Honda-SOHC
SOHC.co.uk Forums => Anorak's Corner => Topic started by: Mag1 on June 03, 2017, 08:33:02 AM
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I have seen some varied life's of some folk come and go, and thought it be interesting to find out our forum members trades in life, no name dropping unless your happy to do so of companies you work for past and present. Just a bit of crack. Me,
Started life in joinery from 17yo, did my apprenticeship working on building sites and jobbing Clarkes of works. From there went into boat building, fitting out trawler boats from decking to all sorts, everyone mucked in. Then depression of government in early 90,s Brought this all down and lost job, took ages to find a job, and even then guys with engineering degrees and trades were working on farms or whatever they could to put a hot meal on the table, me included. It was the most depressing time of my life. But when a chance came along I went off to college and learnt something new, engineering!. Did this for 3 years and landed a job in oil industry, in Aberdeen so moved lock stock and barrel, rig hopping around the North Sea as cementing tech. Got absolutely bored with this within 12 months, good money, but bored out my skull. So jacked and went back to college and did degree in quantity surveying and been doing this since nearly 20 years. Worked for some big firms and travelled mostly around Scotland, now work for major international cables company, love my job and the people I work with, good bunch of guys. Would I change anything, maybe I should of stayed offshore, as I may be retired by now!, nah sod that.
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Pretty boring compared to your CV, I started to work for Shell at age 16, they sent me to college for 2 years to get a background in Process Operations, then I started at Stanlow Refinery as a junior process operator, worked my way through several Operations departments and ended up as a Shift Supervisor.
I stayed at Stanlow Refinery in operations for the next 22 years, all on shift work which I loved but my friends could not get their heads around me working weekends and bank holidays, I can remember being on top of a distillation column holding a steam flex onto a frozen pressure transmitter to thaw it out when all the ships sirens went off, frightened me to death, it was midnight on New Years eve. Then all the phone calls from girlfriends/wife with party noises in the background.
Then I applied for and got a job with Shell in Thailand as part of the start up crew of a brand new refinery in Map Ta Phut.
I was given the job of writing the commissioning and start up procedures for a section of the refinery and then worked as a shift supervisor on the start up in charge of a shift team of expats and Thai trainees.
Once the refinery was running it was to us expats job to train the Thais to take over the running of the refinery, which we did. I then spent a couple of years organising and writing the procedures for the first major refinery shutdown, which was carried out successfully.
In all I was there for 7 years and they were great years, I loved the work and my wife loved the lifestyle and the shopping.
I did not fancy coming back to the UK to work as working as an expat you are allowed to use whatever skills that you have and you are rewarded accordingly (and promoted) the UK tends to be a bit more stiffling, dead mans shoes style.
So it was off to Australia to work at Clyde refinery (Sydney) as a Plant Controller, working on days not shiftwork, looking after a large chunk of the refinery.
This was a great job but it was full on, 12-14 hours a day and on call 24 hours a day seven days a week but the lifestyle in Australia was grand, the pay was about the same as the UK once my UK costs were taken out, UK mortgage etc.
Stayed there for another 3 years and then decided it was time to come home as the family were all growing up and the father in law was getting on (87 years young), he used to come and stay with us for 6 months a year so that he missed the English winter. And the stress of the job was far too much, when I left they split the job up into three.
Came back to the UK and there was no job for me at my pay grade so in 2005 I took early retirement and have not looked back since.
Cheers
Dennis
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I started off s a TV repairman then went sideways into fruit machines and jukeboxes. Lost my job then despatch riding for a bit, then learned carpentry and joinery. Helped rebuild the Norwegian Church in Cardiff Bay. Work went slack so I repaired domestic appliances for the next 15. Fell off a ladder and broke my back and got retired off. Went to uni and qualified as a design and technology teacher. No jobs except supply work. Went back to fixing stuff - commercial dishwashers. Struggling now because of the back injury so I'm training to be an ADI. Having done my IAM tests on a bike, car and a minibus, and the teaching degree, teaching people to drive is the way forwards. Just waiting for my ADI number from DVSA so I can do my part one.
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Oil industry is now starting to get more busy, thank god, but won't be same as it was when everyone was on big bucks. Tv repair man, very handy. Good luck with new venture
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I started out as butcher for a number of years, needed more money and ended up working in site engineering in pharmaceuticals, managed to get a dose of mercury poisoning, went back to butchery, then thought no and became a metalurgical chemist in the plating industry, I am now semi retired at 55 and walk peoples dogs to pay for my hobbies.
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I started off s a TV repairman then went sideways into fruit machines and jukeboxes. Lost my job then despatch riding for a bit, then learned carpentry and joinery. Helped rebuild the Norwegian Church in Cardiff Bay. Work went slack so I repaired domestic appliances for the next 15. Fell off a ladder and broke my back and got retired off. Went to uni and qualified as a design and technology teacher. No jobs except supply work. Went back to fixing stuff - commercial dishwashers. Struggling now because of the back injury so I'm training to be an ADI. Having done my IAM tests on a bike, car and a minibus, and the teaching degree, teaching people to drive is the way forwards. Just waiting for my ADI number from DVSA so I can do my part one.
Very versatile....good luck to you with the adi
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I've always been involved with manufacturing management, improvement and training. Worked as a change consultant in automotive and aerospace companies up and down the uk for 7 years...but 70,000 miles a year and living in hotels isn't much fun.
Worked at rolls and Bentley...which I liked. Now I work for an engineering company that specialises in sheet metal and precision machining 7 miles from home.
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Merchant navy engineer apprentice from 70-74 stayed in for another year found i didn't enjoy Vietnam in 75(still shooting) with 400 ton of liquid propane in a tank on the foredeck. Came to land and worked on infernal combustion engines ranging from mm to meter bore and MOT tester till became a technician at Stroud college on motor vehicle/construction plant, was off work for 6 months with severe dermatitis(stay away from safety clean and brake/hydraulic fluid folks) and for the past 20 odd years been piloting 44 toners around at nights and fixing Honda's when time alows
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If I have half the experience that you guys have when I retire, I'll be a fortunate man.
At only 36, I'm probably only half way to retirement unless I win the lottery. I stayed on in college not really having an idea of what I wanted to do, took a part time job in a pharmacy as the 'Saturday boy' whilst trying to decide, and found myself enjoying the work there. Trained as a pharmacy technician and found myself in a training roll for a company that took me around Kent and East Sussex. The company was bought out by Boots (hate them) and I stayed on for a year before working in the NHS.
Still in the Pharmacy Dept., but started to work at a ward level speaking with patients, doctors, nursing staff etc. about medication, prescribing, etc and eventually managed the team of people that did it. After a few years switched to mainly dispensary management and now manage two pharmacy dispensaries across two hospitals.
Not sure of the next big step/move yet. Kids are young, the job is local, and it pays the bills so for the moment it suits.
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severe dermatitis(stay away from safety clean and brake/hydraulic fluid folks)
I know Arial / Persil / Daz is good for cleaning hands after doing washing machine bearing changes but now I'm allergic to bleach. That's why so many mechanics wear rubber gloves these days.
