Oldies but goodies just keep rolling on

Every morning for the last 32 years, Doreen Cartwright has woken up to find a cup of tea waiting for her and the radio playing her favourite station.

The 82-year-old was bought a Teasmade for Christmas in 1979 and has used it every day since. Doreen is just one of several readers who contacted the Express & Star to tell us about items which were bought decades ago, but are still going strong.

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The mother-of-one, who lives in Wendell Crest, Bushbury, says every evening she puts some water in the small kettle and then looks forward to her morning cuppa.

"It is lovely to have a cup of tea waiting for me in the morning and then the wireless comes on.

"It is just a great start to the day," says Doreen, who used to work as a cashier at an insurance company.

"I don't know what I would do without it now, I'm sure you can get new ones but I feel like mine is irreplaceable."

Diane Maskell has a Ronson hairdryer which was bought in the 1960s by her mother.

"Mum wasn't using it and so in 1967 I asked her if I could have it, and in those days I used it every week," says Diane, 62, who lives in Narrow Way Grove, Tipton.

"Now I use it for when I want to put curlers in for a night out as I've still got all the attachments, which include a hood.

"When I have the hood on it gets as hot as the ones in the hairdressers do."

Diane, who is married to Phil and has three children – Colin, Stephan and Paula – says she has even kept the original case that the hairdryer was in.

"I never dreamed I would be using it today, but it is very handy to have around."

Jim Moran from West Bromwich has a Creda tumble dryer, which he bought for his son's nappies 46 years ago.

"When my youngest son Michael was 18 months old we bought it to help get all his nappies dry – he is 47-years-old now," says Jim, who has an older son called Christopher.

"It is still going strong and works as good as new. I never dreamed I would still be using it today."

Janet Hagger received her Morphy Richards iron as a wedding present in 1965 and says it has always been very reliable.

"At the time it was the latest design and I never thought it would stand the test of time," says Janet, who lives in Colley Gate.

"It has never needed any new parts and the temperature control works, as well as the on-light."

Janet, 67, who used to work as a shop assistant at Safeway in Halesowen, says she did get a steam iron a few years ago but still prefers to use her 46-year-old model. "Because it isn't a steam iron it is more difficult to get creases out but I still choose to use the Morphy Richards one," says Janet, who has two children, Mark and Jane.

"My marriage ended after 33 years so the iron has even outlived the relationship."