# EIP Metals, Birmingham, July 2011



## TranKmasT (Jul 27, 2011)

​I noticed this old work in passing last year sometime. It covers a large area with a few interesting features. 

A big thanks to the new owners for letting me have a nosey.​


> In 1991 EIP Metals was formed (Evered Industrial Products) when two other companies were merged with Evered Metals - Barker & Allen and Mapplebeck Metals. Over the next 13 years it became the leading supplier of Quality Copper and Copper Alloy strip products into the UK market.
> During the 1990's the service centre business of Charles Harbage was aquired and in 2004 the William West company was also introduced into EIP Metals.


http://www.aurubis.co.uk/index.php?wcId=18&xwcId=1&lang=










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*Surgery*













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*Testing equipment and samples*



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*Lab*















*Offices.*





*Came across loads of old ledgers, some written with an old style, as early as the 1930s
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*Some roof shots. You can see Dudley Hospital top right.*


























*Time for me to clock off now. Thanks for looking.



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## Derelict-UK (Jul 27, 2011)

Although I went years ago, I am still shocked at how many bloody tyres there are strewn about lol.

Is there a mechanics nearby? 

Certainly looks in a more sorry state and the boarded up bits don't help, but then again I'm glad you have got round it and given us an update


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## TranKmasT (Jul 27, 2011)

The tyres are being stock piled. Eventually the company who let me look around will be getting a recycling machine that shreds and converts the rubber back into oil and other substances.



Derelict-UK said:


> Is there a mechanics nearby?


Not sure. There was a few other units and a guard hut on the entrance but I didn't take much notice.


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## Derelict-UK (Jul 27, 2011)

TranKmasT said:


> The tyres are being stock piled. Eventually the company who let me look around will be getting a recycling machine that shreds and converts the rubber back into oil and other substances.
> 
> 
> Not sure. There was a few other units and a guard hut on the entrance but I didn't take much notice.



I meant if the mechanics were dumping tyres, but you have answered that question.

Sounds like a good recycling idea.


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## King Al (Jul 28, 2011)

Cool find TKT, looks like an interesting complex


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## nelly (Jul 29, 2011)

Nice!! Especially those ledgers.

What was through the "Door of Death" ?


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## KingLewis92 (Jul 29, 2011)

nelly said:


> Nice!! Especially those ledgers.
> 
> What was through the "Door of Death" ?



Looks Like A Fire Exit To Me


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## davesd1 (May 31, 2021)

Thanks for posting these,i understand this site has now been cleared. I worked here '76-'83,when it was known as Barker and Allen. The door of death led from the canteen,through a walkway,then you came down the wooden stairs alongside the office,which was in the electricians shop.
Wish i had a pound every time i walked up and down them.


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## Hayman (Jun 1, 2021)

Those were the days - when we still had heavy industries. Bit worrying to see the "SURGERY" door. Many accidents? What was the Crabtree connection? Crabtree was a major manufacturer of electrical equipment: sockets, switchgear, fuseboxes, etc.


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## sadlerwells (Jun 2, 2021)

If it wasn't made in Brum it wasn't made!


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## davesd1 (Jun 2, 2021)

That surgery saw some accidents,especially with it being a rolling mill and foundry.I was carried in there myself one afternoon after dropping a fork lift truck battery side plate on my foot.
The Crabtree connection was the contacts in the switches,BT was another customer, also Yale keys.
We used to get a lot of stampings and sometimes coin blanks.The Birmingham Arms pub which was just outside the main gate threatened to ban us if any more blanks appeared in the fruit or fag machines.
It's incredible to see all these factories that have been demolished,where have all the jobs gone,McDonalds?


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## sadlerwells (Jun 3, 2021)

davesd1 said:


> That surgery saw some accidents,especially with it being a rolling mill and foundry.I was carried in there myself one afternoon after dropping a fork lift truck battery side plate on my foot.
> The Crabtree connection was the contacts in the switches,BT was another customer, also Yale keys.
> We used to get a lot of stampings and sometimes coin blanks.The Birmingham Arms pub which was just outside the main gate threatened to ban us if any more blanks appeared in the fruit or fag machines.
> It's incredible to see all these factories that have been demolished,where have all the jobs gone,McDonalds?


