Page 14 - link magazine

14 DAY INTHE LIFE
Keeping things humming along nicely

Gordon Hicks, resident of Freshbrook, joined the Link Centre as Technical Manager nearly six years ago, just before it opened.
Since then he has nurtured and encouraged the vast amount of machinary in the building with loving care.
An early riser, I have no need for ing the previous evening, what routine maintenance and require-
the alarm radio except to listen to needs doing, what urgent stores ments for special events such as
the 6.30a.m. bulletin. I can usually are required. microphones, power supplies etc.
will myself to wake up at what I hear the Zamboni ice resurfacer By this time the day staff has
hour I require. going round the rink, cutting a arrived and settled in, phones be-
I go to work early as I cherish an thin film of ice off the surface and gin to ring and the hustle of busy
hour or so at my desk without any laying hot water to meld a new offices is evident.
interruptions. Before this, I visit surface. Thank goodness that it's A clerk hands me a pile of in-
the plant room; a quick check will working OK this morning. This voices - all need checking and
tell me if anything major is wrong - hard working machine is under- signing, discrepancies to chase up.
so ... heat recovery pressure and powered for this hard job. I jot down all the phone calls I need
temperature, pump pressure, ice Rrunning on propane gas it runs to make as I go along and do them
chiller condition, AHU (Air Han- hot and doesn't need much of a in the afternoon when it is cheaper.
dling Unit) chiller running, swim hiccup to cause problems. Yes, we are very conscious of
pool water condition OK, boiler A 'Good Morning' to the duty keeping our costs down.
pressure and temperature all OK - technical staff warns me of any I start to write ..... Someone to see
good. pending problems. If I get this you'-'Will you come and look at
The duty technician will do his timing right I might get a quick this machine' - 'There is a carpet
rounds shortly in much greater cup of tea with them, then it's up to kicked up which is dangerous' -
detail which will pinpoint any po- the office. The computer is Gordon, deep in the bowels 'Will you sign this worksheet for
tential troublespots. The next stop bleeping, so I check back through of the Link Centre the contractor'- The lift has broken
is the Technical Workshop and read the computer sheets to see what late evening lift alarm which had down '-'It's too hot in this room' -oom'-
the log to see what happened dur- alarm had triggered it. Ah yes, a been dealt with OK. 'It's too cold in this room' (Yes same
'It's
I push open the window wide - room) - 'Is this parcel for you?' -
- the large building computer hum- There's alight flickering' - 'Yes they
GOLDBOROUGH HOUSE ming in the corner keeps the office did say they would deliver the parts
I too warm, and sit at my desk. I today' - 'You promised this job
KENNELS & CATTERY
check the computer and run yesterday'... A job on the Air
• 1st Class Heated Accomodation • Inspection Welcomed through the 'fault report' which will Handling Units on the roof gets me
- Individual Covered Runs • Quality Diets/Special Diets give me a list of malfunctioning away for an hour but not out of
• Exercise Twice Daily • Delivery & Collection Available machinery. touch as, the bleep of my radio tells
The next job is to lookatmy diary me not to be too long!
Telephone Mr & Mrs Monk 853970
to see what is happening today - Mid-afternoon the duty shifts
Broad Town Road (13404 1 - 1 Mile East of Wootton Bassett) contractors coming to work, repre- change. I pass on relevant infor-
sentatives visiting, stores arriving, mation to the new shift and my
meetings to go to. I need this infor- Assistant will issue the job sheets
mation to pass on to the first shift and change the priorities if neces-
SHAW VETERINARY duty personnel when they go sary according to the information
through the events and possible to hand.
problems of the day. In the late afternoon the day staff
CENTRE With the information gleaned I start to leave, the office begins to
can plan the day knowing it won't quieten. At last I can get on with
go smoothly, too many diversions the paperwork I tried to do early
SHAW VILLAGE CENTRE crop up - always! I can now get this morning! Later a bleep on the
RAMLEAZE DRIVE, SHAW going with some paper work with computer - I glance at the screen - it
relative peace until my Assistant says -Time to go home' a reminder
comes in and gives his report. We as time goes so quickly. Gosh! I'm
Consultations by Appointment review the days happenings, what tired - I hope I don't get called out
priorities to give to various defects, tonight....
Mon to Fri 8.30am - 6.00pm
8.00pm -1 O.00pm American railroads in town in October
9.00am - 12.30pm
Sat
There's a rare chance to see some of
the most impressive model railways
layouts in Britain at Swindon's
Holiday Inn at the end of October.
• LATE NIGHT The National Model Railroad
SURGERIES Association is holding a conven-
tion and the public can visit for one
hour between 2p.m. and 3p.m. on
• 24 HOUR Saturday 27 October.
There will be six large layouts in
EMERGENCY different scales. The largest is a
massive 30' by 20'. There will also
TREATMENT be videos and slide shows of real
WESTLEA railroads in North America.
TT HILL If anybody wants to join the As-
sociation, they can attend all three Last month we pictured Geoff with his
TEL: 881919 days of the convention: 26 -28 Oc- model. Here, exclusive to The Link, is
tober. Telephone local enthusiast part of the layout he has been building
from Toothill, Geoff Bishop on for the convention at the end of the
J 872202. month