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started as an apprentice typewriter engineer in the mid 60's,
that went on to doing service calls to offices filled with lovely typists,
went into office supplies sales,made lots of friends and clients,
but glad I am retired now,
with the internet, customers pick your brains,ask advise ,then buy online,
even had a customer complain the printer she bought online was the wrong one for her,so I asked,why did you buy it?
typical reply,because it was cheaper !!!!!
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started as an apprentice typewriter engineer in the mid 60's,
that went on to doing service calls to offices filled with lovely typists,
Well John, you can't end there mate, you must have some good stories.
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Qualified Nurse since 1981. Last 'proper' job before retirement was a Senior Clinical Specialist Orthopaedic Nurse specialising in complex joint replacement surgery.
Nursing has always paid the bills but was never my real passion. I have led a double life......as a Car Dealer. I have worked at New and Used car dealerships, I have been a self employed used car trader and have been a co-owner of a Franchised Land Rover dealership employing over 50 staff. Cars and motorbikes have always been my real passion in life and although I would call myself an extremely competent nurse, I would say I am s**t hot at buying and selling anything on 2 or 4 wheels.
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Double life indeed strange mix there Julie
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Double life indeed strange mix there Julie
Strange mix for some maybe but I never wanted to be a Nurse. I had hoped to do a Mechanics apprenticeship at the local Honda dealer in Tunbridge Wells but they wouldn't take me on because I was 17....and female (this was in the late 70's!!!) anyway, the hospital was opposite the bike shop so I went over and applied for Nurse training and got accepted. I was buying bikes and selling them whilst doing the Nurse training to get extra money and it carried on from there. So it all seems very normal to me
Oh, and as much as I love these old Hondas and really enjoy owning them and more to the point , riding them, Brit bikes are really my thing.
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Have you got one of those car dealer sheepskin coats and an old copy of Glasses guide to prices Julie. :)
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Have you got one of those car dealer sheepskin coats and an old copy of Glasses guide to prices Julie. :)
Plenty of old Glasses guides at home here but no, never had the sheepskin coat
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Double life indeed strange mix there Julie
Strange mix for some maybe but I never wanted to be a Nurse. I had hoped to do a Mechanics apprenticeship at the local Honda dealer in Tunbridge Wells but they wouldn't take me on because I was 17....and female (this was in the late 70's!!!) anyway, the hospital was opposite the bike shop so I went over and applied for Nurse training and got accepted. I was buying bikes and selling them whilst doing the Nurse training to get extra money and it carried on from there. So it all seems very normal to me
small world julie, I lived in Medway then, and was sub contracting at the old powder mills at Leigh that's where I copped the mercury poisoning in the mid eighties, was always in and out of Tunbridge Wells.
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Couldn't wait to leave school. Got a job at Thomas & Betts making emergency lighting for plains and ships incredibly boring
5am starts but good money got the job because my Mum and Aunt worked there. My Aunt (Aka the Witch) sacked me after three months for being too efficient. ???
Then went to collage for three years as an apprentice carpenter. Told the lecturer what I thought of him just before qualifying so no paperwork to say I'm competent. Been self employed since working as a decorator/carpenter running a joint decorating business with my dad. I don't think I can do it for much longer as its hard to manage more than four painters at one time (you need to hold there hands and tie there laces for them)
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Gosh, not a nice poisoning to have Kevski. Tunbridge Wells is my home town and Cleares was the Honda dealership.
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It always amazes me how we all came from such diverse backgrounds but ended up at the same point with our hobby (I know for some it's still their only income stream)
I loafed about at a very good Technical Grammar school in Hull and only came out with 5 GCE's - failed Inglish ;) and got a grade 1 in German.
5 year Aeronautical apprenticeship followed by a couple of Service Engineering jobs and then Lab Tech at the local College. Off to teacher training college in Huddersfield and then 20 years teaching engineering at Southport College - met my Wife there who was catering manageress (no wonder none of my clothes fit!)
Seconded to a Spinal injuries Unit for 3 years but stayed 12, involved with devices for upright mobility of patients with spinal cord injury and electrical stimulation of paralysed muscle.
Used a recumbent pedal tricycle belonging to the patients for Lands End to John O Groats to raise money for another project in the unit and realised that doing bugger all was infinitely better than work so I retired early and we moved to Orkney.
Into cars, especially Jaguars and classic Minis and still have too many bikes - still hauling a 1500 GoldWing around at 68.
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Started a Patternmaking Apprenticeship in 1970 and never looked back.
Even now i'm lucky i just love the job.
Started Dial Patterns Ltd in 1988 and still going strong lots of work but one of the dying trades.
Maggie shut the collages in the 80's "because we didn't need manufacturing" now we are in dire straights
re patternmakers. In 1970 approx 17 patternshops all employing about 10+ people in Kent and Sussex
now two of us total 8 employees and none under 58, 2 years and Dial Patterns will be gone as well :(
Diverse work from Brighton seafront railings to Bently cylinder blocks, Triumph cylinder head to Audi auto union crank case
and anything in between. Never gets boring.
Live It :) :)
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You are leaning against an open door RGP with the bit about Maggie and she even had advisers telling her the folly of dismantling the training boards but we will get our collars felt if we get too political. When I first started teaching I felt that I was imparting useful knowledge to young 'uns, it changed first to child minding, then to zoo keeping just before I jumped ship.
My lifelong friend from Hull, who I often meet up with for motorcycle trips served his apprenticeship as a patternmaker - company (Rose, Downs & Thompson) now closed of course but he still turns out some excellent artifacts in wood in retirement.
Ian
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21 years as a colliery mechanic until closure then 12 years as a services engineer at a factory that produced personal care products until made redundant again. Then went self employed in engineering working mainly in the chemical industry. Now retired due to big C. It gives you a different outlook on life :D
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I did art and desighn in tec collage after school, 18 months in a rather grotty factory building circuit boardss, then went to work in the care sector, did a years blacksmithing at anothe tec collage ( Hereford) whilst funding myself in the care job as a flexi, a year of that was enough witha 30 hr week caring and full time collage plus a cleaning job in collage too, so I wound up settling into another care job for 12 years whilst building up a workshop and expanding my hobbies of anything mechanical, then got severly pigged off with 7 years of pay freeze and cuts to working conditions so jumped ship to engineering based on my skills demonstrated in my hobbies, got laid off after 18 months supposedly because I was part time due to childcare issues which they accepted when taking me on, personally I reacon it was a lot more to do with me making a fuss when tod to shot blast a 27 ton trailer for the company director and I found the brakes were well shot and wasn't happy the deathtrap was being tarted up with a coat of paint to get sold on, brakes and cracked A frame un fixed. Spent the next 12 months being self employed doing anything from lambing and farm work, to tractor repairs and building rennovation, decorating and groundworks. It aint as well paid as some things but at least its honest which the engineering place wasn't and the care company who took my old place over were not. I'm building up a stock of small machinery thats modified to do specialised jobs and re engining old rotorvators in my downtime so hopefully inproving my cv engineering wise as I enjoyed that when we were not bodging dangerous junk.