Going by recent news reports, Domino Pizzas! 
We love going around the BCN on our boat, spotting the old canal entrances, but it makes us so sad that all this manufacturing has disappeared.


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## Hayman (Jun 3, 2021)

davesd1 said:


> That surgery saw some accidents,especially with it being a rolling mill and foundry.I was carried in there myself one afternoon after dropping a fork lift truck battery side plate on my foot.
> The Crabtree connection was the contacts in the switches,BT was another customer, also Yale keys.
> We used to get a lot of stampings and sometimes coin blanks.The Birmingham Arms pub which was just outside the main gate threatened to ban us if any more blanks appeared in the fruit or fag machines.
> It's incredible to see all these factories that have been demolished,where have all the jobs gone,McDonalds?


Another well known Brum firm was *Midland Electric Manufacturing Co (MEM). *I used to see lots of MEM switchgear around in the 1950s and 1960s. Maybe one of EIP's customers. But another takeover victim and now no more.


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## davesd1 (Jun 3, 2021)

When you think of the names that have disappeared, it's frightening. This site was Europe's largest in its field.We were always having meetings regarding the next round of redundancies.In those day's, late 70's early 80's,not only were you paid redundancy money,you also received any pension donations you'd paid in,if memory serves me right.
This company was part of Delta metals,how many companies were in that group?


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## Mearing (Jun 4, 2021)

sadlerwells said:


> Going by recent news reports, Domino Pizzas!
> We love going around the BCN on our boat, spotting the old canal entrances, but it makes us so sad that all this manufacturing has disappeared.


Also sad that Gas Street Basin has lost its appeal since gentrification, I used to boat around the BCN in the early 70s when it was a hidden time warp, a secret anomaly in the middle of busy Birmingham. Progress!


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## Hayman (Jun 5, 2021)

Mearing said:


> Also sad that Gas Street Basin has lost its appeal since gentrification, I used to boat around the BCN in the early 70s when it was a hidden time warp, a secret anomaly in the middle of busy Birmingham. Progress!


One of the first holidays my wife and I had was a canal narrow boat week from Burton on Trent. It included going through Brum, and under Spaghetti Junction. We nearly hit a car submerged up to its roof; some vandals had pushed it off the top of a slope, and it ended up in the canal.


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## Mearing (Jun 5, 2021)

Hayman said:


> One of the first holidays my wife and I had was a canal narrow boat week from Burton on Trent. It included going through Brum, and under Spaghetti Junction. We nearly hit a car submerged up to its roof; some vandals had pushed it off the top of a slope,, ots of vandalism and it ended up in the canal.


Yes,lots of vandalism. worst bit was having stuff dropped on you as you passed under bridges, once was targeted with a bag of refuse! Not all bad though, my son in law who who owned the holiday boat Victoria held his wedding reception at Gas St Basin and it was a memorable occasion. So good memories too.


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## sadlerwells (Jun 6, 2021)

Mearing said:


> Yes,lots of vandalism. worst bit was having stuff dropped on you as you passed under bridges, once was targeted with a bag of refuse! Not all bad though, my son in law who who owned the holiday boat Victoria held his wedding reception at Gas St Basin and it was a memorable occasion. So good memories too.


Yes, we've been targeted sometimes. If we see youths on bridges that might be getting something ready to drop we get a camera out, works most of the time. But we've had many more good experiences than bad.


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## davesd1 (Jun 6, 2021)

I dare say that this site is now destined for housing. Wonder what they'll charge for a canal side view?


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## sadlerwells (Jun 6, 2021)

Hayman said:


> One of the first holidays my wife and I had was a canal narrow boat week from Burton on Trent. It included going through Brum, and under Spaghetti Junction. We nearly hit a car submerged up to its roof; some vandals had pushed it off the top of a slope, and it ended up in the canal.


