Return to 1975-1979

Vision 140

THE HOUSE MAGAZINE OF RANK XEROX MITCHELDEAN
Be an Energy Watcher
There was no shortage of eyecatching slogans at the recent Energy Conservation Exhibition held at Mitcheldean — ‘Turn me on, but don’t forget to turn me off,’ ‘Waste watt, have not’, ‘Energy is great — while it lasts’ and other clever catch-phrases.
They appeared on stickers, drip mats and — er — other places to attract attention, helping to hammer home a serious message: the world’s dwindling energy resources must be conserved in order to cut costs, protect jobs and give scientists the necessary time to develop alternative sources.
Visitors were welcomed at the door and given a copy of the imaginative official programme by our two cover girls — Liz Turner (left) and Julie Bowly of Works Engineering, the department which got it all together.
If you didn’t get along to see the exhibition — and it was well worth seeing — you can get some idea of what you missed by looking at our feature on pp. 2 and 3.
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Graham Bunt, Manager, Works Engineering, adds a message.
‘ Works Engineering do an important Job in maintaining production machinery and buildings, providing the necessary facilities, keeping the services going and so on. and energy conservation has for a long time been a part-time function of the department. But with our annual spend on energy increasing (it is currently over £1 million a year), the Company requirement to keep the cost of our product down, and the national need to ‘save it’, we have powerful reasons for concentrating more on the efficient use of energy. Now a Xerox corporate-wide drive to conserve energy has given added impetus to our efforts, and Tony Newman has been appointed as Mitcheldean’s first-ever Energy Manager to co-ordinate our activities. For our campaign to be completely successful, however, we need your individual co-operation. Remember, conservation is everyone’s concern.’
CONSERysmON ISTHE KEYNOTE
Our Energy Manager. Tony Newman (far right), watches as Julian Shufflebotham demonstrates the Delta 1000 system to (far left) Doug Ponsford. regional energy conservation officer of the Department of Energy, and Charles O’Malley. chairman of the Cotswold Energy Managers Group.
A great deal of human energy went into making a success of the recent two-day Energy Conservation Exhibition on site — and a success it undoubtedly was. It marked the launching of our own energy conservation campaign (part of a Xerox world-wide programme) and hammered home the message that energy is precious. The subject has been given considerable publicity by the media, but any doubts as to whether people might be getting bored with it were dispelled by the attendance at the exhibition, which was around the 2,000 mark. The Ballroom, where it all happened, was packed at lunchtime on both November 6 and 7, during the evenings employees brought their families with them to look round the 25 or so stands, and at various times the exhibition was visited by students
Exhibition Pictures
It wasn’t possible to provide real flames, but the display of solid-fuel burning stoves was nevertheless a big attraction.
Spurred on by the first prize of a bottle of whisky, many people tried to guess the weight of this vermiculite block. As it lost weight in drying out during the exhibition, no one knew the answer for certain, until Brian Toombs (right) of Works Engineering took the scales along and found it was 65-56 lb (29-8 kilos). An outsider got the exact answer but RX men Andrew Phillips and John Hek came pretty close and each won a bottle of sherry.
Below: This recent infra-red aerial photo taken of Mitcheldean site showed up areas of heat loss that are now being investigated. On the right is Dave Newman, one of the Works Engineering exhibition team.
from colleges, representatives of industry and trade, and the general public. Dominating the show from the stage was the Department of Energy display with suggestions on how to control ar;d keep down heating bills and giving details of the help and grants available to industry and individuals (did you know the Government will refund eligible people two-thirds of the cost of insulating their loft up to a maximum of £50?).
Just inside the door was the Rank Xerox stand which showed the development of our energy management programme to date, and members of the Works Engineering team involved were constantly on hand to help visitors. Advice and literature were available on a wide range of equipment and services and people went away with more than one idea for saving energy. We were Hosts The exhibition coincided with the meeting at Mitcheldean — for the first time — of the Cotswold Energy Managers Group on which we are represented by Tony Newman and Julian Shufflebotham. Some 35 energy managers attended, and they too visited the exhibition ; quite a few business openings resulted from this, much to the satisfaction of the exhibitors, all of whom were given free space. The main theme of the Group’s meeting was Mitcheldean’s Delta 1000 system which we featured in VISION when it was installed a couple of years ago. Briefly, it is a computerised method of controlling
our heating, ventilation and lighting which also acts as a fire alarm monitoring system. After Director Ron Morfee had welcomed the Group, a Honeywell representative gave a technical talk on what Delta could do, and our own Energy Manager Tony explained what we had done with it! Julian, who has become our Delta specialist, has been adding considerably to the system’s capabilities by developing various heating and lighting control programmes on the computer (Honeywell, in fact, have taken these up and made them available to other Delta users) and he coped with the tricky technical questions.
