Even More Below.........!
Please scroll down to read the Interesting Facts about Austin, Longbridge and the Association. Keep checking back for updates! If you want to share some with us, please contact AustinExApps@aol.com
Thanks goes to John Baker and his great website at Austin Memories for some of the interesting detail presented.
Limited Editions
Mini offered a number of (LE's) limited editions that usually included a special and unique combination of trim and badging. Some also included mechanical upgrades, particularly the Coopers.
Some are shown above, but since the trend started with the Mini 25 Anniversary almost (50) other LE's were launched therafter, some for export only like the Mini Belfast for Japan and the Mini Silverstone for the German market, replete with 13" Revolution alloys. By contrast the Mini 35 sported Blue-and-pink "Jamboree" fabric!! In 1999, the Cooper Sport 5 was the only production Mini with a 5 speed gearbox. The reintroduction of the Cooper started with the RSP (Rover Special Products) version in 1990. The last LE of course was the 2000 Model Year Mini Cooper Sport 500 complete with a silver roof, a certificate signed by John Cooper and a plaque denoting the unique number 1-500 of the last of the Issigonis Minis.
He's a Poet and He Knows It!! - It's SPOZ
Former 2006/7 Birmingham Poet Laureate and Ex-Apprentice Giovanni Esposito, better known as ‘Spoz’, has exclusively penned this little limerick for us about his time at Longbridge;
A young lad who was non compos mentis,
Was employed as an Austin Apprentice,
After twenty five years,
Of chassis and gears,
He said "Is it real or have I dreamt this?"
Since leaving MG Rover in 2005, Spoz turned to his true vocation and talent and has had his award winning work published, recorded and aired on national radio. He’s also a member of the renowned ‘New October Poets’, has taken part in so many festivals, he’s just lost count (including Glastonbury) and even had a commission from the BBC. To find out if Spoz’s work is your cup of tea, get yourself over to his website at Spoz.net There is a health warning, though as it ‘May Contain Nuts and Rhyming Language!!’
Apprentice Rallies
During the heyday of the Mini's glorious victories in Monte Carlo, Rallying wasn't the sole preserve of the BMC Works team. Ex-Apprentices organised thier own events. For those familiar with the old Apprentice Car Park on Longbridge Lane, you'll see in the background the Midland Bank sign on the main Bristol Road.
Recruitment Drive
Advert for BMC Apprenticeships from the Times newspaper in March 1958. 10 years after this, this corporation would become the world's 4th largest car producer, it's highest ever position.
The Austin F.G.
The FG range was released in the early sixties. Ex-Apprentice Roy Lavender served his time at Longbridge as a fitter in the commercial experimental in East Works with the FG being one of the first models he worked on.
Roy recalls the FG had (5) major safety factors, namely;
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Wrap round windscreen,
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Minimum projection of cab doors,
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Vision panels in front lower quarters,
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Flasher indicators as standard and
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Superb rear visibility for safe reversing.
Add in (4) Comfort Factors of;
No mention of cup holders anywhere!!
Thanks to Roy Lavender
In the Navy Now!
His Majestys Trawler Lord Austin FY220. This trawler was built with a steel hull and steam power in 1936. In 1939 it was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and converted to an armed anti-submarine patrol boat. It entered service in 1940 with the name LORD AUSTIN and was used for local escort of convoys in the Western Approaches, mainly on the flanks of convoys watching for submarine activity.
It was part of the ill fated and well known PQ 17 convoy that was heading for Russia from Iceland in June/ July 1942, when the Admiralty panicked into scattering the convoy as they thought the Tirpitz was heading towards them. Shadowing the convoy were 8 U Boats which then picked off 23 of 34 unprotected cargo ships, the worst convoy loss of the War.
HMT Lord Austin and other Naval boats managed to round up surviving boats and escort them to Russia without any further loss. Convoy escorting continued mainly on the Russian routes, until June 1944 when FY220 was heavily involved in escort and guidance of shipping involved in the D Day landings. On the 24th June 1944 whilst working in the Seine Bay area off Normandy it hit a mine and sunk almost immediately with considerably loss of life.
HMT LORD AUSTIN prior to Requisitioning
Thanks to Neil Wedgbury
Any 'Austin' still at Longbridge?
One of the few Austin signs left in the Longbridge area , at the British Legion Club Quarry Lane Northfield. The Austin name also appears on the 'Austin Sports & Social Club' on Tessal Lane and on the sign for the Austin Village, but does anyone know if it exists anywhere else in the Longbridge area?
Life Begins at 40!