A few years ago we had to wait while they retrieved a car from the G&S Canal. When they hoisted it out, they discovered another one underneath it that had been there years without anyone realising! (Much deeper, being a ship canal).
Always love to moor in Gas Street. It kept it's feel for a long time because of the old red brick buildings around, but now they've started to build multi-storeys like the one next to the Mailbox they dominate the skyline which is a shame.


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## sadlerwells (Jun 6, 2021)

The view from the canal: Here's a link to some of the bits of Brum that used to be thriving workplaces. It includes Typhoo Basin, which we got into by squeezing past a flimsy barrier. 








REMNANTS OF INDUSTRIAL BRUM


57 new items added to shared album




photos.app.goo.gl


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## sadlerwells (Jun 6, 2021)

davesd1 said:


> I dare say that this site is now destined for housing. Wonder what they'll charge for a canal side view?


The worst of it is that people who pay for the canalside view then complain about the boats!


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## Hayman (Jun 6, 2021)

Mearing said:


> Yes,lots of vandalism. worst bit was having stuff dropped on you as you passed under bridges, once was targeted with a bag of refuse! Not all bad though, my son in law who who owned the holiday boat Victoria held his wedding reception at Gas St Basin and it was a memorable occasion. So good memories too.


Later on - on the same holiday - we had moored up for the night at some quiet spot, only to have some idiot undo one of our mooring ropes. We woke to the sound of "IN! OUT! IN! OUT!" as a rowing boat came along the canal in the early morning mist. Our 40 foot steel narrow boat had swung right across the canal. The rowers took avoiding action, and went on their way.


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## Mearing (Jun 6, 2021)

sadlerwells said:


> Yes, we've been targeted sometimes. If we see youths on bridges that might be getting something ready to drop we get a camera out, works most of the time. But we've had many more good experiences than bad.


I found that a catapult was a good deterrent! Probably frowned on today but I figured that even the most socially challenged could understand my drift, sauce for the goose etc.


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## Mearing (Jun 7, 2021)

sadlerwells said:


> The worst of it is that people who pay for the canalside view then complain about the boats!


Absolutely was shouted at once for making a noise when knocking in mooring pins!


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## Hayman (Jun 8, 2021)

Mearing said:


> Absolutely was shouted at once for making a noise when knocking in mooring pins!





sadlerwells said:


> The worst of it is that people who pay for the canalside view then complain about the boats!


The Severn Valley Railway has had similar problems with people buying houses by the line, and then compalining about the trains' smoke and whistle sounds.


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## Mearing (Jun 8, 2021)

Hayman said:


> The Severn Valley Railway has had similar problems with people buying houses by the line, and then compalining about the trains' smoke and whistle sounds.


Opposition to the reopening of the seven mile Stratford upon Avon to Honeybourne link ( victim of Dr Beechings cuts ) is vociferous. The link wold reinstate direct services towards Worcester and on. Now it's necessary to go to Birmingham to connect. The track is now a green way but all intact. One objection raised is that reopening would deprive dog walkers of a convenient exercise area for their dogs! A balanced argument?
Anyway I don't suppose that any one has considered asking the dogs if they would rather ride than walk!


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## Hayman (Jun 9, 2021)

Mearing said:


> Opposition to the reopening of the seven mile Stratford upon Avon to Honeybourne link ( victim of Dr Beechings cuts ) is vociferous. The link wold reinstate direct services towards Worcester and on. Now it's necessary to go to Birmingham to connect. The track is now a green way but all intact. One objection raised is that reopening would deprive dog walkers of a convenient exercise area for their dogs! A balanced argument?
> Anyway I don't suppose that any one has considered asking the dogs if they would rather ride than walk!


If it hadn't been shut in the first place, would these possibly-to-be-deprived pet owners now be demanding its closure and turning into a places for 'walkies' for their labradoodles? I do not think so. I read: "The Shakespeare Line Promotion Group continues to pursue local authorities, key stakeholders, politicians and any other relevant organisation to get an independent and comprehensive Economic Impact Study completed into the reopening proposal. Only then can the scheme be determined as being viable or not." A good job HS2 is not going through the same route!