What else is being done in our ‘war on waste’ ? As you may have noticed, all the main modern buildings on site are being insulated by the injection of foamed plastic into the cavity walls. Said Tony: ‘We’re wrapping Mitcheldean in a blanket to keep the warmth from escaping when the really cold weather arrives.’ Another project, which has not been tackled previously, is heat recovery, and Tony is investigating the possible use of heat wheels and pumps to reclaim and re-use what is at present released to atmosphere (heat from drying ovens in the Paint Shop and Fuser Roll area, for example).
‘We shall also be looking at production processes to see what ways there are of conserving energy and what modifications can be made to improve efficiency,’ he said. Time and solar control of lighting is being extended to a further six
Top left: Spencer Johnson (Works Engineering) discusses the finer points of a 100 per cent efficient space heater on the Andrews stand.
Below left: Studying the conversion of a car to dual-fuelling (you can switch from petrol to gas while on the move). LandiHartog claim that LPG can reduce fuel costs by 25%.
Below: Mobil’s dinosaur badges were very popular.
This little fellow is the Mitcheldean ‘Save It’ symbol; he’s holding the Xerox Energy Conservation symbol which represents the world with its fuel resources — the sun, wind and rain on top and water, coal, oil, etc, beneath
buildings; remote measurement of temperature and automatic control of the maximum electrical demand are also amongst the projects being introduced. ‘We are looking to see if there are any benefits to be gained from converting our central heating boilers from oil-fired to coal-fired, and an experiment is being considered on the LPG (liquid petroleum gas) fuelling of cars,’ said Tony.
All this means considerable initial outlay (already some £33,000 has been spent on insulation, 25 per cent of which is contributed by means of a Government grant), but the expected savings on various projects planned for introduction through 1980 are in the region of £25,000. One on-going project where it is impossible to estimate pay-back is concerned with educating people to save energy.
The recent exhibition has shown what Works Engineering are capable of, and they have quite a few enterprising publicity ideas up their sleeve to ensure that our individual commitment to the cause doesn’t cool off I
Apprentice Steve Barren was commissioned to record the exhibition on film.
Below: Reflecting on
It’s the season for giving, and in recent weeks we have seen the handing over of some £4,550 in Bumper Cheques for Charitq
Roger James of Oxfam fio/ds aloft the cheques for nearly £1.400 presented by Personnel Manager Derek Knibbs (far right). With them are (from left) Christine Horlick. Mary Davis, Lewis Colwell and Janice Merry of 9400. the Dept which raised the biggest contribution.
The spontaneous efforts of people at Mitcheldean resulted in the splendid sum of nearly £1,400 — enough to keep 5,600 children alive for a week — being handed over on December 3 to Oxfam for aid to Cambodia. At first individual sums were raised ; then it was decided that Personnel Department should co-ordinate the collections and earmark the total — £691 -25 — for the Blue Peter Christmas Appeal which is administered by Oxfam. The Company added a further £700. When Roger James, Oxfam’s district organizer for Gloucestershire & S. Herefordshire, came along to receive the cheques, he gave a slide presentation to representatives from
It was a case of ‘surprise, surprise !’ on the evening of Thursday, November 8. First, the magnificent sum of around £2,000 was handed over to the Gloucestershire Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus Association — thanks to the enterprising efforts of those who took part in the annual Raft Race on the Wye last July.
It was the biggest sum ever raised by this charity event, and also the biggest single donation ever received by the Association from a fund-raising effort. Mrs Hazel Farrant, chairman of the Association, told those attending the presentation in the club house that, thanks to the ‘fantastic response’, they can now go ahead with their plans to build a specially equipped holiday home at Weymouth. The raft race and raffles produced £1,916-76, but a collection on the night added a further £50 or so; then PR Manager Jimmy Bake magically produced an additional sum from the coffers of the
areas which had made collections. The slides provided proof of the horrifying ordeal Cambodia underwent during the former Pol Pot regime, and of the positive steps now being taken to bring in desperately needed food and other supplies. Said Mr James: ‘The Blue Peter Appeal alone has raised over £1 i million, and I can assure you that all you have given will get through to the people of Cambodia.’ Certainly the largest cheque — in sheer physical size — was the one handed over to Dr Stephen Wilkinson on November 22 to help meet the cost of an emergency kidney machine at Gloucester Royal Hospital’s intensive care unit.
Raft Race Committee chairman Jan Sologub hands over £2.005 to Mrs Hazel Farrant. Far right: Skipper Nigel Meek.
