With the decline of engineering on Tyneside there appears to be a lack of qualified mechanical fitters.

A friend of ours bumped into one of his old staff last week and as we old fellers do they talked about their work.

The other chap is not yet retired and is training plumbers up to the required standards..

My Dad was an Electrical Fitter in Reyrolle’s which is basically wiring up appliances, big ones in Reyrolle’s.

Mechanical fitters years ago depending where they worked build or strip down machinery find out what was worn or broken and replace the various parts or even make replacement parts.

This probably due to the lack of engineering works on Tyneside to train lads leaving school etc.

Allan C.