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## Mearing (Jun 9, 2021)

Hayman said:


> If it hadn't been shut in the first place, would these possibly-to-be-deprived pet owners now be demanding its closure and turning into a places for 'walkies' for their labradoodles? I do not think so. I read: "The Shakespeare Line Promotion Group continues to pursue local authorities, key stakeholders, politicians and any other relevant organisation to get an independent and comprehensive Economic Impact Study completed into the reopening proposal. Only then can the scheme be determined as being viable or not." A good job HS2 is not going through the same route!


Yes, The Shakespeare Line Promotion Group is trying hard and I for one support them. Our local MP Nadhim Zawahi does NOT support reopening the line, however I understand that he DOES support opening the unspoiled length of the Avon to Warwick for pleasure boats, mostly diesel powered incidentally! One little benefit I did derive from the green way was that being surfaced with a white aggregate it was a useful navigational aid from Stratford to long Marston airfield my home airfield which was located next to the old railway. No flying from there any more as the developers are building houses there,I understand around 3500! The skylarks that lived there together with other wild life will have to " relocate "! Sad.


Hayman said:


> If it hadn't been shut in the first place, would these possibly-to-be-deprived pet owners now be demanding its closure and turning into a places for 'walkies' for their labradoodles? I do not think so. I read: "The Shakespeare Line Promotion Group continues to pursue local authorities, key stakeholders, politicians and any other relevant organisation to get an independent and comprehensive Economic Impact Study completed into the reopening proposal. Only then can the scheme be determined as being viable or not." A good job HS2 is not going through the same route!


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## Hayman (Jun 10, 2021)

Mearing said:


> Yes, The Shakespeare Line Promotion Group is trying hard and I for one support them. Our local MP Nadhim Zawahi does NOT support reopening the line, however I understand that he DOES support opening the unspoiled length of the Avon to Warwick for pleasure boats, mostly diesel powered incidentally! One little benefit I did derive from the green way was that being surfaced with a white aggregate it was a useful navigational aid from Stratford to long Marston airfield my home airfield which was located next to the old railway. No flying from there any more as the developers are building houses there,I understand around 3500! The skylarks that lived there together with other wild life will have to " relocate "! Sad.


Mention of Long Marston reminds me of the Royal Engineers Stores Depot there in the 1950s and 1960s when I was stationed at Longmoor. On my Movement Control Clerk course, I filled out imaginary Consignment Notes for stores going to or being received from there. Typical MP! What were you flying into and out of LM, and when?


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## Mearing (Jun 10, 2021)

Hayman said:


> Mention of Long Marston reminds me of the Royal Engineers Stores Depot there in the 1950s and 1960s when I was stationed at Longmoor. On my Movement Control Clerk course, I filled out imaginary Consignment Notes for stores going to or being received from there. Typical MP! What were you flying into and out of LM, and when?


Interesting that you know of Long Marston, The depot was adjacent to the airfield as you know.
I took a gliding qualification in 1946 and having spent a lot of my life working in the aircraft industry decided to play with aircraft again. Microlights were affordable so flew flexwings for a while (,Pegasus GT450 ). Deciding that flexwings were a bit demanding physically being in my mid eighties I acquired a three axis machine a Cyclone AX2000 and flew that until L M sadly closed in 2017. I still have occasional flights in other peoples aircraft just for fun and because it's addictive!


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## Mearing (Jun 10, 2021)

Hayman said:


> Mention of Long Marston reminds me of the Royal Engineers Stores Depot there in the 1950s and 1960s when I was stationed at Longmoor. On my Movement Control Clerk course, I filled out imaginary Consignment Notes for stores going to or being received from there. Typical MP! What were you flying into and out of LM, and when?


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## sadlerwells (Jun 10, 2021)

Mearing said:


> Opposition to the reopening of the seven mile Stratford upon Avon to Honeybourne link ( victim of Dr Beechings cuts ) is vociferous. The link wold reinstate direct services towards Worcester and on. Now it's necessary to go to Birmingham to connect. The track is now a green way but all intact. One objection raised is that reopening would deprive dog walkers of a convenient exercise area for their dogs! A balanced argument?
> Anyway I don't suppose that any one has considered asking the dogs if they would rather ride than


There are vociferous opposers to the canal restorations too. Usually on the grounds of it destroying wildlife. I had a heated debate with a wildlife-conservationist neighbour who opposes the work to extend the Montgomery canal. She said boats were unsuitable to be used on the canal. I said the canal wouldn't be there in the first place if it wasn't for boats. We agreed to differ!
We've been down onto the bit of the Montgomery that's navigable and it's teeming with wildlife. Has to be booked as they restrict the number of boats at a time.


