Marconi works

[hthParticipant @hth]

I came across this pic of the Marconi works. I can't believe they had so many lathes . Manufacturing wireless equipment ? Must be the lunch break, because the machinery is not moving !

[hthParticipant @hth]

[LambtonParticipant @lambton]

Probably coil winding machines rather than conventional lathes.

It is a still picture!

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

If you look at early radios there were loads of mechanical components in them, and as there wasn't a well developed supply chain at the time Marconi would have to make many of them inhouse.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

If that's a coil winding machine at bottom left, I'll eat my hat! Looks like a 5" lathe to me with a big 3-jaw chuck on it.

Neil

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Lambton on 01/05/2016 08:36:41:

It is a still picture!

… But, even so: it is obviously posed, and

There is no motion-blur on the line-shafting

MichaelG.

.

Thanks for posting it 'hth'

[great picture, even if the ladder is a bit incongruous]

[hthParticipant @hth]

The lathe in the foreground looks like a early Colchester Master . The operator staring at the camera has placed a board on the bed , a place for his tools . Yes , it looks to be a posed scene.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

In those days, to take an indoor photo like that would have required a really slow shutter speed, probably several seconds, so posed pic would be the only option.

The ladder is probably to climb up to remove pieces of workers' anatomy from jamming up the pulleys after getting caught in the belts!

[frank brownParticipant @frankbrown22225]

Looking at the age profile and the great variety of tasks being done, I reckon its a training school.

Frank

[John FieldingParticipant @johnfielding34086]

The picture shown was of the New Street Works in Chelmsford which was built in 1912 and equipped in 17 weeks from start to finish.

An explanatory booklet was published which you can find here

http://www.industriouseast.org.uk/index.php?pageId=124&anchor=581&filter=gb

 

 

Edited By John Fielding on 01/05/2016 10:00:37

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

What I notice is the lack of drawings or any paper, even a small note. They must all have been working to a verbal instruction and a sample to copy. When I started making macaroni at a different site there was a machine shop with 50 operators and associated planners, stores etc, and local workshops in each building. 20 years later it was down to a single youth with a CNC mill and most work was subcontracted.

[Author]

Posts