Trivia Investigation Team

[mickthemaverick]

Having discovered this link I am sure Gibbo will have a tale or two to tell about them!!

[Gibbo2286]

My brother in law was a toolmaker there, in the same way as BL at the time the workers ruled the roost, he worked (cough) nights for the extra pay but said that they slept under the bench most of the time and nobody could challenge them or the union would have them all out on strike and close the factory.
His night work allowance on top of the day rate was more than I got in the garage for a full 40 hours.
His next door neighbour who worked at Austin in Longbridge, always had plenty of Austin spares available, he told me "Once the cars have passed the final inspection they're ours." so if anyone wanted a headlamp or a spare wheel or pretty well anything it could be got, offered me boxes of ten Champion spark plugs for a quid, I didn't participate, thought sooner or later they'd all go to jail but it didn't happen.

[NewcastleFalcon]

As well as doing Car bodies they also did Stainless Steel Sinks, and Bendix washing Machines

Neil

[bobins]

^^^^^^^

When was the last time anyone dreamed about a sink ?

[CitroJim]

^^^^^^^

When was the last time anyone dreamed about a sink ?

Dunno. I've dreamt of many things but even I cannot ever claim a sink!

To me, given the assumed date of that advert, that sink seems very expensive and not at all down to earth. I can't recall my new sink being hugely expensive, relatively...

[MattBLancs]

I'll get a picture of my stone / flat bar and bits of gas pipe lawn roller to join the club - likely Saturday morning at the earliest.

Rather less ornate roller

[NewcastleFalcon]

Nice one Matt. All home made, or just the gas pipes bit.
-------------------

When was the last time anyone dreamed about a sink ?

Dunno. I've dreamt of many things but even I cannot ever claim a sink!
To me, given the assumed date of that advert, that sink seems very expensive and not at all down to earth. I can't recall my new sink being hugely expensive, relatively...

The ad is from 1954 as is this additional one where not only did Fisher and Ludlow imagine their customers dreamed about a sink, but a gift that homeowners long for and appreciate for ever. You will see that the Porcelain Enamel sink is nearly a third of the price of the stainless steel one.

In a small aside to Jim's comment re "dreamt of many things", the whole random reason I picked out that A35 pick-up from the ether yesterday and hence the dalliance into Fisher and Ludlow, was the appearance of a super cool red Austin A35 Pick up as the newly acquired transport of one of our Falconettes, in in a Falcon dream on Sunday night.

Neil

[CitroJim]

In a small aside to Jim's comment re "dreamt of many things", the whole random reason I picked out that A35 pick-up from the ether yesterday and hence the dalliance into Fisher and Ludlow, was the appearance of a super cool red Austin A35 Pick up as the newly acquired transport of one of our Falconettes, in in a Falcon dream on Sunday night.

That's a good dream Neil

[MattBLancs]

Nice one Matt. All home made, or just the gas pipes bit.

I don't know is the short answer, came from my Grandad's and he threw nowt away! He worked for the Gas Board so pretty confident the bits of pipe are his handiwork. Suspect the rest is an earlier iteration made by someone else (and the pipe was replacing say a rotten wooden handle)

I've put a new bit of threaded rod through a bit of close fitting steel tube for an axle as the one it came to me with had corroded to nothing! Bit of grease too as hate squeaky tools!

[NewcastleFalcon]

The Lawn Roller Resurfaces
Enjoy the gallery go for a positive ID if you can

Neil

[bobins]

It's a tow behind one for a ride on lawn mower. Could be a Countax, Westwood, Sisis, Ransomes, Saxon. Could be almost anything !

[NewcastleFalcon]

It's a tow behind one for a ride on lawn mower. Could be a Countax, Westwood, Sisis, Ransomes, Saxon. Could be almost anything !

No more details and no makers name anywhere remaining on the roller. Looked a touch battered. Wasn't sure if the "textured" roller was a thing or it had just had a hard life maybe used on paths, roads or carparking areas rather than exclusively on lawns.

Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

This has Bamford and sons of Uttoxeter written all over it...

In 1882, a milestone for the company was reached with the introduction of the “Royal” No. 5 horse-mowing machine ––– a machine that was going to make Bamfords famous.

Another bit of Falcon. old stuff lying around photography (Falstone Northumberland) This could be the Bamford Triumph Potato Digger

Neil

[bobins]

Thinking about it - that colour green was used by Allen, Allett and also National, but I don't know if either of them actually made tow behind rollers.
It's only 'textured' like that from years of abuse

It's a tow behind one for a ride on lawn mower. Could be a Countax, Westwood, Sisis, Ransomes, Saxon. Could be almost anything !

No more details and no makers name anywhere remaining on the roller. Looked a touch battered. Wasn't sure if the "textured" roller was a thing or it had just had a hard life maybe used on paths, roads or carparking areas rather than exclusively on lawns.

Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

According to this lot who photographed it for Geograph the other iron contraption is indeed a Bamford and Sons (Uttoxeter) Triumph No.5 Potato Digger

geograph stamped image

https://henrybamfordandsonsuttoxetereng ... d%20Russia.

...July 1920...

...At this time the catalogue of Bamfords implements included the “Triumph” potato digger, a machine fitted with six sets of digging forks to ensure clean lifting of the entire crop although this machine had actually been introduced in 1909. A report said “We journeyed to Uttoxeter to witness the début of the ‘Triumph’ potato digger. We examined the potatoes to note skin abrasion or other evidence of rough usage, but we were foiled in our quest, since neither a cut nor a scratched tuber could be found. It was at this juncture that we formulated the pertinent question ‘Were these potatoes sown specially for the purpose of this trial?’ —— the reply was an emphatic negative: the plot had been selected solely on its close proximity to the Leighton works!” The “Triumph” digger was extremely popular and models were sent to, among other countries, Poland and Russia.

Neil