Return to 1965-1969

Vision 049

Vision
May/June 68 No 49 – House Magazine of Rank Xerox Mitcheldean Plant
A word from Mr. Wickstead
I have been asked to resume my old practice of
speaking regularly to you through the medium of
VISION. I am told that you want to know about
how we are doing, future prospects, the reasons
for Organisation changes and other important
decisions affecting not only Mitcheldean, but the
Company at large.
This is encouraging. It suggests that interest at
Mitcheldean extends beyond the immediate
interests of career prospects and personal
advancement. If there is anything on which you
SNCF (French Railways) officials in Design
Engineering Department during their visit to our
Plant last October.
would particularly like me to comment, drop a note
to my office, or tell John Hankin, my P.A.
In future issues I shall have something to say about
the subjects I have mentioned. But ‘summer is
a-coming in’. We must expect the flow of outside
visitors to increase somewhat during the coming
months. I want therefore to say something about
visitors.
I am sure that sometimes, when you read notices of
forthcoming visits, or find a party of visitors at
your elbow on the assembly line, you must wonder
what it is all about and whether it is not simply a
waste of time. If you do, I don’t blame you.
Faced with the increasing problems and temporary
difficulties which inevitably confront a rapidly
expanding company such as ours, we often feel
that we have enough to do without being
distracted by visitors.
Let me therefore assure you that our official
visitors, whether Company employees, customers,
or potential customers, do not come to Mitcheldean
simply for a day in the country. They are here on
business, and come from all over the world.
Initially, customers are interested in pricing,
performance and delivery dates. (Our salesmen
can give them this information.) But they also
want proof of quality and reliability. This they can
best get by visiting Mitcheldean and seeing for
themselves.
Many lucrative contracts have materialised
following visits to Mitcheldean. Do you remember
the French Railways officials who toured the
Plant in October last ? They have since ordered
six 330, twelve 420, two 720 and three 2400
machines, and their copy volume has increased by
50 per cent to a million copies a month.
Then there was the visit of the Marconi
representative last February. A 3600 machine is
now in the Marconi premises doing test runs with
indications of a substantial order to follow.
These are but two examples that spring
immediately to mind.
In the last few months we have been visited by
representatives from Eastern European countries.
You may be interested to know that we intend to
embark upon a full-scale Sales and Marketing
campaign with the specific object of stepping up
our business in the USSR and other Eastern
European countries. Mr. G. S. Planner, Controller
of Eastern European Sales and Marketing, has
recently joined us to plan and mount this
campaign.
As for our own colleagues – service engineers,
salesmen and senior officials both at home and
abroad – they too, if they are to do their jobs
properly, need to be convinced of the quality and
reliability of the products they promote and sell.
They too can only get this by visiting Mitcheldean.
2
The salesman leaves us fortified by having seen his
products in the making -a tremendous asset to
any salesman. The service engineers and senior
officials of operating companies tell us about their
problems and get from us valuable advice to
facilitate their work in the field.
Mitcheldean is a vitally important part of Rank
Xerox Limited whose products are in increasing
demand worldwide. It is equally important that
both the public at large and we ourselves
recognise and appreciate this fact.
Our service engineers and salesmen the world over
depend upon the whole-hearted support of all of
us here at Mitcheldean. Our customers want to
see our products being built, and to talk to you
who build them. This is why I personally
encourage visitors to Mitcheldean, and I hope you
are convinced that my approach is the right one.
It has been suggested to me that some of us here
would benefit from visits to operating companies
and from seeing for ourselves some of the problems
with which our colleagues in the field are faced.
I entirely agree and am doing something about it.
Director of Production and Supply Operations
GOLD MEDAL AT LEIPZIG FAIR
The Gold Medal which Mr. A. S. Pratt, Chief
Engineer of Rank Xerox Ltd., Mr. Wickstead
and MI. C. W. Hotchen, Chief Production
Executive at Mitcheldean. are seen examining in
our picture was awarded to our 720 copier,
duplicator at this year’s Leipzig Fair. The Diploma
states that the Gold Medal was awarded for
‘top scientific and technical standards and
first-class quality’. Leipzig Fair is the oldest
trade fair in the world, dating back to 1165. The
Gold Medal award is highly-prized as it carries
considerable prestige, particularly in Eastern
Europe.
3
No Variety Night would be complete without that
crazy trio from 2400 Department ‘The Fiddlers
Three’ – alias Don Webb, John Hutchins and
Bob Randall.
