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Wow! Just more examples of how the golden goose was doomed to die. How =
sad.
Thanks for sharing!
=20
Alex Thomson
=20
From: Triumphs <triumphs-bounces@autox.team.net> On Behalf Of John =
Macartney
Sent: Wednesday, March 11, 2026 6:03 PM
To: Dean Tetterton <tr3a58dean@gmail.com>
Cc: triumphs@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [TR] "Inside Track on How It was Done" article
=20
Jonmac=E2=80=99s long reply.
=20
Dean,=20
=20
Thank you for your kind words and I=E2=80=99m glad you found the story =
of interest. I hope you don=E2=80=99t mind but I=E2=80=99ve copied this =
reply to the rest of the list as your query touches on one of many =
similar issues that people periodically ask me to comment on. Hopefully =
this wider reply might solve a few other related/unrelated queries.
In the overall production process, where badges or odd bits of trim =
actually got fitted was not necessarily a constant in terms of actual =
location. To a certain extent, it all depended on the availability of =
=E2=80=98qualified=E2=80=99 labour to do a certain task. The UK in the =
sixties, seventies, eighties was hidebound by the power of trade union =
control. Within the overall motor industry, there was a mass of =
different unions and union membership was mandatory if you were one of =
many fishes in a large pool where things were made. Union names that =
spring to mind are Transport & General Workers, National Union of =
Vehicle Bodybuilders, General Municipal and Boilermakers, National Union =
of Teachers, British Electrical, Associated Union Engineering Workers - =
and many more. All of those were authorised by common and mutual =
agreement to undertake certain tasks within the production process. One =
way and another, we had enough people belonging to different unions who, =
by working together, could somehow contrive to build a complete car.
Re the figment of your badge and letters.
Fred Bloggs who is an NUVB member is paid to fit badges and certain =
brightwork - and that=E2=80=99s all! One day, Fred isn=E2=80=99t at work =
because the night before, he spent most of his wages in the pub, went =
home piddled out of his head and woke up the next morning with the =
mother of all hangovers, so decided to stay in bed and Mrs Bloggs called =
the factory to say he was ill. But because Fred is one of only two NUVB =
members on his workstation where certain badges and brightwork are =
fitted, his mate has to do Fred=E2=80=99s work as well as his own. As =
every single assembly task is time measured anyway and piecework pay =
rates have been abandoned in favour of Measured Day Rate, the NUVB =
foreman negotiates with other union foremen to run the track slower so =
Fred=E2=80=99s mate can do both jobs without getting stressed out. To =
us, the obvious remedy is to get a member of another union to do =
Fred=E2=80=99s work.=20
But you can=E2=80=99t do that. Against union rules. Only NUVB members =
can do Fred=E2=80=99s work and if there aren=E2=80=99t enough NUVB =
members on hand, then tough titty. Run the track slower. End of story. =
It=E2=80=99s amazing we ever managed to make anything at all.
In my days as an Apprentice at Jaguar, I was working on the track one =
day when I noticed the main plug to a headlamp was dangling in the =
bodywork and so I put it back and ensured it was firmly fitted - but I =
got seen by a Shop Steward who immediately stopped the line because a =
non unionised Apprentice was =E2=80=9Cdoing the work that should only be =
done by a member of British Electrical - and no-one else=E2=80=9D. The =
track stopped for over thirty minutes, and boy, did I get bawled out! =
And that=E2=80=99s how bad it was. If you weren=E2=80=99t in a union, =
you NEVER used your initiative to sort a problem if you saw one =
happening or likely to happen. You looked for a man in a white overall =
with a blue or red collar and told him instead.
So back to the question of who and where were badges fitted?=20
Answer, by anyone within the relevant union who happened to notice items =
were missing. Missing badges and Triumph letters got fitted somewhere, =
somehow but not necessarily in the location where they *should* be =
fitted and if the car reached the end of the line without them, a red =
SHORTAGES label got slapped on the screen and a handwritten note was =
made on the production tally and shortage list. Somehow, the system =
seemed to work - sort of - but it was time-consuming, wasteful, =
inefficient and an absolute effing nuisance.
And because of those practises, that goes a long way to explaining why =
all the UK car manufacturers of substance today are owned by foreign =
companies. Same goes almost for our former motorcycle industry, =
shipbuilding, aircraft, mining and a raft of everything else. The power =
of the unions and management hierarchies who were terrified of =
confrontation, caved in and we threw it all away.