Company’s charity fund to round the total amount up to £2,005. In presenting this sum, Jan Sologub, chairman of the George Hotel Mitcheldean Raft Race Committee, warmly thanked all who had contributed to the success of the event, making special mention of Brian Lampshire, Eddie Lewis, Bill McGeachy and Jane Whitlock.
Plaques were presented to the captain of the winning raft, John Hart and to Nigel Meek, captain of the HMS Rank Xerox which was the most heavily sponsored raft (it raised some £500, of which £200 was donated by the Company). Then Security Officer Nigel made the surprise announcement that, instead of competing on the Wye next year.
Dr Stephen Wilkinson receives a rather large cheque from Motor Club president Don Elliott.
It was for a hefty sum too — £1,1 50 — raised through the efforts of Mitcheldean’s Motor Club, plus £750 donated by the Company. This was the largest single donation they had yet received towards their initial target of £5,000, and, said Dr Wilkinson, ‘it has tipped the balance and should get us the basic equipment we need.’ The many people who bought tickets for the event not only enjoyed a lively evening’s entertainment but had the satisfaction of knowing they had contributed to a good cause. And a raffle on the night with various prizes kindly donated brought in an additional £32 for the fund.
he and his shipmates are taking on ten men from HM Customs & Excise in a raft race across the Channel from Dover to Calais. The charity that will benefit this time (to the tune of at least £4,000, it is hoped) will be the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Nigel told us that their raft, to be known as the ‘Rank Xerox 11’ will have six paddles and a sail. His crew of ten will include four other Security Officers (Roy Hart, Keith Powles, and brothers Don and Brian Wilkes), Parts Analyst Clifton Davis, two ‘Kiwis’ (Mark Wells and Steve Kilcardie) and two members of Drybrook RFC — John Manns (a member of the RX I crew) and Mike Moore (who saved Don Wilkes’ life in the 1979 race I).
Next Time the Channell
4
The Jferox 2300
The 2300 in the Lydney reception area is not just for show — it’s in regular use. Says Ann Coborn, secretary to Plant Manager Kevin Horrobin: ‘It makes super copies and it’s very reliable.’
A direct successor to the Xerox 2202, the 2300 is designed for the user making up to 3,000 copies per month, but it will also find favour among large organizations needing decentralised copiers for local use.
Microprocessor circuitry aids both the reliability and copy quality of the 2300, while the soft roll fuser system, used for the first time in the desk-top copier, ensures consistency of copy quality.
The 2300 makes clear, high-resolution copies from all kinds of originals (photographs, paste-ups, pencilled notes, even three-dimensional objects) and will copy onto plain white or coloured paper, pre-printed forms, pre-punched paper, self-adhesive labels, and transparency materials for overhead projectors.
The machine has a flat platen, and a specially designed platen cover that permits the copying of bound documents.
Up to 15 copies can be dialled ; the first copy emerges in 6i seconds, the rest following at six-second intervals. As copies are made the dial counts back to one.
A simple switch enables the 2300 to compensate for difficult originals: moved one way, it strengthens the image made from faint originals; moved the other, it will suppress most of the unwanted background on originals on dark or coloured paper.
The 2300 accepts paper from 56gsm to 90gsm and the easy-to-load paper tray will take paper from A5 up to 257mm by 364mm (10-lin. by 14-3in.), allowing documents up to B4 size to be copied. The tray holds 200 sheets of 80gsm paper, giving usefully long intervals between loading.
The machine is designed for reliability — the paper path is short and easily accessible if a misfeed occurs.
It is finished in a pale tone which blends with most office decor and has a blue platen cover as standard; some operating companies offer an alternative choice of green or yellow covers. A specially designed wheeled stand, which provides storage for paper and toner, can also be supplied.
The 2300 project team — (from left) Kevin Horrobin (Assembly). Ray Spencer (Mfg Eng.), Project Manager John Roberts and Martin Exell (Facilities Planning).
Mitcheldean has long had a tradition of producing small copying machines — first the 813, then its successor, the 660.
Since the 660 reached the end of the line in June 1978, we have brought new products to the low end of the market, and our experience with the 2202 has shown that today the small copier market offers great opportunities for Rank Xerox, particularly in outright sale. But although maintaining tradition, the 2300 breaks new ground in more than one respect.
To begin with, it is our first significant venture into true multinational products.
The machine was developed and designed by Fuji Xerox, and, with the co-operation of our opposite numbers at the Ebina factory, it is being assembled at our Lydney Plant from FX parts and with FX tooling and process documentation.
Xerox are also producing a basically similar machine at the same time, which means that we can all support each other more readily.
