The 81st Entry
RAF Halton Aircraft Apprentices
Sept 1955 - July 1958

ISSUE No. 3 - MAY 2005
81st ENTRY NEWSLETTER
Editor: Mike Stanley

Hot Rods!! by Bruce Robinson

I don't really feel qualified to give a CV as I only did 2 1/2 years or so at Halton. My parents were getting divorced and I decided to take my "ticket"- wrong decision listening to all you guys but no regrets, I have had a good life.

I have had several jobs but the main one was connected with engines. I was 14 years at General Motors , the last 10 on the Diesel Test Beds as an operator, where I used to work at lot of night shifts( allowing me to play golf on Monday mornings).

On two consecutive nights I had con- rods smash through through the crank case , as Quality Control on the line hadn't checked on the Big Ends. It took me 3 fire extinguishers to put one of the fires out --- I got a mention in dispatches but the foreman made sure that he got most of the credit ( crafty b*****d!). Dave Sidgewick ; Pete Waldron -Hughes ; Mike Nicholson and myself were all Manchester lads and used to meet up at London Road Station( now Picadilly Station ) every term.

I play in several Big Bands now, and don't quite understand this 'boredom in retirement' bit!

Bruce Robinson