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Metro Cammell Saltley

  • Thread starter Thread starter aewayne
  • Start date Start date
My dad worked for Metro Cammell late 50s early 60s at their Saltley factory as a carpenter. They manufactured trains. The Blue Pullman at that time - a high class coach with French polished wood panelling. Would you mind me asking if you know which factory your relative worked at and when?
 
My Father worked at 'The Met' in Common Lane all through the war until the 60s., his name was Albert Turner and he lived in Aston Church Road. He was a Blacksmith. Sorry i dont have any pics.
 
My dad worked in the finishing shed mainly on the blue Pullmans from about 1958 to 60. Did your dad live to a healthy old age?
 
Pam...if you type in Metro Cammell ( Saltley ) on Google,you will find plenty of information on the 'Met' including photos of rolling stock,I worked at the Common Lane ' Met ' for twenty odd years and just about remember the Pullman.
 
Many thanks, I have done that, seen plenty of photos but not what I am looking for which is a picture of the factory itself, inside or out. Some of the items do not make very good reading eg: asbestos.
 
Many of my old workmates have passed on through Asbestosis,one of the most terrible of diseases from our industrial past.
 
My dad has mesothelioma. Lung cancer caused by asbestos. He is 76. Do you happen to know anyone that worked at this factory when my dad was there? And yes, it is terrible. My dad was such a fine strong man.
 
herefordlad said:
Any of you remember Frank Tregenza who worked at Metro-cammell?
Click to expand...

Hello, I know the above post is quite old, but my dad's best friend Derek Tresadern worked at Metro with him in the late 1950's on the double-decker bus frames. I know Derek had a brother, too. My dad is looking for his old friend Derek Tresadern, if anyone knows his whereabouts. He would be about 76 years old now.
Kevin
 
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My father in law Bob Mutlow worked at metro in the early 50's as a coach trimmer. We found this picture just after he passed away earlier this year.

Bob is far right front row.Unfortunately we don't know who any of the others are.
CCF240613_00005.jpg
 
fellowkev said:
Hello, I know the above post is quite old, but my dad's best friend Derek Tresadern worked at Metro with him in the late 1950's on the double-decker bus frames. I know Derek had a brother, too. My dad is looking for his old friend Derek Tresadern, if anyone knows his whereabouts. He would be about 76 years old now.
Kevin
Click to expand...

Derek A Tresadern
2 options for birth ; 1) Poplar, London 1939: 2) West Ham, London 1941.

Married: Jaqueline P. M. Fitzmaurice, in Birmingham, 3rd quarter 1962

Lived at: 115 Millhouse Road, B25 (off Hob Moor Rd) in 1965 https://goo.gl/maps/To2R7

Children:
Andrew Derek Tresadern, b.1967
married Caroline L. Berry in Lichfield, Sept 2005
Stuart Morris Tresadern, b.1968
married Vicky J. Heeley in Lichfield, July 1992
Dawn Anita Tresadern, b.1970
no marriage listed in BMD

If your Dad and Derek worked on bus frames in the 1950s, would this have been at Elmdon works? Derek's address is far handier for there than Saltley or Washwood Heath factories.

More recently, there is a Derek Albert Tresadern (with a Jaqueline P Tresadern at the same address) on the Tamworth electoral rolls 2002 - 2009.

The address is given as "Wilnecote Tamworth Staffordshire, B77" but one has to pay (£30, it seems) for more detailed information. If there is a phone, it is ex-directory.

Linkdin lists him as retired, formerly with Alstom Transport (who took over the former Metro factory at Washwood Heath). It also lists, under education, "Garret's Green Technical Colllege. Intermediate City & Guilds, Motor Bodies., Motor Bodies 1956 – 1958 Grade: Intermediate."

Son Andrew Derek Tresadern is listed in a company director listing website as at 4 Albion Street, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B79 7JP. A Caroline L Tresadern is there too.

All this info is in public domain, found after Google searching.

I have more information which I will send as a PM (private message).
 
