What happened, and what it means for your chairs
The full background, the model list and what to check on each chair are in our guide: What happened to the Bradfern and G & J chairs, and how to keep them running.
What we repair and supply
| Part or fault | What we do |
|---|---|
| Castors, wheels and brake assemblies | Constant floor contact. Braked rear castors and 200 mm wheels wear, seize and lose braking. These are standard industrial castor sizes and can be replaced like for like. |
| Vinyl upholstery and foam | Cleaning chemicals harden and crack vinyl; tears are an infection-control failure. Re-covered in healthcare vinyl meeting Crib 5 (BS 5852) and BS 7176 medium hazard, over combustion-modified foam, with the certificates supplied. |
| Gas struts | On phlebotomy and tilting treatment chairs the strut loses pressure and the backrest will not hold. Replaced with a strut of matching stroke and force. |
| Arm caps, arm pads and footboards | Cracked, missing or bent. Pads are re-covered or replaced; footboards and footrests are straightened, re-welded or remade. |
| IV pole mounts, seat belts, document pockets | Small parts that stop a chair being used. Matched or made. |
| Frame joints | On heavy A&E and bariatric use, welded joints fatigue. Inspected, and repaired by a coded welder where the frame is sound enough to keep in service. Where it is not, we say so. |
Every chair we return has been inspected, and the report says what was replaced, what was checked and what to watch. If a chair is not worth repairing, the report says that too.
Which models we cover
All of the documented Bradfern range: the Bolton, London, Glasgow, Bowlee, York, Escort Lite, Easy Glide, Porta 212, Porta Bariatric and Royal Nesting portering chairs, the Economy Transit, the Options and Classic Compact day chairs, the phlebotomy and treatment chairs, the Easi-Clean Sanichair commode, and the mattress trolleys G & J made in small numbers. If your label has gone, send a photo and the castor size and we will identify it.
How it works
- Tell us what you have. Model if you know it, how many chairs, and what is wrong. Photos help. No drawings needed.
- Quote within 48 hours. A written quote per chair or per fleet, itemised, that your finance team can raise a purchase order against.
- Spares by post, repairs at our workshop. Small parts ship to you. Chairs are collected by us, repaired in Manchester and returned by us, in batches for a fleet so the ward keeps enough chairs in use.
- Paperwork with every chair. Inspection report, and for re-upholstery the Crib 5 and BS 7176 certificates and a cleanability statement for your infection prevention team.
What we do not claim
We are not Griffiths and Johnson, G & J Logistics or Bradfern, and we do not speak for them. We hold no rights in the Bradfern name, no manufacturer's drawings and no original tooling. What we have is a workshop, engineers, a network of UK shops, and the ability to measure a worn part and make it right. We say this plainly so that nobody in your procurement team has to ask.
Tell us about your chairs: a photo is enough.
A written quote comes back within 48 hours from one named person. No minimum quantity; one chair is fine.
Bradfern chair spares and repair: the questions trusts ask
Yes. TrueNorth Engineering in Manchester supplies compatible spares to fit the Bradfern range: castors, wheels and brake assemblies, gas struts, arm pads, footboards, IV pole mounts, seat belts and re-upholstery kits. Parts are made or sourced to fit; TrueNorth is not the manufacturer and holds no rights in the Bradfern name.
TrueNorth Engineering repairs, re-upholsters and services Bradfern portering chairs, day chairs, phlebotomy chairs and commodes at its Manchester workshop. TrueNorth arranges collection and return, and inspects and documents every chair it sends back. Griffiths and Johnson, the company behind G & J Logistics and GJ Medical, stopped supporting the range when it entered administration in August 2025.
No, and TrueNorth Engineering does not claim to. TrueNorth works from the chair in front of it: the worn or broken part is measured, matched to a standard component where one exists, and make it where one does not. Most of the running gear on these chairs is standard industrial castor, wheel and strut stock.
Yes. TrueNorth Engineering re-covers seats, backs and arm pads in wipe-clean healthcare vinyl that meets Crib 5 (BS 5852 ignition source 5) and BS 7176 medium hazard, the classification BS 7176 applies to hospitals, over combustion-modified foam, and supplies the fire certificates and a cleanability statement with each chair so your infection prevention team has the paperwork.
On a purchase order against TrueNorth's written quote. Spares and repairs sit in revenue budgets, not capital, and most orders fall well below the public-contract threshold, so a trust can buy directly under its own standing financial instructions. TrueNorth Engineering replies with a written quote within 48 hours.
The model name is usually on a label under the seat or on the frame crossbar. If it has gone, send a photo of the chair and the castor size and TrueNorth will identify it. Our guide to the Bradfern and G & J range lists every documented model with its wheel sizes and features.
Yes. For a fleet of portering or day chairs TrueNorth Engineering surveys each chair where it stands, record model, condition and what it needs, tag it, and give you the list. Repairs are then done in batches at TrueNorth's Manchester workshop, collected and returned by TrueNorth, so the ward is never without chairs. Many trusts cannot say how many Bradfern chairs they own because the chairs sit outside the medical-device register; the survey produces that inventory.