I worked here as a glassmaker and worked on all those jobs shown up until 1995 when I moved onto the float tanks. It was exactly the same then. When they changed the pattern machine rollers the entire part moved away from the flowing glass, and the easiest task a newbie glassmaker could do was scrape the molten glass of the silicon brickware (known as the lip). So many shifts spent watching it didn't go wrong, and shitting myself when it did.
@@seamusfoster I think I only worked at the Tank End, Machine End and the Lehr for about eight years. I'm also pretty sure I worked with the fellow shown who was on my shift as a chargehand. Even when I moved onto Float I was pretty a newbie glassmaker. I am sure The Vicar was on another shift to me as I remember his name but not his face. Each shift had some great men who knew the process inside out and were looked up to by everyone. These men knew how to solve problems that only came up every few years and would never flinch away from the heat, the confusion of things going wrong or the terror of having 1600oC of molten glass going everywhere. It wasn't a job you could read about (although they had technical manuals everywhere). You had to learn it from people like your Dad, trust them, pray a lot and learn from your mistakes. I'm sorry for your loss. People like your Dad were worth their weight in gold to Pilkingtons, as the place couldn't run very long without them.
@@seamusfoster I remember Sean Foster, but no SeamusFoster. Did you move to Greengate from RP2 then? People have asked me whether Pilks was still going, and so you've answered that for me. How is Greengate? What are you doing there?
@@seamusfoster Remember when the arse fell out of the furnace at RP2 and it took 6 months to fix? I still remember walking home and looking back at the gigantic steam cloud going up over St.Helens. Of being underneath the furnace as 1800OC of molten glass was streaming out of it like a laser beam. And, trying to freeze it with two industrial water hoses while wearing a gas mask. Didn't you start your working life as a brikie or construction?
@@seamusfoster I remember you wouldn't build a brick compound unless they paid you, or at least they were trying to get you to build it for them for free. And, didn't you build Grace's garden wall, and he messed it up as soon as you left? Something like that anyway. It was good wages. I still dream of working at Rolled Plate and RP2. They were good times. Morning shift and the breakfast run. Sorry about your Dad though. It must have been a hard Christmas for you.
@@seamusfoster You as well. I became a computer technician and then a tutor when I left, but the contracts have pretty dried up. So, if any jobs come up at your place give us a shout. You have to try, don't you?
I had YOP six month placement at one of the St Helens pilks factories in about 1980, I was fascinated by the place, If my memory is right I recall one of the furnaces used to draw glass upwards through rollers, I was there when that ‘tank’ was shut down..the lads were great to be around and I have good memories of it. Sadly Thatchers 1980s meant no permanent jobs were available..
I worked here as a glassmaker and worked on all those jobs shown up until 1995 when I moved onto the float tanks. It was exactly the same then.
When they changed the pattern machine rollers the entire part moved away from the flowing glass, and the easiest task a newbie glassmaker could do was scrape the molten glass of the silicon brickware (known as the lip).
So many shifts spent watching it didn't go wrong, and shitting myself when it did.
@@seamusfoster I think I only worked at the Tank End, Machine End and the Lehr for about eight years. I'm also pretty sure I worked with the fellow shown who was on my shift as a chargehand. Even when I moved onto Float I was pretty a newbie glassmaker.
I am sure The Vicar was on another shift to me as I remember his name but not his face. Each shift had some great men who knew the process inside out and were looked up to by everyone.
These men knew how to solve problems that only came up every few years and would never flinch away from the heat, the confusion of things going wrong or the terror of having 1600oC of molten glass going everywhere.
It wasn't a job you could read about (although they had technical manuals everywhere). You had to learn it from people like your Dad, trust them, pray a lot and learn from your mistakes.
I'm sorry for your loss. People like your Dad were worth their weight in gold to Pilkingtons, as the place couldn't run very long without them.
@@seamusfoster I remember Sean Foster, but no SeamusFoster.
Did you move to Greengate from RP2 then?
People have asked me whether Pilks was still going, and so you've answered that for me.
How is Greengate? What are you doing there?
@@seamusfoster Remember when the arse fell out of the furnace at RP2 and it took 6 months to fix? I still remember walking home and looking back at the gigantic steam cloud going up over St.Helens. Of being underneath the furnace as 1800OC of molten glass was streaming out of it like a laser beam. And, trying to freeze it with two industrial water hoses while wearing a gas mask.
Didn't you start your working life as a brikie or construction?
@@seamusfoster I remember you wouldn't build a brick compound unless they paid you, or at least they were trying to get you to build it for them for free. And, didn't you build Grace's garden wall, and he messed it up as soon as you left?
Something like that anyway. It was good wages. I still dream of working at Rolled Plate and RP2. They were good times. Morning shift and the breakfast run.
Sorry about your Dad though. It must have been a hard Christmas for you.
@@seamusfoster You as well. I became a computer technician and then a tutor when I left, but the contracts have pretty dried up. So, if any jobs come up at your place give us a shout. You have to try, don't you?
I had YOP six month placement at one of the St Helens pilks factories in about 1980, I was fascinated by the place, If my memory is right I recall one of the furnaces used to draw glass upwards through rollers, I was there when that ‘tank’ was shut down..the lads were great to be around and I have good memories of it. Sadly Thatchers 1980s meant no permanent jobs were available..
Does anyone know the name of the pattern shown near the beginning of this video.....the one with tulips? (or elephants' bottoms if upside down!)
The name of the pattern is Flemish.
Thanks for asking.
ppe?? It's an eye opener just how much things have changed over such a relatively short amount of time.
Ynwa
i like this
Was this the 70s?