Introduction the origins of the longbridge works are a tin printing and box manufacturing works built by the birmingham company of white and pike ltd. The closure of the mg rover plant in longbridge birmingham live. The use of tunnels on factory sites is away of keeping utility pipework out of harms way and leaving the surface free from obstruction. Thank you for your continued support in these difficult times. While it was the collapse of a deal with a chinese backer that sealed rovers fate, china did not turn its back on birmingham. Jan 28, 2014 some believe there may still be factory tunnels and underground production facilities in parts of coventry, similar to the shadow factory tunnels beneath longbridge in birmingham. Inside the eerie abandoned longbridge rover car factory in. The last mini to leave the longbridge factory has sold for. These abandoned mg rover tunnels at the longbridge plant are crazy.
Some believe there may still be factory tunnels and underground production facilities in parts of coventry, similar to the shadow factory tunnels beneath longbridge in birmingham. The longbridge works of the austin motor company is situated seven miles south of birmingham on the main road that runs from the city centre to worcester. Annual output peaked at around 380,000 units in the 1960s. The tunnels which ran beneath austin rovers longbridge plant are mostly all that is left of the plant. The shadow factory tunnels under birminghams longbridge site are the remnants of lord austins secret plans that were hatched to bolster british military might in the face of german military aggression. Inside the eerie factory tunnels safe from german bombers daily mail. The austin factory at longbridge in june from english heritage book. The factory 5 devon way longbridge birmingham b31 2ts west midlands phone 0121 464 8850. This was purchased by printing company pike and white, who built a factory on the site in 1895. Sep 24, 2011 the book says as early as 1936, a series of tunnels was being prepared on the site, burrowing into the hillsides and linking various parts of the factory.
Longbridge underground tunnels page 2 birmingham history. Page 2 of 3 clubman in the longbridge tunnels posted in mini chat. Most of the longbridge site is currently being redeveloped, the remaining buildings still standing are owned by the. Return to longbridge eastworks tunnels uk urban exploration cheyenne mountain. Plan a must be to save longbridge as a car factory. He said a full survey had been carried out on the underground parts. Longbridge underground tunnels in 1936, and aswel as the shadow factories that existed, an extensive network of tunnels began construction. May 06, 2010 i spoke today to one of the many onsite contractors who worked on the utilities of the longbridge factory. Train tickets from birmingham to longbridge can start from as little as. Ten years ago mass production at longbridge car plant came to an end after more than a century. Longbridge mg rover manufacturing plant in uk factory tour.
By march 1940 tunnels were also constructed to link to other parts of the. Page 1 of 31 longbridge tunnel mini posted in introduce yourself. The book tunnels i found on a shelf in a public library, i read a little summary. Mar 28, 2016 nowadays, the longbridge site bears little resemblance to the thriving car plant that once proudly dominated the landscape. The mini clubman was used for testing purposes by bl and the underground tunnels were used during the war military production years and then in later years mainly for storage and testing purposes i think. All rather mundane so worthy of a bit of urban myth to spice things up. Entrance to the longbridge tunnels all photographs by the author just below the surface of longbridge, an area just outside of birmingham, uk, amidst the various residential redevelopments, lies. Dec 02, 2014 entrance to the longbridge tunnels all photographs by the author just below the surface of longbridge, an area just outside of birmingham, uk, amidst the various residential redevelopments, lies. The next meeting of the bromsgrove branch of the birmingham and midland. The longbridge factory has grown over the years, but is split up into four main areas.
Herbert austin bought the disused longbridge site in 1905, it having been repossesed by the bank in. Longbridge plant is an industrial complex in longbridge, birmingham, england, currently leased by saic as a research and development facility for its mg motor subsidiary. Sep 27, 2016 a huge car factory lies frozen time eleven years after it was shut suddenly. Sep 19, 20 after the war, the factory returned to producing automobiles and the tunnels were abandoned. Feb 26, 2017 dare to enter a set of tunnels that have been abandoned for over 50 years.
Longbridge plant is an industrial complex in longbridge, birmingham, england, currently. Longbridge underground tunnels page 2 birmingham history forum. A fascinating batch of photos of longbridge in 1984 has come to light, and theyre too good not to share. Return to longbridge eastworks tunnels urban exploration. By march 1940 tunnels were constructed to link other parts of the works site.
Apr 04, 2015 longbridges automotive past has not been entirely swept away. Longbridge tour an account of a visit to the longbridge works in 1929. South works where it all began, then north works, west works and finally east works. Since 1906, the area has been dominated by the longbridge plant, which produced austin, nash metropolitan, morris, british leyland, and most recently mg rover cars. The site now known as the longbridge plant was once an area of farmland between lickey road, lowhill lane, and the mainline railways. Longbridge aerial view longbridge factory british leyland. Archive photographs chart the transition from boom to bust. Despite being britains most famous and infamous car plant, longbridge was never a worldbeater. After the war, the factory returned to producing automobiles and the tunnels were abandoned. Entrance to the longbridge tunnels all photographs by the author just below the surface of longbridge, an area just outside of birmingham, uk. The factory became dormant, and some parts of the older sections of the site were demolished after mg rover fell into administration in april 2005. Discover longbridges secret tunnels with talk bromsgrove advertiser. The german hospital, jersey and its entombed workers. I am writing with refernece to the shadow factory tunnels that are beneath to old jaguar car plant in longbridge.
