I visited regularly in the 80s and 90s. Many happy hours in OB2. If you were there at night the lights would go out and you had to stand up and wave to get them on again. Google Earth still shows the site intact and active (apart from the MDC which went years ago). Strange, as it shows my home (south of England) less than a year ago.
Managed to get a walk about in the plant's last days - Un-opened Colour copiers were being put in the same giant crushing machine as solid wood boardroom tables. Enough to make you weep, but that was part of the demolition contract.
Wow! Worked there from March 92 till August 95, firstly in New Product Development, and then Procurement, the modules are long gone, but the office buildings and canteen are still recognisable from this video. A small town, full of activity, reduced to rubble. The history of nearly everything, albeit compressed. One day, where you are now, will be the same………
Around 1992 I would travel from Thame Oxfordshire to here around 386 miles in my Ford transit to deliver computer cables that run under office flooring, then access to GEC in Edinburgh
Very interesting thanks - I always remember being offered knocked off thinkpand laptops back in 2000 the guy had boxes and boxes of them however I resisted buying stolen goods.
Can't believe how much stuff was just left to rot. Like everybody just finished work, left everything and went home. For IBM I guess it was not worth salvaging anything but they could have let local charities have first pick to sell any items and raise some cash. Incidentally, I worked in the original factory as a customer engineer in 1961 on the IBM 305 + RAMAC Computer system in Data Processing. The mainframe filled a large room which was open to public gaze through floor to ceiling windows and at that time there was a large punch and verify room, staffed by lots of young ladies, who prepared the 80 column punched cards to feed the data into the 305. I went on to do another 22 years as a DP Customer Engineer, Analyst and finally in sales all over the world including Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. Its sad to see the plant now and IBM is no longer such a great company to work for as when I joined. That's progress I guess!!
IBM gave the buildings and land to an investor in 2007, and rented it back, the Scottish government demand council tax for operational buildings, Thus the buildings had to be destroyed. Whoever bought it, bought a lemon as now he has to demolish and rebuild.
Old memories of Spango Valley, if you were a CE at the plant we possibly worked alongside each other during the mid-late 70's through the mid 80's. I worked in DP when we had 360/155's and 165's running "HASP" and moved to 370/168', and eventually to JES2, and JES3 . I was part of Dept-139 working a two shift system, nights at the time were permanent. I've still got my JCL decks in my Dad's loft (just in case). Jimmy Miller was the Plant manager when I was at "GNK" before I moved to IBM-Havant
I confess that when I changed flats 2014 I stole most of my dishes and cutlery from the abandoned canteen building. Office supplies too. There were heaps and place had already been broken in so what the hell.
My stepfather worked for IBM . And i still have a metal coaster from him out of that time. I own it from 1994. Im looking at it now because it still is my coaster. The illustration on it is a computer with the numbers 3279 on the screen and with the text. First customer ship. IBM Greenock 16th june 1980. In your text it says the factory began making PC in 1981? I would like to send you a picture ore a film of it. Because i can not find the coaster on the internet. Only some other rare coasters of IBM. I found this. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_3270#3279 But on Wikipedia it says nothing about Greenock. Mister Mark my words and experience. And there are more models before the IBM 3279 computer from IBM Greenock.
IBM gave the buildings and land to an investor in 2007, and rented it back, the Scottish government demand council tax for operational buildings, Thus the buildings had to be destroyed. Whoever bought it, bought a lemon as now he has to demolish and rebuild.
@@paulwright3562 No doubt but It also cost a tenth of the price to live in Asia than it dose to live hear. We are over run by greedy government and company's that over charge and tax for everything. The working class are skint in this country But not in Asia the working class do extremely well. I wish we had a government with the same morals and values as Asia we would all be better off and fingers crossed for a independent Scotland.
I've got a 1987 IBM PS/2 Model 80 which has "Made in Greenock, Scotland" on the back. Fantastic video!
I visited regularly in the 80s and 90s. Many happy hours in OB2. If you were there at night the lights would go out and you had to stand up and wave to get them on again. Google Earth still shows the site intact and active (apart from the MDC which went years ago). Strange, as it shows my home (south of England) less than a year ago.
Managed to get a walk about in the plant's last days - Un-opened Colour copiers were being put in the same giant crushing machine as solid wood boardroom tables. Enough to make you weep, but that was part of the demolition contract.
Wow! Worked there from March 92 till August 95, firstly in New Product Development, and then Procurement, the modules are long gone, but the office buildings and canteen are still recognisable from this video. A small town, full of activity, reduced to rubble. The history of nearly everything, albeit compressed. One day, where you are now, will be the same………
Around 1992 I would travel from Thame Oxfordshire to here around 386 miles in my Ford transit to deliver computer cables that run under office flooring, then access to GEC in Edinburgh
Very interesting thanks - I always remember being offered knocked off thinkpand laptops back in 2000 the guy had boxes and boxes of them however I resisted buying stolen goods.
