Auf Wiedersehen Pet, 40 years on

I think Barry is the only surviving member of the original crew that isn't pictured there. I guess Timothy Spall was busy collecting his BAFTA.

Boys From The Black Stuff was being discussed after the death of Bernard Hill. AWP was almost a companion show. The lives of men from a similar background who went to Germany to escape the desperate situation at home.

It's longevity has to be down to the characters and quality of the writing. Apparently the writers got to know the cast before finalising the script, so the characters would reflect aspects of the actors playing them.

I loved AWP as an 11yo kid at the time (was allowed to stay up to watch it as a Friday night treat) and have watched countless repeats of episodes over the years. There's a very active AWP group on Facebook, I see someone has posted a few video clips from this event up on there.

Wayne was my favourite character, it was sad that Gary Holton met such an early end, but I think he had a very enjoyable, albeit relatively short life.

I picked up 'Livin' Alright' on 7" vinyl off eBay last year, great tune!

It was watching this when it first on in the 1980’s that was a factor in me deciding to be a bricklayer when I left school
I did indeed become a bricklayer, but grew to absolutely fking hate it after a few years, despite the amount of money I could earn.
I’ve been watching the the repeats of the first series that are on now, I think it’s still actually a very watchable programme.

Great show still but anyone who is in or been in a trade can see the sets are nothing like a real site, you have bricklayers laying blocks and above them another gang laying in the same area. Building go up by lifts not all over the shop like in Auf Pet.

Interesting fact, the site they’re working on was flattened after filming as it was where the original EastEnders set was built, Central owned it but sold it to the BBC, all the outdoor town scenes were filmed in Germany (Hamburg being one city) but not the actual site, but they did import German bricks, blocks to make it look authentic, even had a German tower crane but they’re seen here a lot anyway.

Wayne cutting timber with a saw is a sight to see, he struggles like hell in Spain trying to cut a piece.

Maybe that’s how they’re taught in Bristol.

Another thing, non of the gangs have a labourer loading out, just half a dozen Turks stood around the mixer then the hopper is craned up and either Oz or bomber unloads it, never happen on site, as soon as a brickies spots are low they yell ‘compo’ and their young labourer scurries around with a bucket load.

When ‘Colin on the run from the army’ was on site, him and Neville were on a barrow getting muck!

Great show though, series 1&2, should have ended there.

I’ve been watching it again over the past few weeks, it’s been that long since I watched it it’s like watching a new show!

I watched it the first time round when I was 8 or 9, my parents could relate to it as we’re geordies and my dad had to go to London for work Monday to Friday, not as far as Düsseldorf though!

Bomber was in to a lot of things, He also had a car scrapyard and had a gym in Birmingham.

He was in all three of the original Indy films

Big Bomber actually was a professional wrestler. Big lump of a fella.

You're more than welcome to tell him he was doing it wrong

Totally agree. This was my favourite series growing up and I have owned them on VHS then DVD and watched them numerous times. I have just started watching them again on ITVX and they are just as good now as they were back then.

Interestingly the other 80s series I loved was the young ones and I can't even watch this anymore it has aged so badly.