Vision
March/April 71 No 66 House Magazine of Rank Xerox Mitcheldean Plant
We’ve seen many visitors touting our Plant but
never one like this / His unexpected arrival in
Spares & Sub-assembly during a tea break made
some wonder whether the famous bear of
Ruardean had returned to haunt the neighbourhood !
In fact, for Tom Rawlings (that’s the six-footer
towering over the teddy) it triggered off memories
of two uncles of his who were among those
summonsed for killing the real one. But everyone
fell for Alpha, as he has been christened –
especially Mrs Ruth Hatch who, as our picture
shows, is about the same height. give or take an
inch. Wlade by Mrs Norah ivieles of Meuiciii
Department. Alpha weighs over a stone and it
takes a long pair of arms to encircle his 56-inch
waist. His prime purpose in life is to raise money
for the North Gloucestershire Cobalt Unit Fund
(when we last heard the amount was already
around £115) and he is to be raffled at a dance
the Medical Department are organising in aid of the
fund on March 26. By the way, any other gifts for
raffle prizes (they needn’t be =big) would be
much appreciated by the organisers.
Divisional bulletins announcing changes to the
top management structure of P.S.O.D. and
Mitcheldean Plant have been published. I hope
you have read them.
The objective is to make P.S.O.D. more effective
operationally, and capable of catering for future
growth.
P.S.O.D. broadly consists of those who design,
those who plan, and those who produce. The new
Divisional structure recognises this.
Mr A. S. Pratt continues as Chief Engineer.
Mr D. Shryane hands over day-to-day Supply
Operations to me and concentrates on Planning,
including Procurement, Information Systems,
Facilities, Resources and Programmes. I shall
concentrate on Production and day-to-day
CHANGES
IN DIVISIONAL
STRUCTURE
associated activities. The service functions –
Personnel and Finance – are unchanged, but
Operations will take over Buying.
Operations encompasses the production and
manufacturing and associated activities at
Mitcheldean, Welwyn, and Venray. What about
Mitcheldean ?
Mr Joe Flavin, Senior Vice-President, Finance and
Planning, of Xerox Corporation, addressing
Mitcheldean Management at Mitcheldean on
Thursday February 4, said that others plan
but – ‘You have the job to do.’
Mitcheldean will be the hub of P.S.O.D. for
several years to come. The other Plants will rely
heavily on us here. That is why Mr Wickstead set
up Divisional Headquarters at Mitcheldean. It is
DIRECTOR,
PRODUCTION A SUPPLY
OPERATIONS DIVISION
F. NICESTEAD’
ASSISTANT
DIRECTOR,
PLANNING
D. SHRYANE
CONTROLLER,
PROCUREMENT
M.J. HILL
CONTROLLER.
INFORMATION
SYSTEMS
C. PETERS
CONTROLLE,.
FACILITIE,
PLANNING
J.C. NENwOOD
CONTROLLER.
PROGRAMME
PLANNING
N.J. MIDDLETON
CONTROLLER.
ACCOUNTS
PRICE’
ASSISTANT
DIRECTOR
S CHIEF ENGINEER
A.S. PRATT’
CONTROLLER.
PERSONNEL
L.Y. LYES’
DEPUTY DIRECTOR.
OPERATIONS
D.R. PORTmAN’
GENERAL MANAGER
MITCHELDEAN
(ACTING)
D.R. PORTMAN’
GENERAL MANAGER
yENRAY
CONTROLLER.
.ANuFACTURiNG
ENGINEERING
F.M. MASON
I,.L.A. STIERmAN’
GENERAL MANAGER
1.ELArN
Y.G. PARRY
CONTROLLER,
MANUFACTURING
PROGRAMMES
J.W. EVANS
MEMBERS OF THE P.S.O.D. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.
2
also why Mitcheldean must be effectively
organised to meet the objectives of the new
P.S.O.D. structure.
Mr R. W. Mason, Mr V. G. Parry and Mr J. W.
Evans are professionally very experienced, and
their opinions and judgments widely respected.
