JCB axes 650 jobs throughout UK.

[martyn williams]

On the railfreight side,things are very busy.Locomotives are being brought back from France as there is a motive power shortage.The trainloads are up to 4400 per month with lots of scrap and slabs plus rebar being moved from all over the UK.The problem we are facing is not enough staff,we have lost hundreds of staff over the last few years.And they are not replacing anyone.The Cat 966's are working overtime at the docks,loading imported coal into wagons for powerstation use.There seems to be a lot of extra coal trains running this week.
Some shifts there are six maintenance staff looking after the Wales and West areas.
This supposed to be our quiet time of year.Rail traffic normaly increases from October to March.

[nick lamb]

I have a timber merchants and joinery workshops.We've been trading very well this year but I am waiting for the bubble to burst,and it will.As Martyn says,the medie are accelerating us into totally freezing our spending and convincing us we are all going to die(before Christmas).As for the construction game,the inert muck tips,groundwork and midsize construction projects are temporarily frozen.1 ton to 25 ton excavators,dumpers,8 wheelers, and dozers are loosing value fast as companies try to sell them befor going bust.Nick,I bet you're glad you did'nt h.p.that nice new digger now aren't you?.
On a brighter note the domestic landfill tips,coal sites and some specialist sandpits are going to be ok.More coal will be dug as gas prices soar so all companies with 40 ton upwards dozers,excavators,ridgid dumpers,scrapers etc will prosper.
I actually believe that if I owned a fleet of D8/D9 dozers I would have better chance of finding work for them than If I owned a fleet of D5/D6 dozers and I never thought I would here myself saying that.

[Nick Drew]

YES !! Nicky,

I think I definetly made the right decision about the new machine It was tough on Volvo when I pulled out at the last minute but it was the right move for me. it's bad enough having the little 3 ton mini digger sat out the backyard staring at me but the costs involved in that machine are minimal compared to a shiny new 13 tonner.

The problem I have down here in the West is that it is too "clickey" and most of them are related in some way So they try to keep things in the Family !!

Ooh Arr "got to keep the "outsiders" out !!

Nick

[Martyn Henley]

Really strange this so called credit squeeze, as you can see from most of the members on here saying that it has hit the housing and construction market badly in most areas, with lay offs and projects being scrapped, but with house prices running at something like 40% more than they should be in some areas something had to give, but it is the banks that are to blame, what with giving 125% mortgages, credit galore and then playing in the shaky American market, then the fuel hike, well what do you expect with America playing bully with Iran, these rag heads do stick together, funny though now the yanks are in diplomatic talks with Iran, the crude oil prices are now dropping, and i have to say also that hedge funding messing with the oil market did not help either, the other down side is of course this government has run its course, and the confidence in their ability to govern has completely gone from those that invest .. oh i know the people are fed up with mass immigration, tax tax and more tax and crazy ideas and knee jerk reactions, and it is time for a change, but to what ..more of the same, i dunno, may make the money men to invest again.
But i do know that the media is not helping in any way at all with doom and gloom headlines.
I started Kent Construction plant models back in the early 90's, in the middle of Majors government and recession, and it was a struggle at first, but the models i did was a sort of an investment, as the models i do now are an investment, the price of materials have soared, but i am able to absorb the costs, and keeping the price down and i am still able to offer a low cost limited edition run of models, so for me business is good.
So what i am saying is stick in there people this period will pass

[Nick Drew]

Well Said Martyn!!

I think we are all getting sucked in by the "Doom & Gloom" mungers!! and the media are the biggest culprits on this We have all been here before and come out the other side so we will again

The trouble with most of us Brits is that we do seem to have rather negative tendancies...no wonder our friends down under call us the wingeing pommes!!

Come on guys lets try to remain positive the good times will return I am sure Yes a lot of firms are laying off but from what I hear they are taking this opportunity to get rid of a lot of "dead wood"...every firm has them I think anyone that is good at there job will in the main be kept on, especially machine operators as good ones are getting rarer by the day

Chins up

Nick

[nick lamb]

I took my son to see a D6 at work today.He didn't seem too bothered about the resession.He was happy to watch the dozer instead.

[Ron G]

What a beautiful young'un..............don't bother me daddy!!!Ron G

[Nick Drew]

What a beautiful young'un..............don't bother me daddy!!!Ron G

Yes too right Ron,

Hows things on the economy front across the pond ??

We hear so many conflicting reports on the news here in the UK ??

Nick

[Ron G]

Noone wants to admit how bad they really are Nick.This is an election year so the truth won't be known until after the election I think.The arabs got us all by the shorthairs now.I can't say it is all their fault though.We need to get our heads out and develop some independence with this energy deal as we are all finding out now.We now have some incentive to do it so there is a bright side to it if we live:)).Ron G

[Nick Drew]

Noone wants to admit how bad they really are Nick.This is an election year so the truth won't be known until after the election I think.The arabs got us all by the shorthairs now.I can't say it is all their fault though.We need to get our heads out and develop some independence with this energy deal as we are all finding out now.We now have some incentive to do it so there is a bright side to it if we live:)).Ron G

Mmm Food for thought Ron

Lets hope our heroic leaders can work something out before much longer !!

Nice to hear from you Ron look after yourself

Nick