2009 is not all about the Mini you know! The Maxi is 40 this year and in common with it’s smaller stablemate, was penned by the great Alec Issigonis, this being his last creation. It became the first British 5-speed, 5-door hatchback! One unusual feature of this Austin was that the rear seats, as well as folding forward, as in a conventional hatchback, also folded back. In combination with fully reclining front seats this gave satisfactory, if rather basic, sleeping accommodation. It was popular due to it’s first class practical design but finally retired at the end of 1981. Enter the Maestro two years later…………
Happy 50th Birthday MINI !!!
2009 represents the 50th Birthday of the Mini. It was launched in the Longbridge Exhibition Hall on 26th August 1959, to an expectant world press, by none other, than now Austin Ex-Apprentice Association President Tony Ball MBE. Tony rose to become the youngest ever Sales Director in BMC.
Financial Times
The ex White and Pike Tin making and printing works which became the Longbridge factory was purchased by Austin in 1905 for £7,750. By the time he was ready to start production he had spent a total of £16,861. When doing his calculations Herbert reckoned that the weekly wage bill to make (3) cars a week would be £308:17s.
When the company went public in 1914, it was sold to the new Austin Motor Company (1914) Ltd for £399,993, which included building assets of £56,975 and manufacturing plant of £110,342.
Inflation over 100 years or so makes it difficult to compare investment figures, but the biggest single Longbridge car investment programme over the entire history is almost certainly the £275 million that underpinned the launch of the Metro in 1980. This included the largest single factory unit of the New West body plant at 78,500 sq. metres. At that time Longbridge would have had a footprint of 430 acres, 12 miles of internal roads, 9 miles of railway and around 30,000 staff working on site.
Will We Ever Reach These Dizzy Heights Again?
With SIAC currently producing 40 to 50 MGTFs a week, you never know..............
Mini Traveller
Picture copyright BHMT
It's well documented that over two thirds of the original Mini's were built at Longbridge and equally well known that a few were built at Cowley, but interestingly, Mini's were built across the world in some unfamiliar locations;
What Else Happenned in 1905?
We all know that 1905 was a great year for all ‘Austineers’ when the Austin Motor Company was founded. It’s also interesting to see what else was going on at that time, over 100 years ago;
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Start of the Russian Revolution - Bloody Sunday in St Petersburg
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Las Vegas founded
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Wilbur Wright pilots Wright Flyer III in a flight of 24 miles in 39 minutes. A world record that stands until 1908.
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The Rotary Club International was founded in Chicago, Illinois
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Largest diamond, Cullinan (3,106 carets), found in South Africa
……..and on the sporting front…….
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Isle of Man TT (RAC Tourist Trophy) was first run
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Newcastle United were crowned football league champions
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1st-Class Cricket debut of Jack Hobbs
Wot No 'Victory'?
archive pictures BMIHT
It is well known that the mighty Mini Cooper won a hat-trick of victories in the Monte Carlo rally in 1960’s. But did you know that the Mini actually won the Monte Carlo rally four years in succession? In 1966, the missing year, the Mini was robbed of its best ever result, a 1-2-3 for Makinen, Aaltonen and Hopkirk in that order.
The Monte Carlo rally was a gruelling competition based on a 900 mile mountain circuit including six special timed stages, to be completed within 24 hours. The third and final stage was an 11 hour night run covering 380 miles through some of the worst weather conditions in recent memory. Makinen drove GRX 555D brilliantly through the snow, ice and gales to lead his team-mates across the finish line into the sunshine of Monte Carlo harbour. But when the official results were posted, the Minis together with the Ford and Rootes entrants were not listed. Instead, the Citroën of Pauli Toivonen was declared to be the winner.
The explanation given was that the lighting arrangements of the Minis and other British cars did not comply with FIA regulations. Protests were lodged to the rally organisers and the FIA as but to no avail. The Citroën remained the declared winner, and the Mini were disqualified. Toivonen accepted his prize from Prince Rainier unenthusiastically, talking of ‘a hollow victory’.
The British press and public were convinced that the French authorities, jealous of the success of the little British giant-killer, had trumped up the charge to allow a French Citroën to triumph. The British public, however, responded brilliantly to their arrival back home with all three cars, accompanied through the traffic by a full police escort, given a standing ovation of the type usually reserved for royalty. As usual though the Minis had the last laugh and went back to Monte Carlo the following year and comprehensively put the disappointment behind them, by winning the ’67 event!!
