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Morris Commercial Vehicles

Dougmick
Stan was an unmistakable big man from the millwright department. I remember firing arrows at an oversized dartboard against the Rover, Wilmot Breedon and B. S. A
Regards
David
 
Can any one post a pic of the Morris Commercial Social Club alum rock rd please. i see the club has gone now,
 
Catsclaws said:
Hi Jetty man ..
My dad too worked at the Morris Commercial and His Name was Harry Payton .. or Acka .. I remember very well Sunday nights .. I was 3 years old and had to sing on the stage .. 'Ab Yu Ebber Bin Lonely ' Or translated was 'Have you ever been Lonely , Have you ever been blue ' I think there was a nice man at the side of the stage .. ''Uncle Jim ?'' Who gave us Thruppence . My little brother once got his foot stuck in one of the little square holes on the dance floor . Gosh this has to be 52 years ago nor .. scary isnt it . I wonder if he Knew my dad ?
Fond Memories Jetty Man
Regards Jean x
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I was a member,of the rifle range there,40 yrs ago... glad i never had to sing,i cant:joy:
 
History of Morris Commercial Cars


E.G. Wrigley & Co supplied axles and steering sets to W.R.M. Motors Ltd., (the forerunner of Morris Motors Ltd), between 1913 and 1917 for the 10hp, ‘White & Poppe’ engined Morris Oxford.
Morris Commercial Cars Ltd. registered February 1924, registered office Foundry Lane, Soho, Birmingham. William Morris acquired factory/site from receivers of E. G. Wrigley & Co Ltd., (which had occupied site since 1902).
1924 – 1 ton truck production commenced. Within 8 years, 15 different types of vehicles were in production at Foundry Lane, ranging from 10cwts to 50cwts, many of which were powered by the company’s own engines.
1932 Morris Commercial Cars Ltd. moved to former Wolseley works at Adderley Park. First double-deck bus – the Imperial was produced here. ‘C’ type range of commercial vehicles announced in 1933. Was very successful, but by 1937 has become a little dated. Pressed steel bodied advances lead to the Equi-load range going into production.
War years – Adderley Park factory worked supporting war effort, producing military vehicles, tanks, gun platforms, and transmission units for torpedoes and anti-submarine weapons. They also made components for Rolls-Royce Merlin and Griffin aero engines.
Post-war – 1949: MCC introduced FV type and J-type van – a type much favoured by the GPO.
1952 Morris Motors merged with Austin Motor Co., and for a short period there was no outward change. Then equi-load range discontinued, and replaced in updated in the form by LC5 and NV types. LD range of vans and ambulances, using the well-known (ex-Austin) BMC 2.2 litre 4cylinder petrol engine, produced extensively.
1954 – 1963: MCC-designed OE diesel engines were made at Adderley Park These successfully powered many Austin/Morris trucks and Nuffield tractors.
1968 – Distinction between Morris and Austin commercial vehicles ceased, production now being labelled BMC. Thus ended the era of Morris Commercial vehicles. Total number of vehicle types produced was an incredible eighty-five.
1974 – Adderley Park factory closed, and remnant production facilities were moved to former Tractors & Transmissions (Wolseley works) at Drews Lane. This site eventually became LDV vans. (And we all know what happened to them!!)
1963 – 1986: Larger truck and diesel engine production was re-located to recently-opened plant, near Bathgate, Scotland.
 
Looking through this thread post 48 caught me eye. The BDIFBA I believe would mean the Birmingham (and) District Fire Brigades Asssociation. The British Fire Services Association was primarily an organisation for private, industrial and often the former local authority brigades. Some retained firefighters were members as well.
As far as Morris Commercial buses were concerned it was a sad tale where the city transport was concerned. BCT, in 1931, purchased 10 Morris Dictator saloon buses - 81 - 90 OV 4081 - OV 4090. They were not a great success it seems and after later deliveries of diesel engined Daimlers were relegated to peak time use mainly. A double decker 91 OV 4090 appeared in 1931. It was trialled for four years with BCT and was deemed a success, so a further 50 were ordered. The others 504 - 553 OC 504 - OC 553 were Imperials, as was 91. They arrived in late 1934. A further 4 Dictators arrived in 1933 47 - 50 OJ 9347 - OJ 9350. All were petrol engined which really was the weaknesses by 1934 the first diesel engined buses had arrived and that was the future for BCT and its buses.
 