Lloyd, this is marvelous detective work. Thank you for taking the time to look up these details. My dad is going to be thrilled when I tell him. I'll let you know the outcome. I see you left a PM, too.
Derek and my dad also did a little wedding photography on the side together in the early '60's when we lived on Frankfort street. They were best friends. We emigrated in 1968 to America, and the friendship faded away.
thanks very much, Lloyd
kevin
 
modgee said:
Thanks for your replies and the picture. Still not sure whether it was buses or railway carriages though, as unfortunately I don't know the dates he worked there. I think it would be between the mid fifties to mid sixties.

But Elmdon rings a bell, so possibly it was there. I seem to remember he had some sort of connection with that area and mentioning it.
Click to expand...

There was also Midlands Works on Common Lane. You could walk between Saltley Gate & Midlands Works down the canal. My parents, friends parents & many ex colleagues also worked at the met in the late 50's & early 60's they were all draughtsman & tracers. Although my Dad did his apprenticeship in the machine shop but started in charge of the cranes etc.

Sadly one ex colleague Trevor T Morris died yesterday.

DadtheMet2.jpg
My father 3rd from right front row - Trevor who died last on right back row
& at the met club
DadtheMet.jpg
My father far left front & Trevor slap bang in the middle

My grandfather Edward Cameron was also chief of works
 
Reading this thread has reminded me that I worked there for a short period from late 1961 - my first proper job after leaving school. They were trying to diversify and had set up an "Engineering Products Division" - forgings mainly I think e.g. forks for fork lift trucks. We had 3 small offices on the ground floor of the main office block - one for the two secretary/typists, one for my manager (Hugh Louden) and myself and one for the head of the division.

Amongst my jobs was going across the yard to one of the other offices (foundry?) to collect paperwork. Used to manage a quick peek into parts of the foundry and being told it was an awfully hot place to work in the summer.

Other tasks were getting photocopies (those orangey one) done in an upstairs room - seem to remember a machine about a yard across with assorted rollers and open chemical baths - it was usually looked after by a part time (semi retired) pensioner. There was another upstairs office where I used to have to go to get blueprints copied.

I think it was traditional to have a Christmas "do" - something annual anyway at the Grand Hotel - thought as a teenager that I'd really arrived to be going there, quite a posh do as I recall.

Unfortunately the division didn't prosper and after about 18 months I was made redundant (not that such a thing existed as we know it - I was just told to go and look for another job as the division was closing.

Was given permission to go out and caught a bus from the Gate to Queen's Drive Railway Recruitment Office and came out with one of the two jobs I was offered.

Sandy
 
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hi all saltley works closed in 1962, the atc at midland works in 1967 instructors were warner woodwork Blackwell metal work smith metal work and the traning officer was another mr smith, hope this helps kind reguards sidwho. ie Blackwell later became the welfare officer
 
Warner and Blackwell were the instructors when I was apprenticed there - I've often tried to remember their names, thanks!
 
Hi

Eddie Warner was the Sawmill manager at Midland works when I was there 1973 to 1985.
He was a really nice chap, bud sadly he died I think around 1980. Bill Blackwell was the
Welfare Officer and Club Secretary for most of the time I was there.

The Sports and Social Club was sold to Banks' Brewery around 1985

Kind regards

Dave
 
Dave89 said:
Hi Geoff,

I remember George Franklin too, a shortish stocky chap, and
I seem to recollect he was mostly smartly dressed in a suit. I
didn't know he was into boxing, - did he work at the Met as well?

Were your offices on the outside of B6 shop, I remember the manager
Albert Jones, - I still have a Scania keyring he gave me. I also
have happy memories of Barbara who worked in the office.

Kind regards

Dave
Click to expand...
Hi Dave, just came across your comment, I am Barbara that used to work in B6 offices, along with Dave Fitzsimmons and Colin Hales, very happy days, where did you work?
Barbara
 
Hi Barbara,

I worked for Alan Tipper in Metropolitan Cammell, and my office was in the Leigh Road basement opposite
the Post Room.

I was, apart from other things, in charge of typewriters, telecomms and office furniture.

I have never forgotten to this day the problem you had with your IBM Electric !!

I can't remember how we got round the problem, but I bet this will bring a smile to your face!

Lovely to hear from you

Kind regards,

Dave
 
Dave89 said:
Hi Barbara,

I worked for Alan Tipper in Metropolitan Cammell, and my office was in the Leigh Road basement opposite
the Post Room.