=20
JM
On 11 Mar 2026, at 13:21, Dean Tetterton <tr3a58dean@gmail.com =
John
Thanks for the great article. It sure opens my eyes about the =
complexity of building so many different
varieties of the "same car". I have scanned a lot of images that are in =
the VTR Mike Cook archives and have a
nice collection of production line images. The ones I have of TR4's =
being built show that the TR4 emblem on the
boot lid must have been installed near the end of production. I have =
attached a few of them and go from the
rocket room to tops being installed. None have an emblem on the boot. Is =
that because some were sent out
with different one's or none?=20
=20
I really enjoy your articles.
=20
Dean Tetterton
=20
=20
=20
On Wed, Mar 11, 2026 at 8:11=E2=80=AFAM JOHN MACARTNEY =
This is a long one but hopefully opens a few 'new doors' to walk =
through? Enjoy!
=20
Jonmac
Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/triumphs =
http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/triumphs/tr3a58dean@gmail.com
<IMG_20250605_0003.jpg>
<IMG_20250605_0004.jpg>
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vlink=3Dpurple style=3D'word-wrap:break-word'><div =
class=3DWordSection1><p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'=
>Wow! Just more examples of how the golden goose was doomed to die. How =
sad.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'=
>Thanks for sharing!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'=
><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'=
>Alex Thomson<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'=
><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div =
style=3D'border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in =
0in 0in'><p class=3DMsoNormal><b><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>From:</span><=
/b><span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> =
Triumphs <triumphs-bounces@autox.team.net> <b>On Behalf Of =
</b>John Macartney<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, March 11, 2026 6:03 =
PM<br><b>To:</b> Dean Tetterton =
<tr3a58dean@gmail.com><br><b>Cc:</b> =
triumphs@autox.team.net<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [TR] "Inside Track =
on How It was Done" article<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>Jonmac=E2=80=99s long =
reply.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>Dean, <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>Thank you for your kind words and I=E2=80=99m glad you =
found the story of interest. I hope you don=E2=80=99t mind but =
I=E2=80=99ve copied this reply to the rest of the list as your query =
touches on one of many similar issues that people periodically ask me to =
comment on. Hopefully this wider reply might solve a few other =
related/unrelated queries.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>In the overall production process, where badges or odd =
bits of trim actually got fitted was not necessarily a constant in terms =
of actual location. To a certain extent, it all depended on the =
availability of =E2=80=98qualified=E2=80=99 labour to do a certain task. =
The UK in the sixties, seventies, eighties was hidebound by the power of =
trade union control. Within the overall motor industry, there was a mass =
of different unions and union membership was mandatory if you were one =
of many fishes in a large pool where things were made. Union names that =
spring to mind are Transport & General Workers, National Union of =
Vehicle Bodybuilders, General Municipal and Boilermakers, National Union =
of Teachers, British Electrical, Associated Union Engineering Workers - =
and many more. All of those were authorised by common and mutual =
agreement to undertake certain tasks within the production process. One =
way and another, we had enough people belonging to different unions who, =
by working together, could somehow contrive to build a complete =
car.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal>Re the figment of =
your badge and letters.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>Fred Bloggs who is an NUVB member is paid to fit =
badges and certain brightwork - and that=E2=80=99s all! One day, Fred =
isn=E2=80=99t at work because the night before, he spent most of his =
wages in the pub, went home piddled out of his head and woke up the next =
morning with the mother of all hangovers, so decided to stay in bed and =
Mrs Bloggs called the factory to say he was ill. But because Fred is one =
of only two NUVB members on his workstation where certain badges and =
brightwork are fitted, his mate has to do Fred=E2=80=99s work as well as =
his own. As every single assembly task is time measured anyway and =
piecework pay rates have been abandoned in favour of Measured Day Rate, =
the NUVB foreman negotiates with other union foremen to run the track =
slower so Fred=E2=80=99s mate can do both jobs without getting stressed =
out. To us, the obvious remedy is to get a member of another union to do =
Fred=E2=80=99s work. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>But you can=E2=80=99t do that. Against union rules. =
Only NUVB members can do Fred=E2=80=99s work and if there aren=E2=80=99t =
enough NUVB members on hand, then tough titty. Run the track slower. End =
of story. It=E2=80=99s amazing we ever managed to make anything at =
all.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal>In my days as an =
Apprentice at Jaguar, I was working on the track one day when I noticed =