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## Mearing (Jun 10, 2021)

sadlerwells said:


> There are vociferous opposers to the canal restorations too. Usually on the grounds of it destroying wildlife. I had a heated debate with a wildlife-conservationist neighbour who opposes the work to extend the Montgomery canal. She said boats were unsuitable to be used on the canal. I said the canal wouldn't be there in the first place if it wasn't for boats. We agreed to differ!
> We've been down onto the bit of the Montgomery that's navigable and it's teeming with wildlife. Has to be booked as they restrict the number of boats at a time.


Yes I think canal restoration is quite legitimate,I explored the derelict Buckingham arm in the 1950s, already abandoned illegally, also took a canoe down the Wendover arm. However I feel that rivers like the Upper Avon should be left as they are, it was never navigable to Warwick and is not truly a restoration. Regarding your conversation with your conservationist neighbour,
I've had similar discussions with fishermen who complain that boats spoil their fishing! However having lived on a converted Fellows Morton iron day boat for nearly forty years I found that it was more usual for most folk to get along amicably thankfully. Incidentally it may be relevant to mention that a friend of mine purchased the derelict Coombe Hill Canal with a view to restoration, he was finally defeated by overwhelming opposition and that canal is now a nature reserve I believe.


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## Hayman (Jun 11, 2021)

Mearing said:


> Interesting that you know of Long Marston, The depot was adjacent to the airfield as you know.
> I took a gliding qualification in 1946 and having spent a lot of my life working in the aircraft industry decided to play with aircraft again. Microlights were affordable so flew flexwings for a while (,Pegasus GT450 ). Deciding that flexwings were a bit demanding physically being in my mid eighties I acquired a three axis machine a Cyclone AX2000 and flew that until L M sadly closed in 2017. I still have occasional flights in other peoples aircraft just for fun and because it's addictive!


On 21 Feb 1989 I had a flight in a two-seater microlight from Popham. I recall trying to take pictures as we flew over the M3. It had a thruster propeller and, with no eye protection, my eyes were streaming from the effects of the wind! My very first flight was in an Auster from Yelverton airfield in the 1950s. Since then I've flown in a Handley Page Hermes IV, DC4s, a Hastings, Britannias, Cessnas, Bell Jetrangers, a Tri-Star, various Boeings and Airbuses, Dash 7s in the Caribbean, a hot air balloon, gliders in the UK and Australia, and an Airship 600 from Cardington. And a Beverley! What were you doing in the aircraft industry?


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## Mearing (Jun 12, 2021)

Hayman said:


> On 21 Feb 1989 I had a flight in a two-seater microlight from Popham. I recall trying to take pictures as we flew over the M3. It had a thruster propeller and, with no eye protection, my eyes were streaming from the effects of the wind! My very first flight was in an Auster from Yelverton airfield in the 1950s. Since then I've flown in a Handley Page Hermes IV, DC4s, a Hastings, Britannias, Cessnas, Bell Jetrangers, a Tri-Star, various Boeings and Airbuses, Dash 7s in the Caribbean, a hot air balloon, gliders in the UK and Australia, and an Airship 600 from Cardington. And a Beverley! What were you doing in the aircraft industry?


A bit naughty not providing you with a visor to protect your eyes! I was a design draughtsman working for various companies including Hunting Aircraft,De havilland, Napier, Handley Page, Field Aircraft ( On detachment From Huntings ).
I flew in Tiger Moths, D.H Doves, HP Halifax, Short Sunderland, Percival Proctor, DH Moth Minor, DH Rapide, Anson 19, Auster Autocrat plus a couple of helicopters, not fond of of rotary winged aircraft really though as I was working for Fairey Aviation when the rotor head on the Gyrodyne failed at 700 feet killing the pilot Mr Dixon and his observer, been a bit wary of them ever since!
Interesting to recollect, I hope to get a bit more flying in while still young enough! PS airship sounds interesting, what was it?


