I started work at Leyland on 3rd September 1956 and was placed under Mr. Bretherton, the Sheet Metal Work Foreman.
I'd worked on my Dad's cars and my own bicycles so it wasn't a great leap to have to wear overalls and get my hands dirty. I'd also watched my Dad work on heavy lorries and cars at his place of work just across from our back door - Dallas Motor Services and then British Road Services. He was the foreman in charge of vehicle maintenance. I think this started as soon as I could walk. I must have picked up many skills in my head during that time.
Mr Bretherton, probably to this day, if he's still around, would not believe that I had done gas welding before. It turns out I was a natural. Even allowing for the fact that I'd watch my Dad he still wouldn't believe me. Still that didn't worry me too much, it was good for my ego that I could weld delicate metals. One of my projects before I moved off was to make a small torchlight body - everyone was impressed.
I didn't take to electric arc welding! Something else Mr. Bretherton couldn't credit, as I was so good at gas welding.
I learnt to use tin snips, sheet metal cutting tool, and various other tools. We did brazing. I had my GCE O Level in Woodwork and the lesson for that had included some sheet metal work - I was nearly always top of the class in woodwork. So I had a few skills already.
I was in this area for six weeks, which turned out very enjoyable.