Did Woolies (Woolworths) ever sell valves?

[Graham G3ZVT]

Originally Posted by Cobaltblue

There was a type of meter sold by a few manufacturers that was designed for "radio use".

These had a range suitable for HT batteries, and ranges for LT.

They also had a socket (B5) (but I can imagine there may have been meters with more than one socket) to test filament continuity.

One common example is the Pifco all in one

Thanks for reminding me about that Mike. In the '70s I was given a Pifco All in One, BNIB as they say now!

[peterpixel]

re post 19, at the risk of going off topic , my understanding is that the fire was caused by an electrical problem and that 10 people died partly/possibly because of locked fire exits and did indeed lead to new legislation regarding furniture manufacture. The company I worked for supplied video recordings of the events from the hotel opposite on the other side of Piccadilly Gardens. Peter.

[Graham G3ZVT]

You are correct Peter. My wife narrowly missed getting caught up in the incident, she had left the store to return to work at Rodwell Tower (Now called 111 Piccadilly) only minutes beforehand.

[dave walsh]

Clearly my memory is faulty there Peter/Graham [post 19*] but I think there was early speculation in the press re cigarettes. There had been previous concerns about furniture fires but the tragedy really brought things to a head. You don't get them in the same way or frequency now, or Chip Pan ignitions. It's sad to recall so many deaths. No wonder they brought in very rapid regulation/action-unlike now. I think I've always remembered the irony of that one person dying just because he ran into the road and my wife has often mentioned it. As I recall, the store had a very large unusual steep entrance [or maybe an internal staircase] up to to the other floors of the building.

From 1970 to 72 I worked on the 22nd floor of the 28 storey Tower Block Sunley Buildings [now renamed] on the other side of the gardens. It was designated a high risk building and the Fire brigade [round the corner on London Road] could get there in 1min 30secs. I was coming back with a sandwich one lunchtime and heard the "Chief" radioing that in! It was usually a painter with a blow lamp believe it or not.

This was a Civil Service clerical job. In my section there were very many staff, 90% female, all in a huge open plan office space. Imagine the scene one morning when three firemen, complete with Helmets and Axes, burst in at the far end shouting [I'm not kidding] "Where's the fire?" Fortunately, it was another false alarm. We regularly practised evacuating down the narrow staircase [as lifts were Verboten in an emergency] and worked out how to help disabled colleagues! Given the BBC nearby [pre-Oxford Road] it wasn't unusual to come across the regular local TV/Radio presenters and various actors, celebrities etc. Keith Baron is one that I recall, realising that TV made people look taller for the first time.

Dave

[Richard_FM]

Originally Posted by peterpixel

re post 19, at the risk of going off topic , my understanding is that the fire was caused by an electrical problem and that 10 people died partly/possibly because of locked fire exits and did indeed lead to new legislation regarding furniture manufacture. The company I worked for supplied video recordings of the events from the hotel opposite on the other side of Piccadilly Gardens. Peter.

Some of the news footage I've seen shows the fire brigade having to cut bars off the upper floor windows before they could lift out people to safety.

[Station X]

The OP's question " Did Woolies (Woolworths) ever sell valves?" has been answered in the negative.

Fires are off topic for the forums so it's time to extinguish the flames.

Thread closed.