leyland motors 1969 onwards

[stuinlancs]

Hello all,
I served my full apprenticeship starting in 1969, I have so many memories from then and onwards, having completed my apprenticeship as a turner, and working in all four Leyland factories, memories from Number 8 shop at Spurrier works, tragedy in engine test, terrible accident near the Comet Shop, how so many workers had so much chrome plated car accessories!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The tunnel under Spurrier Works, so much more, I do hope someone will link in and share great memories, thanks

[Martin]

Hi Stu, that's before my time but there's a few who go back further than me on here.

[noel]

Hi Stu, my mum worked in the nozzle shop and was shopsteward . apart from tales she told me about people she worked with, Eric Rawcliffe is one that springs to mind, my only recollection is visiting Spurrier works as a school kid seeing machines used in centurion tank manufacturing and held in mothballs should it be needed again.

[Dave H]

I worked at Spurrier Wks from 63 to 84 in the fab shop 4 years on nights no 8 shop 4 years on the con rod line fine boring, on staff in the chasers dept 5 years and finely in the new farrington assembly plant that was state of the art when it was built, vehicles build on a moving tracks and cabs built on an overhead moving track, the memory for me was the nick names we all had, like dads lad , brain damage etc, mine was didy after david hamilton, did 10 years on nights and was a shop steward then a staff rep when I worked in the offices, 1 year at chorley part stores as a parts analyst on engines, many nick names more than I care to mention, would welcome some more if any one can care to put them on here for a laugh.

[anacortesdamp]

Hello, Stu:

I'm a born & bred Leylander, but decided to go into airplanes instead of buses and trucks. My extended family owned the George Damp & Sons hardware store on Towngate. With British Aircraft Corporation assistance, I did a 7-year apprenticeship that ended up with a B.Sc. in Mechanical engineering. After a couple of low-paid jobs in the machine tools industry and then with Norton Villiers, I emigrated to the US in July 1968, about the time you finished your apprenticeship, to join Boeing.

I retired in 1998 after 30 years and we now live in a small seaside town in northwest Washington State. I'll only leave here in a wooden overcoat!


Frank Damp

[noel]

, 1 year at chorley part stores as a parts analyst on engines, many nick names more than I care to mention, would welcome some more if any one can care to put them on here for a laugh.

Don't know any LM nicknames but I got known as Ecky2ties when one day I accidentally walked into work, wearing 2 ties. Well you wouldn't do it deliberately would you.

[Dave H]

That was a good one Ecky.

[anacortesdamp]

Dave:

My uncle Ron Baker worked at the Chorley Parts Stores for many years. Don't know if your paths crossed. He started out as an apprentice in the same class as a chap named Donald Stokes, who went a bit higher in the company!


Frank

[noel]

Donald Stokes, that's a name I'd forgotten, he used to get chaufer driven many a time past our house on Stanifield Lane.

[anacortesdamp]

I believe he eventually became "Lord Stokes" during the Thatcher years. Don't know if he's still with us. Uncle Ron isn't.


Frank