I was, apart from other things, in charge of typewriters, telecomms and office furniture.

I have never forgotten to this day the problem you had with your IBM Electric !!

I can't remember how we got round the problem, but I bet this will bring a smile to your face!

Lovely to hear from you

Kind regards,

Dave
Click to expand...
Hi Dave,
So lovely to hear from you, thank you for fast response, well, the IBM typewriter had a spacing guide, having never used one of these machines before I was totally unaware of the spacing guides existance, and a very spiteful female co-worker had broken the guide off ,so as I would have maximum problems with it. She didn't like the idea of another female in the dep't among all the male colleagues!!! Thankfully she left a short time afterwards, as did another person (male) who made my life hell, he was pushed shall we say!!! At the time Norman Cooper was my boss, he was lovely, do you remember Bill Carpenter in the spares stores, he was a legend, knew every part number off by heart. That darn typewriter was replaced with a computerised system - Thank God. I also remember Harold Jarvis, he made me laugh so much with his tales of working for Gascoigne funerals, great crowd, loved it to bits, was gutted when we all went up the road in 1989, I still have dreams that I'm still working there, I'd
 
Just a note on the old Metro-Cammell club......its going to be demolished very shortly I'm told,had some happy days and nights there many years ago.
 
Hi Barbara,

Yes, many happy memories of the Met,- I too was absolutely devastated when I was made redundant
in 1985 due to Metropolitan Cammell closing, and in spite of always keeping myself in work until I retired,
none of the jobs ever remotely compared with the Met. I only met Harold Jarvis once in about 1996, -
he was working for the Clock Garage, and delivered a car for me to the company I worked for in Minworth,
Sadly I didn't get a chance to chat to him.

I remember your typewriter was a model 'C' Executive with proportional spacing, never an easy machine.

Strange to say, I too still dream about the Met at least once a week, mainly unpleasant abstract dreams
about my job disintegrating around me as the services were devolved to M-C and M-CW.
I was told in June or July 1984 that I would get my notice in October to be effective at Xmas, but then asked to stay longer
to run my part of of MC(H)'s function down. I finally left in April 1985 but could have stayed longer. It was all
too drawn out.
The Met was a great place to work , with some of the best people I ever had the pleasure to work with, and my daytime
memories are much nicer!

Kind regards

Dave
 
Hi Derek,

Sad news indeed, I was on the committee as club accountant for many years, and worked behind the bar for a
time. A great atmosphere, and I remember my kids going to the Xmas parties there.

Happy memories

Kind regards

Dave
 
Hi Dave.

I helped on the childrens xmas party with other volunteeers for many years,Jim Singleton who was my gaffer at the time was running the show then....I was at the Met for 25 years and was sad but not surprised to see it eventually close.
 
Hi Dave,
Glad to know you got other employment, I can go back to the 1930's when my grandad was foreman in the riveting shop, a young man came to work under him named Wallis, Wallis had moved from a Welsh speaking village in the Berwyn mountains North Wales. Unknowningly to Wallis, grandads daughter Voilet worked in the canteen at the Met, Wallis used to go in there each lunchtime hoping to get a glimpse of Violet, her first words to Wallis were "what are you looking at!" Eventually Wallis plucked up the courage to ask her out. Wallis walked Violet home that evening and was saying goodnight at the doorstep, when suddenly an upstairs sash window opened, and a pot full of pee was thrown over him, with some choice words of Go Away following. Next day grandad was telling the tale to his colleagues of how he had seen a potential suitor for his daughter off. Wallis said "that's funny the same thing happened to me last night" then they realised it was one and the same incident. Grandad liked Wallis so much, and gladly gave his consent for them to be married. When war broke out, Wallis went and signed up for the RAF, rose through the ranks and finally became a pilot, flying the famousl Lancaster bombers with Bomber Command. I'm so lucky to have been the daughter of such a hero, and literally there would be no me, if it wasn't for the Met!!!!!
I'd go back tomorrow if asked, just loved it there. I now work in Nuneaton for a team of dentists, doing their accounts, been there 15 years now. got a few more years yet before I get my pension though!!!!!
Take Care Dave, just loved all the reading, brought back some great memories
Best Wishes, Barbara
 
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