I would like to add that three of Birmingham's Morris Commercial buses survive - Dictators 90 (OV 4090) and 47 (OJ 9347); and Imperial 527 (OC 527). 90 & 527 ar at The Transort Museum, Wythall (although not on general public view, but ask someone if you'd like to see them) and 47 is with the former Aston Manor Road Transport Museum, (but not at their current Aldridge premises and stored at another location). All three have the potential for complete restoration, but will cost quite a bit to do.
90 Cannon Hill 1.jpgOJ 9347 As found.jpg053 OC 527 Wythall Museum.jpg
 
Bob Johnson said:
Interesting article. Thanks.
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Morris Commercial actually experimented with a Gardner 5LW engine in a Dictator chassis, but the work was terminated, apparently by William Morris, who did not like the idea of HIS company buying-in engines.
The Company started using the Adderley Park Works in May 1929 and in 1948 started making Saurer diesel engines under licence for FVO and ECVO models.
I have self-published a 280 page book "Buy British and be Proud of it", the only book ever published dedicated to the history of Morris Commercial Cars Ltd., and it is only available from the Wolseley Register website. Unlike most historians, I never accept royalty payments from any of my book sales, so have no financial gain from my books.
Boomy
 
Had Morris decided to accept the Gardner engine, as did other manufacturers, it poses the question that instead of a large fleet of Daimler buses bought by BCT they might have been Morris Commercials. The body design on the 1934 Morris buses set the newer style for the later Daimlers. I believe BCT wanted to buy locally whereas Daimler were in Coventry and Guy were in Wolverhampton, but it did not play out that way.
 
This one was spotted at Skegness in 1986 outside the Festival Hall at a Meccano exhibition. (Hall demolished in approx 2002)
The Morris J-type was acquired in the early 1980's from a collective sale at the Hallamshire Vehicle Preservation Society, having been used by a team of fishermen going to and from the East coast and when purchased, it only had the driver's seat - presumably the passengers used their tackle-boxes to sit on!
A couple of harmonicas were found with the vehicle after it was purchased, so it would appear likely that the vehicle had witnessed much joviality (jolly fishermen) in it's time.
Van was christened 'Ivor' because of the number plate VOR 390
It is currently in mid-restoration
Morris Van outside Pavillion (2).jpg
 
What with the M of Supply, PO (Telephones).Royal Mail, Police/Prison service it seems HM Government were good customers. I believe Norman Stanley Fletcher arrived at a railway station (London?) in one of the prison ones for his onward journey to HMP Slade. :grinning:
 
Radiorails said

What with the M of Supply, PO (Telephones).Royal Mail, Police/Prison service it seems HM Government were good customers. I believe Norman Stanley Fletcher arrived at a railway station (London?) in one of the prison ones for his onward journey to HMP Slade.
mw0njm. said:
transit mk 1
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1582395928973.png
 
Last edited:
I think the transits were in a few episodes and the film. The van I refer to, I believe, is arriving at St. Pancras railway station, London and in the opening titles of the tv series.
 
The Morris Commercial Works started as the Wolseley Tool & Motor Co in 1901. Wolseley expanded their premises at different times and included in their purchase (in 1908) the former railway waggon building works that had been started by Brown Marshall.

With the expansion railway sidings were provided and they built their own shunting engines for handling the railway traffic.

Wolseley Tool had been early pioneers in automobile making and they also made internal combustion engines for their vehicles, they also made a few early narrow gauge locomotives.
 
Heartland said:
The Morris Commercial Works started as the Wolseley Tool & Motor Co in 1901. Wolseley expanded their premises at different times and included in their purchase (in 1908) the former railway waggon building works that had been started by Brown Marshall.

