Longbridge Rover Factory - What really happened?

minigeff

Alright guys, I saw this today and thought I'd share the story and hopefully find out some more info on it.

For those who aren't from blighty, or have been buried for the last fifteen years, Londbridge was car manufacturer Rover's main production facility. In a deal with the Chinese that went south the factory was closed down and around 1400 guys lost their jobs. It marked a huge blow for UK manufacturing and the main culprits were known as 'the Phoenix four', a four man group of execs who squirrelled away a nest egg of over £12m while 1400 hardworking guys got their marching orders.

A while back I was talking with a guy who used to partake in 'urban exploring', a rather cool pastime of gaining entry into derelict and abandoned buildings and took pictures of some rather unique sights. There are two main rules apparently; 1) you can't break in, only open doors, windows or other forms of access point can be used. No breaking windows or kicking doors in. 2) no stealing anything. No momentos or souvenirs are to be taken.

The longbridge site was a favourite haunt with many groups doing their own visits to the factory.

Now these urban explorers have their forums much like we have ours, here's some links to the longbridge recces;

http://www.silentuk.com/?p=2278

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/industrial-sites/9749-rover-mg-longbridge-day-2-roof-tunnel.html

Quite some eerie sights if you ask me, especially the computers still being left on. I've also seen pics of half read newspapers left on benches and mugs of tea sat growing mould.

I was chatting with another guy who told me that come judgement day, the management tripped the fire alarms, everyone evacuated only for the doors to be locked behind them. The bell had well and truly tolled.

But what I'm trying to find out is if this tale is true. Were 1400 blokes tricked into exiting the buildings? Is this why everything was abandoned like the Mary Celeste?

It'd be interesting to hear from anyone who knows or was there. Every article I find goes into great detail of Rover's demise but nothing of how the factory was shut down.

It's a terribly sad end to such a famous British name, and if anyone here was there at the time it ended, you have my sympathies.

As a footnote, a guy has restored a copper coloured mini GT that had been abandoned down in the tunnels underneath the longbridge works. You can see this mini in some of the pics the urban explorers took on their travels. Some are stood posing next to it etc. The reason it's being restored? It was the last ever mini to be made at longbridge. I wonder how many people have stood by that car and not had any clue to its significance.

Cheers guys,

MG -{

Asp9mm

I went there years back and sat on top of that mini. It was an eerie place for sure. The reason it looked 'Marie Celeste' style abandoned was because it pretty much was. The alarm thing is an urban myth. They were called into the halls and told about the position of the company, and their fate as employees. Many people, if not all, decided to just walk. No point in working for nothing. Those that did stay on for a while, thought it was pointless tidying up after themselves and so left everything as it was.

Thunderbird 2

Amazing! I have seen one or two sites talking about secret underground sites, for example:

http://www.burlingtonbunker.co.uk/

But nothing like that factory. The completed cars and the comps give me the creeps too, even though we know why everything was left like that. I'm mildly surprised the components and vehicles weren't removed and sold off. Its also a harsh reminder of the times we live in.

ASP you have more bottle than I do! {[]

Asp9mm

Funny, I was only talking to Pete today about the tunnels up the road from me, and on that site I find them.

http://www.hauntedrooms.co.uk/drakelow-tunnels-kidderminster

And the irony of the guys name that posted these )

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/underground-sites/43638-drakelow-tunnels-staffordshire-sep-2009-a.html

danjaq_0ff

very cool, I have been checking out if there is anything around here and there is a nuclear bunker under some old peoples home

Thats where ill be going then )