The Company must take the fullest advantage of
their knowledge and experience. They have,
therefore, been relieved of day-to-day pressures so
that they can advise, guide and help me, and
Plant General Managers, in the areas of
Manufacturing Engineering, Product Quality, and
Manufacturing Programmes.
Mr J. C. Henwood will be fully occupied on
long-term Facilities Planning under Mr Shryane,
although he will continue to be responsible to me
for the new I.D.C. at Mitcheldean until that
project has been completed.
At Mitcheldean, Mr J. Tester takes over from
Mr Mason as Chief Production Engineer, and
Mr D. M. Mills takes over from Mr Parry as
Manager, Quality Control. These men, too, have
proved their worth and I know that they have your
confidence and respect as well as mine. I may
make other reallocations of responsibilities at
Mitcheldean. If so, it will only be in order to make
the best possible use of available people.
This chart shows organisation
relationships only and is
in no way intended to
reflect relative status.
Planning’s job is to give us the plans, and see that
we get the ‘tools’ to implement them. Our job is
to produce according to plan.
There are potential opportunities for many people,
provided we work together and produce the
goods.
0. a
Deputy Director, Operations
3
PARTY PICTURES
Compared with last year’s
figures, more than twice
as many turned up for the
Administrative party, held
at the Chase Hotel on
December 22. A special
feature of the evening
was a ‘lucky dip’ raffle
with over 100 prizes.
The Tool Room and Tool
Inspection joined forces
at the Wye Valley Hotel,
Tintern, for their party
on December 19.
J. Ingram
3600 Assembly also
celebrated on December
19, with a dinner /dance
in the Social Centre.
R. L. Evans
The New Year’s Day
dinner /dance held at the
Chase Hotel, Rosson-
Wye, by the Machine
Shop was such a
success they have
planned a mid-summer
party there.
4
R. L Evans
HOME MARKET
For Sale
Detached house at Drybrook. Pleasant position,
secluded yet close to buses and shops. Three
bedrooms, bathroom, lounge, living-room,
dining-room, kitchen, conservatory. Outbuildings,
Large well laid-out and stocked garden. £4,500.
Replies to: S. J. Cowmeadow, ‘W’ Stores.
Tel. 417 int.
Pacer sailing dinghy, new 1970, fibreglass hull and
aluminium mast, boom, etc., terylene sails.
Condition as new. Offers over £170 to :
J. C. Henwood, Controller, Facilities Planning.
Tel. 693 int.
ACROSS
1 Advertised egg-production. (7)
5 Machinery which grows. (5)
8 A lark in the meadow. (5)
9 He applauds the campanologist.
(7)
10 Revolutionary Red Bill is a most
uncouth character. (3-4)
11 It’s grand entertainment when
speaking is forbidden. (5)
12 Not a golden handshake, but
everybody gets it when they’re
fired. (6)
14 Painful result of doing the twist,
possibly. (6)
17 A funny kind of 11 across. (5)
19 Foreigners say ours are
wonderful – real men of mettle!
(7)
22 When in a tantrum, pettifogging
people say: ‘Oh, blast it’. (7)
23 Extort ? Precisely. (5)
24 Happening on the track. (5)
25 Does she entertain huge
crowds? (7)
DOWN
1 In the Tropics, cut the corn, and
you have a sophisticated little
island. (5)
2 Right there in front – directing
the little company ? (2-5)
3 Alter, in the future, alter- (5)
4 – and make up your mind
firmly. (6)
5 Fog on a plate. (3 Er 4)
6 This once-forbidden fruit gives
me the pip. (5)
7 Where land turns turtle with a
‘p’ in it. (7)
Beautifully grained and seasoned oblique cut yew
wood slices, 1 inches thick, ideal for bungalow
or house signs. From 15s. Enquiries to :
L. J. Lane, 720 Assembly. Tel. Longhope 350.
Camping outfit, Continental type frame tent with
extension trailer which converts to kitchen unit,
twin burner gas unit, etc. Reply to: G. W. Austin,
Tool Room. Tel. 191 int.
Wanted
Second-hand typewriter (not portable). Replies
to : Mrs E. Matthews, Design Office Print Room.
Tel. 542 int.
