The AEI (AKA Marconi Radar)

mickyhoss

mickyhoss

The music was thud like.
Am I correct in saying that there was a working radar at the Hinckley Road site, A military-looking dark green one that used to spin. It could be clearly seen from the main A47
 
Wasn't it at the bottom of Anstey Lane next to Blackbird Road?
My mam worked there in the fifties. She walked there from Parker Drive where we lived.
 
Sadly 11 years too late for me to ask my Dad, who worked for them for 47 years.
Anyone know what's at the Blackbird Road site now? Haven't been past there since the detour we made en-route to Dad's funeral for old times' sake...
 
An aerial view of the British Thompson Houston Company (BTH) site, later Marconi, off Blackbird Road, Leicester, in 1959


An aerial view of the British Thompson Houston Company (BTH) site, later Marconi, off Blackbird Road, Leicester, in 1959
 
Oadlad said:
Wasn't it at the bottom of Anstey Lane next to Blackbird Road?
My mam worked there in the fifties. She walked there from Parker Drive where we lived.
Click to expand...
The one I can remember was on your left approaching the outskirts of Leicester, there used to be some pre-fabs nearby
 
Can't quite orientate myself with that pic, sadly. Dad's office was at the end of a straight access road into the site, with the factory buildings to the right and I think housing on the left of it as you drove in. Reminds me that I should re-visit when next in Leicester ā€“ whenever that is šŸ˜–
 
The photo of the garden where Leicester Fosse was formed, or the best season in the history of football ever record?
 
Filbo, the windy road is Blackbird Road and Anstey lane junction is in the bottom left corner.
As I was not aware of a New Parks site that is obviously what Mickey is referring to...
 
I worked there for 10 years. at the Blackbird Road Site in building C
Helped build the first Radar system
For the type 42 destroyers unfortunately it was for HMS Sheffield that was sunk in an engagement not long after its first
Tangle with the Argies
 
I was in the apprentice training school at the Blackbird Road site.then worked at the New Parks site. Nearly went on strike when they asked the apprentices to clean and paint the Radar we refused .The year was 1965
 
Oadlad said:
Filbo, the windy road is Blackbird Road and Anstey lane junction is in the bottom left corner.
As I was not aware of a New Parks site that is obviously what Mickey is referring to...
Click to expand...
Ah, thanks. The access road I recall must be the light one visible ā€“ and I was wrong about the houses on the left. (y)
 
Filbo65 said:
Sadly 11 years too late for me to ask my Dad, who worked for them for 47 years.
Anyone know what's at the Blackbird Road site now? Haven't been past there since the detour we made en-route to Dad's funeral for old times' sake...
Click to expand...

I believe this is the former Marconi site on Blackbird Road. looking from Ravensbridge Road, and up Anstey Lane on the left of shot. Blackbird pub just out of site to the left.

BLACKBIRD.jpg
 
I worked at Marconi Radar Systems at Blackbird Road, for the first five months of 1971. My job there was getting to the vending machines first on the days they filled one of the hoppers with hot bacon rolls. :giggle:
 
Oadlad said:
Filbo, the windy road is Blackbird Road and Anstey lane junction is in the bottom left corner.
As I was not aware of a New Parks site that is obviously what Mickey is referring to...
Click to expand...
Correct. And towards the bottom of the photo, between the multispan main factory floor and the adjacent taller building fronting Blackburd Road was a (presumably) dummy rotating radar bar on the flat roof of a small single storey entrance vestibule.
 
My neighbour when i was growing up worked at Marconi.
He's also a train buff and has put together a book about the Great Central Railway.
 
I worked at Blackbird road in the "Electricians Department" from 1977 to 1979. I used to go around the whole site testing the electrical items (before it became known as PAT).
I then worked at GEC Welford Road from 1981-1984 in the "Heavy Electronics" department, wiring up cubicles and such...
 
BEAST FROM THE EAST said:
I was in the apprentice training school at the Blackbird Road site.then worked at the New Parks site. Nearly went on strike when they asked the apprentices to clean and paint the Radar we refused .The year was 1965
Click to expand...
Me too I was in the training room at the time .... small world
 
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