Interesting that there are former pattern makers on here, one of my lathes is a pattern makers lathe, though probably a bit older than anything anyone in industry anytime recently would have used, mines a 1914 Oliver lathe, I bought it based purely on the gap bed being big enough to accomodate a cb500 wheel, tyre fitted and all to skim and re line brakes, as my other lathe needs the hub stripped bare to do the job, still got to get a chuck to fit this monster but the fact its fitted for metal and wood turning meant I added wood turning to my hobbies.
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Still use a Wadkin Lathe that can take 8 foot diameter on the back of the head stock
and 10 foot bed and a gap bed that can take 2'6".
When i finally close it will probably end up in the scrap, very little call for it now :-[
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Hmmm. Not a craftsman :(
Electronics Engineering degree at Sussex and 6 years at Racal Communications in Bracknell as a design engineer. We made communications systems (radios) and jammers for the Royal Marine Commandos (they took them to the Falklands - we were dead chuffed).
15 years at Nortel Networks as Project Manager and Operations Director. Traveled extensively to Europe, Middle East and USA but got sick of the high pressure lifestyle and my kids were growing up without me.
So I quit and went self employed.
Now I do project management for software implementation. Currently working for a company that makes zero maintenance security doors for electricity substations. Putting in a quotation and order management system.
I also design websites (eg www.tvam.org) and host a few of them (including this one)
I keep saying I'll retire when the next contract runs out...
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That Wadkin sounds awesome, but sadly many of these great bits of kit probably will wind up un wanted, my oliver was off ebay and was silly cheap at something like £80, I'd love somit like the Wadkin, at least the headstock threads would be something obtainable when it came to getting faceplates and chucks.
Must be a good feeling making something thats played a role in a historic event like the Falklands. I remember being fairly chuffed to find out a drive / controller unit that I was part of making the circuit boards for was used to lower Piers Bosnan down a dam face in the starting sequence of Golden eye if I recall correctly, been a while since I watched any bond movies.
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Great post idea this, loving it.
Well like many of you I too am an engineer - of curtains! :P
Left school after 6th form with pretty poor A levels, after messing about too much. Went on to college to do Applied Biology but unfortunately with a similar attitude. Passed year end exams but not course work. Chose not to repeat the year and went to look for jobs a lab technician using my science background. No idea how but somehow landed a job (100 applicants!), at what was Derby College at the time, in the Textile Technology / Fashion and Design department. Although I saw myself as "macho biker" and fabrics were for girls, I found the scientific theory behind them fascinating and eventually qualified as a Textile technologist via good old day release.
Moved from the academic environment to work in quality control of clothing fabrics for an M&S supplier in Telford (when we actually did such things in the UK). Moved back to Derbyshire early 90's to set up a fabric quality control department for an upholstery manufacturer. Eventually the role morphed into buying responsibility as well, giving me a wider knowledge. Eventually left, taking voluntary redundancy to go it alone in retail of curtain and upholstery fabrics. Grew this from a market stall business to opening our current shop in Bakewell, which will celebrate its 20th year of trading this November.
Although I love my daily work I am rarely happier than messing about with house renovation, especially woodworky bits and of course fiddling with Japanese 2 wheel relics!
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Left school at 18 and did combined sciences degree in physics and chemistry with the intention of becoming a science teacher. Gave up that idea after qualifying and worked in a bakery for 6 months, 12 hour shifts but great money , where I also met the now famous playwright Richard Bean ..(who later wrote a play about our night -shift antics on the bread plant called 'Toast'). Found a 'proper job' working for R&D in large manufacturing company in Hull and stayed there for twenty years eventually running the electronics R&D department. Asked to relocate to either Rockford Illinois or Harold hill, Romford in 1997,as the company were pulling out of Hull to move to South Wales. Took redundancy instead (Rockford ... USA home of Bridgestone Mcycs) gets to -40°F in winter (also -40°C) in winter so no thanks! Set up my own electronics design & small scale manufacture 'Smart solutions (Hull) and did that for 10 years ... very varied and interesting ..one day I would be garbed up in white clean room gear working at GSK in Harlow, the next on a sewerage farm in Yorkshire. Decided I was too isolated working from home and fed up chasing payment from people, so went to work for my brothers engineering company in Hull 3 days /week and carried on my own business the other two. He got me to design a new pilot operated safety valve, which I did but he then sold the company for many millions of £ to an Italian bunch so I left and went to work for my mate 3-days /week designing water hydraulic control systems. Still doing that and my own business the other two days. Very happy working there ...best job I have ever had. He got me in last year and asked me what the best bit about working for him is. When I told him .."use of a bead-blaster" he wasn't impressed though ;D ;D
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As an Antipodean Anorak, I finished High School 1967 and spent a couple of weeks as a roustabout for 3 gun shearers on a property which had ~9000 sheep (some Merino). This taught me a shiatload about what hard work was!! ;D
Having not matriculated to uni (upset a teacher or 2 in the final years!) I instead joined an international telecommunications organisation as a senior technical officer. Started off in Sydney NSW where I played around with a few trail bikes and had loads of fun with my mates going out after dark and riding around in State Forests etc. Had a road bike or 2 as well.
Moved to Western Australia in the mid '70s and spent 10 years in a place called Carnarvon, about 900kms north of Perth at the satellite station. When that closed down, transferred to Perth and have been here ever since! Was doing the same work until I was made redundant in '04. During the time I had several bikes, some road, some trail. Joined a small comms company in '06 and finally retired in '09.
A close friend of mine who restores lots of bikes to concourse condition basically sucked me in! ::) So I looked around to see what was available, and found the CB500K1 in cafe style. The plan is to bring it back to some sort of originality.
So here I am, wondering what I've got myself into! :o
Apparently, anoraks are what you Britishers call folk who have a passion for a particular pursuit. I have several pursuits (Amateur Radio, caravan travel, etc.) but I guess this restoration thing is my latest! ;D
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I am from the States.
I left home while still in High School ... Step-Father issue. Lived with friends until I graduated and got an apprenticeship as a Refractory Bricklayer in a local steel mill. After eight years the Mill laid me off and I went into residential construction. During the next four years I finished college and took a job at selling cement for the Medusa Cement Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It has been over 38 years now and I still sell cement... it has been a great ride!
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discovered women, blah blah...(in hindsight I wasn't good enough anyway :-) ).
Such a shame or have I read that wrong? :o
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Left school at 15 in 1972 went into Royal Navy as a junior marine engineering mechanic left after 6 months due to bullying - shame it was a good career. Started as a miner underground work as a trainee at 15 and half up to ripper and faceworker at 27, decide to leave as I had a young family and wanted a career which would not kill me. signed on for 2 weeks and got job as a school caretaker progressed to senior caretaker then training instructor then contracts manager in charge of half local council sites. Left to work with South Yorkshire Police as contract,s manager in charge of all police stations cleaning operations progressed to Direct service manager in charge of soft services Then Facilities manager. Retired in 2015 - after working from 15 to 57 starting at the bottom and ending up as high as my career choice would allow me to progress with only 2 weeks not employed. Diverse, but great working life met some excellent people and now happily retired.