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by Paul Grecian, Solution on pace 14
Apparel collared from the
outfitter. (7)
13 2 down’s work-room, but birds
12
not allowed. (7)
15 Something mean in Wilhelmina,
Vera. Genevieve and Caroline. (7)
16 Comes in singles and doubles,
but usually after tennis. (6)
18 According to Burns, wee, sleekit
and tim’rous. (5)
20 It was in the papers when this
shop went to Cinderford. (5)
21 Sound quotes for big heaps of
dirt at Mitcheldean. (5)
5
GETTING TO KNOW US
Just before Christmas Mr Robert Pippitt paid his
first visit to Mitcheldean since being appointed
Rank Xerox Deputy Managing Director last year.
The object of his visit was to meet the Mitcheldean
management team to see just how things are done
in our plant, and to hear about our ideas for the
future.
It was a non-stop, fact-finding visit which started
with informal discussions at dinner on Monday
evening, December 21 with Mr Wickstead,
Mr Portman, Mr Pratt, Senior Divisional
Executives and Mitcheldean managers.
The following morning Mr Pippitt started with a
visit to Cinderford to see the conversion work
then under way at the former Painter’s factory.
Following this he moved on to Mitcheldean where
Divisional Executives outlined to him the Seven
Year Resources Plan which has been drawn up to
indicate, within the overall Company Plan, the
future requirements of the Production and Supply
Operations Division.
Following this presentation Mr Pippitt was shown
round the factory by Mr Wickstead and
Mr Portman and, as can be seen in the photographs,
was greatly interested in the methods and the
resources used at Mitcheldean. Although his visit
had necessarily been brief, Mr Pippitt commented
that he was impressed and that he hoped to
return to see more of Mitcheldean in due course.
elow : In the numerical control machining centre, the multi-tool crib, which lights up to indicate the
ext tool to be used, attracts Mr Pippitt’s attention. With him is Mr Portman while in the background
Wickstead discusses a point with Mr David Willday, Assistant Production Manager, Component
4anufacturing. Above Operator /verifier Bob Randall on 3600 main line assembly talks to our visitor.
TM the left is Mr Roy Powell, Manager, 3600 Production.
Mr Joe Flavin, Xerox Corporation’s Senior
Vice-President, Finance and Planning, has been
doing a whistle-stop tour of Rank Xerox
establishments in this country and on the
Continent. After talks in London with
Mr Mal Thomas, Managing Director and Chief
Executive of our Company, the latter accompanied
him on a visit to our Plant on February 4.
Divisional staff gave him a presentation on
P.S.O.D. production capabilities before he was
taken on a tour of the site. Here he is (second
from the left) in Design Department with (from
left to right) Mr A. S. Pratt, Mr D. Benda /l,
Mr F. Wickstead, Mr R. P Mr Thomas.
Dashing Driver
Mitcheldean transport driver Jack Gardner drove
over to the Continent recently – on a trip with a
difference. To begin with, he didn’t know he was
going until halfway through a December afternoon,
and he had to dash home and pack a bag in
double quick time before leaving the Plant in a
Ford Cortina packed to the roof with four
hundredweight of spares.
The trip was an exercise, organised by Transport
Department and put into operation at very short
notice, to establish the feasibility of getting a rush
consignment to Venray by land and sea.
Jack did the 200 miles to Dover in about five
hours, snatching a sandwich and a cuppa en
route; he had a couple of hours’ sleep on the boat
before disembarking at Zeebrugge at 3.30 am.
(This was the only car ferry service that could
offer a booking at short notice.)
Then began the run to Venray via Ghent, Antwerp
and Eindhoven which had been mapped out for
him. Fortunately at that time in the morning there
was little traffic so he was able to cope better with
the unfamiliar conditions such as driving on the
opposite side of the road, giving way to vehicles
approaching from roads on the right – and getting
a shake-up on stretches of cobbled road !
He reached Venray at 12.30 pm (it would have
been earlier but for a two and a half hours’
hold-up at the Belgium/Holland border). The
consignment was unloaded, and Jack was treated
to the warm hospitality always accorded visitors
from Mitcheldean. Nevertheless, Jack was up and
ready to leave for home at 6.30 am next day.
