Pamelawagster
Brummie babby
Anyone know about Lonridge! Grandfather worked there ( not sure if was called Lonridge way back! ).Would there be any employees registers anywhere?
Researching Storey/Reader
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Longbridge Factory
- Thread starter Pamelawagster
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missjayniee
master brummie
My dad worked at Longbridge too in the 70's he worked on the Allegro and the Princess. He was also a shop steward.
Herbert Austin established the Austin Motor Company at Longbridge in 1905. Not sure when it started to be refrerred to as Longbridge - I live in Rubery and most of us called it "The Austin" - long after the company name changed.
In the 1970s and 1980s most of my family worked there in various roles. Dad was a Crankshaft Foreman, Mom was secretary to the catering manager, Sister in the Designs office, Uncle a Toolmaker.
In the 1970s and 1980s most of my family worked there in various roles. Dad was a Crankshaft Foreman, Mom was secretary to the catering manager, Sister in the Designs office, Uncle a Toolmaker.
M
Mannanan-The-Brummie
Guest
Not sure if there will be a register of employees left anywhere as I believe everything was stripped away when sold to the Chinese. I worked at The Austin as everyone called it twice. Once back in '77 until '79 when I worked at Cofton Hacket which made the engines for the Allegro and Maxi models. I then returned in '90 and stayed until 2001 when I left to come and live in the IOM. A lot of chnges have been made since then especially with the demolition of the West works. Some great times and some bad ones. Recall the mass meetings on Cofton park in the '70's when there was more than 20,000 people working there. Still say today that it was Bostin at The Austin..........
WINSTON
master brummie
try this link.plenty of information. https://www.austinmemories.com/
i worked there myself from 1977 to 1978.on the mini .then the allegro.did two weeks on nights then 2 weeks on days. good company to work for .except for the strikes.
i worked there myself from 1977 to 1978.on the mini .then the allegro.did two weeks on nights then 2 weeks on days. good company to work for .except for the strikes.
My Dad worked at the Austin all his working life, from about 1925 to 1974. However,because of strikes and not being paid he left for 6 months in 1952/53 (as I was born) to earn money to pay for his growing family. His service therefore only counted from 1953 ie 21 years! so he never received any clocks, watches, etc, although my brother received a watch for 25 years service. My uncles also worked there. It made me feel sad a couple of years ago to see the site razed to the ground. Dad also talked about how in the early days Herbert Austin would walk round the factory and know a lot of men by name.
Had three Ausitin's and a Triunph in UK and elsewhere and they were ok. I guess you tend to stick with what you know...heck I still support the Blues...St Andrews guys not Chelsea. Looking up a bit these days.
Went past the Longbridge factory many times on the way to the Licky Hills and Worcester and Wolverhampton. Large unions skew the overall workplace too much from the point of view of financial returns and benefits I think and although there were other major issues here the strikes must have had an effect on the demise.
This aspect is playing out abroad now. Sad to see the equipment being loaded on to trucks by Chineese workers at Longbridge.
Went past the Longbridge factory many times on the way to the Licky Hills and Worcester and Wolverhampton. Large unions skew the overall workplace too much from the point of view of financial returns and benefits I think and although there were other major issues here the strikes must have had an effect on the demise.
This aspect is playing out abroad now. Sad to see the equipment being loaded on to trucks by Chineese workers at Longbridge.
I have lots of information and memories of the die shop for this period (1956-64) during which I served my apprenticeship. The die shop forman when I started was Howard Williams who retired in 1957. I have kept the photograph showing most of the die shop workers who attended his retirement party in Quinton. If anyone is interested I would be glad to let them have a copy. Its peculiar that as I get older (72) I can remember the names of almost all of the die shop personel of that time. Unfortunatley it is certain that the only ones left would be my apprentice colleages, namely Tony Porter, Geof Smith, Tony Weatherall, Les Gammon and Mervin Potter. They are all on the photograph and if anyone knows of them I would like to hear from you. ATB Cliff Henry:unconscious:
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Radiorails
master brummie
My first car, in 1957 was a 1935 Austin 12. It would fail the present MOT on many counts. 
The next Austin vehicle was an A40, the bouncy one, not the Farina. I had, for a short while an A35 and I did have a 1972 Maxi at one time. I also had an Princess which I used for regular travel to Cambridge and an Ambassador they were great for longer distance travel. Those were the Austin cars.
Over the years I have had three French cars, Simca Aronde, Renault Dauphine and Renault 9. A Standard 10, a Singer Vogue estate, a Triumph 1300, Hillman Minx 1600, two Ford 10cwt. vans, a Cortina and two Escorts, an MG and two Rovers - one of which is my present car. So I guess have helped the car industry.
