Bulletin ….Work carries on in the new factory but we always need more volunteers – especially wiremen and visitor guides. If you are based in the West Midlands or can travel easily to Stoke Prior, please consider volunteering – its good fun, always challenging, and then there’s lunch.
The UK was the centre of thermionic valve (tubes for our U.S buddies) production for many years and we produced the best and most consistent products which are still highly sought after even now – nearly 50 years after production stopped. Our dream is to restart manufacturing of valves in the UK using existing knowledge and equipment but bringing it into the 21st century where not only consistency and performance are drivers but efficiency and the environment.The Great British Valve Project is about creating a valve manufacturing base in the UK. There have been many twists and turns since we started this project back in 2015 but our biggest break throughs have been finding a backer and the final acquisition of equipment which will allow us to start small scale manufacturing of a limited range of valves in the UK.
Now that we have presses, grid winders, out-gass, bulb making, etc. machines located in our West Midlands base we need to get on with their refurbishment and building all the ancillary facilities, equipment, QA procedures etc. that will bring our manufacturing into the 21st century. We now need to assemble a small army of volunteers with experience in project management, fund raising, finance, negotiation, law, production engineers, etc.
You can email the ‘Great British Valve Project’ team using the form below if you want to volunteer, ask for more information or are able to help us revive valve/tube manufacture in its spiritual home – the UK. You can also sign up to our newsletter to get regular updates.
Stop Press …. (@brimarbob)