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Midlands Electricity Board MEB

I remember the name Nigel Plowman from my days at the Solihull offices, but I struggle to remember many more.
I spent a total of about 2 years there between 1960 and 1965. Last year I made a list of all those I could remember from that time (for lack of anything else to do!) and so far the list totals 62. Edit now 63 - just thought of someone else!
 
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Any chance of your posting the list, John? I’m sure some members would be interested.

Chris
 
My Dad, Bernard Campbell, worked for the MEB as a commercial engineer. He was in Summer Lane until early 1960s and then moved to Solihull until his retirement in the 1980s.
Wharf Lane goes off Moat Lane.
Hi pjmburns. My dad worked for the MEB during and after the war. For a time he was in charge of a sub-station in either Summer Lane or Alma street near a pub whose name I forget. The MEB had a social club-I think in Moseley- where I learned to play snooker.
 
I was with the MEB from 1960 to 1967. At that time Birmingham Area was divided into 5 'districts' - Birmingham North-West (Henrietta Street then Summer Lane), Birmingham North-East (not sure if it was then in George Road as I never went there), Birmingham South-West (Kings Road, Kings Heath), Birmingham South-East (Third Avenue, Bordesley Green) and Solihull (Wharf Lane, Solihull). There was also a building in Water Street (bottom of Snow Hill, opposite Summer Lane) where they did silk screen printing for producing advertising posters.

On second thoughts - I think Birmingham North-East may have been in Cheston Road at that time.
Water Street was also the home of the Radio and TV workshop when the MEB offered that service to customers. That service was obtained via the showroom staff.
 
What I'd like someone to tell me is what actually happened to the MEB , after years of working for a leading electrical wholesaler supplying the board . I due to dealing with other electrical contractors lost contact with the board, then all of a sudden people that I used to chat to at the board were working at other companies . They (MEB) just seem to disappear overnight , we are now surrounded by names although familiar now were not so long ago totally alien to us .
 
What I'd like someone to tell me is what actually happened to the MEB , after years of working for a leading electrical wholesaler supplying the board . I due to dealing with other electrical contractors lost contact with the board, then all of a sudden people that I used to chat to at the board were working at other companies . They (MEB) just seem to disappear overnight , we are now surrounded by names although familiar now were not so long ago totally alien to us .
history
Pre-privatisation : Midlands Electricity Board
Mar 31 1990 : vested as Midlands Electricity plc
Dec 11 1990 : floated on stock market
Jun 7 1996 : taken over by Avon Energy Partners
mar 20 2000 : renamed GPU Power UK
May 8 2002 : Aquila purchase 79.9% of Avon Energy Partners
May 8 2002 : renamed Aquila Networks
April 2004: Purchased by Eon, formed part of Central Networks
March 2011: Sold to Western Power Distribution
 
history
Pre-privatisation : Midlands Electricity Board
Mar 31 1990 : vested as Midlands Electricity plc
Dec 11 1990 : floated on stock market
Jun 7 1996 : taken over by Avon Energy Partners
mar 20 2000 : renamed GPU Power UK
May 8 2002 : Aquila purchase 79.9% of Avon Energy Partners
May 8 2002 : renamed Aquila Networks
April 2004: Purchased by Eon, formed part of Central Networks
March 2011: Sold to Western Power Distribution
Hell of a lot of water gone under the bridge then Pete
 
What I'd like someone to tell me is what actually happened to the MEB , after years of working for a leading electrical wholesaler supplying the board . I due to dealing with other electrical contractors lost contact with the board, then all of a sudden people that I used to chat to at the board were working at other companies . They (MEB) just seem to disappear overnight , we are now surrounded by names although familiar now were not so long ago totally alien to us .
Effectively the government merged all the area boards and the CEGB in to one then split it up again into separate companies which were all floated on the stock exchange. Some of the split seemed quite arbitrary as Nuclear Power got some coal fired power stations that they could sell off as a sweetener. Once the companies were listed on the stock exchange it meant that there there could be take over bids, mergers etc. All now completely mixed up. For example I buy my electricity from Scottish and South Eastern (which sounds a crazy combination of areas and neither of the areas are in the Midlands) but the cable that comes to my meter belongs to Western Power Distribution and I have no idea who actually generates the electricity.

