BHP 10 Year Reunion, Bob Cook President NIHA, Lance Hockridge Last Newcastle BHP Manager, Aubrey Brooks, BHP Wagon and Rail, NIHA member.

Story of a City - Newcastle 1945 from bob cook on Vimeo.

The Distribution of Coal from bob cook on Vimeo.

A new video to commemorate the 10 year anniversary of closure of the Newcastle Steelworks has been added to YouTube.

TURN THE SOUND UP LOUD.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0yS2zcVyb0

Ron had written to ‘The Big Australian’ when he was looking at buying the home at Abermain, but when that deal fell through he had put things on hold for awhile.

So now Ron contacted the BHP once again and although there were no vacancies to speak of at that time, they recalled his prior contact and gave him a start in any case.

First day on the job: ‘Ron can you go to the equipment shed at the end of this building and fetch a wheelbarrow’, was the leading hands instruction. Ron immediately set out for the shed that had been pointed out to him, in doing so, he took the shortest route he could navigate. He collected the barrow and returned to the ‘gang’ as quickly as he could. ‘Wrong’, was the ‘reprimand’ given to Ron at this point, not because he had actually done the incorrect thing, but rather because: ‘You are too fast, walk slowly and take the longest route in future’ was the correction he was offered. This amused Ron greatly, he was used to getting a job done to the best of his ability and as efficiently as possible and this included being as quick as the task at hand allowed. But Ron was now employed for eight hours a day and those hours needed to be paced so there was something left to do tomorrow.