Of the three ‘Fiddlers’, Don is the only one who has
actually had professional acting experience,
having belonged at one time to the Penguin
Players at Bexhill, some of whose members have
appeared on television. Don does character parts
and, as everyone who has attended a Variety
Night knows, is a born comedian.
In the last show he never quite got round to
playing the piano ! That wasn’t because he
can’t – in fact, he is a jazz pianist and played in
the 1956 Jazz Festival at Hastings along with
Chris Barber and other well-known jazz
personalities.
An inspector in sub-assembly, Don trained as an
instrument fitter in the RAF; he did little flying but
maintained his interest in it. Today he is a member
of the Cotswold Flying Club and is half way
through his Private Pilot’s Licence course. He flies
from Staverton, using a two-seater Bolkow Junior
aerobatic monoplane powered with a Rolls-Royce
engine.
In fact, Don has so many interests it is difficult to
see how he fits them all in. Evidence of one of
his talents may be seen on the left hand of his
wife Maureen (secretary to Mr. F. J. Edwards,
Personnel, Education Er Training Manager). Her
beautiful rings were designed and made by Don,
who trained as a diamond setter before his RAF
days. He still has his original hand tools and
polishing equipment, and he keeps his hand in
by making the occasional ring.
One wonders why he bothers with tools when he
could doubtless produce jewellery out of a hat –
Don was once a member of the International
Brotherhood of Magicians and gave a number of
shows in the Middle East when in the Forces.
Equally bewildering is the number of interests
which occupy John Hutchins, whose job is major
sub-assembly (brush housing) on the 2400. His
chief hobby is art, in a variety of forms. He did a
two-year course at Hereford College of Art some
years ago where he studied pottery, imaginative
composition, window display and paper sculpture.
The only bachelor of the three, he is compiling a
portfolio entitled ‘Environment 22’, a panorama of
life as he sees it at 22 years of age, conveyed by
paintings, sketches and poetry, all by John. Here
are four lines from a poem he has started to write
about our Plant:
Yards and yards of movement spaces
Filled with girdered concrete faces
Tube and cable stalactites
Teeming down from strutted heights
His paintings are done in oils, water colours, pen
and wash, egg tempera, pastels – you name it, and
his work ranges from posters to portraits, from
landscapes to cartoons. He particularly likes
4
MEN
OF
MANY
PaRtS
painting people but ‘I cannot get people to model
for me,’ he says, ‘and the professional models are
too expensive, so I take photographs and do
portraits from them.’
John’s artistic talents have come in useful for
Variety Nights and he helps by designing and
painting backcloths. For the coming show he is
branching out – he’s making a gorilla from
papier macho with hair of combed raffia!
Psychology, astronomy and classical music also
claim his interest, and he even manages to find
time to study flamenco guitar music.
A. Hamblin
The Fiddlers Three – John Hutchins, Don Webb
and Bob Randall -get down to some funny
business with broom and bucket.
Bob Randall is the tall one – gormless, but only on
stage ! He works as an operator verifier and has
been with the Company since 1963. His
contribution to Variety Nights, apart from clowning,
is as carpenter, a trade he learned in the Army
where he used to appear in regimental shows.
He makes furniture in his spare time, mostly from
hardwood (mahogany is his favourite). ‘I’ve made
stacks of coffee tables,’ he told us.
Another, and very unusual, interest of his is old
weapons, and he enjoys making those lethal
devices known as crossbows. Our ancestors,
who made theirs from rawhide, would doubtless be
intrigued by one that Bob has just finished – he
used a modified Austin Seven front spring for the
bow prod !
1
The acts put on by ‘The Fiddlers Three’ are a joint
effort ; each contributes ideas and dialogue but
once they have settled on a script they stick to it,
however much they may appear to be
extemporising on stage.
Props are the problem. ‘They are what get the
laughs,’ says Don (but one can’t entirely agree
with this modest assertion). A recent appeal
produced a practically new bowler hat and an
authentic Mexican outfit ! Further clothing with
comedy possibilities would be appreciated – old
uniforms, hats, helmets, caps, etc. – also any
unwanted musical instruments.
Collection can be arranged so please have a look
in your store cupboards and lofts and see if you
have anything this crazy trio could use as fodder
for fun at the next show !
End of the Elms
//is always sad to see mature trees felled, but it
would have been a great deal sadder if the tall elms
on the high bank opposite the lily pond had been
left to fall of their own accord. Elms are
notoriously dangerous, having no tap root and
being prone to snapping without warning. Every
time the wind blew, these elms caused the ground
to heave and, had they fallen, they might have
done great damage to the boilerhouse, apart from
flattening someone! So sentence of death was
passed on the group last March and plans for
landscaping the bank are in hand. A. Hamblin
11 tailill
Walbrook Photography
A striking portrait and cartoon by John Hutchins.
