you like. Its great to hear from someone that knew Don. Cheers, Barry.
 
tubes

hi barry, you did remember my dad then, my sister was telling me about a wall collapsing, at tubes around 1972, one of dads mates was crushed, she said that it really knocked dad for 6, but she couldn't remember who it was, and sadly dad (don) passed away in 1993 after a short illness, its really great to hear from someone that remembers him from tubes, he worked there for most of his working life, many thanks mkent1.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hello again Marg. I have fond memories of your Dad, Don. He was a gem of a man. As I said, I worked in the office for over 6 years, and they where all great guys to work with, but Don was always that polite, kind and helpful. I dont ever recall him losing his temper once, and he was really good at his job. Im sorry to hear that he is no longer with us. I liked Don. Regarding the wall collapse, I too vagually remember that, but I thought it might have occured earlier than ,72. I believe there where a couple of men killed that day. It was over by the effluent plant, if I remember right. Anyway, its been great to talk to you, and as I say, drop me a line anytime you like. Not a bad site at all this is it ? Best wishes, Barry.
 
hi marg , and bazz
first of i would like to say that i worked along side barry and yourfather don , in tubes ,and i would like to offer mybelated condoncenes in the lost of your father don ,
and as highly correctedly when bazz said your father was a gentleman ,
he truly meant it , believe me , and i know from experiences of these two guys , bazz,and don were the gentlemen of tubes whom worked with in the office , - sorry i must include one other person , by the name of stan fisher
whom was the afternnoon forman , he to was a gentleman , he lived by me on the lichfield rd , i,m not just saying that becos he was an neibour .
we had a couple of senior formen whom would not come out of the office
and help sort out a problem ,but your father don was always there if you had a problem he would always come out straight away and put you right
has i have stated there was alot of blokes worked there
but don was the man , believe me
and i feel very please my old friend bazz as praised him , he was a true gentleman and hard working so please beleive bazz ,as worked closely with
don to know him , take care
best wishes for the future marg , astonian ;;;;;;
 
Hi Astonian,
You mentioned St. Marks street: I am not sure if you are old enough, but just in case, do you remember a Sarah Fellows who lived in St Marks street (Richmond Place) in the 1940's?
Thanks
 
tubes

thanks astonian for the kind words about my dad yes even out of work he was always willing to help anyone, did stan fisher work in the foremans offices, aswell as his name seems to ring a bell, many thanks again, we did have an old photo, of mom and dad at a presantation dinner at tubes, my sister is going to have a look to see if she has got it, if she has i will post it on the site as there are quite a few of the workers from tubes on it, marg:)
 
Excuse me butting in Marg, but if you do manage to locate that photo, myself and Astonian will be delighted to see it. Regards, Barry.
 
tubes

hi bazzm your not butting, when i said thank you to astonian i meant thank you to you also but i forgot to put your name on the reply,(sorry), i really hope that me sister can locate the photo, i really do, as it has got a lot of dads fellow workers on it, marg:)
 
Thanks Marg. Got my fingers crossed that your sister finds that photo. I have just come across a card that I was given by my work-mates, when I was getting married in 1974, and it was signed by about 59 people, and of course your Dad was on there as well. As I say, I worked in the same office as him from ,71-,77. Its nice to keep mementos from people I spent so much time with, all those years ago. I will never forget any of them. Best wishes, Barry.
 
tubes limited

mknt1
hi marg
nice to hear from you again ,ihope you are well
your father was faultless he was a true gentleman
and good at his job ,and bazz and myself are sincere when
said that your father was a gentleman, he was always out
the shop floor involved with us getting the orders out
on production .
stan fisher was a forman he was there for many years
long before i got there and he was a good long friend
of your fathers , he to was a very nice guy
it was himwhom gave me the opportunety to learn how to
drive the over head crane and get the crane drivers
licence
his son [colin ] whom did not work there was a friend of mine
we went to the same school [ upper thomas street aston ]
and he married my child hood sweet heart ,
they got married at aston parish church ,
when we left aston iwe moved to lady wood ,
thats when i leart about them getting married
so i dashed down to the church and seen them coming out
of the church and getting there photos taken
i stood back by the gates trying not to been seen by them
but i could not help thinking jenny seen me , she
looked beautiful than ever i ever seen her
still , may be the best man won her ,[ i don,t know ]
yet still i married my dutchess and i would,nt change her
for the world she has a heartof gold ,
i hope you forgive me marg for going off the subject there
but getting back to your question , stan fisher
was a star there , just like your father ,and our true
sincere friend bazz whom was the nicest people you
could meet
like bazz as said we sincerly hope that your sister can
find and dig out the photo of our old cromrads at tubes
so we can share the memories , thanks marg
please keep in touch with us at the forum
have a nice day best wishes astonian ,
 
tubes

hi Astonian & bazzm
we are still looking for the photo, i've had a good search through the photos i have but the only ones i have got of dad in his younger days are when he was in the army the date on the photos are 1945, then there are three others of when we lived in handsworth, dad, my sister and myself i think the one was taken at handsworth park but i was very young then, i really hope that my sister can locate the photo as i am sure it had the names on the back of it, when dad passed away we still had the photo,i'm almost sure that it was in the back of mom and dads wedding album, i will ask my sister next time I talk to her to have another good look, by the way i am still trying to find out when that wall collapsed at tubes, i'm almost certain that one of dads best mates was killed,anyway speak to you both soon marg:)
 