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Had a few forks in the career path along the way.... Wanted to be a professional cricketer, played county cricket until the age of 19 and then got injured, discovered women, blah blah...(in hindsight I wasn't good enough anyway :-) ). Ended up studying Mechanical Engineering at Warwick Uni - was sponsored through Uni by a company called Ricardo plc, who I still work with / for to this day (Ricardo.com). Also started training as an Opera singer whilst at Warwick (long story). Graduated in Engineering and returned to work at Ricardo on Passenger Car / LCV Diesel Engine Development programmes as a combustion, calibration & test engineer. After ~ 15 years my career moved towards business development / marketing. Setup my own agency with a good friend 10 years ago (MAJOR Digital) - doing digital Marketing / Web Development. Love the work, but the bikes keep me sane...have imported sveeral bikes from the US over the years - some kept, some restored, several sold...:-)...
that must have been great working for Ricardo,
often wondered how the sohc motor would run with a pent roof head,instead of the hemi head
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Ricardo? As in the company who are part of developing the combustion chamber of the early ( 1958 release for the engine in production) 2.0L diesel engines for landrovers - nice to hear they still exist. I have a few engines of that lineage around.
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I'm a professional musician, was in rock/pop bands in 90s, now make incidental music for film and television, probably nothing you've heard of apart from Top Gear, CNN news and a few other things. Currently working on a feature length documentary, sounds more glamourous than it is, in truth very hard work and poorly paid but I love doing it and I'm not really capable of doing anything else properly. Sometimes have to do little bits of IT contracting to make ends meet.
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Yep that's them. Sir Harry Ricardo (the founder) basically pioneered the early development of the 'comet chamber' IDI (indirect diesel injection) combustion system. I worked on probably the last commercial implementation of IDI technology before Direct Injection technology took over. The company celebrated its centenary last year.
I know James said so much is confidential.he can't tell us of his work on this,so I will post a link !!!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_Ricardo
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I'm a professional musician, was in rock/pop bands in 90s, now make incidental music for film and television, probably nothing you've heard of apart from Top Gear, CNN news and a few other things. Currently working on a feature length documentary, sounds more glamourous than it is, in truth very hard work and poorly paid but I love doing it and I'm not really capable of doing anything else properly. Sometimes have to do little bits of IT contracting to make ends meet.
Any bands we would know?, sig sig spurtnik or something like that. Sounds great and also in a job you love.
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Started fitting kitchens at 15,still at it 31 yrs later.
😫😫😫😫😫😫
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James, i think he wonders if the not good enough relates to the finding women?
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Joined the Fire service at 16 as a cadet then became operational at 18,progressed through the ranks including working in fire safety and as an instructor at the training school.Retired 11 years ago at 55 as an operational watch commander at a busy station in Bootle Merseyside after 39 eventful years. Now holidaying and playing with my bikes.
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Did my apprenticeship with BREL in 1978, went from there to Hunting Aviation which was interesting, got on test flights etc, went from there to inland waterways for a while making narrow boats, not sure why!, now work for Rolls Royce Aerospace as a project quality engineer, (having divorced and subsequently acquired a large mortgage about 10 years ago I'll probably be able to retire in my late 90's , I can't tell you how jealous I am of those in the above posts that have retired in their 50's, oh well the best laid plans....😄)
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Progress on ADI training:-
Currently having double lessons (2 hour) First half is me forgetting my rally - driver - with - a - screwdriver, everyday sort of driving and learning to slow right down, impeccably like and wearing a halo.
Second hour is where the instructor does the driving and I'm watching him like a hawk, explaining where he's going wrong, correcting his mistakes. I did reversing around corners last Saturday, one of the pre set tests.
I've got to log 40 hours of that malarkey, another 38. That's what the examiner will be doing; driving like a twat and me putting him right.
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Left school at 16 in 1971 - apprentice engineer and ended up at BAE as air frame fitter on Tornado. Got quite bored at age of 29 when I was ambitious. Moved to financial services (was called insurance then) and nearly left after 2 years because it was sales, sales, sales with a lot of the successful guys corrupt - luckily regulation came in and I studied hard and got none compulsory qualifications years ahead of when they became compulsory allowing me to end up as training manager training staff to advise customers ethically. Ended up regional training manager before large scale company restructure and redundancy. Best thing that could have happened as I got a non reduced pension at 50 based on a good salary as part of deal. Parent had a stroke so went self employed as mortgage broker 2003 to be able to look after her as she deserved to be looked after until couldn't get people mortgages after financial crisis of 2008/09 when moved to a job with local authority assessing cost of social care. Left in 2016 due to pressure of no staff and not being able to give a decent service and now back working as a self employed mortgage broker/compliance support on a part time basis to subsidise pension as 4 years off state pension (at 66). Always kept my hand in with engineering via bikes and although was bored at BAE when I was 29, would be my ideal job now - work hard all day and go home with no work related worries. 46 years of work without unemployment - I've had enough and just want to mess with bikes and go on holiday! Thats me!
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Passed the ADI part 1. The extended theory test and hazard perception.
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Audit (chartered accountant) 1985 - 1991
Tax consultant 1991 - now
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There is one high poster on here who has not yet enlightened (entertained :) :) ) us with his 'brew' . Think of a character in 'Winnie the Poo' but with a 'R' in his name!
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You are leaning against an open door RGP with the bit about Maggie and she even had advisers telling her the folly of dismantling the training boards but we will get our collars felt if we get too political. When I first started teaching I felt that I was imparting useful knowledge to young 'uns, it changed first to child minding, then to zoo keeping just before I jumped ship.
My lifelong friend from Hull, who I often meet up with for motorcycle trips served his apprenticeship as a patternmaker - company (Rose, Downs & Thompson) now closed of course but he still turns out some excellent artifacts in wood in retirement.
Ian
I pass Rose, Downs & Thompson on my way to the dodgy 'Whalebone' pub every Monday night Ian and it's still up and running ..I don't know if they still have patternmakers though. My bro's old company Broady Flow Control in Hull, which he owned, still has one pattermaker I believe.. up to a year or so back they had 4. The Wadkin shaping machine lathe thingy they use has a motor/generator dated 1912 ...same manufacturer as the ones on the Titanic.
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Passed the ADI part 1. The extended theory test and hazard perception.
Well done Mike, one step closer.
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Passed the ADI part 1. The extended theory test and hazard perception.
I still think your mad we will all be in self driving cars in 5 years ;)
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That will make my job easier then.
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Passed the ADI part 1. The extended theory test and hazard perception.
well done Mike !!
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What an excellent read this is, especially for a Newbie to the forum like myself as it allows you to form a character image.
Myself, well in my teens my dad said that I would be a Jack of all trades and a master of none - I think he was right.
So, expelled from school ( spent too much time playing with motorbikes when I should have been doing school work..)
Went into Electrical sales, then Vehicle Body Repairs, then local garage mechanic, then went down the mines and ended up in management. After redundancy went into Environmental and Occupational Monitoring. Then Engineering, Motorsport and now semi retired, or should I say "Head cook and bottle Washer" whilst the gaffer is the main bread winner.
Currently I am re-learning all the things that I have forgotten how to do on bikes , but they take a lot longer to do than I remember.
