This machine, manufactured by Staveley, was the largest machine tool ever installed in the factory. It was sited at the Southgate Street end of the ‘New’ Fitting Shop.
It was worked on a three, 8 hour, shift system, with two operators employed, per shift. Five of the operators were :- Freddy Allen, Mike Hewlett, Johnny Arkell, Ernie Gill and Ted Jenkins.
The operator seen on the one photograph which shows a casting (for Chesterfield Cylinders) in its entirety, is Freddy Allen.
The operator in the last photograph which shows a Manipulator fabrication, is Ernie Gill.
Can anyone name the other operators, recognize the casting(s) or guess at the date? If so, please click on the words Add a comment about this page below.
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Hi John, can you contact me regarding any manuals for mechanicals of the 5RM Ram type borer? I am struggling to find any information regarding it.
Ed: Thanks for getting in touch, Jordan. Regrettably, I cannot help with your request. As you will see from a number of different subscribers, no-one has come back to advise that they have the information that you seek. I can only suggest you trawl through a search engine and you may find someone who has a manual.
Many thanks for looking through our website; I hope you found it interesting! John B
Good morning John, I am the Machine Shop Manager with Siemens Industries in Blytheville, Arkansas. I have an Asquith 5RM Boring Mill in my shop that I very much need manuals for. Can you send me in a direction in which I may be able to obtain such information. Mechanical manuals and drawings are what I actually need.
Good afternoon Randy! Many thanks for posting your message on our website. As you can read from the article our machine was installed some 40+ years ago and was disposed of some time in the 1980s, however I will contact some of my former colleagues who may be able to assist. John B
Thank you John. I have clutch trouble in my headstock and we desperately need mechanical drawings. I will be more than happy to pay for anything I can obtain. Thank you for any assistance I can get. If you could e-mail me, I can send you my contact information if needed.
Hi John! The operator in photo 4 is my dad John Arkell who was at Fieldings from his apprenticeship in 1947 until October 1982; also with him is Neil Jeyes, who was the 6th member of the team. Photos 5 & 6 are Neil and Photo 7 is John. Jenny Arkell
Hi Jenny! Many thanks for your contribution in identifying your father John and also Neil. As you can see from the photos, he was totally engrossed in his work and oblivious to the presence of the photographer! John B
Hi John! The steel casting (photo no.1) is the Main Frame for Chesterfield Tube ‘B’ Mill 2000 ton Pierce Press. The fabrication (photo nos. 3-6) is the Main Cylinder for Slobodan (Yugoslavia) 2500 ton Copper Tube Extrusion Press, the casting (photo no.7) is the Piercer Distance Piece for Slobodan. John B
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