The next Austin vehicle was an A40, the bouncy one, not the Farina. I had, for a short while an A35 and I did have a 1972 Maxi at one time. I also had an Princess which I used for regular travel to Cambridge and an Ambassador they were great for longer distance travel. Those were the Austin cars.
Over the years I have had three French cars, Simca Aronde, Renault Dauphine and Renault 9. A Standard 10, a Singer Vogue estate, a Triumph 1300, Hillman Minx 1600, two Ford 10cwt. vans, a Cortina and two Escorts, an MG and two Rovers - one of which is my present car. So I guess have helped the car industry.
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I'm afraid that my experiences with Longbridge, and its products, are not good. Years ago I had a 1960 Mini and a 1964 A40 Farina, and they both just rotted away before my very eyes. Mechanically OK, bodywise rubbish. When I came back from the USA in 1980 my company graciously gave me a brand new Morris Ital (OK, not Longbridge strictly speaking). I picked this up from Tamworth, and within 10 miles the engine was over-heating thanks to a duff water-pump. Less than 30 miles on the clock. This was fixed, then a month later the tell-tale smell of hot oil, rising engine temperature in the red: a blown head-gasket and warped cylinder-head to put right. Not impressed. No more BL/Rover/Longbridge cars for me, thank you.
I worked for a supplier to Longbridge, this during the "Red Robbo" days, and I hated going there. First off, unless you drove a BL vehicle they wouldn't let you through the gates at Longbridge - by then my employer had seen the light and provided Ford. As I invariably had a lot of heavy equipment which I couldn't manually carry, I just turned round and went back to the office to make my report. Secondly, when I did eventually gain admission to the foundry with some experimental mould-spraying equipment, they refused to let me plug it in because I wasn't a member of the ETU! They wanted me to wait until an ETU member could come and shove a 13-amp plug into a socket! At this I exploded in best Brummie fashion, and was shortly afterwards hauled up before the works convenor who demanded an apology. An apology was what he didn't get. After this I asked to be taken off the 'Longbridge Run', which I was, and thankfully never set foot in the place again.
What eventually happened at Longbridge was, of course, diabolical, and I genuinely feel for anyone who lost his job (and pension) when the place eventually closed. However, over the years they did themselves no favours, with their outmoded, unreliable cars and their endless strikes, mostly for no good reason, and in the end they were the losers. I could go on, but I would very soon be getting 'political'.
G
I worked for a supplier to Longbridge, this during the "Red Robbo" days, and I hated going there. First off, unless you drove a BL vehicle they wouldn't let you through the gates at Longbridge - by then my employer had seen the light and provided Ford. As I invariably had a lot of heavy equipment which I couldn't manually carry, I just turned round and went back to the office to make my report. Secondly, when I did eventually gain admission to the foundry with some experimental mould-spraying equipment, they refused to let me plug it in because I wasn't a member of the ETU! They wanted me to wait until an ETU member could come and shove a 13-amp plug into a socket! At this I exploded in best Brummie fashion, and was shortly afterwards hauled up before the works convenor who demanded an apology. An apology was what he didn't get. After this I asked to be taken off the 'Longbridge Run', which I was, and thankfully never set foot in the place again.
What eventually happened at Longbridge was, of course, diabolical, and I genuinely feel for anyone who lost his job (and pension) when the place eventually closed. However, over the years they did themselves no favours, with their outmoded, unreliable cars and their endless strikes, mostly for no good reason, and in the end they were the losers. I could go on, but I would very soon be getting 'political'.
G
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S
Stitcher
Guest
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Hi Big Gee,
I have BL stories almost identical, I worked for a components supplier who only bought BL cars, my first company car was a Morris Marina 1700 in 1979. I lived in Shirley and went to collect it after work from Patrick Motors in Lifford Lane, I did not make it home !, over the next 3 months I rarely saw it and had a string of loan cars, they nearly got it right in the end. I had lot more BL/Rovers including SD1 and 800's, most of which fell apart.
I also had to visit Longbridge a few times, I recall one time where we had a production problem which was due to stop their night shift, so I took some parts in my boot after work so the night shift could work. I was greeted with utter apathy from the smoke filled room full of fork lift drivers when I tried to deliver the parts in the end I unloaded them onto a pallet myself and found someone prepared to scribble on my piece of paper, not a pleasant experience.
I find it hard to say these things since I made a living from component manufacturing, but it was an awful time. Bob
Yes BobJ, it was a sad state of affairs. I also had to visit Cowley, as my firm supplied them, too, but oddly enough it had a far better atmosphere than Longbridge, most of the people I dealt with were helpful and polite.
I was involved in supplying the motor industry for more than half my working life, and can't say I enjoyed it very much.