5
THE DISTANT HORIZON
To make their film ‘The Distant Horizon’ – aimed
at recruiting adults to the service of youth –
Gloucestershire Training Committee were lucky to
be able to find someone with not only film-making
expertise but also a keen interest in youth work.
And when the premiere of the film was held on
February 26 at Longlevens Secondary School in
the presence of the Mayor of Gloucester and the
Sheriff of Gloucester. there was Robin Berks
acting as projectionist into the bargain !
Robin, who is supervisor in the Factory
Engineering Order Department, is secretary of our
Cine Et Photographic Club; he is also treasurer of
the Mitcheldean Youth Club and, before he came
to the Forest of Dean, was for six years a youth
leader attached to the Methodist Central Hall.
When he was approached to shoot the film, Robin
enlisted the technical help of Lionel Fisher (Design
Engineer) who also knew something about youth
work, having taken a course at Cowley Manor, a
Youth Leadership Training Centre run by the
Gloucestershire Training Committee.
Then, armed with a Bo lex 16 mm. camera fitted
with a Taylor Hobson lens, reels of Kodak negative
colour film, and a shooting script provided by the
Training Committee, they started work last
summer.
The shots they took covered a wide range:
courses at Cowley Manor; Brownies taking a
badge test (one was Nicola, daughter of Alan
Paton in PED) with Janet, wife of Ken Herring
(Machine Shop) acting as examiner; that keen
gardener Sam Newman (Factory Progress) showing
youngsters how best to go about it ; a St. John
Ambulance Brigade class in progress at the Club
House with Henry Phillips (Tool Inspection) and
Tony Cale (Machine Shop) lecturing ; Mrs.
Jennifer Price, daughter of Vic Pickles (2400
Stores Et Stock Control) giving horse riding
lessons; farming, life-saving, archery – all kinds of
activities in which the right kind of adult help can
assist young people to develop their own
resources and so ‘reach out for the Distant Horizon
of true citizenship as mature, creative and
responsible people’.
So runs the commentary, spoken by Mr. Michael
Aspel of the BBC. The film was processed, edited
and sound tracked by the Rank Organisation
6
Studios at Perivale. Mr. Martin Barnsley, former
Assistant Area Youth Organiser for West
Gloucestershire, acted as co-ordinator and
Mr. Arthur Wilcox selected suitable music.
‘The Distant Horizon’ lasts about 20 minutes and
can be hired by approved organisations on
application to Mr. G. W. Tandy, 355 Old Bath
Road, Cheltenham, for a booking fee of 10s.
Robin takes some shots on the banks of the Wye,
assisted by Lionel. A Bell & Howell 627 was
used on this occasion.
A. Hamblin ALL THE WINNERS
Guest of honour at the Amateur Cine &
Photographic Club’s annual Prize Night, held on
March 27 in the Social Centre, was the Chief
Engineer of Rank Xerox, Mr. A. S. Pratt.
Recently elected a Fellow of the Royal
Photographic Society, Mr. Pratt kindly presented
the prizes to the winners of the club’s still, slide
and film competitions. Winning entries in the still
and slide contest, which were on display, were
those submitted by the following : first – Bill
Gosnell (Spares Packing) ; second – Mrs. Valerie
Jordan; and, tying for third place – Mrs. Dorine
Berks and Lionel Fisher (Design Engineer).
Fred Brown (Tool Room) took first prize in the
film competition with his ‘Beauty in Wales by
Narrow Gauge’, a film which conveyed all the
fascination of travel by these ‘puffers with
personality’. Robin Berks’ entry, which came
second, gave us some excellent shots taken at a
combined youth rally and official opening of
The Biblings, a log cabin youth centre opened last
summer on the banks of the Wye. Third was
Bill Gosnell again with his ‘Autumn Tapestry in
the Forest of Dean’.
The films were judged by a three-man committee
from Design Engineering – Ron Boakes (a member
of Gloucester Film Society) who acted as
chairman, Jack Timms and Ted Elliott.
An amusing feature film, ‘The Iron Maiden’,
completed the programme at yet another most
enjoyable Prize Night.
4 k
Fred Brown receives first prize for his film from
Mr. Pratt.
Mr. Pratt presents one of the two prizes that went
to Bill Gosnell. Looking on are Miss Doris Barker
and Robin Berks. Photos: A. Hamblin
One of the delightful entries in the still and slide
photography competition, taken by Brian Prosser
(Reliability Engineering).
