Bickenhill/Elmdon

[Brookfields Lad]

Does anyone have any information on the factory that built Lancaster bombers at Bickenhill? It may have been an AVRO or Metro Cammell site.

 

[jennyann]

Hi Bob: There is a thread on the forum going back a few years called "The Spitfire" If you put that in the Search at the top right hand of the page and go to Page 9 you will find mention of the Lancaster bombers being manufactured at Bickenhill. They were also assembled at Cofton Hackett at the Austin Aero Shadow factory. I have a friend who has lived around there for over 70 years and he told me about the "Shed" as they called the place were several aircraft, including Lancasters were assembled. Many local people tried to get the "Shed" listed as a Heritage building but failed and it was demolished a couple of years ago.

 

[Brookfields Lad]

Hi Jennyann

Thanks for the info re "The Spitfire". Any idea where the shed was exactley?

 

[jennyann]

Hi Bob: The Flight Shed was in Cofton Lane, Cofton Hackett. Here is an Austin memories site which gives details of what was called "East Works". You have to scroll down the pages a bit to read about "East Works". The history of the Austin factories is fascinating. It is a very interesting piece of Birmingham History with little left but memories and photos. There are new homes being built on the site of "East Works". The effort to save the Flight Shed failed. There is also a newspaper article about the fight to save it and the comments registered are interesting:
https://www.austinmemories.com/page24/page24.html

https://www.birminghammail.net/news...lightshed-is-being-demolished-97319-29900271/

 

[Brookfields Lad]

Hi Jennyann

Thanks for the recent info and links about the Austin flight shed. Sad that so many important buildings get demolished before a proper record of them is taken.

 

[john70]

They were also assembled at Castle Bromich and tested from the airfield there.