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MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY !!!

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Post by Ian Nicholls Sun Dec 23, 2012 11:40 am

As one of the few people on here to remember Slades perennial Xmas oldie the first time round, can I wish you all a happy Christmas.
I have not been very active on here for a while because I have a confession to make.
I'm writing a book !
It will probably never be published, but it is provisionally titled;
'The Mini Years - From Wizardry On Wheels To The English Patient Via The Sick Man Of Europe."
It is a day by day diary of the British owned motor industry from 1959 to 2000.
As I wrote, I doubt if it will ever be published, but hey it keeps me occupied!
Merry Xmas everybody.
Ian Nicholls
Ian Nicholls
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Male Number of posts : 1685
Age : 57
Location : Stalham
Registration date : 2007-09-26

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Post by Keith Sun Dec 23, 2012 11:57 am

Merry Christmas to you too!

Good luck with the book, it sounds like it will be a very detailed - day by day??
Keith
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Post by Ian Nicholls Sun Dec 23, 2012 12:38 pm

I'm using the online newspaper archives and all the books I have to assemble the data, but sooner or later a trip to BMH Gaydon will be in order to fill in the gaps.
I've got strikes, model announcements, meetings and development dates.
I sort of got fed up of other writers using info I had dug up for the AR Online site in their own articles and books.
I thought that I'll have a go myself.
I wrote several articles for MINI magazine that never got published, so I won't be exploring that avenue again.
I think magazine writing is very internecine, it seems that to get published you have to be having intimate physical relations with a member of the editorial staff !
Ian Nicholls
Ian Nicholls
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Male Number of posts : 1685
Age : 57
Location : Stalham
Registration date : 2007-09-26

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Post by Harry H Sun Dec 23, 2012 1:55 pm

I have that huge collection of folders about works minis and other various British motors that you are more than welcome to have a browse through Ian. There are hundreds of photos, postcards, letters and articles in there.
Harry H
Harry H
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Post by Ian Nicholls Sun Dec 23, 2012 2:21 pm

WORK IN PROGRESS

January 2nd 1970


AUSTIN MORRIS – It was reported that British Leyland was considering the introduction of short time working at the Austin-Morris assembly plant at Longbridge, Birmingham.
The company confirmed that talks were taking place with the unions at factory level, but insisted that no firm decisions had been made. A spokesman said:
"Difficulties have arisen in the engine and gearbox sections at Longbridge. The introduction of new models in the Mini range and the 1300 GT has caused some imbalance between the number of bodies available and engine production. Production schedules have been changed to rectify this. If short time working is introduced it will be restricted to engine production and will be a purely temporary measure."

Mini production had been reduced in recent weeks by disputes on piecework rates after the introduction of the revised ADO20 range. BLMC finance director John Barber later commented;
“We had the ludicrous situation, when we brought out the Mini Clubman in 1969 with its redesigned front, that the shop stewards wanted to renegotiate the piecework rates for the entire car. Any sensible person would have just negotiated on the new pieces of sheet metal and it really illustrates the inequity of the piecework system.”

Workers leaving the East works at Longbridge, which employed about 3,500 and produced most of the engines and gearboxes for Austin-Morris cars up to 1300cc,
talked of large stocks of engines which had built up.
British Leyland production was already suffering from unofficial strikes. Today 1,230 men were laid off at the Austin-Morris, Cowley, and Pressed Steel Fisher body plants. Worst hit was the Austin Maxi final assembly line at Cowley, where production was halted and 600 men sent home after a strike by 50 sub-assembly workers.
Ian Nicholls
Ian Nicholls
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Male Number of posts : 1685
Age : 57
Location : Stalham
Registration date : 2007-09-26

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Post by norfolkminis Sun Dec 23, 2012 4:29 pm

Happy christmas and good luck!!

norfolkminis
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http://classic cooper sport. Focus RS

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