7
THE FUSER ROLLER PROJECT
PTFE coating techniques developed at Mitcheldean help perfect the performance of the 2400
WHAT is almost as slippery as wet ice on wet ice ?
The answer is: polytetrafluoroethylene, commonly
referred to as PTFE. This is the material used to
coat pots and pans to render them non-stick, to
make skis skim over snow, and for all kinds of
industrial applications.
PTFE’s other main virtue is its capacity to withstand
high temperatures and attack from almost all types
of chemicals. It was these characteristics which
led to its use in the fusing area of the 2400
machine.
The high speed of the 2400 demanded almost
instant fusing of the toner powder to the copy
paper in order to fix the copy image, and Xerox
engineers chose PTFE as a coating for the heated
fuser rollers so that the roller could fuse the toner
on to the copy without itself becoming coated
with toner.
Unfortunately the finer techniques for applying
PTFE to such a sophisticated component as the
fuser roller were not readily available to us, since
our American associates had sub-contracted the
work and their sub-contractors were not inclined to
part with their trade secrets.
Unable to find a suitable sub-contractor in this
country, we decided to tackle the job ourselves,
and there followed 12 months’ investigation and
experimentation.
As head of a working committee comprising
representatives of the Works Laboratory, PED and
shop supervision, Hubert (Bert) Fisher, a section
Dennis Burford places the roller in the shot-blasting
unit which will give the outer surface a ‘key’. In
charge of the clean room, Dennis has acquired
considerable experience in the field of paint
spraying, having worked in the Paint Shop for
most of his 18 years with the Company.
leader in Mr. Paul Gregory’s Advanced
Manufacturing Engineering Group in Design
Engineering, told us: ‘One of the many problems
was that of adhesion. We eventually found that the
bright nickel plating on the copper was responsible
for failure, and we solved the problem by resorting
to dull (Watts-type) nickel. This meant major
modifications had to be made to the automatic
(Glydo) nickel plating plant.
‘We also had to experiment with a variety of
temperatures for the “sintering” (very intensive
heating) of the rollers.’
The fuser roller unit which was first set up in the
2400 Department as a development and
pre-production unit commenced production proper
late last year. Every 2400 machine is fitted with
one roller but is expected to use between 10 and
15 rollers in its lifetime, and the unit is currently
producing some 125 rollers a week.
This ‘do-it-yourself’ effort (as it has been referred
to by one technical magazine) has resulted in
saving 70 per cent. of the cost of buying fuser
rollers from the USA.
The fuser roller area consists of two sections – an
outer, pre-coating area and a clean room, entered
through of
the air-conditioning necessary to prevent
contamination and uneven drying.
When the rollers are received from the Machine
Shop, they look rather like hollow copper-covered
rolling pins with stainless steel handles, known as
journals. They are finish-machined on a high-speed
lathe using a diamond cutting tool to remove a
surplus outer layer of copper. From then on they
must not be touched by hand, except by means of
the journals.
Cleanliness is the keynote when spraying the
rollers. Operating the controls of the automatic
spray gun is Stanley Priest.
Shot-blasting with aluminium oxide for one and a
half minutes gives each roller a key, or rough
surface, to take the PTFE. After this they go, in
special boxes marked ‘Caution – handle with care’
to the automatic plating plant for nickel plating
to protect them against oxidation.
Back they come to the clean room where batches
of 16 are pre-heated in ovens at a carefully
controlled temperature to remove volatile surface
substances. After cooling to room temperature for
two hours, the rollers are ready for a coat of ICI
‘Fluon’ primer, which contains a strong etching
acid. This is baked on at 250’C. for ten minutes,
and the rollers are again cooled for two hours.
Then comes the first of three spray finish coats of
Du-Pont ‘Teflon’, a dispersion containing PTFE.
A Binks-Bullows automatic spray was chosen for
the coating operations since it enables a high
quality and consistency of finish and reduces
overspray to a minimum – quite a consideration
since PTFE dispersion costs E40 per gallon !
Each of the three coatings is sintered, again at a
carefully controlled temperature, and after each
sintering the rollers are allowed to cool off for two
hours.
The meticulous procedure, which gives each roller
a life of upwards of 800,000 copies, is still far from
complete. Back go the rollers to the pre-coating
area for machining of the thermistor contact area
(a thermistor is a device used to measure the
operating temperature of the roller, which is
maintained at the right value by electrical control).
Since the high temperature of the sintering
operations causes copper oxidation, decomposition
residues have to be removed from the inside of the
rollers and this is done by shot-blasting the core
of each roller with glass beads in a second
blasting unit.