It also means that the foreigners could buy our electricity companies. For example a major supplier in some areas including London is EDF which stands for Électricité de France which is the French government owned power supplier in France.
Also you can now buy both gas and electricity from the same companies.
 
Western Power was in August 2020 owned by the PPL Corporation based in Allenstown, Pennysylvania, but at that point they announced their intention to sell it again. Whether that have succeeded does not appear to be yet in the public domain, but, as usual, it's all about money.

Maurice :cool:
 
I started as a trainee Electrical Engineer in 1978 with the MEB and was based at the Summer Lane offices but did much of my training at either the Southern District, in Kings Heath, or the Eastern District, in Solihull. Very occasionally, they would send me across the city to the Northern District, in Erdington.

There was a training centre at the rear of the Summer Lane offices, to get to it you had to pass by the computer room and cross an enclosed bridge. There was a cafe enclosed into part of the building and the smell of burnt toast would often trigger my migraine. I also remember a notice that read something like "Anyone found not replacing the test equipment will be pressure tested". A pressure test on a high voltage cable involved applying a high voltage, at low current, to test that the insulation on the conductors would hold when the supply was switched back on after working on a cable.

There was a Sports and Social Club in Henrietta Street, which we would often go to for the lunch break on a Friday if on a course at the training centre. Back in the days when you would be allowed to do such a thing...
Hi Dave, Long time no see thinking of the old Summer Lane building do you remember the trackway along the side of Lower Loveday Street where the ‘Heavy Gang’ used to park lorries and low loaders together with the old Centrax generator (a jet engine connecter to a 600Kw alternator) I seem to remember it only got used a few times because the customers preferred peace and quiet and NO electricity; over electricity and the sound of a jet trying to take off in the roadway!

Talking of the Sports and Social I had my 21st party there.
 
I remember the name Nigel Plowman from my days at the Solihull offices, but I struggle to remember many more.

On the Mains Engineers side there was Ken Christopher and Eric (Something) who were both very instrumental in my early training. They both were at the Kings Heath depot in Kings Road when I 1st joined and we all moved to Solihull during one of the, many, reorganisations.
Dave, The name you are thinking of was Eric Pennell. they were both much respected I recollect an occasion when Ken was accused of some switching malpractice and all us mains engineers offered our switching keys and authorisation certificates back to the management in disgust, but, Ken would not let us!
 
I did my apprenticeship with the MEB. 1967-71 Good memories of the Training School at Summer Lane. I was based at Kings Road, until I left in 1976.


Steve.
 
I did my apprenticeship with the MEB. 1967-71 Good memories of the Training School at Summer Lane. I was based at Kings Road, until I left in 1976.


Steve.
Steve you must have known Tom with the glasses , I can only class him as a runaround to collect stuff from electrical wholesalers . He called into Walsall Conduits in Upper Gough St off Holloway Head many a day.
 
Steve you must have known Tom with the glasses , I can only class him as a runaround to collect stuff from electrical wholesalers . He called into Walsall Conduits in Upper Gough St off Holloway Head many a day.


Yes, now you mention him, of course I do. He always seemed to be run ragged, but he loved it.


Steve.
 
Western Power was in August 2020 owned by the PPL Corporation based in Allenstown, Pennysylvania, but at that point they announced their intention to sell it again. Whether that have succeeded does not appear to be yet in the public domain, but, as usual, it's all about money.

Maurice :cool:
A very US of A bible belt company, when the Americans visited South Western Electicity Board premises and depots after the take over, all girlie calendars had to be removed as they were considered to be unnecessary, even the clothed young ladies.
Bob
 
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