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Tubes Limited

Hi There,

I have just come across this thread, my dad worked at Tubes Ltd for over 40 years, his name was Bill West and he was an overhead crane driver he retired in about 1970 and died in 1980. I see someone has put photos of the forge dept. I have tried clicking on thumbnails but nothing happens. Could someone tell me how to view them.

Thank You.

Bramcote.
 
hi bramcote your dad would surely have known my aunt joan howard who was also a crane drive during the time your dad was there (thinking about it now an unusual job for a woman to have in those days )...can you recall if your dad ever mentioned that he actually had to walk up the crane as im sure my auntie once told me she did ??

with regards to the photos...the forum was hacked some time back now and we lost all of our images but i see that the ones you are talking about were posted by bazz who is still an active member so if is spots your post he may be able to re post them for you..

lyn
 
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Just noticed this Lyn. When i get the chance (and time) i will see if i can find the said pics and re-post. So now we have yet another connection with someone that worked at Tubes Ltd ? Bramcote may be interested to know that we have another crane driver on this forum ASTONIAN (Alan) who will no doubt be interested. Will see what i can do.
 
would appreciate your photos being reposted bazz if at all poss...

many thanks

lyn
 
Hi Astoness and BazzM.

Thank you so much for replying, I would love to see the photos if possible. Astoness, I'm sorry my dad didn't use to tell us much about his work, I do know my dad stayed on an extra year to train a new person, he didn't retire until he was 66. as you say how unusual for a woman to be a crane driver. Do you know how many cranes there were and what they lifted, also I remember the brilliant Christmas Parties they used to have for the children.

Bramcote.
 
sorry bramcote i have no idea of just how many cranes were in operation...during the summer from the age of 11 to about 14 i used to jump the no 8 from nursery road to meet my aunt outside tubes on fridays and then we would go to her caravan at fradley junction for the weekend..im sure she wore darkish blue trousers and top as a uniform..thats what i seem to remember but it was many moons ago

lyn
 
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I have just sent a message to Alan about this, and hopefully he will reply here very shortly.
 
Hi BRAMCOTE
I remember your Dad if i am right he worked permanent nights as a crane driver and furnace lighter
 
Hi Punch,

Thank you for replying. I can't remember my dad working nights, but he was working at Tubes before I was born so he may have done.

Bramcore
 
Hello Bazz I read you have fotos of the forge dept that you will try and post on the site maybe my dads on there can you post them to me to or tell me how to open them.I have spoken to you before my dad worked there for that long he had his gold long service watch,though some of that time he did at Hercules.
Pauline Green nee Banner.
 
Hi Pauline
Many people got long service watches for doing 25 plus years, I can recall one guy called Billy Evans who worked in the forge for 50 years and he was rewarded with a mantle clock when did your Dad work there.
 
Hi Pauline,

My dad had a gold watch when he had worked for 25 years at Tubes . I have a photo with all the people who were presented at the same time. I will get my husband to upload it ASAP your dad might be on it.

Bramcote.
 
Hi thank you i would love to see the photo, hope dad is on it but still will be very emotional to see people he worked with,my mom and dad worked there that is where they met also all of Moms sisters and some of their hubby worked there ,not forgetting my nan and grandad as well.
Pauline.
 
Hi Punch
Dad was there i should think can't be sure about 1933/35 he also had a pal called Bill and dad went to live with them[Bills family] as my dad had just come out of the orphanage,he worked most of his service with Hercules then had his watch from Tubes. Dads name was William Banner [Bill].
 
Hi Bramcote
Just picked up on the threads of tubes and have read afew of them,about what you are saying and asking
And of Paulines request about her father billy training some one up for his postion ,well that was me
On the instruction of Stan fisher foreman of the forge whom I knew very well and his son as we was neibours and school friends
Is son was Colin whom in the end ended up with my childhood sweet heart it broke my heart to stand back in the back ground
And wait until they came out of the church arm in arm poseing for the camera
As they was standing there I was up at the gate of the Aston parish church starrying down and she was starring back up
Towards me I felt gutted ,( still that's another. Story,)guys,
Getting back to tubes thanks to Stan, and your father pauline I got passed by the health and safety department
And I got my over head drivers licence which you have to hold it was a big ward of a licence you keep for ever
All your life like the every day driving licence
In the forge there was three over head cranes stretched across the forge and the long of the foundry
It was habit terrible at times with smoke and the heat from the furnaces was really hot above a very dirty job from both singles and hard work
And I mean really hard work for all of us including my mate bazz whom as sent me a message by email tonight
To asked if I recall these guys and I certainly do recall them and when they got there gold watches
And yes your father was in earlyes to light some if not all of them furnaces in the morning for these guys
Whom slaved and pulled with all there sweat to feed these big tubes of steel into the fur names and get them red hot
And twist and roll these huge long bars and tubes drop forging into shapes they was red hot glowing red hot Melton metal
They would drenched in sweat they had milk and salt tablets given every day of the week
And we had an old retired guy running around the firm named Ralph a very old guy but he was fit and all day .long
We would running between these furnace to asked the guys if they need any sandwiches fetching from across the road
From a cafe which I never knew at the time it was my fathers brother cafe and she spent time in there as a child
During the war years,
Beam,they used to do only two shifts we he started there but years on later at some point in the fifthy,
They started a three shift systems 6 till 2. And 10 Till 6 in the morning And 2 Till 10 ,afternoons
I hanged that shift because I was young and single then when I started but its through tubes working g I met my lovely wife
And we are still going strong
Well guys I hope that as covered some of your questions to bazzm my mate we was then as I worked and loaded the goods and received sand sent out
Tubes orders around the globe for him ,( well meaning the company really )
I do not k ow if he is off site now but I will reply to his email when I have had a coffee best wishes to you all Alan,,, Astonian,,,,,,
 