The PTFE surface is then polished on a specially
modified lathe using an abrasive paper to give a
15 micro inch finish. A radioactive gauge, known
as a Betascope, is employed to verify that the total
thickness of the coating is between .002 and
0035 in.
Now at the end of a 20 or so operation process,
each roller is date-stamped and subjected to
careful inspection: this includes checking of the
micro finish on a Talysurf device (made by
Taylor Hobson Ltd.) and a sample adhesion check
in the Works Laboratory. The rollers are now
ready for despatch to the assembly line or to field
engineers.
Further interesting developments regarding fuser
rollers are in the pipeline. The use of PTFE in the
720 machine is currently being investigated. Also
under investigation is the reclamation of used fuser
rollers by machining off the PTFE and some copper,
building up over-size by means of sprayed-on
aluminium, re-machining the parts to the finishturned
dimension, then subjecting the rollers to
the coating process already described.
The setting up of a similar plant at Venray, to deal
with the increasing quantity of fuser rollers from
the European field which will require
reconditioning, is currently being considered.
After sintering on their stainless steel trolley, the
batch of rollers is removed from the oven.
Ken Tyler machines the thermistor end of the roller.
The thickness of the coating is tested on the
Betascope by inspector W. ‘Jock’ McGeachy.
ir
OA 16fR fit. 61.44
Photographs by courtesy of Publicity & Information
Services, Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd.
Plastics Division.
9
Production Manager at Mitcheldean
Mr. Stanley D. Keely, AMIMechE, was recently
appointed Production Manager, Mitcheldean Plant,
in which capacity he is directly responsible to
Mr. C. W. Hotchen for the satisfactory
implementation of the Company’s manufacturing
and production programmes at Mitcheldean. The
following departments now come under his
immediate control : all Manufacturing Departments,
Model 2400, 914/720 and 813/660 Departments,
Factory Progress, Stores, Stock Control,
Engineering Order Control and Works Laboratory
(formerly Chemical Et Metallurgical Laboratory).
Mr. Keely, who comes to us from Nottingham, was
previously with the Hawker Siddeley group as
production manager of electrical equipment: he
has also acted as an engineering/management
consultant. He has three sons aged 14, 12 and
seven. Rugby football is one of his chief interests
and he has played for Loughborough and the Old
Paviors, Nottingham.
Mr. Keely’s office is on the first floor of Building 23
(Administration Block) ; it is adjacent to the
offices of Mr. D. R. Elliott, Manager, Reconditioning
Department.
LSA LETTER
Mr. Nigel Foulkes, Managing Director of Rank
Xerox Ltd., has kindly promised to attend the Long
Service Association Annual Dinner, to be held on
May 17 in the Social Centre. He will present their
25-year awards to Miss K. (Iris) Stanton, Joe
Bennett, Phil Cleal, John Everall, Len Hart, Eric
Knight and Jim Slade.
Every year the LSA gets bigger (there are now
over 200 members plus 30 or so retired members)
and space presents a problem. The Committee,
looking ahead, have decided upon an arrangement
which will enable members to bring guests and at
the same time solve the space problem. The plan
is that, while the dinner and presentations are
being held in the Canteen, the guests will be
entertained in the Ballroom with refreshments and
a film show. Members will rejoin their guests after
dinner for the remainder of the evening
programme. This year Roger Morey and
The Musicmen will be entertaining everyone.
Miss Doris Barker, continuing with her good work
of visiting sick LSA members, reports that most
are making good progress. Mr. R. E. Baker,
Mr. F. J. Edwards and Mr. J. Footitt have all
recently had to have hospital treatment and have
been away from work for a few weeks.
10
A. Hamblin
This is triple celebration year for the family of
LSA secretary, Henry Phillips. Last April his
daughter, a children’s nurse in London, celebrated
her 21st birthday; on August 20 he and his wife
celebrate their silver wedding anniversary; and
in September his wife achieves her ‘half century’.
HOW ABOUT A PINT?
Last October some 130 people from the Plant
donated blood when the unit visited us: this last
April the number rose to 230, Sister Collins
reports. She points out that only those in
sufficiently good health are allowed to donate
blood. The loss is made up within 24 hours and
there are no bad after-effects. In fact, giving a
pint of blood is in many cases beneficial,
particularly if the donor suffers from high blood
pressure. If you are not already a donor, give it a
thought – the team will be here again next
autumn.
HOME MARKET
For Sale
10-inch slide rule, ‘Faber Castell’, pre-war quality,
perfect condition. £2 ono. Apply : E. F. Price
(216 int.).
