heavysection

Right then you Niche lot, the Old Niche the proper Niche on Sidney street, who was the best doorman there, i know there were some outstanding lads over the years.

Watched the video, brought back great memories all the fitters, and foremen there, the lean to in the picture where the fitting shop,joiners and foremans office was just out to the back, looking over the coke car rebuild with gnarled Jack Sellars plying his trade, one more than one occasion we'd be having a well deserved cuppa and the lister truck would come flying down the hill the brakes failed the driver trying like mad to slow it down eyes bulging wind in his helmet shouting all manner of expletives, trying to avoid hitting the chimney, good times.

Hello Ben1983, great photo's i know the man on the right of the picture is Phil Lewis aka wobble gob, you can guess why still hear him over the plant loudest mad i have ever heard, his father was Gordon lewis fitter/blacksmith i used to go boxing with Gordon when i was an apprentice picked me up in his Firebird not bad at the time not bad at all, i have move a few times since the Plant but have photos somewhere if i find 'em i'll post 'em, all the best and thanks.

Now then Nekatom back to an earlier message when you brought the girl back to the guest house can you remember John Durrans sat up watching when you'd done the dirty deed turns out he'd sprained his wrist doing the old knuckle shuffle there were three of us in that room and i slept through the lot- honest!.

Now then Nekatom remember Roker and the land ladies Feasey and Blakey sound like characters out of a sit com, and when you brought a young lady into the guest house, always a laugh.

Hello Nekatom prefer the old name SPIT, good times at Smithy don't get to see anyone now but i am going to make an effort to catch up with a few.

Hello again Nigel your Father would have been one of the men there when i started who knew the place like the back of their hands a real good set most of them grafters but a good laugh at the same time never a dull moment always someone playing a prank like i said before it was more like a family everyone seems to have grown up together and been through alot, one of the first times i saw real men in tears when we got the closure notice.

Here we go again, right then Nigel Womersle the plant was National smokeless fuels and NCB owned the ovens were Woodhall Duckhams vertical furnaces as they were known, as i stated before i served my time at Smithywood so i know a little bit about the place, all the best.

Right then Mucky murphy first of all the pusher at Smithywood was'nt a huge hydraulic ram it was a rack and pinion set up and Trevor henshaw was an apprentice loathing personnel manager not assistant manager, i was an apprentice fitter here and did a year out of my time before it closed always a great set o lads more a family than owt else i'd go back tomorrow- good old days eh!!.