Paradiddle

Phil, I knew Bob Coote fairly well from my time at Players. All the factory clocks were sent an electrical impulse every 30secs, triggered from mechanical master clocks which Bob used to maintain. Whenever we altered any wiring to the clocks we had just the 30secs to disconnect and reconnect. If we missed a pulse, all the clocks in factory would be out so we had to go back to the master and send an extra pulse. When the clocks changed (BST), we had to go in on the following Sunday and either switch the master off for and hour or send another 120 pulses down the line. Spent many an hour adjusting the public clocks which most of the Player's buildings had. He was quiet and well respected and I'm pleased to say that I did know him.

Never mind the OJ and CLO, what about that 'orrible chocolate' covered in hundreds and thousands and that malted concoction ('mop')! No wonder we're all still chugging along!

LizG, no buses yet but you might like this image which I posted earlier but which has since gone missing!

Mary, came across Doug in the mid 60's when I started my apprenticeship at Players. He was a fitter and had to supervise me for a time and help me with a tricky test piece, fitting a square within a square! I also played football with him in the engineers team. Bumped into him a few years back at the passing of another Players engineer. A good man and a pleasure to have known him.

In the 60's the bungalow was owned by the Broadbent's. Knew the children, Jimmy and Shirley (who went to Carlton Le Willows school). She asked me to a school dance once which I declined - big mistake!!!

Here's a photo (circa 1950) for you Bulwellians! Bet some of you paid a visit before the days of Boots?

David, don't know if you have seen it but there was an article in the Nottingham Post, July 10th, 2017 which featured your old workplace. I saved it with you in mind and it has been gathering dust in my garage since it was published. If you would like it please PM me. Good luck with the One Show!

Pete Ham and Tom Evans, Badfinger. Good documentary on YT.

Did my apprenticeship at Players (Radford) so have been in all the ARP tunnels. Music while you work was broadcast to the factories from a big valve radio/amplifier deep underground, I think Les Bacon was the operator. Hopefully there is an image attached of one of the shelters.

Nice list Socram, what we need is a few photo's - here one I took earlier!

Socram, spotted you on photo 3 - front row- Nora Batty socks!

I wonder if any of the Gedling boys remember the school visit to the colliery? We were all kitted out with helmets complete with miners lamps and went down the mine shaft, onto a man-rider taking us to a coal face. A bit spooky but exciting none the less. Back up top, after a wash and a scrub up, we were taken to the canteen for a meal! Here is a picture of some surface workers circa 1965, note the gantry and bucket on the spoil heap. Instead of concentrating on learning we were easily distracted, guessing where and when the bucket would tip. The spoil tip is now being flattened in readiness for new housing.

CP, Graham lived on Highfield Drive near Carlton Hill and Pete lived on Portland Road. More of them later and maybe even a photo, keep watching!

Thanks Will, 1964 is a long time ago and I can remember you opening with 'The Cruel Sea' and being blown away by the intensity (or maybe the volume) of what was my first experience of live music. Don't remember anything else so don't know what else was on your playlist. Cavendish seemed to be ahead of Gedling as far as school groups were concerned. Did you happen to know Pete Mee or Graham Pearce who I think went there and played in various bands?

On another thread I posted a list of mainly local bands that I had seen in the mid 60's. Thought it would be appropriate to re-post it here. The remarks regarding the quality of the bands is purely subjective.