Your War Stories (sorry - Work Stories)

[MSS]

Encouraged by another member's thread, which is interesting to the point that it would be a shame to spoil it with others' contributions, I thought it would be useful to start one for members to contribute their work stories if you so wish.

A bit like. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6GW03WsFgU

[Gate Keeper]

Originally Posted by MSS

Encouraged by another member's thread, which is interesting to the point that it would be shame to spoil it with others' contributions, I thought it would be useful to start one for othermembers to contribute their work stories if you so wish.

A bit like. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6GW03WsFgU

Thank you Maninder, I completely agree with you and for that reason I didn’t contribute from a personal perspective to that thread either.

We come from all walks of life with different experiences.

Over to you, anyone?

[MSS]

During the second year of my degree in Electronics and Computer Systems at King's College, London, I started to apply for summer holiday jobs in the industry. The first response was from Plessey Telecomms at their research and development site near Maidenhead inviting me to an interview.

About a week before the interview I received a call at home from their HR department asking how I would be travelling for the interview. When replied by tain, the lady asked for the arrival time and said that as the site is 2-3 miles from the station, they would send transport to pick me up.

On the day, I arrived at Taplow Court station by train, walked outside, and didn't see any transport. Except that is for this black, highly polished, Ford Granada Limousine with a highly professional looking driver inside dressed in a suit. He got out, called my name and when I responded positively, opened the rear door to let me in. HR had sent the MD's car to pick me up rather than their mini bus. The Granada entered the site along a tree lined drive and drove up to the manor around the circular drive. There I was met by the HR manager who had come out to greet this potential summer job candidate.

Needless to say, I took up their offer and worked on parts of a 8MBit/s digital line transmission system for telecomms core networks.

I actually went back to work there for another five years after graduating and the way I was treated on the first day really did represent how the company treated its employees.

This was that first place of employment - Taplow Court. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lez0lX-pAG8

We worked really hard but at linchtimes would often take my radio control boats down to the private back water which came out of the Thames to a mill on site. Sometimes our team would take Friday afternoon off as leave to take one of the staff club motor cruisers onto the Thames for a picnic.

This was in the mid-1980s when large companies competed for talent and really treated their employees well.

That was my start to a 37-year career in engineering during which every day felt like going into play hobbies whilst being paid.

[planenut]

Okay, I used to work in an establishment where we "welcomed" people from all over the world, and we had to work under strict guidelines. Part of the welcoming process was to offer the guest an opportunity to peruse a copy of said guidance. Though the majority of our guests came from Nigeria, not pointing fingers, the guidance was printed in English, and we only had one book printed in a different language.
One day the opportunity came to offer that different copy.......
Me to guest: you were born and bred in Wales?
Guest: yes
Me to guest: you have lived all your life in Wales?
Guest: yes.
Me to guest: Luckily then, as you are permitted to check the guidance that we have to adhere to, I have here a copy of that guidance printed in Welsh, would you want to read it?
Guest: I have never been able to speak a word of Welsh
Me to brain...........what Welsh man cannot read English?

The same guest, when asked if he had anybody at home that relied on his arrival there, declared that his dog was waiting for him, so I told him that when the dog rings in, I'll put it straight through.

[BRG75]

Very diplomatic Fred.

Regards

Mike

[BRG75]

Hi Maninder (post 3)

An interesting (for me, at least) write-up, although I'm sure that there must be other members who worked for Plessey, or The Plessey's, as those in Liverpool (Edge Lane) often called it.

I certainly did, and can confirm that staff were treated very well.
It did however, have a strong hierarchy, with cheap blue panelled factory partitions, up to the Walnut Offices of the Senior Execs.

Telecomms. was part of PTOSL (Plessey Telecomms and Office System's Ltd)

There was also PESL (Plessey Electronic Systems Ltd) & PECD (Plessey Electronic Components Division)

Between the above groups, there were a good few dozen companies; Plessey Naval Systems, Plessey Radar & Plessey Assessment Services (Tichfield) as examples.

They also had overseas businesses, in South Africa (never publicised) and Irvine, California.

I worked for (but never visited) Plessey Peripheral Systems Ltd. - California.

I was a Field Service Engineer, installing and maintaining their DEC (Digital Electronic Computers) compatible disc and memory subsystems.
I was then asked to transfer into Sales, with the full UK compliment of Plessey companies (ultimately our parent company) as my customer base, (that led to more than a few politics)

Sales had always appealed to me, as I did a lot of sales support work (Technical answers at Customer Sales Meetings, Stand Engineer at trade shows etc.) but I was never brave (or stupid) enough to risk my job security.

The MD guaranteed me a comparable position, back in engineering, if Sales didn't work out for either the company, or myself.

It did work out, and I then did over 20 years in Corporate Sales, starting with Plessey.

Yes, a good employer.

Sorry for rambling on, still got the cuff links, but seem to have lost the ties.

Regards

Mike

[stevestrat]

During my career on the railway I did a few years as a Traction Inspector, investigating operating incidents, examining drivers on rules and regulations or on any new locos that were introduced. Perhaps the highlight was 1997, being involved in the Commonwealth Heads Of Government train that ran from Edinburgh to Leuchars so the heads of government, VIPs etc could go to the home of golf at St Andrews. Had to be police vetted for it, background checks etc. There was a loco either end of the train, a driver and myself on one, another inspector and driver on the other. Arrived at Haymarket station to pick the VIPs up, platform was full of hard looking guys all with a bulge under their jacket, armed security! To add to that the train was to follow a Scotrail unit full of armed police. Didn’t recognise most of the heads of government but did spot Nelson Mandela.

Sandy (the other inspector) and I knew it would be a very long shift, the drivers would go back on a passenger train and other drivers would come up to take the train back later but we had to stay with it. We were told we’d be fed . . . . err no! 16 hour shift and we got one bacon roll from the police carriage on the train. Thankfully the Scotrail unit also remained at Leuchars and we knew the guys on it, Scotrail looked after them, it was stocked up with trolley snacks, crisps, chocolate, drinks etc.

When we returned to Edinburgh I was on a mission. I knew the heads of government had been presented with a book about the Forth Rail Bridge, when we arrived at the carriage depot I was straight at the security guys on the train, any copies of the book lying about? Give him his due, could have told me to get stuffed but he found one, copy of the book complete with a presentation certificate. Sandy was miffed, all he got for a souvenir was a menu.

I enjoyed my time on the railway, I miss the camaraderie and the humour, none of which I could repeat here!

[BRG75]

That's an experience to relate to the grand children, I'm sure.

We here get the benefit as well.

I do remember a year or so back a group of railway drivers talking about starting their diesels, with video of flames out of the exhaust.

27,000 hp (or thereabouts) might have been one of the members.

Regards

Mike

[Lagetha]

A manager at ASDA, where I was working a few hours a week as a home delivery driver in semi-retirement, was puzzled that I wasn't the most punctual of men.

"What would they have said to you in your old job, if you kept arriving late, like you do here?", he asked.

I thought for a moment before fixing his gaze and replying, "Good Morning Mr C, can I get you a cup of coffee?"

[BRG75]

Well blow me down with a feather (my post 8) but who has just popped up on a different thread, but 2750 hp.

Seems I was out by a wide margin, with 27000 hp.

Or perhaps I can claim that my 0 key jammed.

Regards

Mike