Plessey Xpress KL Special 1987 - Edge Lane

NOTHINGWAS EVERBEYONDOUR KEN!There c one poinl on which p(ople al Edge {l,Ane ara unanimous withoul Ken Lillev Ili)there wouldn't have been an Edge Lane isite-It s quile common. wher peoplc rclireto talk aboul lhe end ofan era. When KenLilley reties as chief executivc of PMSLon 3 July, it will be true.KerI Lilley's carecr with Plesseystarled with Decca Radar, included aspell 'sent to Siberia' (he managedthe Ilford site!), and involvedcommutrng between I{utton andBceston (t period well-rememberedby Derbyshire's traffie police . . .)before he became chief executive atEdge Lane.Just as he'd believed strongly in thefuture ol electronic exchanges, andfought for Plesscy s move away ftomeleclro-mechanical, at Edge Lane heentered battle to keep PMSL in Liverpool.Asainst the hend to move out to greenfieldsiaes - adding to the unemployment anddercliclion ofthe cil] - Ken Lillev sloodout to improve Edge Lane and ensurejobsHe'd be the first to insist that otherpeople deserve tbe credit, butihe lmpre""ive, modern, landscaped qite(and Ihe ambitious Wavertree Technulog)Park adioininq itr are testimonv toKen Liliev s d?terminatron and confidcncewhich are also demonstrated bY thesuccess of System x.. Edc Flenlnq's rier of ten Lilloy. He doesn't sat ,hethet thesad-6tad[ciis XGr or Lil- tiofrc tie gEldparcrl d[cks ol theEdgc lane bmod,rutaBaby

. CHAMPloll . . . Ken lilley infoms Plessey enlloyesstiatthe c0mpany's lighl againsla GIC lakeoyer had beensrccesslul.. llosT . . . xen Lilley (l.tl) and Edc clall, lonner managingdirector ol Plessey TeleDommrniDalions, look on as the lord Mayolofliyerpool, Councillor J.S. noss, signs lhe uisilors'boot al Plesseyin 1981.. Pn0TAG0X|SI .Xen lilley lush8dlor Plesseyinueslmenl atEdge lane totranslorn tftEsite inlo one olthe mosln00emmanulaGlu ngplants inEuro!e.. C0trtlrulllcAToB . . , Xen Lilley makes a public announceneni 0lthe Colombian otder lot SYslem X.. BUSIIIESSMAX . . . Xen Lilley with menbets ol llull Corncil uho Yisited Edge larc in 1904 lheady athid ol the 1m,0m s{bscriberc to the pdvately-fltn l(ingston-rpon.llull Telephone ll.padnenl are 0nSFtem I.. l[8ASSAo0n . . . lGn lille! stovs aI rmd0ction arua in 1g8i|. IftE ChinesLane since lher and Pl{sL has embaYortd'$ third la