Hi Pauline
I was wondering whether it was big bill antrobus your dads friend he was the senior foreman
Over all firemen in tubes can you recall a surname but there again there was quite area bills within the time factor
What about what area did he live may be that will ring a bell with is Alan,
 
pauline green said:
Hi Punch
Dad was there i should think can't be sure about 1933/35 he also had a pal called Bill and dad went to live with them[Bills family] as my dad had just come out of the orphanage,he worked most of his service with Hercules then had his watch from Tubes. Dads name was William Banner [Bill].
Click to expand...



Hi Pauline
Sorry to say but your Dad was there much before me,but most of the machinery would have been the same
But maybe we walked the Same steps at different times.
 
Just got round to up-loading the pics of Tubes Ltd Forge Dept that i took on my last visit in 2006. Not the best of quality, but maybe give an insight to the old cranes. Unfortunately when i visited there where no furnaces left.005.jpg
 
Hi BazzM
That looks to be bay 1 crane, my favourite was bay 3 which serviced numbers 6, 8Ajax the fielding press and the massy hammer.Oh to watch the Massey stamping the Rolls Royce 12701 work piece being forged and feeling the ground shake.
 
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Hello Punch. I know the pics aren't all that good, but i didn't take many the day i visited. It was a pity that the furnaces were away, but the old foremans offices was still there (wish i had thought to take a pic of that) because that is where i spent 6 years, working alongside people like Bill Antrobus, Don Fell, George Beavon, Stan Price etc. I used to spend a lot of my time trailing round the forge each day, checking on how the work was progressing to tie up with my schedules. My days spent at Tubes Ltd (and especially the forge dept) were amongst the best working time of my life. Great job and especially, wonderful people.
 
Hi BazzM

Thanks for posting the pics, now I know where my dad worked and what sort of crane; he used.

Bramcote.
 
Hi Astonian;

Thank you for telling about the conditions you worked in, I know it was very dirty work and not very well paid I don't think, but my dad went through the depression when he couldn't get work and he was just glad of a steady job, and stayed for over 40 years.

Bramcote.
 
Back again BazzM
Did you use to have a office desk the oppoiste end to Bill Antrobus office where the yellow job progress
would be.
 
Hi Bramcote
I must have been thinking of the wrong person, but thinking about it I do remember your Dad.
You have mentioned that he received his gold watch with a number of other people and they were given a small party with sandwiches but no beer. Your Dad operated bay 3 crane and had 2 Irish slingers working with him, I think there names were bill and joe ( I think nearly ever one was called Bill ) their bay was the busiest in the forge servicing the pickle plant
flash grinders, a number of forging machines,loading and unloading lorries.
Bramcote would I be right in saying that your Dad was about 5 foot 6 to 5 foot 8 inches tall and spoke gentle
 
Punch. Yes my desk was at the very far end of the office. Right the other end from Bill's. You have obviously seen me there. But who are you ?
 
Bramcote. Sorry the pics weren't of better quality, but i hop you get a sort of an idea what it was like.
 
Hi Bazz
Nice to see you on line and great to see you recalling the old crew names big bill antrobus old Stan and the rest of the crew way back then
And the guy on the Pickering at the bottom.the shop I also recall him good bloke do you recall Albert crump
Big tall guy getting on with white hair Albert had been there for years he was number one slinger he taught me the signals
For slinging for the crane driving and bill taught me the driving and put me for the excam test which I past
My first one was number 3 crane then promoted to number one
Bazz do you know what happened to your side kick old ginger whom worked along side you on the little hut by the shutters of the forge
They was a great bunch of lads to be working with hey,one happy family
Bram,did you ever recall a guy a short large guy whom drove number 1crane is nick name was yogie bear ,
I have been trying to think of his name he was always on the sick I asked bazz many years back on here when joined the forum
But u fortunely Bazz could not recall him as I think you said you yourself drove number one crane
Best wishes every body by the way Bazz I sent you an email a couple of days ago did you not receive it Bazz, Alan,,,,Astonian,,,,
 
BazzM said:
Punch. Yes my desk was at the very far end of the office. Right the other end from Bill's. You have obviously seen me there. But who are you ?
Click to expand...
Hi BazzM
I started working in the forge when I was 18 as a fitters mate under Harry Allport and Harry Bowen,then about a year later a vacancy came up for a Arc welder on production working for Albert Porter and Harry Bolton,Harry showed me
every thing to know about Arc welding
As the years went by I was taught to be a spare crane driver truck and fork lift driver and then in 1978 I became a supervisor working on the GFM section. I.worked for tubes from 1968 until 12 February 1986
 
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Hi Punch,

Yes my dad was about 5ft 6 and was softly spoken, he had fair hair, always smoked Wooodbines. I am trying to find a photo that my dad had taken at the presentation, there are quite a lot of people on it, typically I am having trouble finding it, but as soon as I do my husband will post it on the site and there may be someone on it you recognise.

BRAMCOTE.
 
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