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Old 10th Mar 2019, 9:39 pm   #1
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Default Combined Electronic Services (CES)

Hi Chaps

I am trying to get as much info together as I can about Combined Electronic Services (CES) 604 Purley Way. I have added my previous research to this page:

https://philipstv.co.uk/combined-electronic-services/

After CES, I will look at Mullard in more detail.

If anyone can add anything that I can use (information or images) I would be very grateful.

Regards

Robert

Last edited by Paul Stenning; 28th Aug 2019 at 12:33 pm. Reason: Corrected URL
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Old 26th Aug 2019, 11:29 pm   #2
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Default Re: Combined Electronic Services (CES)

CES. strange how i came across this post. one of my mates john who recently passed away served his time with them. he worked at there cardiff branch in city road cardiff during the seventies. long gone now of course.
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Old 28th Aug 2019, 3:40 pm   #3
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Default Re: Combined Electronic Services (CES)

I worked at the Birmingham depot in '73/74!Not a happy time due to 3 day weeks due to power strikes etc.

My only memories of working for Philips at that time are
that the working conditions were very poor,and that it was a mystery how the depot paid it's way at all!!
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Old 28th Aug 2019, 4:16 pm   #4
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Default Re: Combined Electronic Services (CES)

No real memories of CES other than buying the odd Philips spare part and manual from then, they were happy to supply me despite not being in the trade.

I went past the Birmingham depot many times Nick when you must have been working there. Think I called in once as well. This would have been when going to Comet, just along the road or Brum city centre, I lived in Coventry at the time.

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Old 28th Aug 2019, 4:53 pm   #5
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Default Re: Combined Electronic Services (CES)

I actually worked at 604 Purley Way from 1973 (when it was CES) on the benches right up until about 1987 when it was being wound down. By then I was in Technical Advice and most of the old workshop was then closing. Tech Advice moved over to City House in Croydon and the rest of the operation at 604 Purley Way was eventually closed.

Unfortunately I don't have any photos or any of the old Service Links from that period but I might be able to help with any questions you may have. To me though it's all well over 30 years ago......!
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Old 28th Aug 2019, 9:24 pm   #6
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Default Re: Combined Electronic Services (CES)

I worked for an Ekco and Pye dealer so spares orders from CES were regular. No major problems with their service, parts were rarely out of stock and delivery was quick.

We had a technical rep but I am not sure if he worked for CES or Pye, this was in the 1970’s, only 40 odd years ago.
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Old 29th Aug 2019, 11:53 pm   #7
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Default Re: Combined Electronic Services (CES)

We had a branch in Leeds on Ramshead Approach in Seacroft. I used to call in often to purchase spare parts.


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Old 30th Aug 2019, 8:30 am   #8
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Default Re: Combined Electronic Services (CES)

I made the trek across Mitcham Common to the Croydon By-Pass, better known as Purley Way countless times. They opened at around 8am and it was possible to pick up spares and arrive back at the shop just before 9am.
In later years it went 'self service' rather like a supermarket but unfortunately the levels of theft were so high that it reverted to a counter service..
Staff were brilliant and knew every part required without looking it up in the lists. The original name was Amalgamated Electrical Services [AES] changing to CES in I believe the mid 60's.
Does anyone remember Ivy who worked on the spares desk at 604? Always good to chat to and learn the latest Philips scandalous tales! Very happy days.
Next door was Bowaters, the white art Deco building. It used to have a WW2 gun 'pill box' at the front right but a recent drive along the Purley Way shows the building in tact but it has lost it's pill box. Pity. Regards, John.
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Old 30th Aug 2019, 10:40 am   #9
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Default Re: Combined Electronic Services (CES)

