The problem with most of the industries in Hebburn was that they did not advance with the times.

When I left Hebburn Palmer Drawing office in early 1966 it was still working in the old way.

When I started in Harrogate in the same line of work in 1968, but as a designer and the Drawing office was next to our office.

I could see the changes a working practices, more efficient.

I seem to recall in about that time quite a few of the steel fabrication firms on Tyneside started to close. Only Frasers kept going.

Reyrolle stuff too good, Leslie’s could not build the big stuff required and ships from Japan and South Korea bigger and cheaper.

The company that I worked for in Harrogate from 1968 closed in 1992 uncompetitive, new kids on the block cheaper and more efficient but the crash of 1988 was really the death knell for the company which had geared up for the London building boom that crashed in 1988.

Those that embraced CAD and other advanced technology in the workshops took over.

The steel fabrication trade has always been a bit risky looking back in hindsite.

Allan C.