( Now I spend too much time playing with motorbikes when I should be doing housework )
Russell
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Hi all,
At the age of 21 I decided to join the police force in Devon!! Haven't looked back since and now at 37 I look back over the past 16 years and consider myself very fortunate! It is a demanding job but also very diverse! I have been luckiy enough to work in an exciting area of policing for the past 10 years and wouldn't change it for the world! Sometimes I even wonder how I'm getting paid to do some of the roles I do! Not quite James Bond but you get the idea!
Very daunting in this current era of policing what with terror around almost every corner!
I have a young family with a little girl and a boy on the way.. they love what I do but worry most days!
Before all that I did a engineering diploma, worked for Ford and did a stint in a tyre fitting firm!
It's good to hear everyone's background!!!
Al
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My daughter is in the Met. She loves it too (even being based in Lewisham...)
Steve
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My daughter is in the Met. She loves it too (even being based in Lewisham...)
Steve
Different world up there I bet! 😩
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Me.....I have been very fortunate in my working life - if the job was crap (more usually the managers were the real crap bit) I just went and got another one! Was offered Engineering Apprenticeship in 1966 at Gardner Diesel Engines in Eccles but a bit daunting in such a large factory....same with AEI in Trafford Park......25,000 Employees at the time so went to work in a TV/ Radio Shop in Eccles selling stuff. Older Brother talked me round to get an Engineering Apprenticeship at a small company in Salford manufacturing Textile Machinery (Ring Spinning kit to spin Cotton). Loved that place and learned my stuff off 'proper Engineers'. Left to earn more money at a US Compressor Manufacturer in Trafford Park - like Xmas and my Birthday when I went there as they had hundreds of the latest CNC Machines and some really brilliant CNC Machining Centres machining multi axis stuff like Crankcases. Lovely stuff after working with pre war machines! My Colleague there bought a brand new CB750 Four about 1971/2 which I lusted after big time! Like many on here, I got fed up of the Government so I went to live in Canada for a few years.....worked on Heavy Cranes etc and then for De Havilland on the Twin Otter light aircraft. Loved it in Toronto but my Wife couldn't settle so came back home......not before I rode over to the Rockies on my Suzuki GT500.....most beautiful scenery in the world.....and I will go back one day I hope. Did another 10 years with my old US Employer in Wythenshawe on Inspection/ Quality Control. Added Radiographic Inspection of welded pipework to my resume, along with Auditing (BS 5750/ ISO 9000 stuff) and developing Process Instructions/ Procedures. Had (yet another) 'do' with my Manager so moved into writing Instruction Manuals. Happily - made redundant and got a much better job in Runcorn as a Quality Manager for a Commercial Vehicle Parts manufacturer - mostly because of my BS 5750 knowledge. Loved it there (met my second Wife there so I have a lot to thank them for) and did some really good work.....but (again) had a 'do' with the MD (a smashing bloke) about him never paying our Suppliers on time so I left. Had also looked after Health and Safety there so that helped my next move - a 6 month contract with London Underground.......where I actually stayed for over 20 years. Worked on some gigantic Engineering Projects and got involved in the selection of Suppliers and Contractors, and looked after HSQE on many highly complex and interesting Projects. Found the Front Line Operational Managers and Staff to be brilliant people to work with, but Senior Managers in LUL less so. Did a fair bit of Safety Training (mostly behavioural stuff to give people a different approach to HSE) and helped to reduce accidents and incidents to an all time low. Joined the TA in 1981 as I thought Regan and Thatcher would start WWIII - and stayed for 15 years in the Manchester Artillery.......loved every minute of my time as a Gunner - although I wouldn't recommend it to anyone nowadays as the Government has crapped on the Armed Forces big time and are now seeing the huge problems with recruitment and retention - I very much doubt if we could defend ourselves in a large scale fight again. Just coming up to my 3rd year since retirement and still loving it....still finding plenty to do......my Son in Law recently said that 'There is plenty of time for sleeping when I'm dead' so I'm trying to live up to that! I enjoy this Forum - mostly - as there are some really knowledgable and helpful people contributing to it's undoubted success. I also have a few old Triumph bikes on the go, but the Triumph Forums are not a patch on the sohc crowd. Have met a few fellow sohc members and again, they are all top blokes (they know who they are) and they have all helped me with my bike - and helped me as a person, so many thanks to everyone on our great Forum. Long may I be a part of it. Cheers.
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I'm almost ashamed to say what I do/did/done after hearing about you load of geniuses! :-[ I started out as an apprentice brickie at the local Council, got bored of that after a few years and became a forklift driver on a building site. Became a motorcycle courier for a photographic studio until I got squashed by a car, compo payout set myself and my brother up in the shotblasting and powder coating business (biggest mistake of my life). Seemed like I was the only one doing the work while my brother sat on his arse in the office all day on the pretext of "getting work in". He did all the office side of it and kept telling me that the business wasn't really going anywhere and not making enough money and that I ought to let him buy me out. This went on for about a year and I'd had enough so agreed, two weeks after I walked away he went out and bought a listed cottage in the countryside and a brand new BMW to drive himself to the business in. He's a millionaire now and I haven't got a pot to urinate in but I'm happy as a pig in poo, I'm a carer for my disabled Wife. :)
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After leaving school in 1978 I became an apprentice coach trimmer in the London Transport Acton Work train overhaul workshops. It was all sprung seats, horse hair, leather and hand stitching back then, foam was toxic when burned, not a good idea underground! I was sent on a residential course where I learned to make hand stitched saddles for horses (not many of those on the tube!). I ended up making all the box leather brief cases for the officers of the company, they must have cost an absolute fortune as each one took a week to make being all hand made and stitched, I never made one for myself though! After 6 years I got bored, the company was looking for ex-apprentices to move into the technical offices and I became a design draftsman as I was always good at TD in school and it was my best subject at college. I had the best job in the world thinking up and designing mechanical equipment all day, and seeing it made and used in the workshops. All the other guys in the office were also in their 20's and 30's and had the same outlook. We used to all go out on Friday's and would meet up sometimes during the weekends, we still meet up on a regular basis now for nights out even though we are well into our 50's. Shame this type of bonding doesn't seem to happen nowdays, people leave the office at the end of the working day and retreat into their own worlds. Unfortunately CAD came along in the early 90's and ink drawing on film was finished for ever :(, the whole department was closed down in 94 when it was 'outsourced' ::). I moved into project engineering which was good but it became boring as it was all office and paperwork based. I got restless and was offered an opportunity to move onto the Jubilee Line railway extension as a site engineer, hard work but I loved it, I met many people who have remained great friends ever since.
In 2001 I became a project manager and have stayed with it ever since having manged some big projects such as extending the tube to Heathrow Terminal 5, rebuilding Stratford stn ready for the Olympics and now upgrading the surface lines on LU with new trains and signalling. I'll be retiring next year once I've got my 40 years of service in and will still be young enough to enjoy my bikes.