The exercise itself was felt to have been well worth
while, having provided some useful pointers for
any similar trips in the future.
Dance Club Steps Out
The Ballroom Dance Club have taken some
decisive steps, following the encouraging
response to the notice in our last issue.
Dancing evenings are to be held on Fridays from
8 pm to 10 pm in the Social Centre ballroom
-April 2 is the next. Record playing and
amplification equipment is available for club use
and members will provide the records themselves
for the time being. It is intended to hold two
general dances annually, possibly with displays
of ballroom dancing.
Officers and committee are as follows:
chairman – I. Griffin; secretary – B. W. Toombs;
treasurer – Mrs G. Meek; committee –
Mrs M. Hale, Mrs M. Meek, Messrs G. Davies,
R. King, R. Miles, B. Walker.
7
QUICK CONVERSION
‘It’s warmer for a start’, said press operator Sam of
Rank Xerox, Cinderford. One of those who used
to work at Painters for the previous owners, he had
a high opinion of his newly transformed
surroundings.
Mounting bolts had to be cut with an acetylene
torch before the great presses could be winched
But comparisons apart, the efficient looks and
uncluttered layout of our recent acquisition are
certainly impressive.
Work started some months ago on planning the
conversion of the building the entire premises
out and lifted by crane on to lorries for removal to
Cinderford.
ime–
required considerable modernisation to bring them
up to the high standards set by our Company, but
it was not until the end of November when
Painter Brothers moved out, that a start could be
made on the conversion.
The presses, ranging from 20 up to 100 tons
capacity, in their new home at Cinderford. They
A single shell building, covering 55.000 square
feet, it needed a second skin for insulation
purposes. Tram lines had to be removed from the
concrete floor and a huge galvanizing pit filled in
before a new granolithic surface could be
have been augmented by eight new presses of
varying capacity.
provided. with bases for the presses being cast in
as part of the floor.
As a feeder factory to Mitcheldean supplying
partly finished components to our main plant. it
now houses basically a press and sheet metal shop,
a turning section (autos and capstans), and the
raw materials they utilise, integrated for the first
time in one central store specially equipped for the
purpose.
This store might almost be described as a
plantation for it consists of rows of ‘fir tree’
racking. Hitherto such racking has been used only
for the bar stock, which is stored in troughs on
the ‘branches’, but it has now been introduced at
Cinderford for flat stock also, replacing the former
methods of carpet-stacking sheet metal.
At the front end of the building is an office block
which includes, on the works side, a first aid post,
new cloakrooms and toilets, print library, time
office, etc., and, on the road side, a conference
room, various administration offices and a pleasant
reception area. Even the gardens have not been
forgotten and spring flowers are sprouting in beds
either side of the main entrance.
What else has been done ? An improved warm-air
heating installation has been provided which is
greatly appreciated – as we have mentioned ! The
existing canteen has been superseded by an
attractive up-to-date one.
As far as communications are concerned, the
Cinderford premises have been linked up with
Mitcheldean’s internal telephone system, and a
minibus service is running six times a day and five
times a night to convey post and personnel.
In fact, everything possible has been. or is being,
done to make sure that Rank Xerox, Cinderford
enjoys services and facilities comparable to those
it would enjoy on the Mitcheldean site.
When you move part of a plant the size of ours,
with ‘furniture and fittings’ costing thousands of
pounds and weighing thousands of tons, it takes a
bit longer than moving house.
The operation began at the end of January.
Removal of the machines and stores racking was
sub-contracted out and, by making it a
24-hours-a-day operation spread over three
weekends, loss of production was avoided.
Machines moved on the Friday night were ready to
operate the following Monday morning, and for
some of our people this meant a working day
lasting from 8am on Friday to 9am the next day.
The raw materials – three and a half thousand
-ons of sheet metal and bar stock – were taken by
eternal transport. A movement schedule on a
ieap-frogging’ basis was worked out to ensure
that racking, and the materials to be stored on it,
kept pace with each other and with the machines
themselves.