You should see look at IBM's abandoned headquarters in Endicott, NY. They abandoned a large chunk of their factories there.
Very well made! Nice one.
I believe they call it “progress!”.
Nice views of OB2. spent happy years there :o)
Somebody might have taught him to pronounce GREENOCK correctly !!
That pissed me off 🤣
I was there yesterday and it is a scandal how the govt let them close this place ! so many folks used to work there !
And the government saved smaller places like diodes
Sisterplant to IBM jarfalla where I used to work lots of communication between the two
Great video and history, well done Mark
Can't believe how much stuff was just left to rot. Like everybody just finished work, left everything and went home. For IBM I guess it was not worth salvaging anything but they could have let local charities have first pick to sell any items and raise some cash. Incidentally, I worked in the original factory as a customer engineer in 1961 on the IBM 305 + RAMAC Computer system in Data Processing. The mainframe filled a large room which was open to public gaze through floor to ceiling windows and at that time there was a large punch and verify room, staffed by lots of young ladies, who prepared the 80 column punched cards to feed the data into the 305. I went on to do another 22 years as a DP Customer Engineer, Analyst and finally in sales all over the world including Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. Its sad to see the plant now and IBM is no longer such a great company to work for as when I joined. That's progress I guess!!
IBM gave the buildings and land to an investor in 2007, and rented it back, the Scottish government demand council tax for operational buildings, Thus the buildings had to be destroyed. Whoever bought it, bought a lemon as now he has to demolish and rebuild.
Old memories of Spango Valley, if you were a CE at the plant we possibly worked alongside each other during the mid-late 70's through the mid 80's. I worked in DP when we had 360/155's and 165's running "HASP" and moved to 370/168', and eventually to JES2, and JES3 . I was part of Dept-139 working a two shift system, nights at the time were permanent. I've still got my JCL decks in my Dad's loft (just in case). Jimmy Miller was the Plant manager when I was at "GNK" before I moved to IBM-Havant
I confess that when I changed flats 2014 I stole most of my dishes and cutlery from the abandoned canteen building. Office supplies too. There were heaps and place had already been broken in so what the hell.
Depressing all the 'good' jobs lost. IBM, NEC, Nat Semi, etc. A shame to see a modern plant like this now derelict.
I see that the Transformers in the Sub Station have not been looted for scrap metal!!
Great video. Does the train still stop at "IBM" ?
It stops still to keep on schedule but depending on how new/ old the train is, doors won't always open
Yes... 6000 people used it last year
i remember the parts futher back being demolished,any idea why these parts were left
Are these still there?
zee ninetynine yes most of its still there
My stepfather worked for IBM . And i still have a metal coaster from him out of that time. I own it from 1994. Im looking at it now because it still is my coaster. The illustration on it is a computer with the numbers 3279 on the screen and with the text. First customer ship. IBM Greenock 16th june 1980. In your text it says the factory began making PC in 1981? I would like to send you a picture ore a film of it. Because i can not find the coaster on the internet. Only some other rare coasters of IBM. I found this. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_3270#3279 But on Wikipedia it says nothing about Greenock. Mister Mark my words and experience. And there are more models before the IBM 3279 computer from IBM Greenock.
Hello I worked at the IBM support for laptops.., is all gone now?
Used to work there aswell. And yes, it's all gone. Last workers left 2015/2016 😢 Tech support moved to Bulgaria 😔
It's Greenock, capital G. Like all place names which are proper nouns. Script at the beginning as our town spelt with a small g, very bad grammar.
Frank McGrath 😂😂 calm down
it's Grammar..not grammar.....if your gonna complain about Grammar, learn how use it properly!!
greenock is a toilet did 1 year at ibm german helpdesk
It's pronounced green-ock not gren ock
IBM gave the buildings and land to an investor in 2007, and rented it back, the Scottish government demand council tax for operational buildings, Thus the buildings had to be destroyed. Whoever bought it, bought a lemon as now he has to demolish and rebuild.
The Easdales bought
From a City to a Town with not meany Jobs, Why did Sottish government let this happen to Greenock. I worked there from 98-01.
The government can't do anything about people in Asia working for a tenth of what we do here.
@@paulwright3562 No doubt but It also cost a tenth of the price to live in Asia than it dose to live hear. We are over run by greedy government and company's that over charge and tax for everything. The working class are skint in this country But not in Asia the working class do extremely well. I wish we had a government with the same morals and values as Asia we would all be better off and fingers crossed for a independent Scotland.
@@opsecmusic3947, waken ip ffs!
@@derekfaeberwick Nothing better to say than wake up? He's right. The death of industry was all due to the tories selling it off in the 80's and 90's.
Scottish Government was only founded in 1999. All powers lay at the hands of Westminster in London at that time, sadly too much damage had been done.
Same old rubbish