Launched this year in Fuji Xerox markets where it has been enthusiastically received, it was introduced by Rank Xerox in the Netherlands and ‘by the end of February 1980,’ says Product Manager John Abbott, ‘we shall have
launched everywhere else in the Rank Xerox world.’ The 2300 was first shown by us at SICOB, the business equipment exhibition, in France in September, then introduced to the public in this country at the International Business Show last October where the reaction was most encouraging. Coachloads of people from Mitcheldean were taken along to see it making its British debut on the attractive Rank Xerox stand; but not all of them knew of the concentrated effort that went into achieving this goal.
A New Approach
We had realised that, because of the ever-growing competition, we had to get the whole thing up and running very quickly, and it was decided that the only way to drive this programme was with a small, dedicated project team. Project Manager John Roberts told us: ‘We had something less than half the time normally allowed in the “business as usual” style.’ He and J. Robley Dixon, Manufacturing Programme Manager, had gone over to Japan a year ago last July; the enabling agreement was made at the end of September 1978 and we had to start building
(Continued overleaf)
Sitting in at one of the regular programme team meetings at Mitcheldean are (clockwise round table) Norman Harris, Technical Programme Manager. Tony Haynes (Supply). Mervyn Thomas (Engineering). Peter Chapman (Planning B Control). Group Programme Manager David Young. J. Robley Dixon. Manufacturing Programme Manager, John Abbott, Product Marketing Manager, and Ron Boakes (Engineering).
AM
Above: Industrial engineer Richard Aston, Derek Hailing, Section Manager Assembly Operations, and David Adams, Sub-assembly Chargehand, talk through a process. Below: Empty kitting trolleys are stocked up with parts in this supermarket’ for their next journey down the assembly line.
Above: Parts for both machines and spares travel in containers on their 6,000-mile journey from Fuji Xerox in Japan to Lydney. Here in the inlet area. Materials Manager Dennis Brown watches some being stored prior to being fed to the assembly area. In the foreground — checker Neil Howell.
Materials analysts and manufacturing engineers share the general office.
(Continued from page 5) our first machines in June this year. Tuci After considerable debate, the team opted for what is known as the “index movement conveyor system”, with twin trolleys — one carrying the machine being built and the other all the parts necessary to build it — moving at electronically controlled speeds from station to station around a single U-shaped track.
This method of assembly also had the advantages of reducing operator fatigue and preventing hold-ups because of shortages. Here again, union stewards were fully involved in decisions concerning both the build concept and the manning levels, and people were taken by coach to Lydney where a section of the track, complete with trolleys, showed them how the assembly line would operate. Other Innovations At the end of the line a TTR (test, trouble-shooting and repair) area was to be introduced to replace the traditional end-of-line functions such
At the start of the main line the 2300 is just a ske underneath); linked to this is a twin trolley carryi. machine (fasteners, bearings, etc, are held in t a siren goes, warning lights flash and each pair Buffer stock ensures
as mechanical run, with in-plant , audit to check trends. j
On the Materials side, there was to be i limited interface with Materials j functions at Mitcheldean (for example \ a section of SOLAR, enhanced to ! meet Lydney’s requirements, was to ; be used). Orders for parts were to be placed direct on Fuji Xerox using a time-sharing computer system.
In fact, Lydney was to become a free-standing unit with its own i Manufacturing Engineering, Quality and Materials functions.
All this has now come about, thanks < to a great deal of concentrated effort, and it says much for those involved that no significant objective was missed throughout. Lydney built its first machines ahead of programme and shipped its first machines on schedule.
To support us during the initial production, Fuji Xerox sent over some FX 2300 machines and Lydney retrofitted these to meet UK frequency interference regulations.
6
!ton on a build trolley (the panels are on shelves 1 all the parts necessary to turn it into a finished e mobile racks seen left). At regular intervals ‘trolleys moves forward on the conveyor track, here is no hold-up.
The success story continues. Although the volume of production is higher than anything we have seen before, all recent targets have been set, and ‘we are comfortably in . control of quality’ says Kevin ‘ Horrobin, now Plant Manager, Lydney Operations. ‘Before operators moved into the line, we insisted they were formally trained at Lydney, and this is reflected in the end-of-line results.’ And what about the people working there — are they satisfied ? Judging from the comments of those we asked (‘It’s a nice, clean environment,’ ‘They’re very friendly here,’ ‘I like the conveyor system of assembly,’) the answer is a definite ‘Yes’.