Semi-detached house in Ross, three bedrooms,
lounge/diner, garage, central heating, doubleglazing
– £3,725. Enquiries to : C. P. Johnson
(350 int.).
1964 Austin 1100. Replies to : K. Lewis
(Plumbing Dept.)
Wanted
Push-chair with hood and apron, also play-pen.
Replies to: H. Cecil (PED).
DOWN
1 Contemporary stream (7).
2 If you have a slipped disc you
might not be admitted here
(3 Et 4).
3 Possible result of 1 down being
4 down (5).
4 Ran – not necessarily twice –
but with 100 per cent increase
(7).
5 A nation of capital young
people (5).
6 Result of activity in the
quarry – curse it ! (5)
9 Changes concerning house
magazines (9).
14 He makes his living by
increasing the population ! (7)
15 Take a bow before practising
this ancient art (7).
16 Nearly a bovine stampede by
the river (7).
19 What an empty subject for
fiction (5).
20 The one who does this can’t
possibly pronounce it (5).
21 The last word (5).
ACROSS
7 I can’t help you here (6).
8 Accommodation for youth (6).
10 Make doubly sure before you
start scolding (7).
11 Pull ’em on Sunday (5).
12 Common informer (4).
13 ‘Veil, you reptile’, said lkey, ‘vat
are you doing on my
vindscreen ?’ (5)
Holiday Accommodation
Comfortable flats at Weymouth available for
letting August 17 -31. Lounge, kitchen,
bathroom, two bedrooms, TV, garage and space
for cars – all home comforts. For more details
‘phone Newent 512, contact W. Wardle
(Maintenance), or write to 52 Spa Road, Radipole,
Weymouth.
Four-berth caravan for hire at Aberayron, near
Aberystwyth. Enquiries to : K. Lewis (Plumbing
Dept.)
Lost
Ford Zodiac answering to the name ‘Soo’. Would
finder please return asap – caravan pining !
Ref : R.E.G. 123.
The following appeared on a recent
Engineering Order: ‘Three small bosses
removed. Reason: Not functional’!
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by Paul Grecian,
17 Cerebral appellation for a
Mitcheldean back-room boy or
two (5).
18 Who speaks an Oriental
language? In the Forest she
does! (4)
22 Cost of Central Records (5).
23 This one? No. That one?
No. (7)
24 Inexpensive beat man (6).
25 Wee Scots – mostly from 17
across (6).
11
DOUBLE’ DECKER delivery
The use of TIR (international door-to-door road
transport) by the International Distribution
Centre – Mitcheldean, for despatching copiers and
spare parts to the Continent has been stepped up
during the past six months from two trailers to
eleven per week. This mode of transport –
whereby trailers are detached from the tractor unit
at the port of loading, taken on board and
re-connected at the Continental port on dischargeensures
speedier delivery and reduction in costs
and allows less risk of damage in transit. Trailers
have been going to France, Germany, Holland and
Sweden, and Italy is now being included on a
trial basis.
International Distribution Centre are taking
advantage of additional means of speeding up
delivery. They are now using 40-ft. long trailers
(the maximum length available) following the
lifting of restrictions by the Ministry of Transport in
line with Continental practice.
They are also developing usage of double-deck
trailers up to 40-ft. long, which reduces costs still
further. These have hinged side flaps which are
folded down over the bottom load and bolted
together to make a floor for a second load. The
special trailers for Continental use are hired, but a
double-deck trailer for UK use is at present being
made for us by Highway Trailers and delivery is
expected this summer. The double-deck trailer in
our picture, destined for Paris, carries seven 2400
machines and 16 720 machines, plus spares.
The TIR vehicle will gradually be superseded by
containers, giving the same advantages, and at the
same time making maximum use of space in
specially constructed ships. A. Hamblin
RIT
RAVAS INTERNATIO0t1
U. K. CONTINSTAJ
– –
Putting IYOUlin the picture
Births
Kevin Matthew, a son for George Pask (2400
Dept. chargehand) on October 10 -a somewhat
tardy announcement, but it will still be news to
some !
Philip Roger, a son for Mrs. Maureen Hart (formerly
2400 Assembly), on December 23.
Gail Lorraine, a daughter for John Not ley
(International Distribution Centre), on February 4.
Carole Ann, a daughter for John Wooding
(Machine Shop), on February 16.
Laurence Martin, a son for Ernie Hughes (Process
Planning), on February 21.
Julie Elizabeth, a daughter for Tony Harris
(Machine Shop), on February 26.
