Wolverton Works, Wolverton - September 2015
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Very much second that, information like that is invaluable.
It's a fascinating site, ten visits now, talking of which, I need to invest in another vessel
@hamtagger Thanks buddy, much appreciated! The photos you guys submit on this site are a real trip down memory lane and no doubt those of use who worked there will be as shocked as I was to see the sorry state of disrepair of the buildings. Makes me feel quite old looking at them, I can still remember this place when it was fully operational. I was only 24 when I left for pastures new, I'm now 51. My username 'MAX' was also my nickname when I worked in the sawmill, I had a spikey hair cut and my mate Mark thought I looked like the TV character 'Max Headroom' LOL!! I was also in Wolverton Works Fire Brigade lovingly dubbed 'Trumpton' after the hit TV kids series of the 70's. The Fire Station which is now a music shop can still be seen if you take a walk along Stratford Road by the side entrance to Tescos.
@Session9 Thanks buddy, lol.., if it were still operational I'm sure we could have built you a new vessel, better than those blow-up ones for sure!!
Incidentally I just found another site which shows some of Wolverton Works when it was operational, some nice shots here: https://mark-beal-tmd.smugmug.com/WolvertonRail/Wolverton-ZN/
Incidentally I just found another site which shows some of Wolverton Works when it was operational, some nice shots here: https://mark-beal-tmd.smugmug.com/WolvertonRail/Wolverton-ZN/
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2013
- Messages
- 301
- Reaction score
- 91
- Points
- 28
@Session9 Thanks buddy, lol.., if it were still operational I'm sure we could have built you a new vessel, better than those blow-up ones for sure!!
Incidentally I just found another site which shows some of Wolverton Works when it was operational, some nice shots here: https://mark-beal-tmd.smugmug.com/WolvertonRail/Wolverton-ZN/
I can well imagine a hand built Wolverton Works vessel would be the business!
Thanks for the link mate, fascinating archive, particularly those Eastern Region EMU's 302, 309's etc - magic. What was the APT doing there?
I remember the 1988 open day, a new 90 and lifting demonstration's with a MK1. I walked of course that day, into I think, the empty shops where Tesco now stands.
@Session9 Yes a hand built vessel to last a lifetime, no doubt Teak off-cuts would have sufficed or maybe a bit of Mahogany! Failing that we did a nice line in Polyester Fibre Glass goods. Not sure paddling on an upturned carriage door would get you far though! :shock:
Ah yes the APT, useless piece of junk! It visited the works for the 1988 open day, it was supposed to take centre stage along the main yard but where you see it in those photos is where it got stuck after the tilting mechanism failed. LOL, modern technology eh?!! Last time I saw it, it was laying rather sad looking under a hedge in some private railway, don't remember the name of the place, a mate took me to visit.
Uh.., MK1's, I hated those ugly rust buckets. I spent the first 4 years of my career working on those awful things. The saw mill was much nicer, it didn't have any trains inside. :-D
Ah yes the APT, useless piece of junk! It visited the works for the 1988 open day, it was supposed to take centre stage along the main yard but where you see it in those photos is where it got stuck after the tilting mechanism failed. LOL, modern technology eh?!! Last time I saw it, it was laying rather sad looking under a hedge in some private railway, don't remember the name of the place, a mate took me to visit.
Uh.., MK1's, I hated those ugly rust buckets. I spent the first 4 years of my career working on those awful things. The saw mill was much nicer, it didn't have any trains inside. :-D
- Joined
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- 91
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Well, I must have missed the APT at the open day...it's at Crewe now, next to the WCML.
Have to disagree on the MK1 coaches, I rather like them, but I understand it must be a totally different cup of tea to try and fix the things up!
I think you could have made a great vessel with all those quality hardwoods at hand - sadly those crafts have largely gone forever....
Have to disagree on the MK1 coaches, I rather like them, but I understand it must be a totally different cup of tea to try and fix the things up!
I think you could have made a great vessel with all those quality hardwoods at hand - sadly those crafts have largely gone forever....
A good old set is that mate. Liking the old signage a lot
- Joined
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I always enjoyed this place when I went, whats happened to it now?
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2013
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- Reaction score
- 91
- Points
- 28
Still there...
A few more machines and seats have migrated to the basement through the soggy floor.
I wonder if you guys would care to share any other photos you might have of Wolverton Works? During my 9 years employment there I worked in pretty much the entire site so it all brings back memories for me. Maybe some of you have online storage I could download from perhaps? You'd make a sad old Wolverton worker very happy
For those of you who might be interested here's a few photos of the sawmill when I was working there. I can't take credit for these rather grainy old photos, they've been shared with me over the years.
#1 Top end of sawmill where timber enters the production process. Here the timber is rough cut to size before passing through the moulding machine housed in the grey box room on the right. This box room was built to minimize the noise from these machines.
#2 Alternate view of moulding machine, viewed from opposite side.
#3 View of circular bench saw (table saw) and routing machine
#4 Tool sharpening room. The guy working at the bottom end is Ian, always hard at work
#5 Lastly here's one of me operating the Works Land Rover Fire Engine. Photo taken in 1987 during the works annual summer holidays. Those of us who worked in the brigade stayed on site during the closure for fire prevention measures and to service fire hydrants and extinguishers around the site. Oh happy days! I'm the younger one on the right. The other guy is Henry (Chief Fire Officer)
Thanking you all in advance, Max
For those of you who might be interested here's a few photos of the sawmill when I was working there. I can't take credit for these rather grainy old photos, they've been shared with me over the years.
#1 Top end of sawmill where timber enters the production process. Here the timber is rough cut to size before passing through the moulding machine housed in the grey box room on the right. This box room was built to minimize the noise from these machines.
#2 Alternate view of moulding machine, viewed from opposite side.
#3 View of circular bench saw (table saw) and routing machine
#4 Tool sharpening room. The guy working at the bottom end is Ian, always hard at work
#5 Lastly here's one of me operating the Works Land Rover Fire Engine. Photo taken in 1987 during the works annual summer holidays. Those of us who worked in the brigade stayed on site during the closure for fire prevention measures and to service fire hydrants and extinguishers around the site. Oh happy days! I'm the younger one on the right. The other guy is Henry (Chief Fire Officer)
Thanking you all in advance, Max