Transformation Scene ‘We wanted to make it an attractive place to work, both inside and outside,’ said Martin Exell of Facilities Planning. The main structural alterations involved expanding the dock area to take the big containers and enable
Above left: Terry Wear carries out a mini flash test as a safety check; there is no electrical run unless it is found to be necessary. Above right: In the sub-assembly area. Mike Lambert puts the covers on completed photoreceptors
them to be unloaded under shelter. The roof of the building was virtually replaced, low-level windows were put in blank walls, the floor was given a gleaming but non-slip finish, new heaters were installed — in fact, contractors swarmed all over. Gallons of paint in cheerful colours — orange, aquamarine and bright blue contrasting with white and light grey — have worked magic on what was once something of a Cinderella site. And to add to the ‘transformation scene’, piped music, selected by the workforce, is played at intervals throughout the production area. Outside, the grounds have been landscaped in an imaginative way. Rustic tables and benches are provided for people who would like to sit outside and eat their lunches in the sunshine – when it returns in strength — and there is a recreation area where the energetic can get some exercise kicking a football about.
We hope to publish pictures of the gardens when the spring flowers have worked their own magic.
to protect them from the light; they are fitted to the machines in the TTR area. Contrary to our practice with other products, the finished 2300 machines are despatched complete with all consumables (other than toner) on board.
Below: Machines from Lydney arrive in the Supply Centre at Mitcheldean, and Alison Kyte of Warehouse Administration notes their location for future despatch to the Operating Companies.
7
LETTER
Our Last Link
Having outstripped all other employees at Mitcheldean in terms of length of service, Henry Phillips, Manager Fabrication QC, reached the end of the track last September when he took early retirement after 41 years with the Company. The starting post for Henry was Woodger Road, London, where he worked with Ernie Blaich, another pioneer who retired a few weeks earlier; they were among the small band who came to Mitcheldean in 1941 and converted the old Wintle’s Brewery into a production unit under the banner of BAF. So with Henry’s retirement, we have lost our last direct link with the founding of our site. At his leave taking, Don Elliott expressed appreciation of ‘the help that he has given to so many, including myself, and he added, ‘I don’t think there is anyone in this Plant whose involvement in every aspect of our activities has been as great as Henry’s.’ An enthusiastic participant in former sports days, both as runner and organizer, Henry was secretary and later chairman of the Sports & Social Club; always a keen follower of
Having made countless presentations himself, Henry Phillips found the tables turned when Don Elliott presented him with a ‘Workmate’ plus Mk 1 attachments which came from friends and colleagues (7 know you won’t stop working,’ commented Don). From the LSA there was also a Minolta pocket camera, presented by president Vic Buhlmann.
cricket, he umpired many a Management v. Apprentices cricket match. Throughout his working life he has been a dedicated first-aider and, as an associate member of the St John Ambulance Brigade, he is continuing to serve the community. Henry was also secretary of the LSA and has been its chairman for the past 11 years. Looking to the future, he told us: ‘With its new leadership I can see the LSA becoming a more active body in the future.’ One person who was delighted at Henry’s decision to take early retirement was his wife Jo who used to work in the Engineering Print Room and who retired herself last year.
Above: Chairman Jack Woods did the honours at a double retirement on the 5400 floor. Leaving us were (left) 25-year member Gunther Matthes. well known as a keen angler, and (right) salvage operator Charlie Murrell. who completed 18 years’ service last June. Two sons of Charlie’s work with us. John in Small Batch and Keith at Lydney.
Right: Lilian Roberts receives a gift from the LSA plus a goodbye kiss from George Douglas. Manager Finishing Operations, on her retirement from the Plating Shop where she has worked all her 25 years with us. She is one of four sisters all of whom worked at Mitcheldean at one time; now only one, Betty Hart of Electrical Subs, is still with us.
Their younger son Andrew, a former RX apprentice, is one of our design engineers and he recently returned from an assignment in the States. ‘We’ve been looking after his place for him, and now I’ve a backlog of work at home to get on with,’ said Henry.
Les is Longest Server The distinction of being our longest serving employee now passes to Les Tuffley of the Tool Room, who has some 38 years’ service to his credit. Stan Scott (New Products) and Bill Jenkins (Configuration Control) left at the end of November, and before Christmas we shall be saying goodbye to Phil Davis (Finishing), and Ron Pearce (Special Projects). We’ll be featuring them next time.
Left: Last October Les Wright said goodbye after 36 years’ service in our sheet metal shop, first at Mitcheldean, then at Cinderford. Here he receives his LSA retirement gift from Vic Buhlmann. (On the right of Les is Jack Davis who retired the same day).
Goodbye kiss for Lilian
8
Shortly before Henry Phillips left us, we said goodbye to Ernie Blaich, our last-butone direct link with the establishing of the Mitcheldean Plant. His many long-serving friends gave a party for him, and presented him, too, with a workbench as a token of their warm regard, and our picture shows them wishing him every happiness in his retirement.