12
Paul James, a son for Tony Yelland (Design DO),
also on February 26.
Colin John, a son for Freddy Wynn (Machine
Shop), on February 27.
Mark Andrew, a son for Mrs. Barbara Roberts
(formerly Machine Shop), on February 28.
Mark Conrad, a son for Roger Smith (Design
Engineer), on March 6.
Engagements
Miss Angela Browning (2400 sub-assembly) to
Michael Meek on March 9.
Miss Pat Tudor (2400 Assembly) to Gilbert Meek
(stacker driver) on March 23.
Weddings
Moss Brenda Neal (Reliability Laboratory) to
Don James (Reliability Engineering) at Cinderford
Methodist Chapel on February 9.
Miss Carol Taylor (2400 wiring section) to
Eddie Hughes at Malvern on February 17.
Kenneth Jones (Autos) to Miss Cynthia Meek at
St. Michael’s, Mitcheldean, on March 2.
Miss Pat Smith (Goods Inwards) to Robert Davis
(Design Engineer) at Lydney Register Office, and
Tony Jones (Reconditioning) to Miss Jean Taylor
at Christchurch. both on March 16.
Miss Diane Cooper (secretary to Mr. F. Court) to
Keith Horrobin (Quality Control) at St. Michael’s.
Mitcheldean, on March 23.
John Spratley (Accounts Dept.) to Miss Sheila Tidy
(secretary to Mr. S. D. Keely, Production Manager)
at St. John’s, Shirley, Croydon, on March 23.
All on March 30 – Miss Wendy Williams (Goods
Inwards) to David Cox (2400 Stores Et Stock
Control) at Holy Trinity, Drybrook; Miss Rita
Holford (2400 wiring section) to Laurence Stanton
at Blaisdon Roman Catholic Church; and Brian
Fisher (2400 Assembly) to Miss Kathleen Dowle
at St. Michael’s, Mitcheldean.
Miss Shirley Willstead (2400 sub-assembly) to
Julian Grail at St. Stephen’s, Cinderford, on
Whit Monday.
Mr. and Mrs. Ken Jones Mr. and Mrs. Keith Horrobin Mr. and Mrs. Don James
Mr. and Mrs. David Cox *Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Gwilliam
si
*Mr. and Mrs. David Beard
*Mr. and Mrs. Richard Harris *Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Bullock *Mr. and Mrs. Peter Delaney
*whose wedding was reported in our last issue (Photos: R. Evans, J. Field, L. Laken, Walbrook Photography)
13
Talent Spotted
Our Variety Concerts have revealed a fund of talent
within the Plant – and that talent has been
going places recently !
We hear that the RRMonys, Robert Davies
(Development Engineer) and Richard Holland
(Design Engineer), have successfully passed an
audition for ‘Opportunity Knocks’, their names
having been put forward by ‘impresario’ George
Douglas (Paint Shop Supervisor). They have been
told by ABC Television producer Roy Mayoh that
‘at each one of our casting meetings we will consider
Winning Pins
A team of draughtsmen and a team of engineers
fought it out in the Inter-Design Skittles Final,
and below are the doughty draughtsmen who won
the shield by 37 pins.
The second round in the Interdepartmental Skittles
From left to right: John Brain, Roger Preece,
Michael Greene, Jim Saunders, Derrick Kear,
Albert Webb, Peter Blake and David Weyman.
The help of apprentice John Weyman who
deputised for Roger Preece in the final game is
hereby acknowledged!
including you on one of our shows during 1968.’
Some time ago soprano Shirley Willstead (2400
sub-assembly) obtained an audition with TWW.
She was asked to attend a second one on
March 30 and was told she would be hearing from
them within a few weeks so she’s keeping her
fingers crossed !
Yet another recent achievement was that of
Margaret Woodhead (Design Engineering
reception), who won the Dame Clara Butt trophy
in the contralto novice section with 87 marks for
her solo, and also came third in the oratorio
section.
Tournament produced one great upset of form
when the Maintenance ‘A’ team eliminated the
PED Peasants by five pins. Also losing by the
same margin were last year’s winners, Project 9
Optimists, who came to grief at the hands of the
Renegades, the team representing the Apprentices.
At the time of writing the quarter-finals were
about to be played and the results of the semi-finals
should be known by the time this issue appears.
In the Ross Skittle League, Rank Xerox ‘B’ team
have won the Second Division Championship for the
winter season and have also entered a team for the
summer season in the Mitcheldean Front Pin League.
14 A. Hamblin
The Organisers beg most respectfulk to acquaint their Friends
aml the Public that on a date* shorth to l)e announced
I h. IId the fourth of their Variety Night performances in
the Social Centre.
