Page 25 - link magazine

Swindon Wide

Daniel Gooch Day marked in Victorian style

The day more than 175 years ago of directors.
which sealed the fate of the small Children at Oliver Tomkins
village looking down on green School, Toothill; Red Oaks Primary,
fields in the valley below, was Redhouse; St Francis School, Taw
commemorated by primary schools Hill; Lainsmead, Lethbridge and
on 25 February. Lawns in Old Town, and Bishopstone
In 1841 a letter by Daniel Gooch, Primary celebrated that momentous
Superintendent of Locomotives day by dressing up as Victorians and
of the Great Western Railway learning how the GWR’s decision to
recommending Swindon was a good come to the town has had an impact
location for engine and carriage on all of us through the ages.
maintenance and construction works See the Link picture gallery at: Graham Carter of Swindon Heritage, not in costume, who told
was agreed by the company’s board www.bit.ly/SwindonDGday the Swindon 175 story at Lainsmead Primary School
New hooter sounds to mark 30 years to the day after closure of Swindon Works

A snippet of audio heritage sounded across Swindon on Tuesday 22 March The original hooter was mounted on what is now the Designer Outlet
marking the thirtieth year since the world-famous Swindon Railway Works Centre, and can be seen there still. The recreation by Colin Hatch, using
shut down after a long slow decline, followed by a public event on 26 original GWR plans, is now located close by on the roof of Steam Museum.
March. See the full story at www.bit.ly/SwindHoot

Two photos taken within moments of each other on 22 March 1986. On the left, film maker Martin Parry was able to climb on to the roof of the railway
works to capture the hooter sounding for the last time. On the right, unofficial works photographer Roy Nash captured this group of Swindon works
administration staff on their last day of employment witnessing the hooter go off for the final time

Swindon 175 Profile: BMW Plant Swindon celebrates 60 years of production

In addition to the Swindon 175 production is exported to BMW and the subsequent decision to
anniversary MINI Plant Swindon plants in Germany with the press MINI panels and secure the
celebrates six decades of production remaining 65 per cent sent to Plant future of the plant. BMW ownership
this year. Oxford to make MINIs. over the last 18 years has brought
Established in 1955 as an extension To put it into numbers that is considerable stability.
of the Pressed Steel company’s around 38,000,000 body panels and David, now a senior manager at
Oxford based operations, Plant 4,400,000 sub-assemblies, in total the plant has seen his son Ben join
Swindon is now an official network over 86,000 tonnes of high precision the company as an apprentice.
supplier to the BMW Group, making pressed steel components. “From my dad I was aware of the
it one of only five press shops within A Noble tradition opportunities to study at a high
the car manufacturer’s extensive Plant Swindon is impressive not level during my apprenticeship
global network of factories. only for the collective skill of its so I started last September” said
Like most industrial stories, workforce, many of whom have A family with deep roots in Ben. “Hopefully within three years
Plant Swindon’s is one of change decades of experience, but also Plant Swindon, from left, I will have a Batchelor’s degree in
and celebrations, but this year it for the fact that there are many Ben, Mick and David Noble electronic engineering from Oxford
is delighted to be marking this instances of more than one family Brookes University as well as my
milestone birthday and with that, member working there. “Working conditions were basic, apprenticeship.”
its achievements, its history and In the case of the Noble family health and safety non- existent and Many changes have taken place
foremost its significance as a major three generations have worked strikes a regular occurrence. The over the years that have helped
employer in Swindon for the past 60 at the plant, their combined big strike saw us out for six weeks contribute to the extensive wealth
years. employment spans the plant’s first with no pay. You just cut down on of experience that exists within
What are pressings? few weeks of production right up to everything.” workforce.
Steel pressings are vital elements of the present day. Conditions improved dramatically Frank Bachmann, plant director
the vast majority of cars, providing After serving in the RAF, Mick and Mick Noble encouraged his sons of Oxford and Swindon, said: “I am
the three-dimensional jigsaw panels Noble moved to Swindon from to gain a trade at the plant. David and delighted to be celebrating 60 years
that make up its body shell. Leeds in 1956 and began work as a his brothers Gary and Mike started of history at Plant Swindon, and to
Despite the apparent simplicity panel straightener at Pressed Steel. work in the 1980s as apprentice share our pride in the achievements
of this stamped steel outer layer, it “We used to do work for Hillman toolmakers when the company was of the plant. We have a highly
performs many tasks fundamental and Triumph Herald, Jaguar and owned by British Leyland. experienced, reliable and skilled team
to the functionality of a car, from Austin,” he said. “There was always The bulk of the business was working here, whose expertise has
housing its engine to providing a lots of work, but there were lots of pressing panels for Rover and Honda seen Swindon become an important
passenger safety shell. Today over layoffs as well, because we were on but big changes were to follow, centre of competence within the
35 per cent of Plant Swindon’s piecework. including the sale of Rover by BMW BMW Group.”
swindonlink.com n April 2016 25