10
TO CINDERFORD
STEAM MILLS ROAD
CAR PARK
MAIN ENTRANCE & RECEPTION
\BUS STOP
30 YDS. WORKS ENTRANCE
0
Fs
–17,
1 1
WORKS
ENTRANCE
RAW
MATERIAL
STORE
OFFICE BLOCK
TURNING
SECTION
:PRESS
:SECTION
SHEET
METAL
SECTION
\MAINTENANCE CANTEEN
Above: The general layout at Rank Xerox,
Cinderford.
Opposite: A plantation of ‘fir tree’ racking for bar
and sheet metal stock goes up in the raw material
store. Each module is 13 ft high and capable of
storing 60 tons of raw material.
Four 40-ft trailers per day, each carrying 22 tons of
gleaming metal sheets and bars, could be seen
throughout February coping with the curves of
Plump Hill.
As we went to press this multi-departmental effort
was reported to be going smoothly, and everyone
was being very co-operative, including the
weather.
Said Works Manager Mr Don Elliott: ‘There will
obviously be some initial problems to be resolved.
but I feel sure we have laid the foundations for a
very successful, happy unit.’
Production Department
Appointments
Mr V. S. Buhlmann has assumed responsibility for
the Component Manufacturing activities at Rank
Xerox, Cinderford, assisted by Mr J. F. Martin and
Mr E. L. Adams as supervisors. Mr Buhlmann also
has general site responsibilities at Cinderford. He
reports direct to Mr D. C. Willday.
Mr D. F. B. Tedds joined us on February 15 as
Manager, Machine Shop, responsible to
Mr Willday. Reporting to him are Mr A. J. Swordy
aid Mr K. Holloway, Machine Shop supervisors.
Before joining us, Mr Tedds was a Divisional
Manager with Henry Wiggin & Co. Ltd., Hereford.
Warning! Blasting is about to take place on the
new building site.
11
On the right track
If you walk across Goods Inspection Department
these days (and they would rather you didn’t
except in cases of emergency) you will have to
brave three ‘level crossings’, possibly in the face of
oncoming rolling stock.
This is not, we hasten to add, because the Plant
railway enthusiasts have bought up a disused line
and set it down in Building 32. Some two years
ago VISION reported the installation of a
gravity-feed roller track system in the department
to enable it to cope with the ever-increasing
volume of supplies passing through.
This system has now been developed a stage
further. Instead of inspection personnel having to
walk to and fro, locating the necessary paperwork
for the goods and putting them on the track
leading to the relevant checking station, the goods
now do all the to-ing and fro-ing. And with up to
300 batches of work every day coming into the
department -a single batch comprising perhaps
50,000 items – the sheer physical effort saved is
immeasurable.
If a batch is very large in volume, Goods Receiving
place random samples, together with the advice
note, in a tote tin and the balance is held for
rematching with the samples after inspection.
Small volume batches are sent through in entirety.
Just a push, and the tin moves smoothly along a
roller track until it reaches the first ‘station’ – the
new glassed-in offices of Goods Receiving. Here
the necessary documentation is raised, a procedure
which has been simplified by the installation of a
3600 machine with ADF (automatic document
feeder) and sorter -a Quality Control Product
Audit activity serving a dual purpose in aiding
factory procedures.
Another push and away goes the tin to the next
stop on the line, the Quality Control office where
the relevant QC folder is extracted from files and
any special tools, gauges, etc., required for
checking are matched with the samples. It is at
this junction that the line branches into three (one
for electrical and two for mechanical jobs) and the
samples are set on the relevant line and pushed
on their way.
Motorised belts on the tracks then carry the items
up an incline so as to provide the necessary
run-down to the checking stations. If the build-up
of tins is too great, an automatic switch operates
which stops the track and so prevents congestion.
The ‘level-crossings’ we mentioned earlier (small
stretches of track which can be lifted to form a
gateway) also arrest movement of the goods,
when raised.
Once checked, the items pass down a roller track
towards Centralised Stores.
Some minor refinements may need to be
incorporated in the light of experience but the
system has already promoted a smoother flow of
goods. Inspection personnel are relieved of much
heavy lifting and handling of supplies and this
enables them to concentrate their efforts on
inspection and quality control requirements.