As for motorcycles, I had my first Honda SOHC in 1978, it was a 1966 CB160. I kept it for 2 years before buying a Matchless 250CSR (why, oh why :o). After that it was a CB200 and I px'd it for my first 400/4 in 81 (I've had 5 in total, I must be addicted!). I bought a CR750 Rickman Honda (still got it in boxes), it was a S&S bike although the engine had been changed at some point. Modern bikes followed and I've still got my VFR800 after selling the Blackbird last year. Other bikes are a Laverda 120 (I rode it to its birthplace in Bregenza following its restoration) and a Morini 350 Sport. Restoring bikes is my hobby/passion/frustration in equal measure (especially 400/4 carbs!). I raced speedway for 4 years at Wimbledon and Iwade on a 2 valve Jawa 500, marriage saw an end to that little escapade, the subsequent divorce saw the bike being sold along with my restored 400/4, drum kit and the Triumph Spitfire to enable me to hang onto the house (and having to work 3 jobs and doing private coach trimming on MG's to pay the 15% mortgage rate)
After many years of working in cold, damp sheds I finally have a garage with a lathe and a proper bench and bike lift, bliss :).
I stumbled across the SOHC forum a couple of years ago, its been a godsend, great people (and I've even been in touch with MCITD on here who also worked at LU for 20 years) great chatter and advice. Long may it continue :)
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Top man, a 400four fan - even better.
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Ah yes, where do we start... I was born dead in Seatle at the Catholic hospital there, and they need a name on the birth certificate, before you are pronounced dead for the death certificate. My folks didn't know what to name me, so the doc said, 'put down junior' and so, I have my father's name! Then I guess I started back up, and perhaps that was God's purpose for me.
I grew up in Seattle, went to India for 13 months, when I was 11, and then at age 12 ended up in central Minnesota for 1 1/2 years. We moved to York co. Pa. in 1970, and I almost graduated from Susquehannock H.S. when, 1 month into my senior year, dad decided to move us to E. Washington, and I was the 1st. graduating class out of Hanford H.S. in 1974. Then I moved to Port Huron, Mi. in September of that year. Spent 1 semester in a community college, and there were classes I forgot I even had lol... Dad said College may not have been my Forte!
Fast forward, to welding school in Cleveland, and my 1st job as a pipe welder in Standard Oil refinery in Richmond, Ca. in 1975. I ended up moving to Toledo, Oh. in 1978 for work, and have been in Ohio ever since, and am a retired Pipewelder out of Monroe, Mi. local 671. I have been diagnosed with Welder's Disease (Manganese poisoning) as a result of the 40 years of welding.
I am an avid motorcyclist, it is a passion for me. My first bike was a 1967 Norton Atlas 750, purchased in 1979. Then, a 1968 BSA 650 Thunderbolt, and then I went Japanese with my 1982 Yamaha Vision XZ550, 1981 XV920RH, (still have it) bought new in the crate in 1985. Currently, I have many bikes, (too many, the wife says), but I have a 2006 Kawasaki Concours (retirement bike), a 1981 Yamaha XV920RH, 1996 Royal Enfield Bullet 500 (therapy bike), and the 1971 Honda CB750K1. Also have a 1985 Honda Elite 250, and a few race bikes: 1975 Yamaha RD350, 1989 Honda VTR250 Interceptor, building a 1986 Kawasaki Ex250 Ninja. I have owned quite a few other bikes, including a 1984 Honda V65 Sabre (fast!), Yamaha DT360(basket case in shed) and DT250, 1973 Yamaha GT1(back of garage still), two 1982 Yamaha Visions that I have sold in the past two years, and that's about it... I think.
My passion for motorcycles has worked out as a way to spread my other Passion for Jesus Christ. I am a Chaplain (that's right, Charlie the Chaplain) through the Central Labor Council of Michigan, also to a racing group in Eastern Ohio (at Nelson Ledges Race Course), and am a Deacon of a Biker church here, Kingdom Run Biker Church and Outreach, and am Ordained to preach the gospel (good news)... He has shown me that I didn't have to give up bikes, just to use them for His glory, not mine... so I do. I hope to make your acquaintance some day!
Charlie
the Chaplain
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Wow, there's a few individual stories in there! That's some life you've lived up to now. I wish you many more chapters to come.
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I fix MRI scanners in both the NHS and private hospitals.
Due to the very powerful magnetic field i have a set of tools made from titanium, very, very expensive.
If you take anything metal into the room of any size, it will stick to the magnet and you wont get it off.
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Some fascinating stories on this thread. My career has been fairly unremarkable by contrast. I left school in 1978 with a handfull of mediocre cse’s and gce’s and went straight into a mechanical apprenticeship at a fairly local company IMI Yorkshire Imperial Metals in Leeds. I completed my apprenticeship, I also discovered that i could do much better at college than i did at school, with the right motivation.... I stayed there for 6 years in total before moving to a small precision engineering company as a centre lathe turner. There I was promoted a couple of times and ended up as planning engineer for the manufacture of components for the MOD (during the first gulf war), British aerospace and the oil and nuclear industries.. we manufactured a broad range of mechanical components.. I also got into some CAD work at that time which i enjoyed. That all came to an end in 1995 when the company went into administration and closed, along with many other engineering companies at that time... I took a couple of jobs over the next couple of years but eventually settled at a company less than 5 miles from my home where they manufacture glass packaging (bottles). Ive been there for 20 years now and i really enjoy the work. My job is product design engineer, the job typically involves taking customer design concepts and turning them into products which we manufacture and sell. I design the products and then the mould equipment required to form them in glass, its very rewarding to see them through concept, development and finally in the shops. i hope to see myself out to retirement in this role, sooner rather than later with any luck! I bought my first motorbike on my 17th birthday, a honda! Bikes were my only mode of transpot for a few years.. Marriage and kids took me away from motorcycles for about 15 years but now they are my main hobby. I have a lovely wife, 2 lovely kids (now grown up and making their own way) and a comfortable home and although im not a wealthy man i consider myself to be lucky in life.
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That sounds an interesting job you've got, what kind of products do you design and manufacture?
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Qualified Nurse since 1981. Last 'proper' job before retirement was a Senior Clinical Specialist Orthopaedic Nurse specialising in complex joint replacement surgery.
Nursing has always paid the bills but was never my real passion. I have led a double life......as a Car Dealer. I have worked at New and Used car dealerships, I have been a self employed used car trader and have been a co-owner of a Franchised Land Rover dealership employing over 50 staff. Cars and motorbikes have always been my real passion in life and although I would call myself an extremely competent nurse, I would say I am s**t hot at buying and selling anything on 2 or 4 wheels.
Julie, I was curious as to whether you have seen the movie 'Flywheel', it is pretty good, and being this is a little bit of your passion, you might like it. I recommend it!
Charlie
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That sounds an interesting job you've got, what kind of products do you design and manufacture?
Thanks, it is interesting, these are a few fairly recent ones.... the new greenall’s gin range, hihland park “ice”, and gant fragrance for men.
(https://s19.postimg.org/m7f91pnsz/228561_E2-_C1_E6-437_E-_A5_F4-5_FCDEDA068_F8.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
(https://s19.postimg.org/gw0ch0h5v/C28262_F0-77_B4-4_F40-_AFEF-8200_D1_B45936.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/6lxxhrra7/)
(https://s19.postimg.org/3rus4bheb/0296_E39_B-_C908-489_C-896_D-_CBEBC7_F8_ED02.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
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yamahawk, i'm also a committed christian but everyone has a vice so mine is speeding!! i work as a site manager in a residential behavioural school which is quite challenging, such as being punched, kicked and spat on regularly. but it's a fun job and it funds my riding habit...
