Reeds CC, Lydbrook, the main machine

Courtesy of: Tony Adams. Uploaded: July 2011
The main machine at Reeds Corrugated Cases, Lydbrook
Can anyone describe what is going on?
John Wilcox added: "... This is the corrugated board producing machine. The person in the foreground I believe is Trevor Howells a skittler of great renown This machine combines either 3 or 5 pieces of paper into flatish-blanks produced in a continuous length until cut to size for the finished case in the area where the 2 men are working. It was a machine intended to work 24hrs a day in the good times and I believe a new one would have cost in the order of 3 million pounds even in those days".
Tony added: "... Great to see you are still around John. Reeds were only Reeds for a short time after I joined - possibly only 2 years but I still remember Kath on the switchboard announcing 'Reed Corrugated Cases' to callers, something she could never do with quite the same enthusiasm when it became SCA. Yep happy times indeed seems a different lifetime away".
Rob Jones added (September 2011): "... I never thought I would see that machine again. I worked on C shift with Trevor as shift supervisor from 1979 to 1984. I did manual take off, autopiler operator, fork truck driver and a bit of knife setting I remember C shift team was: Clive Cooper, supervisor, Steve Lewis - chop setter, Brian Morgan - autopiler, Brian Whitby - knife setter, Herby Marfell - fork truck, John Wilby - double backer, Ade Shingles - single facer, can not remember the reel loaders name. Good days".
Bob ? asked (October 2011): "... do you know if Steve Selby was working down there this time?"
Bob Jones added (December 2011) "... yes, Steve Selby was working there when I was there. I cannot remember what machine he was on now. I left to go lorry driving in 1984 but was back there in 1996 on a B.R.S. contract driving the SCA trucks. I am sure Steve was there then but I am sure he had a heart attack around that time and left to recover".
If you wish to comment on this photo or can supply names of people please click
here ![]()
WANTED: Old photos, old postcards, ephemera and memories of the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. U.K.