Mr Vic Parry, Controller, Product Quality,
told VISION he is appreciative of the co-operation
of all concerned in the provisioning and
installation of the new layout; he mentioned in
particular the support which has been forthcoming
from Mr Joe Burke, Deputy Convenor Steward,
and all the Inspection personnel in the department
in surmounting problems which arose during the
alterations.
17
Chief Inspector
Frank Coy and Inspector
Joe Burke look at a
batch of samples which
have been sent on their
journey, plus
documentation, by the
QC ‘station’ on the left.
Behind, a train of tote
tins is about to climb the
motorised section of
another track.
Colour in a plastic bag
With an ordinary plastic bag and a slide projector,
Ted Lewis of Reliability Engineering created some
fascinating patterns of varying colours on the
screen at a recent Cine & Photographic Club
meeting. He gives here a brief explanation of the
optical phenomenon.
If we take the end of a piece of string and shake it
up and down so that oscillations are produced
along it, and then do the same thing with the
string through a vertical slot, all the oscillations
will pass through the slot.
If we now interpose a second slot behind and at
right angles to the first, the oscillations will be
stopped at the second slot.
This little analogy may help in understanding the
function of Polaroid filters, and can easily be
demonstrated by holding up a filter to the light,
placing another filter in front of it and rotating the
second one slowly. As you watch, the light will
darken, and at a certain point, cut off completely.
This point is known as ‘total extinction’ and the
phenomenon has been made use of for many
years in petrological microscopes (used for
studying rocks and minerals in thin section) and
other optical instruments. A more recent instance
has been in the cinema with Polaroid filters on
two projectors, cardboard specs with Polaroid
filters on your nose, and hey presto ! an illusion in
three dimensions on the screen.
To project polarised light, we need a projector,
such as a 35mm slide projector, and a couple of
Polaroid filters, plus a little ingenuity. Square
pieces of Polaroid can be purchased from Proops
of Bristol and London for a few shillings, and cut to
any convenient size.
If we place one filter behind the gate and arrange
the other one to rotate in front of the lens, then by
turning the latter we can arrive at the glorious
state of total extinction – total darkness on the
screen.
If we now place in the gate a piece of colourless
clear plastic such as a box top or small polythene
bag, an interference pattern will show on the
screen as pure spectrum colour, or mixtures of
spectrum colours.
Rotating your sample through 90′ will change
the colour, arouse your curiosity, and set you
hunting around for more things to project.
The final scenes of the Cine & Photographic
Club’s film ‘The Independent Operator’ were shot
on location on Sunday, February 7. This picture
was taken immediately after Jack Seal, the
producer, announced: ‘That’s it, it’s in the can!’
The film has a total cast of about 40, 24 of whom
are in the closir- sequences. “Ti’e lesson we
learned,’ says Jack, ‘is how to house two dozen
boisterous would-be actors in a normal living-room
without serious casualty. Theme music for this
scene is likely to be “across a crowded room”! If
all goes well with processing and editing
(provided we did all the right things), the film
be -..ailable 1-r a 1– —:ere in March.’
LETTER
Only two months now to the major event of the
year – the annual dinner to be held on May 7.
Mr Mal Thomas, Managing Director and Chief
Executive of Rank Xerox Ltd and Mr Robert
Pippitt, Deputy Managing Director, were invited to
attend and both have accepted.
This year the dinner will be held at the Chase
Hotel, Ross-on-Wye, and it will be for members
only. Twenty-five year awards will be presented
at the dinner to four people – Les Davies, Works
Laboratory Manager; Chris Malsom, Tool Room;
Tom Morgan, Works Engineering electrician; and
Horace Wintle, Paint Shop.
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The annual general meeting of the association will
be held prior to the dinner, on May 3.
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We record with regret the death of retired member
Alec Baldwin on December 19 at the age of 69.