Turning Japanese
It’s a recent and well documented fact that as part of the collaboration with Honda, Longbridge produced their Concerto model from 1990 to 1994 (126,436 made). What is probably well less known is that in 1952, Austin entered into a legal agreement with the Nissan Motor Company. Nissan were to assemble 2,000 KD kits from partially assembled sets and sell them in Japan under the Austin trademark. The agreement called for Nissan to make all Austin parts locally, a goal they achieved within 3 years. The agreement also gave Nissan rights to use Austin patents, which they used in developing their own engines for their Datsun range of cars. In 1953, British-built Austins were assembled and sold, but by 1955, the Austin A50 – completely built by Nissan and featuring a slightly larger body with 1489cc engine – was on the market in Japan. In total Nissan produced 20,855 Austins from 1953-59.
Dad's Army
Do you remember this story line? - ‘The Making of Private Pike’
In this episode of Dad’s Army Captain Mainwaring is an umpire in a battle exercise and therefore gets a staff car.
Pike anxious to impress a young lady (Warden Hodges’ Niece) takes the car without permission and goes to the pictures. On the way back they run out of petrol and Pike has to push the car back. When they arrive back the next morning a great deal of fuss is made that Pike and this girl have been out all night.
This Austin 8 Military Type Two Seater Tour was used in the making of this episode with scenes filmed at Lynford Hall, Mundford, near Thetford in 1977. The car is on display at the Bressington Steam Museum.
Paintshop Poet
We Don't Sell 'em Like This Anymore!
Early Milestone Dates
1905 Empty ex-White and Pike printing works discovered at Longbridge
1907 120 cars built in this, the first full year of production
1908 First Austin Apprentices start
1913 First lorry produced
1922 The immortal Austin Seven introduced
1926 Longbridge becomes a self-contained manufacturing plant
1936 Sir Herbert Austin becomes Lord Austin of Longbridge
Fast Pick Up
Check out this early 1960’s Austin Min Driver’s Handbook. On the inner page is a statement for Van / Pick-Up Drivers. It states;
‘You are reminded that your vehicle is subject to a speed restriction within the United Kingdom except on any of the recognized motorways’
It wasn’t until 1965 that the National Speed Limit came into force restricting speeds to 70 mph on motorways.
Household Cavalry!
1929 AUSTIN SEVEN MILITARY SCOUT CAR MT 6249.
Pictured at Wellington Barracks, just over the road from Buckingham Palace, in June 2007 , preparing for the Household Cavalry Pageant held on Horse Guards Parade in front of the Queen.
This example is the earliest known purpose built scout car used by the British Army and is in the insignia of the Life Guards part of the Household Cavalry.
The Scout car was a well proven light car with good ground clearance and adequate off road performance, the army found them very useful as well as cheap and basically expendable. They lasted until circa 1935 when the War Dept. replaced them with the light armoured reconnaissance car that eventually became the WW2 Diamler Dingo family.
At the time of their introduction they were the fastest vehicle the army possessed.
Post WWII Milestones
On 25th June 1946, Austin produced it’s Millionth car. By 1950 annual production had reached almost 158,000 units. CAB1 was officially opened in July 1951, and the A30 made its debut with the New 'A' Series engine (which lived until 2000!).
No Parking?
The iconic Multi-Storey car at Longbridge was at time of it’s construction in 1961 the largest in the world! It had (9) floors and a capacity for 3,300 finished vehicles. A further unique factor was that it was constructed using the revolutionary ‘Slab Process’ licensed to Wimpy in the UK from a US company. The structure was demolished in 2003.
Stig's Choice
Whilst BBC TV’s Top Gear may not have been that complimentary or supportive to the efforts of Longbridge and Austin products over time, the October 2008 edition of Top Gear Magazine, has a surprising inclusion. Racing driver ‘Man of Mystery’ The Stig, cites as his 2nd choice to fill his garage collection, none other than an MG Metro 6R4! Only the Lamborghini Reventon parks ahead of it.
‘Something with this amount of power (410bhp in the ultimate spec) and based on a Metro would appeal to the Stig’s sense of humour, if he had one. 0-60 in 2.5vsecs. Stig about town’.
Over 200 of the Clubman spec cars were built at Longbridge, with form at least, based on the humble Austin Metro. This then, the fastest production car ever built there….
Letter from America
Situated in Lord Austin’s office is a photograph of a white haired gentleman and signed by the subject 'From your friend, Henry Ford'. Both Austin and Ford were good friends and when Henry visited his factory at Trafford Park in Manchester he would stay with the Austin's at Lickey Grange.
The Austin Seven
The Austin Seven was the most popular pre-WWII British car with almost 300,000 being manufactured from Longbridge between 1922 and 1939. Pitched up against the Model T Ford, Herbert Austin wanted something smaller, lighter and even more fuel efficient than it’s main rival. The result was a 748cc, 800lb lightweight which provided to be nimble, quicker, roomier and more comfortable than it’s main rivals. It was produced in many different variants including saloon, open convertible (tourer), roadster and van. Built under licence by the likes of Nissan and BMW (and others!) the Austin Seven got millions of people across the world mobile and as a by-product also made a decent and cheap racer too. Lotus certainly thought so and created their first car – an Austin Seven Special.