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Qualified Nurse since 1981. Last 'proper' job before retirement was a Senior Clinical Specialist Orthopaedic Nurse specialising in complex joint replacement surgery.
Nursing has always paid the bills but was never my real passion. I have led a double life......as a Car Dealer. I have worked at New and Used car dealerships, I have been a self employed used car trader and have been a co-owner of a Franchised Land Rover dealership employing over 50 staff. Cars and motorbikes have always been my real passion in life and although I would call myself an extremely competent nurse, I would say I am s**t hot at buying and selling anything on 2 or 4 wheels.
Julie, I was curious as to whether you have seen the movie 'Flywheel', it is pretty good, and being this is a little bit of your passion, you might like it. I recommend it!
Charlie
No Charlie, have not seen that film but will look it up sometime.
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My first bike at 17 was an old BSA Bantam which my dad taught me to maintain. Very necessary.
I started off working as a Trainee Design Engineer for GKN. They used to put all their trainees through the apprentice workshop course, so they taught me really useful metalwork skills which I've used all my life.
A big career change saw me morph into an Air Traffic Controller. I managed to survive that until I retired earlier this year. It's one of the only jobs where you actually get paid to look out of the window! 8)
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If you can see them out of the window, isn't it too late? :)
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If you can see them out of the window, isn't it too late? :)
Hopefully not. ;) The Mark 1 eyeball is still one of the best ways to spot something going wrong.
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My first bike at 17 was an old BSA Bantam which my dad taught me to maintain. Very necessary.
I started off working as a Trainee Design Engineer for GKN. They used to put all their trainees through the apprentice workshop course, so they taught me really useful metalwork skills which I've used all my life.
A big career change saw me morph into an Air Traffic Controller. I managed to survive that until I retired earlier this year. It's one of the only jobs where you actually get paid to look out of the window! 8)
I have chatted to many air traffic controllers,and found them helpful and polite ,
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Do you fly John? 8)
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yamahawk, i'm also a committed christian but everyone has a vice so mine is speeding!! i work as a site manager in a residential behavioural school which is quite challenging, such as being punched, kicked and spat on regularly. but it's a fun job and it funds my riding habit...
Hehe I like speed also, and that's why I race! It is a passion, and it's safer than speeding on the street... which as you probably know, gets us in trouble lol.
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From the states. A career teacher, high school English and coached American football and baseball. Moved on to public school administration and that, with moves and promotions, has been my path. Bought my imported Honda 750 new in 1973 at Fort Bragg; they were bringing them in by the truck load for all the soldiers. Been on and off that bike every since, with only 2 minimal wrecks. More damage to me than the bike. Currently superintendent for a large school system with 183 schools and over 160,000 kids in k-12.
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Sorry can't resist. Only other Superintendent I've heard of.
[attach=1]
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I'm not sure whether John has a pilots licence, I have had mine for some 45 years now. The most recent obsession with bikes (second time around here, my first was in the 1970's) was meant to wean me off aviation before retirement, however now I am hooked on both!
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Sorry can't resist. Only other Superintendent I've heard of.
(Attachment Link)
Fair enough
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Do you fly John? 8)
used to,based at Gouscester (Staverton) just a simple JAA/PPL
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Do you fly John? 8)
used to,based at Gouscester (Staverton) just a simple JAA/PPL
I went to Staverton on my qualifying cross-country from Cardiff. . I went there once in the 70's for a motorcycle race, North Gloucester MC organised it IIRC.
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Do you fly John? 8)
used to,based at Gouscester (Staverton) just a simple JAA/PPL
I went to Staverton on my qualifying cross-country from Cardiff. . I went there once in the 70's for a motorcycle race, North Gloucester MC organised it IIRC.
yup,I also raced there in mid 70's
my cros country was Glos,Comton Abbas - Shobden -Glos
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After 6 years of fixing manky old dishwashers I've finally handed in my notice. I'm starting with Streetwise in Cardiff tomorrow teaching people how to drive. My phone hasn't stopped ringing and I have 5 x 2-hour sessions booked already.
Just hope I don't F... up too badly.
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After 6 years of fixing manky old dishwashers I've finally handed in my notice. I'm starting with Streetwise in Cardiff tomorrow teaching people how to drive. My phone hasn't stopped ringing and I have 5 x 2-hour sessions booked already.
Just hope I don't F... up too badly.
best wishes and good luck Mike,
if you can get a pupil up this way,drop in for a cuppa !!!!
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After 6 years of fixing manky old dishwashers I've finally handed in my notice. I'm starting with Streetwise in Cardiff tomorrow teaching people how to drive. My phone hasn't stopped ringing and I have 5 x 2-hour sessions booked already.
Just hope I don't F... up too badly.
Best wishes Mike and good luck with the Cardiff traffic. 😨
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Good luck Mike. I know you have worked really hard for this. Hope the little Fiesta is all ready and prepared.
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Don't mind the Cardiff traffic, no more M5, M4, Severn bridge to worry about.
Fiesta is raring to go. Washed all the salt off it and made final adjustments to the dual controls.
John, I'll have more biking time so we could ride off somewhere. The A466 past Tintern springs to mind.
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Don't mind the Cardiff traffic, no more M5, M4, Severn bridge to worry about.
Fiesta is raring to go. Washed all the salt off it and made final adjustments to the dual controls.
John, I'll have more biking time so we could ride off somewhere. The A466 past Tintern springs to mind.
Oh yess !! the 466 is one on my favorites
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Good luck with your new career Mike.
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Hi,
Just a member for a few days now, stumbling on this thread....
After high school, I assigned to the "Leidsche Instrumentmakers School", a school for precision technology (don't know the English word for it), afterwords I studies Physics and specialised in Photonics and Machine Vision.
When finished school, I found out that the society didn't need highly educated technicians (this was around the 90's, can you believe it ?), so I was jobless. After a while, I met the director of my high school, and he said me that I didn't have to be ashamed not having a job, because the Royal family never worked for their sustenance, according to him ;D. He also explained that the job market is some sort of sea, with a wave of jobs every 5-6 years or so.
Anyway, I bought a bike (XT500) from the money I earned, working in an Irish Pub during my study, and went to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) to drink a cup of tea. After flying back to the Netherlands everything was changed on the job market, a new wave came in. I applied at a small company, and was taken, my fist job was a fact (I'm still grateful for the words of wisdom from my director). I worked for 17 years as a machine vision application engineer at this company, until the company decided to focus on producing instead of research, so I quit the job. In that time I worked at different projects around the world as a machine vision architect, in the UK as well, mainly for the beer and beverage industry, tobacco industry and food industry.
I took a year for doing nothing else than working on bikes, but that wasn't satisfying enough, so I applied for a job at a big Japanese company,and got a job as a Product Engineer Machine Vision, and that's still the job I have. I like my job, but couldn't do it without wrenching on bikes and riding them. I need to work with my hands, as a counterweight for my job. Last month I had my 50th birthday, so I'm an old geezer, as they say.