**** * * * * * * * * * *
FANCY DRESS
CABARET
DISCOTHEQUE *
Dancing to Trevor Clainton *
and
Jay and Gee Duo group
from 8 pm to 1 am
well-known disc jockey in attendance
Prize for
4( smallest costume
Two transistor
radios to be won
Tickets available from all members of
Variety Club and from shops where
posters are displayed
4( Transport: Gloucester, Ross, Forest areas
4r, Friday, 19th March
44 in the SOCIAL CENTRE
Proceeds in aid of Charity
Mystery man
and women
Bar Extension
Price: 40p (8s)
14
Those attending the annual dinner are usually
asked to contribute towards the cost of giving
retired members a summer outing. The fund this
year has already got off to a marvellous start – £45
was collected both in the Plant and at the annual
social held last January, and Kate Matthews
would like to pass on her warm thanks to all
concerned for their generosity.
11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111011111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111
Arthur Harper, leading hand in the Machine Shop
drilling section, retires at the end of April ; he has
been with the Company for more than 29 years.
It’s good to know that Mamie Lark, who is
recovering from a stroke, is making good progress;
we also send our best wishes for her recovery to
Marlene Roberts who is still receiving out-patient
treatment.
CROSSWORD SOLUTION
ACROSS: 1 – Cackled. 5 – Plant. 8 – Pipit.
9 – Clapper. 10 – Ill-bred. 11 – Opera.
12 – Notice. 14 – Sprain. 17 – Comic.
19 – Coppers. 22 – Trumpet. 23 – Exact.
24 – Event. 25 – Hostess.
DOWN: 1 – Capri. 2 – Co-pilot. 3 – Later.
4 – Decide. 5 – Pea soup. 6 – Apple.
7 -Terrain. 12 – Necktie. 13 – Cockpit.
15 – Average. 16 – Scotch. 18 – Mouse.
20 – Press. 21 – Sites.
ANY NEWS FOR VISION ?
If you have, then please
tell your departmental correspondent
leave it at the Gate House for collection by me
post it to me at Tree Tops, Plump Hill,
Mitcheldean or
ring me – it’s Drybrook 415
Myrtle Fowler, Editor
*The apprentices annual dinner is to take place on
March 12 in the Social Centre.
r
Putting IYOUlin the picture
Engagements
Miss Barbara Bradley (Data Processing punch
room) to Mike Sawyer (Machine Shop) on
November 28.
Miss Celia Jones (Factory Progress) to
Lance-Corporal Brian Dunn on January 26.
Weddings
Barry Giles (Turning Section, Cinderford) to
Miss Susan Jones at Lydney Register Office on
January 9.
Miss Susan Watkins (Telex operator) to
Andrew Tate (Supply Planning) at Ross Methodist
Church on January 30.
Miss Deborah Tyler (Accounts) to Richard Holland
(Design) at Holy Trinity Church, Drybrook, on
February 7.
New Arrivals
Christopher Paul, a son for Mrs Ann Leaver
(formerly Design punch room), on December 10.
Emily Alison, a daughter for Mrs Sue Watkins
(formerly secretary to Mr S. Wheeler. Manager,
Development Engineering), on December 12.
Karen, a daughter for Mrs Linda Morris
(formerly Reconditioning), on December 18.
Shaun, a son for Gordon Bullock (3600 Assembly)
and his wife Hazel (formerly Design print room),
on December 22.
Shirley, a daughter for Bill Smith (Remodelling),
on December 24.
Andrew, a son for John Phelps (QC Inspection)
and his wife Pat (formerly Remodelling), on
December 29.
Teresa Ann, a daughter for Roger Childs (Turning
Section, Cinderford) and his wife Win (formerly
Stores), on January 6.
Christopher Alan, a son for Don Peates (Model
Shop Manager), also on January 6.
Nicholas, a son for Mrs Pauline Hamblin (formerly
Design D.O.), on January 10.
Richard Mark, a son for Alan Pegler (Remodelling),
on January 12.
Richard John, a son for Derek Parker (Internal
Audit, Accounts) and his wife Katrina (formerly
Accounts), on January 14.
Emma Samantha, a daughter for John Ireland
(Pre-Production Control), on January 17.
Rachel, a daughter for David Matthews (Model
Shop), on February 16.
