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Rover shadow factory
- Thread starter Tinpot
- Start date
The Rover also had two other Shadow Factories, one next to or opposite the Co op Laundry in Woodcock Lane North and the other at a new site in Solihull which ultimately became Rovers main car plant. In WW2 when Rover lost the contract to build Jet engines, developed by Frank Whittle in these factories they were awarded a contract to build Meteor tank engines as reparation. Note, many historians state that Rover chose to build the tank engines but Frank Whittle tells a very different story!
The Acocks Green History Society has some excellent information on the Woodcock Lane site, part of which is reproduced below. Many fail to realise that Rover occupied the site after the war.
From the end of hostilities Rover's Acocks Green factory had been designated as the home of 'Fighting Vehicle Engine Research', and this association with the defence ministries carried on for 21 continuous years into 1964, the work always being centred at Acocks Green.
Later the factory built a V8 3.5 litre engine under license from Buick, for the P5, a favourite of Mrs Thatcher and the Queen. It was also where Rover’s Technical Films section was based.
Another summary can be found by entering the search terms 'meteorite engine range mortimer' in a search engine.
The Co-op opened a laundry nearby in February 1939, and that was taken over by Rover to increase capacity. It soon lost part of its site to the war effort. In April 1942 the 250 remaining employees had to leave, as the Rover Aircraft Company needed the space. The laundry reopened in July 1946, and closed in February 1975. The camouflage paint remained until demolition.
The Acocks Green History Society has some excellent information on the Woodcock Lane site, part of which is reproduced below. Many fail to realise that Rover occupied the site after the war.
From the end of hostilities Rover's Acocks Green factory had been designated as the home of 'Fighting Vehicle Engine Research', and this association with the defence ministries carried on for 21 continuous years into 1964, the work always being centred at Acocks Green.
Later the factory built a V8 3.5 litre engine under license from Buick, for the P5, a favourite of Mrs Thatcher and the Queen. It was also where Rover’s Technical Films section was based.
Another summary can be found by entering the search terms 'meteorite engine range mortimer' in a search engine.
The Co-op opened a laundry nearby in February 1939, and that was taken over by Rover to increase capacity. It soon lost part of its site to the war effort. In April 1942 the 250 remaining employees had to leave, as the Rover Aircraft Company needed the space. The laundry reopened in July 1946, and closed in February 1975. The camouflage paint remained until demolition.
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Covroad
master brummie
A link to some more lost industry/factories in Birmingham some great and iconic names BSA, etc
www.birminghammail.co.uk
Source: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/gallery/kettles-cars-12-lost-factories-26646210 accessed 15/4/2023 @ 08:00hrs
From kettles to cars: 12 lost factories that employed generations of Brummies
These factories were once some of Birmingham's biggest employers and were the power house of the 20th century. From Swan kettles to Rover cars, all were made during the century and the development of manufacturing shaped the world. With the iconic Spitfire factory in Castle Bromwich, the...
www.birminghammail.co.uk
Source: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/gallery/kettles-cars-12-lost-factories-26646210 accessed 15/4/2023 @ 08:00hrs
Richard Dye
master brummie
Breaks my heart that for the most part all of those iconic car brands have disappeared!A link to some more lost industry/factories in Birmingham some great and iconic names BSA, etc
From kettles to cars: 12 lost factories that employed generations of Brummies
These factories were once some of Birmingham's biggest employers and were the power house of the 20th century. From Swan kettles to Rover cars, all were made during the century and the development of manufacturing shaped the world. With the iconic Spitfire factory in Castle Bromwich, the...
Source: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/gallery/kettles-cars-12-lost-factories-26646210 accessed 15/4/2023 @ 08:00hrs
Covroad
master brummie
As an apprentice electrician in the late 60’s / early 70’s the sites I have worked on and are now long gone or just a brand name now so sad .
- Tractors and Transmission Drews Lane Ward End - BMC
- Rover - Kings Road Hay Mills (old CWS bikes) and Land Rover Solihull
- Wilmott Breeden - Speedwell Road Hay Mills / Yardley
- Kwikform - just off Coventry Road Yardley
- Smiths Industries - Coventry Road opposite Bedders chip shop
- Rootes Group - Coventry Road
- BMC Longbridge (use to use push bikes to get around that site it was massive area to cover)
- BSA - Armoury Road Small Heath (heart braking to see the demise of the group)
- Smith Stone and Knight (paper mill) Chesterton Road Aston
- M&B Cape Hill Smethick ( I can hear the sound of the bottling ladies walking up the tunnel to the canteen with the wooden clogs on)
- AMAC Erdington - Castings
- S&U carburettors next to AMAC in Erdington
- Various British Steel sites all over the Black Country