NNR has aquired Chatham Steam

Now it's hit our local press just thought I would spread the good news,NNR has bought Chatham steam out , all boiler works, equipment and order books will be moved to Weybourne once the works have been reconfigured. Not only a income stream from contract work but we will be able to do overhauls on site without the need to send boilers away anymore. Win win .

 

Good news that!

 

Are all the skilled workforce transferring from Kent? There's also no mention of the acquisition on their web site http://www.chathamsteamltd.co.uk/index.html

 

But isn't the expertise the most valuable part of the acquisition?

 

You are of course right but how many of the guys will relocate from Chatham to Weybourne? This was equipment and order book acquisition. Sod the blokes.

 

Purely a personal perspective. In 1992 I had a good job in the Electricity Suply Industry and I lived in Kent. My employers, National Grid, relocated their HQ to Coventry. I now live in Stratford-upon-Avon.

I was in Cromer last week, my brother, also from South London, runs a guest house. I am reasonably familiar with both Chatam and Weybourne area and I would choose Weybourne.

As I said this is purely a personal reflection

 

As far as I can tell, boiler making equipment consists of a magnetic drill, grinders, a selection of hammers and chisels and some big burners! All useless unless you know how to use them. There's still enough industry around to get boiler sections rolled and various bits pressed without necessarily going to the expense of installing ones own. Most railway sites are short on space and power as well.

 

Chatham Steam is not that big a company and for the record had relocated to Detling, near Maidstone, some while ago.

 

Not done much boiler work, then? What about all the air tooling, air drills, rivet busters, riveting guns, numerous rivet snaps, caulking tools, tube expanders etc.

 

I was being frivolous, I admit, but none of what you have added are big value items _ I think you could buy them all new and still have a fair amount of change from 100K! I stand buy my point, they're all useless without a knowledgable pair of hands to hold them. Presumably the NNR have secured the services of the key staff though.

 

If any of the employees have been offered a job at Weybourne i would say go, Chatham has never been a good town to visit apart from the Dockyard and it has for one reason or another attracted a large number of Eastern Europeans to the area especially around the Luton road area, moving from Chatham to Weybourne would seem like heaven i would have thought.

 

Chatham Steam are not currently based in Chatham, though their current location is not exactly likely to win any awards for best kept village either.

 

As I pointed out in post #10 but some people seem not to have noticed.

 

My mate worked for them and has a difficult decision to make. It's a difficult time for him and I do hope he does not read your insensitive comments.

 

Currently at Detling airfield industrial estate i believe, which on a visit about 4 months ago looked like it had recently had a bombing raid on it.

 

I have no axe to grind in this debate but having lived in Rochester upon Medway for seven years and then relocating to North Walsham in Norfolk four years ago I can thoroughly recommend the change, the pace of life here is much better. I've visited Weybourne works a few times, it seems a good set up but I'm no expert.
I hope it works out well for all concerned.

 

I was trying to be nice about it. To be fair heavy engineering always tends to look a bit untidy and CS's yard was no better or worse than any other, what got me was the approach with a number of abandoned vehicles, two being totally burnt out.
PS Spamcan I did take note of the location change, I was merely giving a reminder

 

I think you will find Maunsell Man as being sympathetic

 

You may be able to buy some new but others would need to specially be made but with ridiculously long lead times.

To use an oft quoted management buzz word "People are our biggest asset".
Without their knowledge and expertise NNR has bought an empty shell of a company and possibly an order book that they cannot fulfill.