My plans are to step down a bit, trying to work no more then 50-60 hours a week, but that's hard, because there are too many projects, and not enough experienced people in this specialism at the moment. Because high end Machine vision becomes more and more available due to pricing, more and more company's are integrating a machine vision system in their machines. Especially in combination with robotics, the markets are booming.
But luckily I can take the classic bikes regularly to my costumers, so riding the bikes is covered.....
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
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That's a nice dream, Jensen!!
Charlie
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Thanks,
But I'm sorry to say, the last picture shows a CB450 K0, and not a Honda dream. But I have to admit that in the dark, and from this angle one could interpret the bike as a dream, but it's a CB450 bomber (hence the front fork set-up).
Jensen
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UPDATE. ..
I started the driving tuition on Wednesday, with no learners on Monday or Tuesday I did my old job for 2 days.
Wednesday started at 11:00 with a guy who had failed his test and ended with a guy who had his test on Friday.
For once I got home totally unstressed, teeth unclenched, not in need of a pint and not shouting at the kids. I should have done this year's ago.
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They say a change is as good as a rest Mike, I think you're proving that can be the case. Well done you.
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Did Friday guy pass?
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No. I only taught him 3 hours and had a lot of faults to put right - mainly not checking LH mirror when exiting roundabouts and turning L.
I accompanied him on the test and saw him pulling away from the side of the road with no blind spot check and no 360 check after the emergency stop.
Apart from that, he was good.
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I hated every second of my car test. Wasn't really interested in it but needed a van for work.
I loved the bike test though and it felt like it was over in seconds.
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I don't think anyone relishes the car test. The only good bit is when you pass and having a few beers afterwards
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It took me a fair while to pass either test, only finally did the car one a couple of years ago. Worst bit was overcoming the bad habits from a decade on the full bike licence, apparently lifesavers are not a good observation to keep doing in cars and after too long on a 125 I had a tendency to dawdle.
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I don't think anyone relishes the car test. The only good bit is when you pass and having a few beers afterwards
Wait, you're supposed to drink the beers 'afterwards'?!
That explains everything now..
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It helps to have a pint beforehand, settles the nerves. I always play better skittles after a few jars.
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What helps is to have your instructor along for the test. I am pretty sure in 2 tests I failed, 1 bike and 1 car, that had an insructor had been along I might have passed. Annoying to fail with a clean sheet bar 1 bad fault marked that you don't agree with. Anyhow, good luck on the new proffesion. Not a job I think I could do.
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The candidate is asked if they want their instructor present on the test. We get hear the debrief anyway, and all the excuses. " I would have passed if it wasn't for....."
How does it work on a bike test, instructor rides pillion does he?
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Two of the 3 bike test attempts I did the examiner was in a car, the instructor could have come along easily. When it comes to fails, most are a fair cop, learn from mistakes, inprove your driving, we can all inprove, then there are the times you think not really, so much of it is subjective. Pull out of a junction with a car just visable in the far distance in one town, it's a fail, don't pull out with a car same distance away at same speed and you can fail thanks to undue hesitation. On the other hand one must look at how many new drivers get wiped out or crash early on in their driving career. I guess it is a hard compromise.
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I failed my first bike test because the C90 let me down. I hadn't used it for a couple of months because I was riding my 400four.
Anyway, on day of the test, I wheeled the now unfamiliar and underpowered step thru in a fetching hearing - aid brown, blew the sawdust off it and and ride to the test centre. Because it felt neglected, the bloody thing began sulking and would lose power - as if running on half a cylinder. By faffing about with the choke lever on the carb I could get it to behave itself.
In those days the examiner was on foot and directed me to ride in left hand circuits around the block until he said so, followed by right hand circuits, followed by the emergency stop.
It was while I was cajoling a few more horses from the thing by leaning forward, fiddling with the carb, then an old codger decided to cross the road. I almost knocked the old coot sideways and muttered an apology while hoping the examiner was the other side of the block.
He wasn't.
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Frank Spencer comes to mind ;D
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Or Victor Meldrew. ;D
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This is how I shall always see you now
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAUvNlsOs0U
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My first Bike Test was on my Lambretta. I stopped at a Pedestrian Crossing only for a British Rail Truck to plough into the back of my Lambretta.....remember those pug ugly three wheeler monstrosities that humped suff around the Railway Stations. End of Test ! My second Bike Test was funny.....the Examiner told me to go around a circuit and at some stage he would step out and then I was to perform an 'Emergency Stop'. I spotted him in plenty of time and managed a perfect and controlled stop.....much to the delight of some Factory Workers eating their butties sitting outside their Factory....they all rose to their feet and started clapping my sterling efforts. Mr Examiner was NOT amused and got a bit haughty. Despite that I passed anyway.
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When I took my bike test a dog shot out of a gate and sank its teeth into my trouser leg, as I pulled to a stop, the nearby examiner was jumping up and down shouting kick the bar steward, but he did pass me my test!
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seems like we all have a story about our test..
i done mine in chichester..and had a short lesson with the tester before, when we stopped for a bacon butty we talked about old bikes and i had a bsa c11g at the time in the garage...he was mighty impressed as i was only a nipper who was interested in old brit stuff...
when we left the cafe after half an hour or so we were out of chichester and heading to some outer village ...i forget where as it was just miles of lanes..
we ended up at his house and he had a garage full of brit bikes...after a cuppa and a chat i asked ."what about my test?"
he replied "dont worry you have passed"...
thinking back what with all that is going on in the news that could have ended alot worse .... :o
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I turned up for my test on my CD175 with my Nurses uniform hanging below my tasselled leather jacket. I was on my lunch break from work. I rode around the block, all of about 400 yards, did the emergency stop and he had already written out the pass certificate as I was riding round the block. Finished work at 3pm and went and picked up a 750 Triumph Bonneville. This was in 1980.
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Our old HONDA CB750K0,CBX1000,Goldwing riding buddy RIP. ;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVMRw3mBo_o
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I was expecting the examiner to leap out at me, as per the Frank Spencer clip. He held his clipboard in the air over 600 yards away. I was riding along pondering whether to stop right now, or stop where he was. After a quarter of a mile I decided I'd better stop.
Once I was stopped he beckoned me. I rode up to him and he said the emergency stop was very good. Very odd.
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Just digging up a fascinating old thread... I was brought up on a fun fair and as a kid spent a lot of time building, fixing and riding (off road) various Bantams, C15's, Tiger Cubs, Honda 50's and scooters then on my 16th birthday and back on the Isle of Wight bought an FS1E (life defining moment) and started work in a plastic precision engineering company making parts for Rolls Royce and cigarette manufacturing machines. A few years later moved into boat building (much more money) as well as breaking cars in my spare time and then in the early 80's trained and became a photographer and videographer and moved to Darlington.
In the mid 90's started a company called Racing Composites in Lincolnshire making the bodywork for a lot of the motorbike racing teams here and abroad and the then growing track day market and then after a competitor bought us out started an internet company in a completely different direction altogether. We sold the internet company back in 2015 and retired.