Celebrated \ ocalists have been engaged and there \% ill be a
contmnation of the varied and entertaininu Episodes whose
success in the Establishment is %%ithout reredent in the annals
4)1 pithlic amusement.
aiters ill suIN Refreshments at the most moderate terms
to the Ladies and Gentlemen durin., the performance.
In addition. a prize of Five Potind Notes \% ill he presented h.
the Lads and Gentleman in the audience adjudged to be mo:-.1
appropriately attired for an evening of
OLD TIME MUSIC HALL
%%Aril lire !mike- {main!. for &tali,
10.,(CO2, .vt+g+).(+): *Zt 70(02. 40):W+>:(C Vt+Xfg+g+).:(0,
CROSSWORD SOLUTION
DOWN: 1 – Current. 2-Car park. 3-Flood.
4 – Doubled. 5 – Italy. 6-Blast. 9-Revisions.
14 – Breeder. 15- Archery. 16- Bulrush.
19 – Space. 20-Lisps. 21 – Final.
ACROSS: 7- Unable. 8- Hostel. 10- Reprove.
11 – Bells. 12 – Nark. 13 – Viper. 17 – Brain.
18-Urdu. 22- Price. 23- Neither. 24-Copper.
25 – Bairns.
YES:ITS’SIMPLY WONDERFUL- OUR NEW AT RATE) 5. .. YES. ITS. A WONDERFUL
DELIVERY SYSTEM-THEY ALL COPTE OUT ) OF 2400 PER MACHINE – OUR NEW
EXACTLY THE SAME AS EACH OTHER- HOUR I
NOT A BLEMISH! – BY THE DOZEN’. –
MATERNITY 1;
2400 COPIER !
15
`I was entertained right royally
says Sallyann
It was a long time to wait – between being
elected Miss Rank, Mitcheldean, last November
and going for the two-day visit to London which
was the main part of my prize. However, Monday
March 4 came round at last and I and my friend
Deborah Tyler, who recently joined Purchase
Department, set off for London.
David Wingfield of Information Services met us at
Paddington and saw us safely installed in the new
Rank Hotel, the Royal Lancaster, where we had a
corner room on the 12th floor.
Then we went on to Rank Xerox House and were
shown over some of the offices, after which we
had lunch in an Italian restaurant.
Lunch over, we went shopping in Bond Street,
*Romeo
16
accompanied by Lindsay Jennings from Head
Office. At Fenwicks I bought a dress and coat
which was also part of my prize, then we had an
appointment with the hairdressers. After that it was
a dash back to the hotel to dress for the Royal
Film Performance of ‘Romeo and Juliet’.
We had to be at the Odeon. Leicester Square,
quite early as huge crowds were expected outside
the cinema. Thanks to closed-circuit television, we
were able to watch inside in comfort the arrival of
famous screen personalities – people like
Danny Kaye, Joan Collins, Richard Chamberlain,
Lynn Redgrave, Tommy Steele, Richard
Attenborough and many others — as well as the
arrival of the Queen and the presentation of the
top-line stars to Her Majesty.
The Queen looked very splendid in a sapphirecoloured
gown with a sapphire necklace and
tiara. She sat in the centre of the balcony,
together with the Duke of Edinburgh and
Prince Charles.
Before the film started, there was a line-up of the
film personalities on the stage; then they all moved
off, leaving Romeo (17-year-old Leonard Whiting)
and Juliet (16-year-old Olivia Hussey) alone on
the stage. Olivia was dressed in a plain,
full-length pink gown which set off her
waist-length hair.
Despite what many critics have said about it, we
thought the Franco Zeffirelli production of ‘Romeo
and Juliet’ an outstanding film. The colour and
costumes were beautiful and the fights remarkably
realistic, and we particularly liked the performance
of the teenage principals.
Our evening was pleasantly rounded off by dinner
at the Tiddy Dols restaurant in Hertford Street, W.1.
Not being in any great hurry to get up the next
day, we had coffee then went shopping in the
West End and caught a train back to Gloucester in
the early afternoon.
(For Sallyann the two-day visit ended with yet
more excitement. On arrival home she went on to
play badminton for Double View Badminton Club
in the last match of the Wyedean Cup Tournament,
and found herself in the winning team! Last
January Sallyann, who works in Computer
Services, won the runner-up’s shield in the
Wyedean Junior Badminton Championships for the
second time in two years.)
Sallyann and (right) Deborah arrive at the Odeon,
Leicester Square, for the Royal Film Premiere.

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