Only just come across this thread but I thought I would mention that my dad Ron Timmins worked at Tubes in the early 60's as did one of my uncles Ron or Kieth Hough ,not sure which one, and their dad (my grandfather) who's name I cant remember at the moment due to the fact that I was fairley young when a piece of white hot metal shot up out of a machine and went through his neck killing him instantly.
After the incident' my dad designed a safety cage for the said machine which Tubes adopted and paid my dad a small sum annually up untill the late 70's when new machines were installed. My dad also left Tubes soon after my grandfathers death and went to work at Ansells,
 
Chocks2. Thankx for posting on the Tubes Ltd thread. As you will have noticed by now, there are one or two of us here that also worked at Tubes Ltd. A good mate of mine here is ASTONIAN. We both worked in the Forge Dept in the 70s. Maybe he recalls the names you mention, as he was on the shop floor, while I worked in the shop floor office, so didnt see so many people as him. Best wishes, Barry.
 
Hi Bazz. My Dad had long gone from tubes by the 70's but one of my uncles may still have been there then. I have to admire you guys working in an environment like that. I can remember what my dad looked like every night and how tired he was at the end of each shift. I could never have done it. I took the easy option and became a Naval Fire Fighter working on Aircraft Carriers.It was known to be the most dangerous working environment in the world but I wouldn't have swapped it for your job for anything. Too much like hard work for my way of thinking. Well done one and all.
 
hi chock2
just picked up your thread chock about your family
and your dad ron i distictly remembererd your dad ron, very vividly
like a lot of other guys i remember ,
as my long friend bazz as said bazz knew alot of the gangs that worked
on the shop floor even thou he was mainly in the office and chasng orders
and dealing with paper work but he may not be able to recall there
names like me and thats because i worked along side these guys daily on
there shifts if you knew the place inside you would relize just how big
a place it was i was the over head crane driver no 1 driver we had 4 over
head crane drivers i was the one overing over the furnaces and the
machines and beleive me it was hot and very dangerous work
the space betwen these furnaces was really confines
and there lives depended on me being bang on with the lifting and not to
let this slinging bounce aound so it would not fall on them or smash into
the furnaces many times i had to come down from above
to check that they had the right sling on for the tonage that i had to
hoist from them theywas surrounded by red hot moulten metal they
was given salt tablets daily and a pintof milk each one inthe crews
there was five machines [ furnaces ] all cramped together
with in six feet of each other each spitting out hot white metal
they were virtualy on each other feet and rubbing there backs together
six crews trying to work these machines i think ron was on the main one
slapp bang in the middle of all the furnaces also ron was the number
one team and number one main operater the gathers always went to
him to sort things out i used to speak to him daily
and i know that bazz also used to speak with him but unfortunately
its been many years down the line since bazz and myself worked there
but with out you thinking that i am blowing my own trumpet
i am fortuneate that i do have a good memory where upon some people
do not any think i have ever spoke about on the forum
is purely from memory i do not have any books to reflect on for info;;
or record books like alot of our other members do to swott the info ;
and as my long friend bazz as said he worked the office floor
but he did come out and mix with the lads but i worked on he shop
floor amongest the lads i started there as a young lad
as a labourer , then i trained u for the promotion of a slinger for more
pay then i was given the opportunetity to lean along side a
over head crane driver for six weeks then the health and saftey
people came to test drive me for the company postion
and i was passed straight away by the indepentant health and saftey
and in time i was promed to number one crane driver
but getting back to the question, yes i did know your dad ron
sorry if i waftled on abit chocks .best wishes astonian ;;
 
Hi chocks2. I told you my mate Astonian would probably know something. Hes a great one for remembering things. As I said, I worked in the office, although my work took me all round the forge dept. so many times a day, checking on the state of orders etc. I worked at Tubes Ltd from ,64-,70, and then ,71-,77, my first 6 years where in a different office further up Rocky Lane. Im glad that Astonian remembers your Dad. Barry.
 
only just noticed this...one of rays pics of chester st he put on yesterday just show tubes in the distance....i take it this was rocky lane...

lyn...
 
Lyn. I noticed this picture too yesterday, and knew at once that that is Tubes Ltd at the back of the pic. The photo was took from Chester St, looking toward Rocky Lane, and believe it or not, but the photographer is standing just beside the Stretton Road I was looking for pictures of, just a week or two ago. Coincidence or what? Barry.
 
barry..thats the door i waited outside for my auntie to come of out of work from....cant remember for sure now..did you get any pics of stretton...think you did...

lyn
 
thought so barry..its like waiting for xmas with rays pics...and we never know whats going to turn up next...

lyn..
 
Astonian.
By the description you gave regarding my dad it seems that you did know him. It's been a long time now and I think he will be pleased that someone remembers him. The picture you paiint of the factory would put me off factory work for life but each to their own eh! Its good to have a memory like yours, I wish I had that abillity. Thanks for all the info you gave me.
Thanks to you Bazz aswell. You were right about Astonian. And a special thanks to Astoness for the picture my dad will love seeing Tubes again even though he lost his father in law there I'm sure he has fond memories of the place. Cheers All
 
chocks2.. If you go to the top of the page where it says "search" and type in Tubes Ltd, and scroll down, you will find a couple of pictures of the outside of Tubes that I took in December a couple of years ago, when I made a flying visit to Brum. Your Dad might be interested. Barry.
 
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