Rover MG Factory Longbridge - Sept 16

Derelict Places

Help Support Derelict Places:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

UrbexN8

Active member
Joined
Nov 28, 2016
Messages
28
Reaction score
93
Location
Birmingham
HISTORY
Opened in 1905, by the late 1960s Longbridge employed around 25,000 workers. A wide variety of products have been produced at the site during its history, although the core product has been cars, most notably the Original 2 door Mini. During the Second World War the main plant produced munitions and tank parts, while the nearby East Works of Austin Aero Ltd at Cofton Hacket produced several types of aeroplane such as the Short stirling and the Hawker Hurricane.

Originally a printing factory built on green fields the site has had a variety of private owners, as well as a period of state ownership. Since the collapse of MG Rover in 2005 part of the site has been redeveloped for commercial and residential usage. The remaining 69 acres of the site are owned by SAIC.

THE EXPLORE
This explore happened by chance really. We originally set out back a few months ago to find the entrance to the Longbridge Tunnels .

We were astounded by what we seen as we thought the plant been emptied of everything that was related to the old Rover MG's, How wrong was we!
With this in mind we were determined to come back and get some daylight shots of what we found and we finally did.

Inside this place is still just like they had upped and left. Offices had been trashed by the employees no doubt after the sad news but the production line is still pristine as far as a production line goes.
Bodies still litter the line, tools left on tables and benches, even machinery with alarms going off all over the place.

We spent a good 6 hours in here but finally got caught on our way out, albeit very openly walking around as we were happy with the time we got inside so wasn't too bothered if we got caught.

Here are some shots and hope it adds to the history as I know many people have been here many years ago but not seen anything since they have reopened for business.

Still present on the production line stands a couple of Rover 45s

DSC_0244_zpsdhkiwt1f.jpg


DSC_0088_zpsung7jcur.jpg


DSC_0237_zpsxvf6vtt6.jpg


DSC_0111_zpstfqiqmvh.jpg


DSC_0087_zpscdwyxyth.jpg





A few shots showing the empty production line

DSC_0110_zpsvee2zsce.jpg


DSC_0102_zpsid7jed9w.jpg


DSC_0101_zps77bd2ra3.jpg


DSC_0230_zps9xiucw6y.jpg


DSC_0229_zps63789af9.jpg


DSC_0170_zps2hksepuc.jpg


DSC_0176_zpslqah51pr.jpg


DSC_0121_zpsbot5hqgj.jpg


DSC_0217_zpsczuwtoon.jpg


DSC_0177_zps6opn2oks.jpg





Now down towards the paint area starting off with the paint hoppers (this area still has a strong solvent smell and was pleasantly high once I was done taking the photos)

DSC_0050_zpsyw2qwbct.jpg


DSC_0036_zpsypq57wb0.jpg


DSC_0031_zps3atlxjom.jpg



Those classic MG colours


DSC_0167_zpszl66coxx.jpg





Then we spot more cars hidden in the faint light in the distance

DSC_0179_zpspkmgzhyt.jpg


DSC_0183_zpsxt18rxro.jpg


DSC_0187_zpsep1q5tfl.jpg


DSC_0190_zpshs3vvb87.jpg


DSC_0188_zpsqdwmliqz.jpg


DSC_0202_zps90bpxntr.jpg


DSC_0201_zpsvtyayuex.jpg





Now the Paint Shop control room

DSC_0080_zpsbipayhxa.jpg


DSC_0073_zpswj3lhhjn.jpg





The office looks as if its seen better days...


DSC_0064_zpstfdnk3df.jpg


DSC_0063_zpsrcemoano.jpg


DSC_0057_zpscwdwuyz5.jpg





Look at this for a stone age computer, no wonder they went bust!

DSC_0134_zps8px6rlfl.jpg





And sadly the fate of this company is here in a mess, broken on the the floor.


DSC_0066_zpsz4jfasdl.jpg



Thanks for taking the time to read and hope you enjoyed it.


























 
Brand new car parts are littered everywhere along with tools, this place still literally looks as though the workers have downed tools and left.
 
Brand new car parts are littered everywhere along with tools, this place still literally looks as though the workers have downed tools and left.

i went there a few years back when i had an MG and got a quick tour while they sorted it out.

i seem to remember that they were going to keep a lot of the old production space available to potentially build new models as time went on, i also believe they initially intended to keep producing the MGTF.

interesting stuff.
 
Most of it went to India, I suspect what's left was too expensive for them to decommission and move (things involving toxic solvents for example).
 
They use a lot of the current space for storage. The new MG's are actually built in China and hipped here in containers, once they get here they put the wheels on and label the as a British car.
When the cars arrive here they are rotten and have mould growing in them, I have a friend who worked here cleaning them out, some of them even have smashed windscreens from where they were too tightly packed into containers.
Once again I here a few weeks ago that MG have gone bust again and can't shift these current cars.
 
Sorry I meant China not India. They were building semi complete MGs at Longbridge up until recently, but I don't think this area was part of that. They were pretty much just dropping the engine blocks into imported completed cars. That stopped last year though and they're imported from China complete now.
 
Thats right they are just cleaned and valeted here then marketed as a British car. The buildings that surround this production line are full of brand new cars, one minute your walking in disused parts and the next your in a storage shed with new motors.
 
Back
Top