Tailing off for final approach

EMPLOYEES at BAE Systems never thought they would be eating a bit of the factory on their final day. A special cake model of the Chadderton site is currently on display in the Greengate offices — ready to be dished out at tomorrow’s send-off. The Madeira cake was created by the Hazelnut Bakery in Delph. Bakery owners Chris and Hazel Jenkins delivered the cake to BAE Systems in Chadderton, welcomed by Gary Beels (BAE facilities manager) and Steve Kilroy (site manager)

STEVE Kilroy has the emotional and unenviable task of handing over the keys to the end of an era in Oldham aviation.

The BAE Systems site manager, alongside a small number of employees, has the responsibility of decommissioning the site and reveals tomorrow will be a sad day in his life.

Steve also calls the monumental occasion — where hundreds are expected to join in the “banging out” ceremony — a celebration of Oldham’s heritage.

The 49-year-old Chaddertonian, who has served 34 years at the factory, said: “When you see the old pictures of the Lancaster Bomber being manufactured at the site you feel as though you were there, even though you know you weren’t.

“Even though they were built in the 1940s you soon become associated with the heritage of the site.”

Steve was one of 80 who started on the same day in 1978. He remembers the daunting feeling walking through the doors. He was calmed by the fact his father Fred worked at the plant for a number of years and he already knew of the great family atmosphere.

Working a number of years on commercial aircraft, including the 146, 748, Boeing 737 and ATP, Steve admits he was not aircraft-mad as a fresh-faced teenager.

He said: “There is a guy called Harry Holmes, who is now a historian, who spent hours talking to me about the exciting company I had joined so from the early days my enthusiasm grew.

“He is running the Woodford Heritage Centre and meeting Harry for the first time when I was a youngster was brilliant as he shared with me his passion for AV & Roe. It was only the later years when the interest spread a little bit wider as I travelled to different parts of the world including the United States and Saudi Arabia.”

The community stalwart, who has also been a big contributor to the One Oldham Business Awards over the years, also recollects how the site would turn into a concert during lunchtimes.

He said: “One of the lads brought in a karaoke machine on the bays one day and anybody who wanted to sing on the karaoke could do. There would be 500 to 600 people on the balconies watching.

“Nobody could sing but everybody could watch and spend their lunchtime watching people make a fool of themselves — it was a great laugh.”

Former factory workers or members of the community are invited to join Steve and the rest of the employees from 11.45am tomorrow.


project manager Ian Peat has been a familiar face around the site for the past 36 years and still gets a buzz from the work he does.
Working closely with the Royal Air Force on the VC10 fleet, Ian (52) is evident of the vital contribution the Chadderton site has made since maintenance closed down in 2005.

He said: “For me the innovation that you see around Chadderton has just been fantastic.

“There have been over 150 BAE Systems prestigious innovation awards in the last 10 years and two smart procurement awards from the Ministry of Defence.

“Those are given for delivery when we say we will deliver and saving the MOD very good money.”