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## Hayman (Jun 12, 2021)

Mearing said:


> A bit naughty not providing you with a visor to protect your eyes! I was a design draughtsman working for various companies including Hunting Aircraft,De havilland, Napier, Handley Page, Field Aircraft ( On detachment From Huntings ).
> I flew in Tiger Moths, D.H Doves, HP Halifax, Short Sunderland, Percival Proctor, DH Moth Minor, DH Rapide, Anson 19, Auster Autocrat plus a couple of helicopters, not fond of of rotary winged aircraft really though as I was working for Fairey Aviation when the rotor head on the Gyrodyne failed at 700 feet killing the pilot Mr Dixon and his observer, been a bit wary of them ever since!
> Interesting to recollect, I hope to get a bit more flying in while still young enough! PS airship sounds interesting, what was it?


No – it was my fault for rejecting the offer of goggles; I thought they would get in the way of picture taking. Mention of the Gyrodyne brought to my mind the exploded diagram of the Rotodyne in the centre pages of the Eagle boys comic one week in the 1950s.

Airship Industries in the 1980s had built both the Skyship 500 and the 600. In Nov 1988 I took some photos of the 600 G-SKSC over north London. It had a Konica advertising banner that was creating static electricity sparks as it flapped against the envelope. I was unaware of this until I looked at the slides I’d taken – and on one saw a jagged bluish line between the banner and the envelope. I did a print and sent it off to AI. I got back a letter saying, with helium as the gas used there was no risk of fire – but would I like a free flight. I went to Cardington in March and May 1989, having the flight on 9 May – in G-SKSC. The pilot was a Peter Hemming.

It was a dull day, with no wind, and I have to say the flight was almost sensationless. As it should have been! I recall a certain amount of tilting as the airship rose on takeoff, but once at flight level there was nothing to feel. Similar to my hot air balloon flight.

Was Hunting the same people who did the aerial surveys?


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## Mearing (Jun 13, 2021)

Hayman said:


> No – it was my fault for rejecting the offer of goggles; I thought they would get in the way of picture taking. Mention of the Gyrodyne brought to my mind the exploded diagram of the Rotodyne in the centre pages of the Eagle boys comic one week in the 1950s.
> 
> Airship Industries in the 1980s had built both the Skyship 500 and the 600. In Nov 1988 I took some photos of the 600 G-SKSC over north London. It had a Konica advertising banner that was creating static electricity sparks as it flapped against the envelope. I was unaware of this until I looked at the slides I’d taken – and on one saw a jagged bluish line between the banner and the envelope. I did a print and sent it off to AI. I got back a letter saying, with helium as the gas used there was no risk of fire – but would I like a free flight. I went to Cardington in March and May 1989, having the flight on 9 May – in G-SKSC. The pilot was a Peter Hemming.
> 
> ...


Yes,it was the same group. Huntings took over Percival aircraft at Luton and produced the Prentice,Provost, Jet Provost and later had a part of the BAC 111 aircraft project. They also had a London office in Cavendish Square.


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## Hayman (Jun 13, 2021)

Mearing said:


> Yes,it was the same group. Huntings took over Percival aircraft at Luton and produced the Prentice,Provost, Jet Provost and later had a part of the BAC 111 aircraft project. They also had a London office in Cavendish Square.


I recall the Provost and or the Jet Provost being used as an RAF trainer.

In the early 1970s I was working in Lesotho on a Diamond Exploration Project financed by the UNDP. We had infra-red and real colour aerial photography flown by, I believe, Hunting’s to provide information on likely areas to investigate on the ground. With us was a French photo-geologist who was expert in picking out – on stereo pairs – the smallest details to drive to in a Land-Rover, ride to on horseback, or just by shank’s pony.


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## davesd1 (Feb 27, 2022)

Anyone know if they have started to re-develop this site?


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