The OverlaiMlcn Last issue pensioners Kay and George Starkie told of their ‘dream journey’ to Khatmandu in 1978. Their return journey was not without adventure . . . After six weeks in Nepal we turn our backs on the majestic Himalayas, the lakes, temples, monkeys, the Tibetan refugees who come round each day selling their carpets and other wares, and the children who come to the caravan each morning for a piece of bread and jam, and we head for the Indian border at Bahwawa, 160 kilometres away.
It has started to rain so we hope India will be cooler. The road takes us over a pass between the mountains which is not too steep, and the going is good — until about half way. The rains have loosened the soil on the mountains and washed it down onto the road; the only thing to do is to get out and dig. This happens four times. In one place the water has cut a trench across the road about two feet deep and a yard wide. What do we do here ? We try to fill the trench with stones but it doesn’t work — the water is too strong and washes them away, so we have to chance it. The front of the car goes over all right, but the rear wheels drop in and
that’s it — the caravan is on its belly. So we unhitch and the car pulls itself out. We rope the caravan to the car, Kay drives and I ease the caravan over and we are away again.
Later, as we pass through a cutting with the rock sheer on each side of the road, there is one almighty bang. What’s that? Never mind, keep going as fast as we can.
The rocks are falling all around us, some half as big as the car, but we are lucky — only one hits us and that isn’t too bad. We believe in prayer
On then to Gorakhpur. It rains and rains but we need money, so Kay goes to the bank while I get ready for ‘off. The whole camp site is over a foot deep in water. After two hours Kay still hasn’t come back from the bank so I go across to see why. There she is, being questioned by three men. ‘How did you get all this money? A woman doesn’t have money like this . Sign your name here and here’. After about ten signings she gets the money and we are away, but late.
The rain water has all gone and everything is dry. On then to Delhi, where we do some shopping, and towards Pakistan. Here we meet our Flash Flood.
It is raining cats and dogs and the traffic is held up by water on the road. The fields on either side are covered with water but in a dip in the road, specially made, the water is rushing across in torrents about three feet deep and 50 yards across !
Lorries and buses are all right but all the cars are getting stuck and have to be pushed out. At last it is our turn and it looks hopeless. We can’t push the car and caravan. A lorry passes us just as we are entering the water; we stick close to its tail and we are through and hardly wet. Talk about the Red Sea and the waters parting ! On then over the Khyber Pass, through Afghanistan and into Iran. The Caspian Sea looks lovely. We are very hot and the water looks inviting so in we go, and what a shock I It is like getting into a warm, muddy bath. We need a shower when we come out. That’s the end of temples, minarets, chipmunks, parrots, pelicans, camels, barbecues, mountains and sightseeing (except for Mount Ararat). Over bad roads, down gorges, up gorges, through Greece (we do linger a little there). Then ifs up the motorway, on to the ferry and, on August 21, we arrive HOME. There is no place like it!
[We would have liked to publish some of the pictures taken by George and Kay on their exciting trip: but all their film was posted home from India and was never seen again. Their vivid style of writing, however, has made their dream journey a real and fascinating experience for us — thank you for ‘taking us along’, Kay and George!)
The All Blacks playing at Twickenham on Saturday, November 24, was followed on the Sunday by an All Rank Xerox match at Cinderford RFC ! The UK Operating Company had taken on IHO plus Rest (personnel from IHQ, Manufacturing and other RX locations in the UK), the prize being an invitation to Paris to play against RX France on February 2 (just prior to the England I France International). This inducement, plus the fact that our side included seven Mitcheldean men who were all members of the Cinderford 1st team, resulted in the routing of the UK Opco players. The final score was 22:4, all points on the winning side having been scored by those seven — Paul Bedney. Wayne Davis, Graham Eacups, Dennis Hargreaves, Neil Jones, Richard Morgan and Paul Wea ver (our picture shows a bit of the action).
9
Cameras clicking at ttie Photographic Club’s ‘Portraiture Evening’. Focus on Photogtaphy
Following the successful outing to Alton Towers in September, the club’s ‘in-house’ activities began with an equipment/social evening when many members came along laden with a variety of apparatus. Cameras and lenses, flash guns and motordrives were brandished and gazed upon by both intrigued newcomers and appreciative ‘old hands’.
Don Jefferies of Training supplied us with a slightly more unusual form of photography — video. Using a VTR with a visual display monitor, he played a videotape (made by Rank Audio Visual) on the theme of European architecture. (Thanks, Don)
The club’s new slide projector, a Voigtlander, was given its first public appearance and a slide sequence was used to demonstrate its capabilities; slides were focused and changed automatically — by the projector. October 18 saw the ‘Mini Slide Show’; this was also judgment day for our slide competition with the theme ‘On or by Water’. Our invited judge, Mr A. Sparrow of Stroud Camera Club, awarded highest marks to Mike Wilkinson for a splendid shot of his son ‘shovelling sea water’. Well done, Mike !
