Remembering Hoover "Electron1100" Gary Tibbals

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chestermikeuk

Well-known member
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Joined
May 29, 2001
Messages
7,410
Location
Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK
We heard yesterday that our Hoover appliance friend Gary Tibbals (Electron1100) had died after having health issues with his heart for the past few years. While we knew this it was still a shock to hear, Gary had turned 60, (1960 - 2021) and loved all things Vintage Hoover hence his username here after his favourite washer set the Hoover Electron range from the 80`s. He also restored high end hi-fi , valve amps, turntables, reel to reel tape decks and had a soft spot for the esoteric Japanese equipment along with vintage model trains and Christmas lights. Our love & thoughts are with his partner Mal and family, not forgetting their loved guinea pigs.

Gary was passionate about saving old appliances, his early years working as an engineer and later life at a number of waste recycling service in Totnes , Devon. He`s been around the groups since the late 90`s on IRC Chat, the Yahoo UK Classic Appliances groups and since the start of AW here. He managed to save many of the machines that we now have in our collections from being re-cycled and that you will have seen through our full restorations. He also had time to answer questions about fixing appliances and repairs to anyone who asked and was the first to send his last part available out to people . You will also know he had a very dry sense of humour, although an Essex lad he spent early years in Germany with his family as his dad was in the Army. When you look back on many of the threads am sure like us you`ll find yourself laughing at his wit, cutting banter and telling it like it was, his catchphrase being - “Not One I`d Have Chosen” ha ha…

I pulled together a number of threads to show the fun & laughter we all had, and his beloved machines that are now distributed with us, and also to show Mal and Garys friends what we all achieved together. Please add your own comments, pictures and thoughts as well as a tribute to Gary . There are also over 2k of Garys threads on Automatic Washer grab a cuppa sometime and just search through them , I guarantee you`ll be laughing and tears in equal measure.

[this post was last edited: 5/13/2021-06:51]


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A Weekend In Brum

Heres the first time Gary arrived up at John & Rays nicknamed “The Penkridge Bagwash” no sooner had he got there than Gary was on the case of the Hoover computer control 1300 tweeking and getting stuck in repairing it. He was a good cook and had brought up a batch of home made cornish pasties. With his wicked sense of humour he then told the story of picking them up “from local corner shop, his old mam sits in the back at a table making the pasties, sawdust on the floor, no handwashing, smoking a fag , dropping ash everywhere and spitting in the sink” . I clocked Johns face not knowing if story true or otherwise, so when they came out the oven after I`d been given a rollicking by Gary for not double egg washing them - “Not the way I`d av done them” , I offered John one first off the tray - “hes never forgiven me that one” lol…[this post was last edited: 5/13/2021-07:42]


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Hoover Vintage Restorations & Fun in Chester

Time for all things vintage in Chester or Chav Ave as Gary nicknamed it, and Mathew had brought up his working Hoover slant front 3226 Keymatic from 1963, we had also just found a rare Hoover crystaljet dishwasher with spinning baskets which was duly up and running in no time, we do have video footage of it working but Gary was so effing and jeffing about something in the background thats not for public viewing but regularly viewed between us all ha ha. Garys in full cameraman mode getting his fix of all things vintage Hoover for viewing back home. During the weekend I was presented with the “Our Lady Of The Boiling Pulsator” award for all things Hoover - it is a statue that Gary found at work in the dump, so he cleaned her up , pinned her with a printed Hoover badge and is now given yearly when we meet to the collector who has gone beyond the call of duty in restorations for that year.[this post was last edited: 5/13/2021-07:59]


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A Plague Of Locusts Did Descend

One Saturday morning we got a phone call from Gary really upset that he was no longer able to use the garage he was renting for his Hoover collection. Like many of us found in this position its the first thing you think about in the morning and last thing at night. This is where our group really makes it happen and while we love the appliances “Its All About The Friends” made along the way. So we arranged to “Descend” on Saltash with vans and cars and while it was bitter sweet for everyone we still had a laugh and made lite of the situation even though we could all see it was breaking Gary thinking about it and watching it happen. The great thing is Gary`s machines are now routed in all our collections and are actually some of the rarest appliances needed to be found and restored.

Gary played another practical joke on us, he said sunday dinner was "an ald turkey drumstick from Lidl" the rest of the weekend was on Fray Bentos ha ha..so he did a fab Xmas lunch for us BUT served it in the best empty Fray Bentos pie tins as serving dishes , along with Birds instant packet trifle for desert - Classy !! The little white westy dog is call Rosie and when Gary was in the garage working on machines she would saunter up the road and visit him.
[this post was last edited: 5/13/2021-08:05]


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A Visitation To Hallowed Hoover

Gary had a visit to Mathew in Cardiff and we planned to vist Lee, a fellow collector up the road in the Welsh valleys. Along the way we had to pass the hallowed ground of Hoover Merthyr Tidfyl, where Hoover washing machines were made, so we dutifully stopped and had a photo op for posterity. It was on this visit that there was the “Apparition” of “Our Lady of the Boiling Pulsator” appeared, good job we had a selection of Hoover Keymatic Keyplates to be blessed. Had a fab day with Lee viewing his restored Bendix autowasher and his recently restored purple Hotpoint set.

