6 replies to this topic

[mab01uk]

Friday the 16th November 2018 saw the unveiling of the ‘Longbridge Heritage Map’ created by local resident John Baker a former Longbridge worker and passionate archivist & historian of the factory.  The map, made from layers of stainless steel, contains etchings that depict the site circa 1985. The map visually and physically commemorates Longbridge’s heritage in the British car manufacturing industry and the rich layered social history that saw generations of local families working at the factory. The map will stay in Longbridge permanently, John's aims were for it to celebrate, to remember and to inform the next generation about the incredible history that has come to pass in Longbridge. The map, 1.6m by 3.5m in size, has been installed in Longbridge town centre on the side of the multi story car park adjacent to M&S.

"As an Austin Apprentice from 1958, Longbridge was my home for nearly 40 years. It was a very sad day for the community when the factory closed. I was passionate about reminding people how well the Austin served us both in war and peace time.” - John Baker.

 

Accompanying the heritage map is a series of plaques entitled ‘Longbridge Archives: This is the Spot’, created by Birmingham-based artist, Steven Burke. Burke’s six Rover-red art plaques dotted around Longbridge town centre mark the former factory locations which have been redeveloped, such as K Gate, North Works, Foundry and No. 5 Machine Shop. Members of the public can scan QR codes that have been embedded into the plaques to access an archive of original photographs, quotations, memories and stories from Longbridge residents and former workers on their smartphones, transforming the new town centre into a unique digital museum. A fully restored 1275GT Mini made at the plant in 1979 has also been unveiled and driven back to where it originated. The Mini has been restored by Birmingham-based award-winning photographer and contemporary artist Stuart Whipps.
http://www.midlandsb...ublic-artworks/

 

 

 

 

History of Austin website:-

http://www.austinmem....com/index.html

Edited by mab01uk, 28 November 2018 - 08:54 PM.

[sledgehammer]

Sad really

[Archived3]

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Edited by Mrplastic, 17 March 2019 - 10:28 AM.

[DeadSquare]

We rely far too much on the banking industry.

The rich want to keep the pound artificially high to remain wealthy on a global level with a “trickle down economy”. This hurts the employment of the working classes and wages stagnate
Home based manufacturing takes a hit as we’re not globally competitive (high pound) and our industries collapse.

Steel = Indian
Cars = Indian, Chinese etc
Coal = all but gone despite carbon capture tech
The list goes on

We were once great! The manufacturing hub of the world! The wealthys greed took hold and the working classes were blamed when they went on strike due to the overpayment of top bosses at the cost of employment on the floor.
Unions blamed and ridiculed whilst the rampant mismanagement of the overpaid continued to destroy the industry.

Rovers loss due to the incompetent handling of the Chinese deal with the Phoenix four and previous rape of the mini brand by BMW have left us a laughing stock..

Is it too late to get any of it back?

 

 I  BEG  TO  DIFFER 

 

For 5 years after the war, the "rich", who ever they were, were an absolute failure at keeping the pound high.  Because the government printed money to nationalise the railways and coal mines and start the national health service, Britain had the highest post war inflation of any of the Allies, which sunk the pound.

 

As a result, almost the whole GDP went to pay off war debt and there was nothing left over, to buy raw materials, which devastated what we could manufacture and sell to the world, so there was no money to pay higher wages.

 

We did get money from the American Marshal plan, but unlike Germany, who could spend it all on re equipping their industry, we had to pay for armed forces to defend this side of the Iron Curtain.  

 

Because there weren't any where near enough wealthy people to do the investing, after 10 years our industry was contracting, the formation of BMC and BAE are good examples.  After 20 years, with the aim of destroying capitalism, communism had established a 5th column in the form of militant trades union leaders whose carefully contrived strikes drove up costs which hit investment.

 

After 30 years, steel, ship building and textiles, with a host of smaller businesses shrank into oblivion because there was no indigenous wealth left, and no foreigners would  invest while greedy wages resulted in 25% inflation.

 

You blame wealth, but without wealth there is no investment, to provide work.  You blame strikes on overpaid bosses, but it was the fear of peer pressure that made them raise their hand.  You blame rampant mismanagement for men who were afraid not to strike, but it was the strikes that frightened investment that destroyed industries.

 

Coal was killed because the roof crushed over 50% of the country's mining machinery during Arthur Skargill's final miners strike.  Jack Dash killed London and Liverpool docks.  Red Robbo's 523 car strikes all but killed the car industry, but it was Jeremy Claxon's slanging on Top Gear that finally killed Rover.

 

In this global economy, it is rich companies that ruthlessly pursue their own ends rather that rich people, who are often quietly very philanthropic.

 

Finally.  Is it too late to get any of it back?  yes, it is.  Others are doing it better or cheaper.

Edited by DeadSquare, 30 November 2018 - 10:23 AM.

[Archived3]

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Edited by Mrplastic, 17 March 2019 - 10:28 AM.

[DeadSquare]

thats an interesting perspective.

You’re going back further than required and I really don’t think top gear can bring down a company. I’ve written university papers on the phoenix four.

Some very intelligent arguments within your post but sadly the title shows little regard for actual real intelligent debate.

Youre welcome to pm me to discuss the political decisions and my terminology of rich etc for genuine debate.

Thank you for your perspective

 

I have amended the title.

[pusb]

Single biggest mistake in the entire history of the British car industry was the enforced creation of British Leyland.

 

The govt hoped that profit making Leyland could support loss making BMC, but it just dragged the lot of it down.

 

Had the govt kept out of it, BMC would've probably gone bust in the early 70's, but someone would've bought up the assets and got the company going again (albeit a streamlined company). Leyland would have probably gone on to flourish on its own.