With the expansion railway sidings were provided and they built their own shunting engines for handling the railway traffic.

Wolseley Tool had been early pioneers in automobile making and they also made internal combustion engines for their vehicles, they also made a few early narrow gauge locomotives.
Click to expand...
Bob,
The complete history of Wolseley at Adderley Park Works is covered in my 224 page book "The Real Wolseley", only available from the Wolseley Register website.
Boomy
 

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expatriate said:
I have been out of Birmingham for about 46 years, so have been out of touch with most things, but it was with great sadness that I read of the closing of Morris Commercial Cars in 1972. MCC was more than a factory, it was a community. Many generations of families worked there and had strong links with the firm. It had a proud and heroic history.
MCC had photos of the assembly lines after the nightly air raids, with the workers first job in the mornings was to clear away the debris so the war production could commence. I was too young to have personal experience of the war time conditions, but when I started I worked with seniors who had worked there and they told me how things were.
They said that they had a captured German engine which they tested and that it ran on full load for weeks with no problems, something they said they had nothing comparable. They also said that some of the night shift women would not work until they had been "attended" to, their men were in the armed forces. There were a lot of women and few men!
I think the first nail was hammered into the coffin of the British Motor Industry durring my apprenticeship when they gave control to the economists. They then started to produce the car they wanted to sell rather than the car people wanted to buy! I think that the British cars were the best in the world before then. Cars like the Riley, a small limosine, the Wolseley, favourite as a police car. Morris, Austin, Rover, Humber or Hillman. Where are they now.
They started with the 1100 and 1300, then the Mini. The only contribution from the economists was badge engineering. When the Mini first came out, they had one for us to see durring our lunch break over in East Works. I took one look at it and thought it would never sell. I was so wrong. It sold as a Morris, an Austin, a Riley, a Wolseley, a MG and even a Rolls!
A bad photo I remember was a Scottish field, in winter, full of MCC trucks that were waiting to be sold.
I still remember happy hours spent at the MCC club in Ward End, playing tennis, dancing and just socializing. I am a life member of the Morris Commercial Cars Apprentices Association, but it no longer exists. Such is life!!
Click to expand...
Yes I was an Apprentice there 1963 - 1968 moved to Cowley to work ay Service HQ.

Yes it was certainly a community.
 
Expa
expatriate said:
I have been out of Birmingham for about 46 years, so have been out of touch with most things, but it was with great sadness that I read of the closing of Morris Commercial Cars in 1972. MCC was more than a factory, it was a community. Many generations of families worked there and had strong links with the firm. It had a proud and heroic history.
MCC had photos of the assembly lines after the nightly air raids, with the workers first job in the mornings was to clear away the debris so the war production could commence. I was too young to have personal experience of the war time conditions, but when I started I worked with seniors who had worked there and they told me how things were.
They said that they had a captured German engine which they tested and that it ran on full load for weeks with no problems, something they said they had nothing comparable. They also said that some of the night shift women would not work until they had been "attended" to, their men were in the armed forces. There were a lot of women and few men!
I think the first nail was hammered into the coffin of the British Motor Industry durring my apprenticeship when they gave control to the economists. They then started to produce the car they wanted to sell rather than the car people wanted to buy! I think that the British cars were the best in the world before then. Cars like the Riley, a small limosine, the Wolseley, favourite as a police car. Morris, Austin, Rover, Humber or Hillman. Where are they now.
They started with the 1100 and 1300, then the Mini. The only contribution from the economists was badge engineering. When the Mini first came out, they had one for us to see durring our lunch break over in East Works. I took one look at it and thought it would never sell. I was so wrong. It sold as a Morris, an Austin, a Riley, a Wolseley, a MG and even a Rolls!
A bad photo I remember was a Scottish field, in winter, full of MCC trucks that were waiting to be sold.
I still remember happy hours spent at the MCC club in Ward End, playing tennis, dancing and just socializing. I am a life member of the Morris Commercial Cars Apprentices Association, but it no longer exists. Such is life!!
Click to expand...
Expat, I think you hit the nail clearly on its head with the demise of the car industry. Even the mini fizzled after the gimmick wore off!
What is such a shame is that under good management/leadership they can succeed. Mini(BMW), Jaguar and Land Rover (Tata). Same plants, same workers,same equipment. Go figure!
 