Afterwards, several members were given the opportunity to take the floor and give a short slide show, with or without commentary. This was a very enjoyable evening, and several useful hints were passed on by Mr Sparrow. Brian Prosser really worked hard to set up our ‘Portraiture Evening’ on November 1, providing three studio settings in the club house function room. Rolls of background paper and various props were strategically placed to ensure good modelling, and lighting ranged from photofloods and umbrella-bounced electronic flash to a candle in a bottle I
Three very photogenic models
completed the arrangements — Jill Mingham, Nicola Prosser and John Harris; each has received a personal photographic portfolio of the evening as a token of our gratitude. The object of the evening was certainly achieved and many photographs were taken —thanks once again, Brian. November 21 saw our annual slide battle against Newent Camera Club, which we won by two points, a slide by Ian Thomas, ‘Winter Beach’, being judged the best in the contest. Martin Stoci<
The Amateur Computer Club continues to provide monthly sessions with appeal for people who know little or nothing about microcomputers as well as for those with specialist knowledge. Both kinds turned up at the ‘Hardware Evening’ arranged last October by Keith Jones and Ray Dance to see a display of equipment ranging from commercially available packages such as the ‘Star Chess’ TV game to the Exidy ‘Sorceror’ microcomputer for home and small office; also shown was the Nascom kit computer used at Mitcheldean for training purposes.
At the November meeting Steve Tolputt presented a programme on ‘How to Expand your Nascom’ while Tony Penny spoke about ‘High level languages for the Amateur’ (those closest to average English). Programmes planned for the future will include two competitions — for the best home-built computer and the best piece of software written. (And president Tony Burke has offered a bottle of champagne for the first successful entry that calculates n to 50 places of decimals!)
Newcomers are welcome to come along to the meetings which are held on the second Wednesday of the month in the club house from 5.30 pm to 7.0 pm. Contact secretary Jose Vega-Lozano (ext. 709) or Keith Jones (ext. 1861) or any committee member if you would like to ‘make friends’ with a microcomputer first – they’ll be pleased to arrange a demonstration.
Bridge Score
Our Bridge Section is currently running two teams in the North Gloucestershire Bridge League, though at the time of writing they were not enjoying great success I The annual Individual and Pairs Championships will probably be run early in the New Year, Wilf Jones tells us.
Dazzling display of silverware at the Golfing Society’s annual presentation. Top 1979 golfers pictured here who received trophies are (from left) Ken Rule, Danny Haines. Geoff Paton. John Miles, Gordon Hayward. Mike Newlove and Roy Taylor.
Programmes for All
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Familiar faces among the champion teams in this year’s interdepartmental skittles tournament — above left FED Peasants who won the men’s section, and right the runners-up. Night Shift Nappers: below left the winning Live Wires who beat the Tricklers right to become the top ladies’ team.
Lightning IVIoves !
The Chess Club’s annual presentation, held in the club house on October 24, was coupled with a ten-minute lightning tournament which proved a great success. Although experience won in the end, it was a night of surprises for many accomplished players who were humbled in the earlier rounds by the not-so-experienced contestants.
The final of this contest was won by John Taylor of Design Engineering with Robert Mann (Works Engineering) the runner-up.
Design Engineering, in fact, produced all this year’s champions, as became evident when, after an enjoyable evening, the trophies were presented by Sports & Social Club chairman Barry Barton. Geoff Baldwin (Design) was the winner of the Portman Cup (individual tournament) while Robert Mann was runner-up. The competition for the Wickstead Shield was won by (you guessed it) the Design team (John Taylor, Geoff Baldwin and Nick Swan) while
the runners-up were Supply Centre ‘B’team (Malcolm Wootton, Len Artus and Andrew Brown).
Last Round
The final outing of the year for our golfing fraternity was a trip to the St Mellons Golf Course near Cardiff on September 20 to compete for the Interdepartmental Cup. Fourteen teams were entered, which gave a total of 42 players — again a very good turnout — and they were blessed with fine weather though there were high winds. The day’s 36-hole medal competition resulted in a win for the Supply Centre with a net score of 296; this was made up from the best two net cards for the morning and afternoon rounds from the team’s three players, Mike Newlove, Tony Haynes and Ken Rule.