Over the last few weeks, Ken Lilley's ears must have been burning as people metin secret session afound Edge Lane, recounting their experiences of the greatman.Everyone knows about the prodigious amount ofwork he does, arriving on siteearly in the moming, staying till well into the evcning.Does he then go home and collapse in front ofthe telly, clutching a well-eamedEin?Legendhas it that he lets others sit and watch cor&ners World. IIe switches onthe floodlights and digs. Or riscs carly to cxcrcise his greenlingers before arriving ct Edee Lane.According to hjs wife, Olga,he's a light sleeper, needs verylittle sleep, but hates to bedisturbed. Wbich is why anyonepassing the Lilley pad in Blundellsands in the still of thelight might have seen the MilkTray man, complete with wetsuit and chocolates, creepinground the gxeenhouse.Not because the lady lovesMilk Tray, but because Dadwoulcl have exterminatedthe late night fancy dressreveller who'd forgottenhis key if he'd been wokenfrom his slumbers . - .The energy, dedicationand commitment he's putinto transforming EdgeLanc he gives to everythinghe does. At speed.He set the land spcedrecord between lluytonand Beeston in hisflamboyant yellowScimitar. Derbyshirepolice got quite usedto scattering speedingtickets as the YellowPeril appeared- but when a newspeed trap caughtour leader, he argueddistances andtimes vith the helpof a military radarexpe from Decca.If you know Kcn Lillev. youknow the outcome. He won.His time in the Royal Navyprobably taught him a lot aboutworking closely with other mcnand about taking evasive action.On one occasion, there was a sit,in at Edge Lanc, and managementat Huyton decided to occupy thatsite to avoid a similar happcnitg.During the canteen meal, thcconversation led to achicvcments,and KFL said he could do fittypress-ups . . _SLIPPED AWAYInstead of passing the poft, theassembly cast themselves on thefloor and set about proving thatanything HE could do they coulddo better.But when they arose pantingfrom thcir exertions, thc champhad quietly slipped a*'ay into thenightlColl eagu es say he neverswitched ofl Having a meal withKen Lilley was a sure rccipc tbriDdigestion. He is tough and tenacious, and a real motivator.But people who've known hinfor years have fond and humorousmcmorics as well. As KFL mighthavc said when he swam amongdead sheep in the Gullat Sharjah,"l'hereby hangs a tale..."Chinese delegation around lhe Slstenhave nade sereral return Yisits to Edgeicd oI| a conceded salEs drive i[ lhoEed Gountry.. Plll[ltTllB0PlST . . . X6n lilley and nost ol ltc other employees of Pletset hayi heen active ansupporting local mdby causes. llerc he is pialurod wilh PIISL collaagues al a ctequo presantation lo lhellder lley and Liyerpool Ghildrcn's llo5pilals in 1982.

Translormationthe Lilley legacyLet the Strowger Wo.ksdie with its product andmove out of town. Ortransform the EdgcLane site to suit the newgeneration of clectronicexchanges,The decision took vision and confidence,and chief cxecutive KenLilley possessed both.A programme ol demolition,building, renovation,re equiPmentand landscaping beganat Edge Lane. A hugeinvestment was needed,and faith in the futurc.Already, the EdgeLane site has beentransformed into a modern, attractive place towork, and more investmenthas been committedto further implovemcnts.Ken Lilley leaves alegacy which ensures hewill always be remembered at Edge Lane withsratitude.A pleasant workingenvironment within thebity boundaries and areal future: Ken Lilleyis seen as the architectof PMSL today.And as System X goesfrom strength tostrength, and the EdgeLane site flourishcs,Ken Lilley can enjoy hisretirement, knowing thathe inspired and ledPMSL into the '80s and asound future,Three views ol tho Edgc Lanesiie, sho ing how imaginativerenoralion, nev building andlandscaping have dranalicallychangedinner city induslialeyesore inlo an elfirie , nleasanlworking envionmenl.(we are all deeply conccrncdto rctain jobs in thenorth west. Plessey haveshown that they can contributeto this. Ilut we also wantan athactive envircnment inwhich to live and work,which we hope will bringother fiuns to the rcgion.Plessey's redevelopmentand landscapine ofthe EdgeLane site shows how thiscan be achieved. tAnthonu Bmdshnu FRS. Professor'of Botan\ at theUnt\ercit! ol LiDer'pool, tstharm,n af the MercelJsideEntirolmwntal T1$t-fr Lille! makes erceedinnlt g00d telepltom excharges!lftn Liller oncc told the Sfstem X olerato.s ttat ha'd keep thesile open if it mrant nakin! cakes.llis culinary pof,ers haye nayer leen tested, bd his taiti inl{eFeyside ard its leople has toe|r lexardcd.With one wice Pllst sals, "Thark, lcnl"ft@,€. d ditsd d/ Frry hmm'di*, rkddrb. Mtui 1Fd It NM frar'Ml€ s€re htd s&die6d* !@hb ed pid t Br