Gary had a wicked sense of humour and even produced his own brand of washing powder when he knew Jon Jetcone was developing Rosalies, so he mocked up and printed out a standard pack of powder and duly produced it at Lee`s lol.

And when we get back to Mathews the next day he had finally found after a lot of searching the rare Number 3 Philips accessory pack for Mathews Toptwin twintub washing machine - A Dusty accessory kit , worn by all housewifes of the era. A great day was had by all.

post was last edited: 5/13/2021-07:02]


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A New Vintage Washroom

A few years ago circumstances had changed for some of us and we found like Gary everything in storage and thinking “What The Hek To Do” , Alistair then moved home and decided to make a display room, so Washroom number 1 was duly commissioned, follow the build here. The first washing machine we placed in the room was Garys beloved Hoover 3203 Keymatic, pride of place.


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a New Vintage Washroom - Version 2 Upgrade

As every collector and restorer finds 1 becomes 2 and then, you know the drill. While completing building upgrades on his new home Alistair built Washroom Nu 2, take a look from footings to completion.
We recently celebrated 70 years of Hoover Laundry Appliances here with 5 of the 7 keymatic styles produced in the display line are originally Garys machines.

Now over to you all to add your thoughts, comments, pics and fun times !!

Here is Gary`s beloved Hoover Keymatic 3203 completed ...

[this post was last edited: 5/13/2021-07:54]


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Gary

I was so sad to hear of Gary's passing - one of the most down to earth charactors you could ever hope to meet but really good hearted as well. With his health issues he has not been active on here is recent years but looking back on his 1650 postings they are all hallmarked with passion, knowledge and laugh out loud good humour.

I have always been sorry that Gary's health never allowed him to make the long journey from his home to mine as I know he would have been so pleased to see so many appliances that he rescued restored back to full health, its just a shame that medical science was not able to do the same for him.

Although he used the handle "Electron 1100" his favourite machines were Hoover Keymatics so this video stands as a bit of a memorial to him - he rescued all but one of these machines.

The world is a sadder place for his passing.

Al



 
Great memorial to someone who went too soon and clearly had something positive to contribute.

I never knew Gary well but I clearly remember him when I joined AW. He's were the first videos I saw of the beloved square door Hoovers on youtube.

Not long ago I asked after him as I had remembered him as an active member that I hadn't seen on anything for a long while. It is clear he was unwell.

RIP Gary and I hope they've got the best washer up their in heaven.
 
Some lovely memories of Gary

I first met him when I collected a washer cabinet off him, I think we must have hit it off straight away and a good friendship grew from then, meeting up for our gatherings or each others to swap machines/parts or work on repairs, all such fun laced with the humour we've all been enjoying again since hearing the sad news.

I hugely admired his knowledge of electronics and loved the cluttered and lived in work benches in his garage and loft workshops, complete with cold mug of tea, ash tray and multiple pairs of reading glasses amongst all the spare parts and hi fi projects he was working on, very much it was solving the problem and getting the repair perfect rather than keeping the model workspace, and I loved being there soaking it all in, whilst he gave the orders.

He'd often start the day by texting round as he put his wash on, with added barbed comments, such as the decline of next doors washer as the drum bearings began to fail and the state of how her whites brought the house prices down and speculating on the state of the door boot.
His final text to me was back in the autumn as the restrictions of the pandemic eased, all typed phonetically, so it was read in the most common accent.

'Oooo baybe you can go outside legally now, gettcha air run, oh and possibly go back to........ WORK.'

I share Al's sadness in that once he'd moved his machines on that he was no longer well enough to join us again and continue to enjoy all the machines, but also continue and build the friendship.

Gary will be hugely missed, but I know his humour and influence will be with us for many years to come, I can see now anyone showing any newly restored appliance will be greeted by a chorus of `it's ok, but it's not the one I'd have chosen' followed by a sideways nod and pursed lips. That pricking the bubble of pomposity was just at the heart of it all and that's classically illustrated by `Snob, the expensive powder, I don't think Gary could have had any idea how these things would have embedded them selves into the life of our gatherings, but such was the reach and appeal of his posts here and elsewhere.

I enjoy and use much the same Hoover washing machines Gary did, and think of him practically every time I dial a programme or see a perfectly balanced spin, I can see me doing this with an extra sense of pride and tribute now, this funny old love of ours really is all about sharing with friends after all isn't it.

Now hope you've an electron 1100 ready for a B Gary, for those heavenly white robes, don't want them looking like errs next door.

How wonderful to have known you.

Mathew
I
 
Such sad news...

Gary was such a wonderful person; kind, generous to a fault and always quick with advice or just a shoulder to cry upon when things weren't going right appliance wise.

Electron1100's passing will leave not just a gap in lives of those who knew him personally, but here in group as well. But we have memories to cherish and can always read his posts, he won't be forgotten....

May God grant him eternal rest in peace.

Our prayers and thoughts to his family and friends.
 

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