Retirements
Our best wishes for the future to the following
who retire – in March : Jack Field (Reliability
Laboratory labourer), Roland Greenway (labourer,
Remodelling), Alfred Martin (warehouseman,
IDC Gloucester) and Bill Wilson (Reliability Test
Laboratory clerk); in April : Arthur Ellway (3600
Assembly), Frank Mould (Paint Shop track
loader), and Frank Palfrey (QC inspector).
Mr D. Payne
We record with regret the death on February 23
of Douglas Payne (Paint Shop) at the age of 45.
Mt and Mrs Richard Holland at their wedding
reception. There was hardly time for a honeymoon,
for three days later they were on a ‘plane bound
for the USA. Travelling with them were Design
engineers Tony Goldsmith, Ray Dance and
Malcolm Dickson and their wives and families.
Richard, Tony and Ray, together with Leo van
U/ft of Venray who followed later, went out to
work on a special assignment at Xerox
Corporation in Rochester under the leadership of
Dick Delahay, who is already in the States.
Malcolm has gone to take over from Dick
the post of Rank Xerox Resident Engineer.
Walbrook Photography
January can be a bit of an anti-climax after the
festive season is over, but for me, as a very new
‘Miss Rank Xerox, Mitcheldean’, it was a great
time.
Just before I was due to go to London for my
two-day trip, I entered for the ‘Miss Western
Daily Press’ competition and was thrilled to find I
had come second.
Wednesday the 13th was my lucky day and I set
off early on my first visit to the capital. At
Paddington I was met by Lesley Rees, secretary to
Mr Paul Shambrook, a senior information officer at
Rank Xerox House, and after checking in at the
Cumberland Hotel, we set off together on a
shopping spree. It was sale time in London, and
I had around £50 in my purse which the Company
had generously given me. Could a girl ask for
more ?
In Kensington I bought a maxi dress and
accessories to wear that evening, after which we
hailed a taxi and went to an exquisite Italian
restaurant in Soho where we were joined by
Mr Shambrook for lunch. I had never tasted
Italian food before and I found it delicious,
especially when accompanied by wine and
followed by coffee and liqueurs!
I had my hair done in the Cumberland’s own salon,
after which I returned to my room which
overlooked Oxford Street, and got ready to go to
the film premiere of ‘Murphy’s War’.
Before leaving, I met Denham’s own ‘Miss Rank
Xerox’ – Jackie Cunningham, her fiance. Ken and
Helen from Rank Xerox House, and information
officer Murray Watson, and we all celebrated with
a bottle of champagne, which gave quite a boost
to the evening !
At the Odeon, Leicester Square, we found a huge
gathering outside awaiting the arrival of Princess
Alexandra and her husband Angus Ogilvy. I
thought the film excellent, both as regards
production and standard of acting : Peter O’Toole
as Murphy, a wild Irish mechanic who carries on
his own private battle against a German
submarine crew, was terrific.
Suddenly it was all over, and we exchanged the
atmosphere of Venezuelan jungle for that of
London’s ‘jungle’. A taxi whisked us off to a
restaurant/disco called ‘Knights’ in Knightsbridge,
with its ‘olde worlde’ decor. There was more
champagne, followed by a marvellous meal, and
dancing until 2 am.
Bedtime? Not on your life – we set off by taxi to
see the sights of London by night. Contrary to
everyone’s expectations, I was up next morning
soon after eight, woken by the dawn chorus of
London’s traffic.
I did some quick shopping in Oxford Street after
breakfast, then went to Rank Xerox House where
Murray took me on a guided tour of the building.
After lunch we did another sightseeing tour of
London – this time on foot, by bus and by tube.
All too soon it was 5 pm and I had to start for
home. I thought I’d have to wait until I got back
before telling anyone about my trip, but as it
happened I was accompanied on my journey back
by a Rank’s photographer who had an assignment
at our Plant, so I gave him a ‘premiere’ account !
Jill Marshall
of Data Processing
enjoys-
A TASTE OF
LONDON LIFE
Miss Rank Xerox meets Miss Rank Xerox –
Jill from Mitcheldean and Jackie from Denham at
the London film premiere.
16
Printed in England by Taylor. Young (Printers) Ltd
