Talk:Longbridge plant/Archives/2012

Copyright

I'm sure this has been mentioned before. These sections need rewriting, as they're identical to text at Austin - 50 years of progress.

Skilled workmen soon found their way to Longbridge and in the first full year 270 of them built 120 cars in the original 212 acre (858,000 m²) factory. Expansion and extensions followed and other cars were added to the range. Austin coachwork, with its large selection of Phaetons, Limousines and Landaulets, came to be admired and respected as much as the dependability of the chassis. - from here

Immediately upon the outbreak of the Second World War, the change-over from peace-time to war-time production began. The same machines and hands that a short time back had turned out highly finished cars, took in their stride the production of a whole miscellany of intricate parts for the nation's war machine. The variety and quantities of articles produced were staggering. Over one-and-a-quarter million rounds of 2, 6 and 17 pounder armour-piercing ammunition and twice as many ammunition boxes. Over half-a-million jerricans, nearly as many steel service helmets, and almost as many assemblies of one sort or another for mines and depth charges. A hundred thousand bogey suspension and driving gear units for Churchill tanks was considered almost a side-line.

And all this against a steady output of wheeled vehicles of various types to a total of over thirty-six thousand.

The shadow factory at Cofton Hackett, which started production with Fairey Battle light bombers and Mercury and Pegasus aero engines, ended by turning out Lancaster four engined heavy bombers. The latter were too big to be flown from the Longbridge flying ground and so they were assembled elsewhere, as were the Stirling bombers which preceded them. Nearly three thousand of these aircraft, along with Hawker Hurricane fighters, were ultimately produced, in addition to aero engines, Horsa gliders, Beaufighters and Miles Master fuselages. - from here Raygirvan

Most of this is taken from a biography of Austin Written in 1952- I've seen the book but did not paste it it. Leonig_Mig

I know you didn't - I'm not blaming anyone, just noting the problem. The Austin site credits it to "AUSTIN - 50 years of car progress", a 1955 Austin booklet, Publication No. 1235. Either way, still under copyright. RayGirvan 10:15, 14 Jun 2005 (UTC)

I would be happy to re-write it but can't bear the inevitable hatchet job mr magpie will do on it. It's all got a little too personal for my liking. Leonig Mig 10:54, 14 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Uncalled-for. It will be edited, by someone. You buy into that possibility - inevitability, in fact - by participation in Wikipedia. I'd edit it myself, but I don't know enough about the topic to be confident. RayGirvan 23:26, 14 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Fair comment, however my rages never last for long. I've done it and merged it into the article. Weeded a few bits of Mr Kipling style from the articles also. ;) Leonig Mig 13:33, 15 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Products not companies

I think it would be nice if we could concentrate on the products which were being built and the workers of the factory rather than the never ending changes of ownership. Perhaps a very condensed line to state which company ruled the roost, but it would be nice to get the names of the cars produced to dominate the business considerations which are covered in other articles, I.e. MG Rover, Leyland, Austin, etc. Any thoughts? Leonig Mig 14:10, 15 Jun 2005 (UTC)

On the other hand, this article is about a factory - IMHO, in-depth discussion of its products belong in the articles pertaining to the appropriate companies and marques. Letdorf (talk) 12:18, 21 May 2009 (UTC).

Tunnel system

No mention of the extensive underground tunnels and subterranean factory under Cofton Park (and the small hill that was flattened to make the Austin airfield) between the main factory and the Cofton factory that was built during the inter-war years - large enough for lorries to drive in and containing a St John's Ambulance 'hospital' first aid and ambulance station. 21st CENTURY GREENSTUFF 00:20, 13 August 2010 (UTC)

Aircraft -separate subsidiary?

There is reference in an Austin article to something called Austin Aero Ltd. I have searched in many places and so far all I have come up with is:

• 1917-1922 Aircraft Design Department (of The Austin Motor Company Limited)
• 1936-1946 Aero Division or Aero Works (of The Austin Motor Company Limited)

No mention anywhere else of the company named in this extract from the Longbridge plant article: "During the Second World War the main plant produced munitions and tank parts, while the nearby East Works of Austin Aero Ltd at Cofton Hackett produced several types of aeroplane such as the Short Stirling and the Hawker Hurricane."

Can anyone come up with more information? Eddaido (talk) 01:24, 7 June 2012 (UTC)