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This kind of follows on from “when Adam was a lad”
A customer asked me how I got into this trade the other day ,As her son was due to leave school and wanted a trade ,This set me thinking how did we all end up repairing white goods .
so I suppose I should kick it Off
Ours is a family business so I suppose I just drifted into it I can remember doing hpt power unit changes at 15 after school in the workshop and being paid a pittance and being told “its all good experience ” I then left school and got a qualification in basic electrical engineering which was the nearest I could find to what I needed.I then worked in the workshop until I could drive and then the world was my oyster (or so I thought). 🙄
I cut my “on the road teeth ” on Hvr 1100 bearings(dont forget to Araldite the counterface on ),Hpt t/t spin brgs ,Hvr t/t spin seals That horrible pump on the Ind L5 (mounted on the end of the motor )at that time I think the only tech back up available was through contacts in the trade .
We were also the guilty party that sold stacks of Servis Quartz and the 320 ,Guess who then had to go around changing the drums where the weld had split just outside the guarantee ! 😥
And my first van ….. A little white Renault 4 complete with umberella gear stick. 😳
Over to you all as i’ve gone all misty eyed as I reminisce
Lawrence
p.s I told her son to get into Gas ,not poxy washing machines !Re: Where did you start?
Radio Rentals 😀 , I was umongst the first people to be trained to repair washing machines within RR, a bloke from over east yorks did the courses, Graham I think he was called. Big posh hotels and 15 quid meals 🙂 This continued for the 10 years that followed, you know, training courses for dishwashers, microwaves and even a training course on how to use the Hand held terminals that was introduced. No wonder Endeva went pop.
Re: Where did you start?
South Western Electricity Board 1965
I’m not giving my life story, but briefly: Started as an apprentice, progressed to appliance repairs after getting C&G qualifications.
I was fixing toasters, kettles as well as Irons etc. Part number for Morphy TU1D Elements 32868T & 32867T. I’m sorry I’m so sad to be able to remember that.
I then moved on to mainly Hoover laundry products, including the sloping front keymatics, 4805 D/Washer with the carousel basket driven by a propellor off the spray arm, as well as the twin tubs.
There were the Electra badged items either made by Tallent or Frigidaire when they were part of General Motors. Then came the Zanussi L2 & GL2 etc. I still have the training notes for the 1st Candy I looked at in 1975.
I have to go now, Matron is calling as it will soon be lights out.
Ken Leave them alone your still wet behind the ears I started in 1957 as an indentured apprentice Electrician with the London Electricity Board in Bethnal Green working in the East and West end of London and can still remember DC appliances only just
First van was a Ford ‘Thames’ column shift gears and only 3. Life was easier then?? no WP, only the manager telling you your figures are not high enough for that week. oh well time for the rejuvinating pills.Tinhips wrote:First van was a Ford ‘Thames’ column shift gears and only 3.
Yes the gear linkage used to jam behind the off-side wheel arch. Me as an apprentice used to have the job of laying in the Avenue Minehead in the wet with a hammer to persuade it. The wipers were driven from the pressure/vacuum in the manifold, if you were going down hill they were fast and would draw to virtual standstill as soon as you put your foot down.
I forgot the motor with planet gears on the 3208 range, you had to line them up as well, we called it the “Clattermatic”.
Must go, they want to try some new medication, nurse was watching a film last night to do with cuckoo’s nesting.
LOL, I’m glad you took that with the humour intended. Of course it does allow me to slag you old guys off a bit more now! 😉
And you charged what? Is that African money or summat? 😀
K.
kwatt wrote:Dave, Can we get a zimmer frame or wheelchair race organised for the UKW meet? 😆 😆 😆
No it’ll be too cold in February for them to be outside, unless the hotel supplies tartan knee blankets 😉
Dave.
Dave_Conway wrote: No it’ll be too cold in February for them to be outside, unless the hotel supplies tartan knee blankets 😉
Dave.
There may be a clan issue there and if we are not careful will upset a certain moderator. I suppose we could pinch a bit off Ken’s kilt. 😆
Re: Where did you start?
Back in 1966 customers would leave the back door open for you, money on table with kettle,cup,milk etc to help yourself. You did job left change on table every body happy. Not like that today. Of course you still had to use your discression as to wether you made the tea, just like today sometimes you think NO WAY
Re: Where did you start?
Hia folks!
I started out with nothing and still have most of it!!!!! 😆
Regards Dave.
Re: Where did you start?
Back in 66 we only repaired Hoover appliances, a bit beneath the butler brigade, in those days you could complete most repairs and still have change out of ‘ten bob’
nowadays repairing more upmarket appliances get quite a few electric gates etc, still plenty of trees though.Re: Where did you start?
Started in the industry 1968 for a large independant in the Bournemouth area, servicing brown goods. Later transferred to sales of brown and some “white” goods. When I passed driving test my first van was a Vauxhall Viva, then later we too had the Renault 4 vans with the dashboard gearstick. We used to call them “loaf vans” because they were shaped like loaves of bread. I can remember my starting pay was £5.00
per week less deductions oh happy days. Like Martin we had our own celebs a certain J. Saville and that old smoothie T. Blackburn from radio
Caroline then later radio one. My old company was eventually taken over by one of the big rental companies of the day who then proceeded to close down some of the shops. Oh well no back to the future I suppose.regards
Don
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