G
I was involved in supplying the motor industry for more than half my working life, and can't say I enjoyed it very much.
G
cookie273uk
master brummie
It's only fair to hear both sides re Austin, I have had a dozen cars since 1962, 3 were Austin, a 1961 A40 Farina (which I had rust proofed) a very reliable car and rust free when I parted with it 4 years later, an Austin 1800 a bit sluggish but once again reliable and exceedingly roomy, kept it 9 years, only fault was 2 worn constant velocity joints, not uncommon in front wheel drive cars and finally an Austin Princess 2.2 Litre, bit heavy on petrol but petrol was cheap in those days, loved its wedge shape and performance, also turned out to be reliable. I should add I always had them regularly serviced usually at Thomas Startins, went to school with the foreman Engineer, Roger Paget ! Eric
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mbenne
master brummie
Just been going through some of my Dads photos which I recently transferred to my pc. I came across this one entitled Longbridge Cars. Have no idea when it was taken or who appears in the picture. It has no connection to our family but I know my Dad did a lot of photo restorations for various friends and it has a photo shop file extension. Maybe someone can shed some light on it and if not it may be of interest to other members. Ps I tried following some of the Longbridge links but none worked as I kept getting security warnings in Firefox. If there's a more appropriate place for this pic please feel free to move it.
StevenMc
knowlegable brummie
What a wonderful photo. The expression "they don't make them like that anymore" couldn't be more appropriate. Though I joined a few years ago, I have more time and I'm working my way around the site and am interested in Longbridge as my dad (James who died in 2004) worked there in the foundry from the early 1960s until 1974. It was a phenomenal plant that made so much of the car in a way that would seem quaint and highly inefficient now. Having visited the shopping centre that is now there it's so sad that almost nothing remains. Correct me if I'm wrong, but is there anywhere in Birmingham that celebrates the days when the city was renowned for its ability to produce cars for every budget (I appreciate that we still make Jags but suspect most who use this site can't afford one)?
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It would be useful to know what is going on in that scene - it looks to be beyond inefficient! Is there any idea about workflow? And look at all those doors, they certainly wouldn't have got hot in the summer! If it was some sort of rectification/repair workshop then it wouldn't look so bad as the work performed on each car could be different.
Perhaps someone at Gaydon might be able to help? AORnline is good for British car history.
Perhaps someone at Gaydon might be able to help? AORnline is good for British car history.
Eric Gibson
master brummie
Here's the finished product:
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1182755
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1182755
The ‘advanced’ Austin car assembly line in 1955. Viv.
splinter555
knowlegable brummie
I am surprised that there is not more posts about this important part of the history of Bimingham considering that at any one time 20,000 plus people worked there and probably 100,000 depended on it for business so it affected a lot of people in and around the city. I worked there for three years in the mid 1970s and it was like another world to what I did before or since. The social life alone, every lunchtime organised football matches in Cofton park, there were a lot of top class amateur and part time pro,s working there and it was very competitive some days. Lunchtime inside the factory was darts time , there were hundreds of dart matches going on all over the place and the cups and shields that were won were unbelievable very professional. Leaving strikes and disputes out of it I'd like to hear some of the tales of other ex employees.
RobT
Acemeccanoman
Fantastic amount of information and photographs on this website link below, we must thank John Baker who created this website 'AUSTIN MEMORIES' as a labour of love. Sadly John passed away on 22nd Febuary 2021. This must be a reminder to us all to record valuable information & photographs so that others can enjoy them, for many years to come.
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splinter555
knowlegable brummie
Thanks Rob that will keep me occupied for while.
I came across this photo of my Uncle, Terry Murphy (2nd on the left) He worked at Longbridge for many years and lived in Alvechurch. He died in 1975. This photo may have been for a newspaper. It has the name G B Gillard 126 Addison road Kings Heath on the reverse. Not sure of the date it looks like the 60s. Any ideas?
Attachments
Excellent links provided by RobT & Spargone! I shall be spending my cold winter nights ploughing through the memories that they provide. I spent the first 15 years of my working life as a contractor within the motor industry at most of the car factories in the Midlands as well as Ford factories nationally, even a Nissan factory in the Caribbean. Many people get hung up on the class war & politics surrounding this industry, forgetting the work & innovation of the thousands of people involved!
My father worked as a development engineer for Rover and I have spent quite a bit of time sorting through his papers and putting them on my website. It does concern me that once my domain name and web hosting packages expire that all that material will be lost and might only survive on a hard drive that could end up at a tip. Rest assured though that any 'unacceptable' language that I might have used on the web at any time will survive until the end of time!
Digital material is strange stuff, it is easy to store and duplicate but the media might become unreadable and it is equally easily thrown away, whereas an organised file of papers/photographs might last 100 years.