By train with Bill Barrett for the BMMG meeting at Systime’s ‘white elephant’ building at Leeds whilst my architect was left to chivy up my builder before home to a poor meal and an urgent task of preparing the ironing room for the next day’s work. This as Labour win the Tyne Bridge by-election and my newly-supported Alliance doubling their vote, all at the unpopular Tory’s expense
A good night’s sleep and early awake and to quickly drink morning tea. Down to breakfast of toast and fruit juice and then a shower and hair wash before getting dressed in my Huntsman suit and best black shoes. Also to dig out my raincoat and hat/umbrella. I had prepared my clothes the night before and the family were rather surprised at my smartness, which was in direct contrast to my style recently. A murky and wet morning and, as the day developed, it was extraordinary to see how the darkness persisted almost throughout the day. Off by car to Stevenage and there to park in Stevenage railway station car park and join the queue for my return ticket to Leeds. Just in time to catch the train without worry, but rather surprised at the £38 price for the return journey. Bill Barrett was on the station to meet me and we traveled together enjoying a wide ranging conversation that took in management, politics, economics and the micro industrial scene. After two hours we arrived and took a taxi to Systime’s factory. The ‘Glass Palace,’ as it is known in the industry, is an acknowledged folly of Systime’s founder Ian Gow, who left them in the recent past after a company collapse. A huge building, with seemingly acres of open space, was now a sad shadow if its former use with, I estimated, less than 5% of its computer manufacturing capacity utilised.
The woven Systime carpet, long the butt of industry criticism for outrageous luxury, was still there, but will no doubt soon be changed. The factory is being sold and Systime rationalised under the eye of its new owner – Control Data Corporation – of America. An all-day meeting of the BMMG and seminar by Systime on their capabilities. Unfortunately, and all too predictably, few members turned up and the day dragged a bit. Good discussions, however, on the state of the computer industry and of the competing technologies and operating systems that new product plans must consider. A nice buffet lunch during the day and coffee on top. Away by taxi with Bill, as the first to leave, and back down south again by the 3.45pm train from Leeds to Stevenage. More entertaining conversation, this time ranging over the philosophy of life, our homes and families, which was an interesting contrast of ideals, but laced with good respect for each other’s. At Stevenage concern over our change for the car park exit gate and, Bill losing some of his (with my help!), I let him use what we had and went back for more. Home by car journey, the petrol supply getting rather low as I ended my journey. A tour of the house, rather irritated by the mess the builders always leave it in, but relieved that they made some progress. I had left my architect to meet Mr Cheeseborough this afternoon and he told him to try to get the link building ready for the vinyl laying late next week. After an egg and tomato sandwich on the train I was still hungry, but Di was reluctant to cook anything, tussling, as she was, with her chores of trying to keep the kitchen clean. I cleaned the house up with my normal routine and then, though tired, I stayed up until midnight putting up curtain rails in the ironing room. The works had reached the stage where the decorator was beginning to paint an old wooden rail and, with the Brittains curtain fitter due to measure the rails at 8.30am the following morning, I had to remove it and fix the others. Then, being the day of the Tyne Bridge by-election, I stayed up to hear the result. Labour won their ultra-safe seat with 58% of the poll (up 1% on the General Election), the Alliance doubled their vote and were 11% ahead of their GE share and the Tories were overtaken to a poor third place. And then to bed after taking tome to lock up at the end of a tiring day. By the way, Ian Nickson was at the meeting today and seemed to be confident and well.