Once known as “Britian's motorway city,” or “Britian's Detroit,” Birmingham during a good amount of the 20th century was known for making cars. Birmingham began making contributions to the motoring world early on. The first car in Britian was built by Frederick William Lanchester in 1895. He also invented the accelerator pedal as well, all while being in the city of Birmingham. This would begin the trend for Birmingham throughout the upcoming century.
Lanchester would also create more innovations throughout history. He engineered an engine that ran on petrol instead of the traditional gas, and through this created the carburetor as well. Making sure the engine ran of the correct mixture of fuel and air. He actually tested this on a motorboat before putting into a car. But it worked in the car, nonetheless. Allowing for continued innovation in Britian throughout the early 1900s.
In 1906, a man named Herbet Austin decided to begin making cars after some success in the production of sheep-shearing machines. Austin would buy a former printing firm in Longbridge, which is in Birmingham. This would inevitably become the famous Longbridge factory. The endeavor was successful, as by 1914 the factory had doubled in size, and it was producing 1500 cars a year.
Production at Longbridge (credit: Birmingham Mail)
Production at Longbridge (credit: Birmingham Mail)
However, the Austin factory in Longbridge suffered throughout the First World War, because it spent its time making arms for the war effort. Another factory was created on the Longbridge grounds in 1916 to increase the manufacturing output for the war effort. This factory was named the North Works. After war, the North Works made trucks, or lorries if you're from Europe. And it produced tractors as well.
During the war, the West Works were built to produce shells for the ongoing conflict. One thousand machines were paid for by the government to fit this need. After the war, the machines were redesigned and used to make car bodies for the Austin car company. In 1930s, automatic car painting machines were added to the West Works. Adding more to the efficiency of the Longbridge factory. The West Works would continue to be added onto until the construction of the Metro Building in 1975.
1922 Austin Seven (credit: bildata.dk)
1922 Austin Seven (credit: bildata.dk)
Once the war was over, the Austin Motor Company began production of the Austin Seven. This car is considered to be one of the most influential cars of the early days of automobiles. It is considered by some to even be the Ford Model T of Britian. By 1930, 1000 Austin Sevens were coming off the assembly lines each year. Quite a staggering amount for so early in the history of the car.
The Austin Seven also did something massive for the British car industry, and by extension the city of Birmingham. It put it on the map. No longer was Birmingham the city that had coal ferried through its rivers; it was now Britian's motor city. Additions were made in 1936, the East Works were added, giving more production capability of the Austin Motor Company. The booming car market would not last forever though, as the Second World War was on the horizon, and Longbridge would be utilized to produce military equipment for the upcoming war effort.
The East Works had another reason for their creation, an adequate supply of aircraft for the Royal Air Force in case of a war breaking out with Germany. There were underground tunnels built near the East Works to protect the aircraft in case the Germans bombed the factory. This factory proved to be crucial for the RAF early in the war. As it succeeded in the production of making aircraft, the first of which were Fairley Battle Bombers that first flew from a runway on the Longbridge site.
Fairley Battle Bomber (credit: Pinterest)
Fairley Battle Bomber (credit: Pinterest)
Other aircraft like Hurricanes and Lancaster bombers were produced here. Adding to the reputation of both Longbridge and Birmingham assisting in the war effort. After the war production continued as it had before the war. Austin continued to evolve into the British Motor Corporation later on in 1952. Longbridge continued as usual however, making cars throughout the decades.
1963 Austin Mini Cooper (credit: supercars.net)
1963 Austin Mini Cooper (credit: supercars.net)
Following the Suez Crisis in 1956, BMC saw a need to make a fuel-efficient car for the British market. What came out in 1959 was the answer. The small, front-wheel drive Mini Cooper. This car was overwhelmingly produced at the Longbridge plant. The Mini was definitely a 60s icon, and it was in Birmingham that it was produced eventually became British Leyland after a merger with Leyland Trucks in 1968.
As most of us know, British Leyland were notorious for making terrible cars. And it is the poor performance of British Leyland that is credited for killing the British car industry. And as a result, Birmingham got a reputation for being known for making Britain's poorly made cars. And Longbridge got a reputation for going on strike as protest for the current conditions that British Leyland was putting them through.
The truth is British Leyland simply couldn't compete with the incoming German and Japanese imports. And Birmingham's main industry suffered because of it. When British Leyland fell it was catastrophic to the city of Birmingham, but the Rover Group replaced it, maintaining the Longbridge manufacturing plant. The Rover Group was bought by BMW, but the Rover Car Company that occupied Longbridge was shut down by BMW in 2005.
The remains of the Rover factory in Longbridge (credit: Pinterest)
The remains of the Rover factory in Longbridge (credit: Pinterest)
The demolition of the Rover Company affected an estimated 6,000 families of the workers and the suppliers to the Rover group. The remains of the Rover factory are an eerie sight for sure, and the picture above is a good example of how terrible it is. It is truly sad to see a car factory in ruin. But Birmingham still makes headlines in the car world, just not in the way that you'd think Britian's motor city would.
Earlier this year, Birmingham proposed splitting the city into segments. In order to keep cars out of the city center to “be more environmental” by allowing only cyclist and public transport in the city center. A councilman even said that Birmingham must “build a future in which the car will no longer be king.” It seems that Birmingham, like Detroit has lost a sense of its motor city heritage. But in reality, I don't know, I've never been to either city, I'm just reading what's put out online. I'd love to hear more about this city and Longbridge. As I am interested in all history regarding cars.
Sources: Reasons to be proud of Birmingham: Cars and bikes – Birmingham Live (birminghammail.co.uk) and Longbridge – History of Birmingham Places A to Y (jimdofree.com) and Inside the eerie abandoned Longbridge Rover car factory in Birmingham empty since mass lay-offs 11 years ago (thesun.co.uk) and Motor City Of Birmingham To Throttle Short Car Journeys (forbes.com)
Keyword: Birmingham, Britain's Detroit