In winning, they broke the monopoly of the Mfg Eng. Electronics team (Tony Knight, Danny Haines and John Miles) who have held the cup for the past two years. However, it must be recorded that the latter
Smiles replace the earlier frowns of concentration on the faces of the chess champions. Here with their trophies are {from left) Malcolm Wootton, John Taylor, Geoff Baldwin, Robert Mann and Len Artus.
went down with all drivers firing, for they shot a net 300 — only four shots off the winners’ score. The Captain’s Prize event (a putter), carried over from the Henbury visit, was played for over 18 holes of putting during the evening. This was a well-fought competition resulting in a four-way tie between the captain Roy Powell, Roy Taylor, Don Meek and Mike Newlove.
A further nine-hole play-off resulted in a tie between the first two mentioned; Roy Powell, who donated the putter, withdrew from a ‘sudden death’ play-off and declared Roy Taylor the winner. This perhaps was a fitting climax to a very good year and our captain was warmly applauded for his work in office during 1979. The final fixture was, of course, the combined annual general meeting, prize-giving and skittles evening on November 6 at the club house. EYESBNUreTY Total number of accidents for period: Sept/Oct ’78 Sept/Oct ’79
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Retirements Best wishes to the following who retired recently: Ernie Barnard (Supervisor, Northern United) 15 years; Stan Barnard (Elec. Subs.) 14i years; Fred Coates (Eng.) 9 years; Jim Constance (Despatch) 17 years; Jack Davis (RX Cinderford) 9 years; Jack Gammond (Machine Shop) 15 years; Jack Hale (7000 DF) 15 years; Fred Hughes (Finishing) 7 years; Ray Jaynes (Elec. Inspection) 3 years; Cathleen Jordan (IS) 9i years; Arthur Matthews (Finance) 14 years; Alan Price (9400 Subs. ).14 years; John Robinson (9400 QC) 5 years; NaftCT* Self (Elec. Subs.) 9 years; Harold Sterry (Northern United) 13i years; Peter Summers (Eng.) 15J years; Cyril Thomas’*’ (5400 Assembly) 6 years; David Thomas (5400 Assembly) 7J years.
ANY NEWS FOR VISION?
If you have, then please — mail it to me c/o Public Relations, Bid 06/1, or leave it at any Gate House for collection by me, or post it to me at Tree Tops, Plump Hill, Mitcheldean, or ring me — ext. 566 or Drybrook 54241 5. Myrtle Fowler. Editor
Neville and Trudy Brooke
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Colin and Cheryl Mansell
Weddings Cheryl Pegler to Colin Mansell (Finishing) at Holy Trinity Church, Drybrook, on July 21. Trudy Brookes (9400 Assembly) to Neville Brooke at Lydbrook Church on September 22.
Obituary Electrical Sub-assembly Dept received a double blow when the death of Wilf Morris, QA Supervisor, on November 30 was followed on December 4 by the death of Section Manager Don Holder. Don, who was 47, had been with us for 14 years. A former member of Drybrook Parish Council, and of the TA, he was the mainstay of Harrow Hill Football Club of which he was secretary. Wilf, aged 58, came in 1971, and had an outstanding record of community service, having been in local government for some 30 years. Chairman of the Forest of Dean Disukit Qouncil, he was a magistrate, a governor and manager of several schools and was also involved with many local organizations — all this despite suffering from an arthritic condition in both legs. We are also sorry to report the deaths of the following : Sidney Jones (Paint Shop) on October 26 at the age of 54 — he had been with us nearly 12 years; Bill Pensom (Supply Centre) on November 13 aged 61 ; he started with us in June 1974.
Jim Constance of Despatch leaves after 17 years’ service, mostly in Goods Inwards. Manager Eddie Lewis is seen presenting him with a retirement gift from colleagues.
When Jack Hale (7000 DF) retired after 15 years’ service, he was given a clock on a toy cart before Manager Graham Linley presented him with a genuine carriage clock!
These attractive items won honours for members of our catering staff when they entered, for the first time, the Salon Culinaire Competition held by Sutcliffe Catering Co. {West) Ltd. on November 15 which attracted exhibits from all over the western region. Catering Manager Bill Broome put their work on display in the self-service restaurant the next day during the lunch break: we thought you should see the girls as well, so here are {from left) Denise Griffiths {2nd in Table Decorations class). Eileen Wall {3rd in Open Class). Louise Tobin {highly commended. Table Decorations class). Angela Essex who. with Sonia Miller (not in our picture) did well in the Tea Fancies section, and Beverly Dyer, whose Decorated Ham Chaudfroid earned a third prize.
Servu^ Awards
The following became eligible for Company awards for 20 and 25 years’ service as follows:
25 Years
October— Harold Cecil (Manufacturing Engineering), Bob Gladwin (Production Stores).
20 Years
November— Margaret Treasure (Electrical Sub-assembly).
12 Prifited in England by Taylor, Young (Printers) Ltd.