Simmons Bilt

[Micawber]

Your avatar is one of my favorite movies of all time.
I can remember searching for it back in 2002. Finally found a copy in London on dvd. Had to find a player here in the states to play it though as it was region locked. Now I have a digital copy of it. Love it.

Hell Drivers.

Very much of it's time. I knew men who drove gravel tipper and brick flatbed lorries who were like that, they all served in the war and were hard working and hard drinking

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

Every pattern was copied, in the full range of sizes.
It can take anything from a day to a week to construct, test, retry make up test garments, any new pattern from scratch and thats if the person making the first pattern know what they are doing and understand the brief and if the design is new, add on the designer's time. Our Highwayman took me a fortnight to get right before I even thought about grading the patterns
After the first one is approved, usually a in middle size, say 42", these need to be graded in both directions 34-48. By hand, with the skills needed? A week per style
So that two weeks per style including sampling and grading.........20 styles, best part of a years work and that not counting the designing of the product that requires the pattern in the first place.
This can be done by computer but the operater needs both IT skills and a complete understanding of pattern making. Some are very good, some are pretty hopeless, this one only finds out by trying them out. Cost? anything from £300 to £500 per graded pattern, lead time for a good grader? 4 weeks, £10000 maybe for a top quailty operator

Like superfluous pointed out...............having 20 designs ready with full sets of graded patterns..............even of copied designs doesn't happen overnight, nor in a week or a month, maybe a year.
Certainly not straight ot of the box for a new start up

 

[Julius]

£10000?
Maybe I am in the wrong profession...

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

Pattern cutting is a four year course at Heriot Watt then there's the cost of some very fancy computer equipment

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

Very much of it's time. I knew men who drove gravel tipper and brick flatbed lorries who were like that, they all served in the war and were hard working and hard drinking

Off topic, but coincidentally "Hell Drivers", Stanley Baker (and later the Stanley Baker Trust) was our landlord in The Thrift Shop

 

[Micawber]

Off topic, but coincidentally "Hell Drivers", Stanley Baker (and later the Stanley Baker Trust) was our landlord in The Thrift Shop

Indeed, off topic but on a happier note than some of this thread. I liked Stanley Baker, hailing as he did from the same Welsh village as some of my wife's family. The same generation as that other son of the valleys - Richard Burton.

 

[Persimmon]

Indeed, off topic but on a happier note than some of this thread. I liked Stanley Baker, hailing as he did from the same Welsh village as some of my wife's family. The same generation as that other son of the valleys - Richard Burton.

ZULU

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

Indeed, off topic but on a happier note than some of this thread. I liked Stanley Baker, hailing as he did from the same Welsh village as some of my wife's family. The same generation as that other son of the valleys - Richard Burton.

Very generous landlord too
Mrs Ken is from the same neck of the woods

 

[Silver Surfer]

aha. a lot of my family was-is from wales, with some still in cardiff. been there a few times, and me likee.

 

[jeremiah]

Yeah I am going to watch that again now.

 

[Persimmon]

aha. a lot of my family was-is from wales, with some still in cardiff. been there a few times, and me likee.

Yeah I am going to watch that again now.

Get ready to start singing ....

MEN of HARLECH

Wele goelcerth wen yn fflamio
A thafodau tan yn bloeddio
Are I'are dewrion ddod I daro
Unwaith eto'n un
Gan fanllefau'are tywysogion
Llais gelynion trwst arfogoion
Craig are graig a grbn!
Arfon bth ni orgydd
Cenir yn dragywydd
Cymru fydd fel Cymru fu
Yn glodus ymysg gweldydd
'Nghwyn oleuni'are goelcerth acw
Tros wefusau Cyro'n marw
Annibyniaeth sydd yn galw
Am ei dewraf dyn
Hark I hear the foe advancing
Barbed steeds are proudly prancing
Helmets in the sunbeams glancing
Cymru fo am byth
From the rocks rebounding
Let the war cry sounding
Summon all at Cambria's call
The haughty foe advancing
Men of Harlech on to glory
See your banner famed in story
Waves these burning words before ye
Cymru fo am byth!

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

Are you AKA John Redwood?

 

[Persimmon]

Are you AKA John Redwood?

Are you found me out.
Since my Secretary of State for Wales days I have been forced onto the leather jacket breadline seeking out bargains.

As Chard says to the bugler " SPIT BOY, SPIT”

 

[Micawber]

Might as well....

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

Have you guys discovered "Talking Pictures" ? Great old movies every night on freeview and sky

 

[Micawber]

Have you guys discovered "Talking Pictures" ? Great old movies every night on freeview and sky

Very much so and it has become staple viewing here. Seeing some of the classic series such as Callan again has been a real treat and shows up much of the pap served up on mainstream tv today for what it is.

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

Tales of Edgar Wallace is my favourite series on TP
Some great plots

 

[Micawber]

Oh yes! We both got hooked on 'Private Eye' too. She Who Must Be Obeyed was a bit young to watch it the first time round but got well into it on TP.

As an aside I contacted TP about a bit of music they use as the background to some of the previews as I'm sure it is the soundtrack to an old war film but they said they said the piece was especially composed for them. I'm sticking to my theory though.

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

A re-run of The Prisoner would be great
Or, perhaps the best film ever made IMO "The Cheviot, The Stag and The Black, Black Oil. BBC1974

 

[Persimmon]

I know I am as guilty as hell ... we have highjacked this thread.

I am sure it was something about a seriously good/bad ( fill in the gaps) leather jacket company !!!!