Looking through some old Philips manuals shows the evolution of the Philips service and spares dept finally ending up at 604 Purley Way.
The AG1003 changer manual [Nasty!] from the early 50's shows the address of the service and spares dept as being part of the massive Commerce Way Philips factory with the original phone number. It became AES presumably after the take over of Cossor radio and television and Peto-Scott around 1960.
The 19TG111A manual dated 1962 is likewise. The 11TG190AT manual from March 1966 still shows the factory address but by the time the manual was reissued in 1968 the address had become CES at 'Queensway'. With the arrival of colour and the G6 I suspect a lot more room was required for service and spares.
CES were on the corner of the Purley Way and Queensway but may have occupied the buildings behind 604 eventually taking over the whole corner site. By the time colour arrived in 1967 the address had changed to 604 Purley Way. All swept away now and probably forgotten by most. It was a long time ago. ..John.
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Old 15th Dec 2019, 8:10 am   #10
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Default Re: Combined Electronic Services (CES)

They had a Branch in Park Royal London NW10, I think it was in Chase Rd, and as Heatercathoneshort mentions, fitted at one time (1977?) with a Supermarket Layout, but all those loverly Mullard PL519`s stacked on self service shelves, proved too much of a temptation and a fair bit of hoisting, went on.
I cant imagine any one helped Mr Plod with their enquiries.
The other thing I remember was their Field engineers had very nice MK3 Cortina Estates, a better car than most companies, I had a Viva at the time, working at Granada TV Rental, most had Escorts.
Ken, G6HZG.
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Old 15th Dec 2019, 6:32 pm   #11
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Default Re: Combined Electronic Services (CES)

I can still remember their telephone number ("01-686-0505") as it was (still) when I was a student at Poly in Preston 1985-7. Used to buy manuals for such "junk market" finds as VR2020 VCR's. they would send you the manual and then you would send them the money. Imagine that happening these days - not!
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Old 15th Dec 2019, 10:32 pm   #12
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Default Re: Combined Electronic Services (CES)

here's a box of 'philips hairdryer parts' from CES in my collection (!).
The box is addressed to a Mr Maurice Owen of Burton on Trent.
Robert, well remembered on the number.
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Old 16th Dec 2019, 9:31 pm   #13
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Default Re: Combined Electronic Services (CES)

Around 20 years back I purchased 5 x boxes (100/box) of LP1183 Mullard modules from J&N Factors - all NOS. (For use in a student desoldering/testing exercise) All the boxes
had a label "Stockpoint 4, Beddington (Lane ?) which is in Croydon, and noted for
the local water treatment works. Therefore there may have been storage facilities
at other locations as well.
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Old 16th Dec 2019, 10:01 pm   #14
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Default Re: Combined Electronic Services (CES)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Heatercathodeshort View Post
CES were on the corner of the Purley Way and Queensway but may have occupied the buildings behind 604 eventually taking over the whole corner site. By the time colour arrived in 1967 the address had changed to 604 Purley Way. All swept away now and probably forgotten by most. It was a long time ago. ..John.
You're right. The front building on Purley Way held the Trade Shop and various offices. At the back of that building was the main workshop where I was....around 20 engineers working there and there were smaller workshops there as well, repairing tuners, another doing Trade Shop repairs (where customers could bring their faulty items for a quick check and assessment). If it was a simple fault that could be fixed in 15 minutes it was done on the spot for a fixed price. If it was more serious, it was booked into the main workshop for an estimate. Also at the back of that main building was the cabinet repairs...specialist in Dynatron 'Queen Ann' style repairs....the guy there was a genius and could make a smashed cabinet look new..... at the end of the building were Tech Advice and Product support and at the top, the all-important subsidised canteen and very good it was too. Next to the canteen was the staff shop, I still have a CD player and a Marantz turntable that I bought from there.

Behind that building on the other side of the access road was the huge stores building. Virtually every part for anything Philips made was kept in that building. Next to the stores was the plant department that looked after all the buildings and did any repairs that were required.

In case anyone didn't know, Jackson Brothers were just behind the stores building. If you were a budding home constructor, it paid to get to know a few people there...handy for tuning gangs and various other bits! Very happy days at CES.

Unfortunately all gone now. Last I saw there was a car showroom there...all the original buildings have gone.
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