Sprit of the Workforce
When BMW broke up Rover Group in 2000, Longbridge engineers successfully transferred the entire Rover 75 production line from Cowley in an amazing 12 weeks! More than this the quality of the Longbridge produced cars were better than the BMW QZ scores for the Oxford plant!
Recognition at Last
On March 1st, 2005 at the Palexpo in Geneva, the European Automotive Hall of Fame (who honour technical, managerial and entrepreneurial achievements in the industry) fittingly honoured Herbert Austin, 100 years after the founding of the Austin Motor Company at Longbridge in Birmingham. He is now remembered alongside other automotive legends such as Henry Ford, Karl Benz, Etorre Bugatti, Armand Peugeot, Vincenzo Lancia, Ferdinand 'Ferry' Porsche and fellow 'Austineer' Alec Issigonis.
A Rather Special 50p!
On Lord Austin's desk are three inkwells. In one is an old fifty pence piece placed there on a visit by Sir Michael Edwardes, when he was the Chairman of British Leyland in the 1970's. It is believed that this was placed there as a mark of respect for the ‘Half Crown’ that Lord Austin had flipped some 50 or so years earlier when deciding the fate of the company.
Size Matters
Opened in 1905, Longbridge site was once the largest manufacturing plant in the world and an inseparable part of Birmingham's transport history. Many thousands were employed producing and assembling cars as well as aeroplanes and munitions during the wars. 1965 saw it's maximum output record of 377,000 Austin cars. At one stage the only thing that the plant did not produce for it's cars were the glass and the wheels! Output from this proud factory amounted to almost 15,000,000 vehicles during the near 100 years of manufacturing.
An Exclusive Club!
Even though the first Apprentices started work at the ‘Austin’ in 1908, the Austin Ex-Apprentices Association was formed some twenty years later in 1928. The Association is the oldest institution of it’s type in existence in the world today! If you are an Ex-Apprentice, then ‘Feel Proud’ to belong to this 'Exclusive Club', as there’s only 1,600 or so eligible members worldwide.
82 and OUT!
The last Austin was built in 1987. It is unknown whether it was produced at Longbridge or down the road at Cowley but many believe that the final Austin badged car was in fact a Montego (unless of course you know different?), thus ending over 80 years of multi-million Austin production. Whilst cars such as the Metro, Montego, Maestro and Mini continued to be manufactured, from then on they wore somewhat anonymous badges based on the Rover shield. The Montego continued in production at Oxford until 1994.
The Last Montego signed by Workers 1994
A Real Modern Legacy - The Mini
The 5,387,862nd and last classic Mini rolled off the Longbridge production line on October 4th 2000. The Special Edition Red Cooper Sport was presented to the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust in December of that year.
Picture copyright BHMT
The Mini was developed in response to the fuel threat caused by the 1956 Suez Crisis and Alec Issignosis was tasked with it's creation. The resulting Mini was revolutionary in it's design principles of using a transverse engine, front wheel drive and astonishing packaging. Indeed it took Ford until 1976 and Vauxhall a further three years after that to introduce this technology. Today of course, this approach is common on most mainstream production vehicles from virtually all manufacturers.
The Mini followed a line of great Austin's from the original Seven to the A30 and was followed by the Metro, it's intended replacement which it outlived! Little wonder it was voted 'Car of the 20th Century' by Autocar.
Heads or Tails?
In the early 1920’s Herbert Austin famously tossed a coin to determine the fate of the company, ‘Heads’ to Stay, ‘Tails’ to Close. It landed 'heads up', so Austin spoke to the workforce himself. He explained that the Company finances were not healthy, but that the Austin Motor Company could survive if the workers were prepared to work for one month without pay. Austin appreciated that he could not ask this of the workers without giving something in return and so he offered those making the sacrifice a 'Job for Life' as long as the Company was there. In the 1970's there were still some of these workers, past retirement age in their 70s, working their 'Job for Life'.
The famous 'Half Crown', but does anyone know the date of the coin?
That coin, a half crown, is mounted in the wooden panelling behind his desk and remains to this day in Lord Austin’s office in the Exhibition Hall at Longbridge, currently looked after by SAIC. Hopefully one day, this iconic office will be made available for all to view as part of a fitting tribute to the great man himself.
Inventor or Innovator?
The very first cars from BMW, Nissan and Lotus were based on licensed versions of the Austin 7.
Thanks goes to John Baker and his great website at Austin Memories for some of the interesting detail presented.
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