the main plug to a headlamp was dangling in the bodywork and so I put it =
back and ensured it was firmly fitted - but I got seen by a Shop Steward =
who immediately stopped the line because a non unionised Apprentice was =
=E2=80=9Cdoing the work that should only be done by a member of British =
Electrical - and no-one else=E2=80=9D. The track stopped for over thirty =
minutes, and boy, did I get bawled out! And that=E2=80=99s how bad it =
was. If you weren=E2=80=99t in a union, you NEVER used your initiative =
to sort a problem if you saw one happening or likely to happen. You =
looked for a man in a white overall with a blue or red collar and told =
him instead.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal>So back to =
the question of who and where were badges =
fitted? <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal>Answer, by =
anyone within the relevant union who happened to notice items were =
missing. Missing badges and Triumph letters got fitted somewhere, =
somehow but not necessarily in the location where they *should* be =
fitted and if the car reached the end of the line without them, a red =
SHORTAGES label got slapped on the screen and a handwritten note was =
made on the production tally and shortage list. Somehow, the system =
seemed to work - sort of - but it was time-consuming, wasteful, =
inefficient and an absolute effing nuisance.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>And because of those practises, that goes a long way =
to explaining why all the UK car manufacturers of substance today are =
owned by foreign companies. Same goes almost for our former motorcycle =
industry, shipbuilding, aircraft, mining and a raft of everything else. =
The power of the unions and management hierarchies who were terrified of =
confrontation, caved in and we threw it all =
away.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>JM<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'margin-bottom:12.0pt'><br>On 11 Mar 2026, at 13:21, Dean =
Tetterton <<a =
href=3D"mailto:tr3a58dean@gmail.com";>tr3a58dean@gmail.com</a>> =
wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><blockquote =
style=3D'margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>John<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=3DMsoNormal> =
Thanks for the great article. It sure opens =
my eyes about the complexity of building so many =
different<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>varieties of the "same car". I have =
scanned a lot of images that are in the VTR Mike Cook archives and have =
a<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal>nice collection of =
production line images. The ones I have of TR4's being built show that =
the TR4 emblem on the<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal>boot =
lid must have been installed near the end of production. I have attached =
a few of them and go from the<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>rocket room to tops being installed. None have an =
emblem on the boot. Is that because some were sent =
out<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal>with different one's =
or none? <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal> I really =
enjoy your articles.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal> Dean =
Tetterton<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal> =
<a =
href=3D"mailto:tr3a58dean@gmail.com";>tr3a58dean@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p><=
/p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal> =
<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal>On =
Wed, Mar 11, 2026 at 8:11<span =
style=3D'font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>=E2=80=AF</span>AM JOHN =
MACARTNEY <<a =
href=3D"mailto:johnbmacartney@gmx.com";>johnbmacartney@gmx.com</a>> =
wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><blockquote =
style=3D'border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in =
6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in'><div><div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>This is a =
long one but hopefully opens a few 'new doors' to walk =
through? Enjoy!<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'> <o:p></o=
:p></span></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>Jonmac<o:p></o=
:p></span></p></div></div></div><p class=3DMsoNormal>** <a =
href=3D"mailto:triumphs@autox.team.net"; =
target=3D"_blank">triumphs@autox.team.net</a> **<br><br>Donate: <a =
href=3D"http://www.team.net/donate.html"; =
target=3D"_blank">http://www.team.net/donate.html</a><br>Archive: <a =
href=3D"http://www.team.net/pipermail/triumphs"; =
target=3D"_blank">http://www.team.net/pipermail/triumphs</a> <a =
href=3D"http://www.team.net/archive"; =
target=3D"_blank">http://www.team.net/archive</a><br><br>Unsubscribe/Mana=
ge: <a =
href=3D"http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/triumphs/tr3a58dean@gmail.c=
om" =
target=3D"_blank">http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/triumphs/tr3a58de=
an@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></p></blockquote></div></div></blockquote><blo=
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class=3DMsoNormal><IMG_20250605_0003.jpg><o:p></o:p></p></div></blo=
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class=3DMsoNormal><IMG_20250605_0004.jpg><o:p></o:p></p></div></blo=
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