GEC WITTON WORKS

[Pedrocut]

The Witton News shows the ship John Biscoe, what was GEC’s link to this ship ?

 

[Martyn]

The second John Biscoe was built by Fleming and Ferguson Ltd, Paisley, for the Falkland Island Dependencies Survey (FIDS). According to the Witton News, she was an 'all-electric ship and the whole of her equipment was designed and built by the GEC'.
Launched in 1956, passengers on her maiden voyage included HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, visiting some of the FIDS research stations during the 1956/57 season.
Initially the ship operated as a cargo vessel to resupply FIDS – later British Antarctic Survey – research stations. Increasingly she supported hydrographic and marine biology surveys, and geological landings. Her final voyage with British Antarctic Survey took place during the 1990/91, returning to Grimsby on 10 May 1991. She was scrapped in 2004.

 

[Richard Dye]

The second John Biscoe was built by Fleming and Ferguson Ltd, Paisley, for the Falkland Island Dependencies Survey (FIDS). According to the Witton News, she was an 'all-electric ship and the whole of her equipment was designed and built by the GEC'.
Launched in 1956, passengers on her maiden voyage included HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, visiting some of the FIDS research stations during the 1956/57 season.
Initially the ship operated as a cargo vessel to resupply FIDS – later British Antarctic Survey – research stations. Increasingly she supported hydrographic and marine biology surveys, and geological landings. Her final voyage with British Antarctic Survey took place during the 1990/91, returning to Grimsby on 10 May 1991. She was scrapped in 2004.View attachment 206027View attachment 206029View attachment 206031

The diesel generator/sets used on that ship and the related controls are very advanced for the time! I say this from my almost 10 years at Cummins who currently a global leader in power generation. I wonder why GEC did not leverage their technology which included controls?

 

[Cabonscooter]

Just a bit of trivia. The late Ozzie (John) Osbournes father, also John but known as Jack Osbourne worked at Witton. In the toolroom I believe.

 

[Cabonscooter]

Love the collar and ties under the overalls!

White ! collars and shirts too.

 

[Cabonscooter]

GEC OUTINGS: THIS ONE IS GEC SWITCHGEAR PROGRESS DEPT OUTING TO BILLINGS AQUADROME NORTHAMPTONSHIRE AROUND MID 1950s
Any one know any one? My Dad is back right, my brother standing in front of him, I know the man seated front right is a Mr Lees. ANY HELP?
ASTON

Hi, very belated response I'm afraid. I've only just spotted this message re Switchgear Progress Dept. Did you or anyone remember a John Oakley in Switch Progress? I didn't know John at Witton but met him years later at Elecromagnets Ltd (Boxmag) in the seventies. I may be up the wrong tree though - he may have been in Switchgear Estimating..

 

[Cabonscooter]

Hi Everyone,

A family discussion led me to this forum. The question was where young couples meet these days. For many people the answer used to be “at work” in large companies that are no longer there.

In 1958 I started a drawing office apprenticeship, which included two years invaluable shop floor training, in 3DO. Six years later, still in 3DO, I met a young lady working in PCD and we have now been married for fifty eight years.

Another product of GEC was engineers. For more than thirty years I was an electrical surveyor with an insurance company, working the Midlands and beyond. I seemed to meet engineers from GEC everywhere and a regular comment was that a GEC apprenticeship was almost a passport to another job.

Hoping that I am not too late to respond to an earlier post by anorak147 regarding George Jenkins. He was the chief draughtsman in 3DO. Like many of his time a strict but respected man. Attached is a photo of George making a presentation to apprentice Eddie Hard for his marriage in 1959. The other photo, from 1963 in 3DO, shows draughtsmen Jack Westbury, Alan Sola and Frank Vincent, plus two apprentices, I'm still findin

(Very belated response I'm afraid. I only recently discovered this 'GEC Witton Works' thread having searched before). I remember 3DO well. I was in 2DOannex (1961/62 and 63/67) and I regularly used to visit a fellow apprentice in 3DO but can't recall his name. As I recall, 3DO was next to the print room which was a daily errand for apprentices. The chap in the photo with a jacket and smoking a pipe looks familiar. I had a friend in PCD, Bill Webb, had a BSA B31 bike, if anyone remembers him.
Alan Marriott

 

[Richard Dye]

Some nice old cars !

Yes, and I wonder how many cars there would be in today’s world?

 

[Cabonscooter]

Yes, and I wonder how many cars there would be in today’s world?

Most people that had a car tried to park in Electric Avenue if they could. Statistically, extremely unlikely any of those cars there will still be around today I would have thought even though classic cars are now a very popular interest (including with me). After commuting to Witton on a moped for two years I graduated to a three-wheel 'bubble car' which I often parked in Electric Avenue. That is when the battery was ok, otherwise I parked in the car park behind the rectifier works because it was on a slope and I could get a rolling start! I later "progressed" to a Reliant van but that's another story. I think I might have had the Morris Minor before I left Witton but the timeline is hazy on that.
Alan

 

[Richard Dye]

Most people that had a car tried to park in Electric Avenue if they could. Statistically, extremely unlikely any of those cars there will still be around today I would have thought even though classic cars are now a very popular interest (including with me). After commuting to Witton on a moped for two years I graduated to a three-wheel 'bubble car' which I often parked in Electric Avenue. That is when the battery was ok, otherwise I parked in the car park behind the rectifier works because it was on a slope and I could get a rolling start! I later "progressed" to a Reliant van but that's another story. I think I might have had the Morris Minor before I left Witton but the timeline is hazy on that.
Alan

I think that many of us parked on a hill so we could either start the vehicle or save the battery, particularly when you had to leave the parking lights on

 

[Cabonscooter]

Looking at Google Maps, I think that large car park at the end of Deykin Avenue was where the MWW warehouse now stands bordering the motorway. It still has a nice gentle slope to send you on your way home. It seemed to me at the time that most of the cars leaving the car park were Ford 100Es (Prefect/Anglia etc) with a distinctive sound when the choke was on. There was another small car park at the other end of Electric Avenue but I never used it. When on two wheels I used one of the two bike sheds in Electric Avenue/corner of Deykin Avenue.

 

[Cabonscooter]

Another GEC photo found on my PC. Labelled "Electric Avenue 1968" from WMP end. Must be going home time but it's significant that it is relatively quiet showing the gradual running down of the place which I understand happened in 1969.

 

[Lyates]

mroldbrummie1 [john hughes]. Keith we did work at the same time ,I well remember your name.As i said i started at GEC jan 59 EDO after 3 months in DO school. Played bowls also,we started a drawing office team in 1969/1970 i was captain and we played in the thursday league but after a few years it broke up and ended up playing for the works "A" team captained by Jonny Heiztman [i think thats how you spell it] They played in the Erdington and district mid week league. Some of the DO team were [myself John Hughes,Pete Evans,Ken Mather,Stan Hughes,Joe Iafrati,John Hogettes and some of the young lads whose names alude me.Do you remember George Maers [i think] was head of contracts, and MR South who was head of insulaion dept, I under stand he murdered his wife,you would never of thought it possible,this info was given to me by Phil Gilbert who was my section leader on Alterantor section after i had left in 1984, Ithink you were all down tyburn road then.

Is that the same Joe iafrati that became Joe Yates and Married Hilda Smith? I'm trying to trace my grandparents my grandad was Joseph iafrati/yafrati he deedpoled the name to Yates years before I was born