Picture Past: Strikes, sewer pipes and British Standard Time

Almost 100 workers at a factory in Weston downed tools in solidarity with a fellow worker, who had been dismissed in Birmingham.

Workers at Alldays and Peacock had been on Strike for a week along with workers at the Birmingham factory after a shop steward, who was a member of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering and Foundry Workers (AEF), was sacked for alleged negligence.

His fellow workers demanded his reinstatement and said no previous complaint had been made about his workmanship during his 17 years at the company.

Pickets were constructed by workers to stop materials getting in or out of the site.

This was the first strike at the Weston factory, which made gearboxes, industrial fans and ventilation equipment in the eight years it had been open.

? The road from Churchill to Weston was blocked for more than eight hours on the evening of January 26, when a large lorry carrying 18 tonnes of concrete sewer pipes shed part of its load.

The vehicle was travelling from Churchill Gate towards Sandford when it had to negotiate roadworks close to where a new main sewer was being laid.

While passing these works, a grass verge collapsed, and the vehicle collided with a wall and an electricity supply pole, sending overhead cables crashing down and leaving several houses in the area with no electricity.

The driver, Mr Reginald Harris, was not injured in the crash.

? Weston Borough Council's finance and general purposes committee voted for British Standard Time, with its 'dark mornings and additional costs' to be scrapped.

A Government review of British Standard Time was due later in the year and views were being sought from local authorities on the system.

Town Clerk R G Lickfold said: "I am certain British Standard Time, as far as Weston is concerned, is considerably disadvantageous - for example, the extra cost of £1,700 for early morning lighting and the £1,500 for amendment of the clocks."

In addition, he claimed the dark mornings meant workers such as road sweepers had to start later in the interests of safety.

He said: "The men dislike the later start, the shorter lunch hour and the later finish."