This is interesting reading, particularly as it it hot today (22C) and most of us probably have time on our hands.
flashbak.com

Derek 'Red Robbo' Robinson and the Fall of British Leyland - Flashbak

Derek Robinson who the tabloids loved to call ‘Red Robbo’ referring to his Communist sympathies, was a name synonymous with the ignominious failure of Britain’s largest car manufacturer. In fact the company was badly run almost from the start and many of its problems had been obvious in the...
flashbak.com flashbak.com
 
MCC Aprentice said:
Yes I was an Apprentice there 1963 - 1968 moved to Cowley to work ay Service HQ.

Yes it was certainly a community.
Click to expand...
MCC Aprentice said:
Yes I was an Apprentice there 1963 - 1968 moved to Cowley to work ay Service HQ.

Yes it was certainly a community.
Click to expand...
MCC Apprentice,
I served my apprenticeship at Morris Commercial too (1955 to 1960), but I think the story about the captured German engine actually refers to when Wolseley tested captured German airship engines during WW1. Wolseley built airship engines and machinery themselves, so were obviously interested in testing, stripping and inspecting enemy equipment at their aircraft factory.
The complete history of Morris Commercial is covered in my book "Buy British and be Proud of it" and Wolseley's non car products are covered in my book "Wolseley Special Products". This is my way of PRESERVING a bit of Birmingham History.
Boomy
 
My aunt Mary Carr worked at Morris Commercial in Bordesley Green in WW2, I believe she was a machinist on a drilling machine.
It would interesting to see any photos of the work inside Morris during WW2?A7032A02-136B-48C9-9A00-2D049FB136F4.jpeg
 
thanks Eric, I should have shown the whole photo! The person with their hand on her shoulder is my uncle who was in the RAF at the time, well spotted :)
 
expatriate said:
Astonian, It was Pathe. but they amalgamated with other companies like Gaumont. I think the bloke in charge was Mr Fullilove or Mr Fulliforce.
Mr Bibb was apprentice supervisor, Alf was foreman Neville Kershaw was leading hand but he went on to be apprentice superviser. I am a life member of the Apprentices Association.
I was working at SU Carbs when there was a fire in East Works, the local people entered MCC and wheeled vehicles out to save them from the fire. A lot of locals worked at MCC of course.
They had a fantastic club for employees in Ward End I think. One night at an apprentices annual dinner, some older apprentices jacked up Mr Bibbs car and took the wheels off. He had an MG sedan. This Forum site is bringing back many memories of things I had forgotton, it is nearly 50 years since I left.
Click to expand...
My grandparents, Bert and Deb Wilson, ran the Drews Lane Social Club from around 1962 to 1967ish... We lived in a bungalow on site and there was another bungalow for the groundskeeper who was needed to look after all the cricket pitches, bowling greens and tennis courts. It was a very large site.
 
Radiorails said:
This is interesting reading, particularly as it it hot today (22C) and most of us probably have time on our hands.
flashbak.com

Derek 'Red Robbo' Robinson and the Fall of British Leyland - Flashbak

Derek Robinson who the tabloids loved to call ‘Red Robbo’ referring to his Communist sympathies, was a name synonymous with the ignominious failure of Britain’s largest car manufacturer. In fact the company was badly run almost from the start and many of its problems had been obvious in the...
flashbak.com flashbak.com
Click to expand...
Very revealing article indeed! Also very depressing, doing the same things over and over and expecting the results to change! What you might call snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. So many wonderful innovative brands just cast aside through very poor leadership.
 
Unfortunately, Longbridge turned out absolute rubbish in the late 1960's and 1970's.
The only thing important in British Leyland days, was meeting production schedules, even if cars were not selling, and ended up rotting away on fields.
"Quality" was not in their dictionary!
PA739
 
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