Mg rover collapsed in 2005, leaving more than 5,000 workers redundant, but now pictures have emerged from inside its famous longbridge plant in birmingham. Dare to enter a set of tunnels that have been abandoned for over 50 years. Less than a year off its century, the factory closed and 6,000 lost their jobs. Aug 11, 20 longbridge was commissioned for an underground factory, which was built underneath groveley lane, where aircraft engines and associated components were assembled during ww2. Eerie images have revealed the abandoned remains of an underground factory in birmingham where engines that powered the spitfire planes. Blackout below birmingham in the abandoned wwii tunnels. By the late 1960s, the longbridge plant was the second largest car plant in the world. By the late 1960s, the longbridge plant was the second largest car plant in the world, employing some.
Prices can also vary depending the time of day, route and class you book. The abandoned shadow tunnels, built in the prewar years, lie hidden beneath the longbridge factory in birmingham. Opened in 1905, by the late 1960s longbridge employed around 25,000 workers, building cars including the original mini. Longbridge tunnels, birmingham aug 20 i popped down a couple of weeks ago without my camera and decided to pop back down technically i was on 1 10 so this is a dinner hour visit the entry is starting to get a bit dodgy, someone has gone through one of the bottom steps and one of the steps higher up started to crumble below my foot which. Clubman in the longbridge tunnels page 2 mini chat. Longbridge station 2799 route 30 e, ligonier, pennsylvania 15658 rated 4. This selfexplanatory name is one commonly found across the country. The shadow factory tunnels under birminghams longbridge site are. Apr 08, 2015 ten years ago mass production at longbridge car plant came to an end after more than a century. The longbridge tunnel mini clubman 1275gt heads to auction. The story of longbridge is full of tragedy and the loss of car making there has dealt a huge blow to the midlands manufacturing base. Longbridge shadow tunnels birmingham october 2018 history the shadow factory tunnels are the remnants of lord austins secret plans that were hatched to bolster british military might in the face of german military aggression in the arms race that led up to the start of the second world war. These tunnels ensured that production of the engines and munitions could continue underground in relative safety. Photos courtesy silverstone auctions for decades, the last mini from british leylands former longbridge plant near birmingham, england, sat abandoned in the maze of tunnels below the massive factory, its roof staved in by an unfortunate encounter with a shipping container.
For ninetynine years, cars were made at longbridge. Many of the bricked up tunnels were entered and checked. Rover longbridge the site was once the biggest manufacturing plant in the world and part of birminghams transport history, many thousands were employed producing and assembling cars in peacetime, which include the iconic austin mini, as well as aeroplanes, such as the lancaster bomber, and munitions during the wars. Everybody out longbridge finally grinds to a halt autocar. I noticed that the book noted editor, who found harry potter, but it is the only link with harry. The demolition of the old west and north works at the mg rover factory in longbridge, in 2006. It is a story about a boy will burrows and his father roger who are mystified researchers history.
It is also the first book ive read by publisher, great little books, llc. Jan 14, 2016 after the war, the factory returned to producing automobiles and the tunnels were abandoned. Longbridge underground tunnels birmingham history forum. Longbridges automotive past has not been entirely swept away. But since the collapse of mg rover, part of the site was redeveloped for housing and commercial purposes. Report longbridge tunnels jan 2016 underground sites. The longbridge plant in birmingham, west midlands, was once a powerhouse employing 25,000 workers. Aerial view from the cofton park side showing central administration and manufacturing buildings. The book says as early as 1936, a series of tunnels was being prepared on the site, burrowing into the hillsides and linking various parts of the.
There are several references to the longbridge plant where some characters work in the novel the rotters club and its sequels the closed circle. Longbridge photos, maps, books, memories francis frith. Image result for old birmingham trams acocks green. Longbridge tunnel mini introduce yourself the mini forum. It is by far one of the best ive read in a long time. Since our office and factory are in a rural area, our staff travel to work individually by car and we have enough space to maintain social distancing, so in consultation with our staff, we have decided to remain open for business unless government policy changes. The long bridge here carried the bristol road across the river rea and may have been built when the bromsgrove turnpike was set up in 1727. Final longbridge factory mini sold at auction bbc news. Coventrys longforgotten underground tunnels coventrylive. The story of how this new business came to be has been in development for over 14 years chronicling the founders experiences in the industry.
Return to longbridge eastworks tunnels urban exploration, built. Exaustin rover maintenance engineer stuart collins took these shots while on the line, and recalls the marvellous details in the pictures. There was a tollgate at longbridge and a milestone on the birmingham side of the bridge showed birmingham as 7 miles distant, with bromsgrove 8 miles away. Train tickets from longbridge to london can start from as little as. Lickey road where the cars of mg rover workers used to be doubleparked outside the factory, is now a smart housing estate, just up from the retail park. Longbridge was commissioned for an underground factory, which was built underneath groveley lane, where aircraft engines and associated components were assembled during ww2. I spoke today to one of the many onsite contractors who worked on the utilities of the longbridge factory. Union officials say these measures are only useful as plan b. Apr 02, 2015 the demolition of the old west and north works at the mg rover factory in longbridge, in 2006. Aug 10, 2016 check out my revisit at the longbridge tunnels, my first visit was back in in 20 and nout has changed in there.
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