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Jun 27, 2006 18:19:58 GMT
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I started a new job a couple of weeks ago, it's next to the plant in Oxford where BMW make that Mini thing. My route into work takes me alongside the site of the old Cowley South works, William Morris's car works and the place where your Morris Minors and Marinas were built(among many other cars). They closed it in the early nineties and moved all production over the road to the newer half of the works but back in the day it was a piecemeal collection of warehouses and factories that hadnt changed a lot since Morris's day. The line used to cross the Oxford ring road on a bridge and you could see the ghostly shapes of new Marinas above you when you drove through in the dark. When they closed the site they razed it, now it's a business park. Only half of it hasnt yet been built on and that's why I'm posting this. Because it's stood for ten years or so nature has taken over to some extent. They mow it later in the year but at the moment it's a glorious hay meadow with long grass and wild flowers aplenty. I appreciate this makes me look as though I have a "Nuclear power - No thanks!" sticker in the back of my 2CV but I find something appealing about a car plant becoming a meadow. OT for this forum? Not really. If you're a (thinks...)Minor, Oxford, Marina, Ital, early Metro, Maestro, 800 or Prestcold fridge owner to name but a few, get that factory site photo opportunity in with the poppies waving in the background!
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"Jeremy Clarkson, a man we motor enthusiasts need on our side like Lewis Hamilton's F1 car needs a towing ball and a Sprite Musketeer" My motor
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Kris
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,631
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Jun 27, 2006 19:18:45 GMT
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I live about 10 minutes from the factory and it is a fascinating place to be, there is so much history around there, there isn't much that wasn't made there, tanks, Rolls Royce bodies, aircraft (they even had a runway and control tower!) I've had a good look around the old South Works area but there isn't much left there now, the tunnel that ran from South Works under the ring road to a vehicle storage compound, now Tescos, is still there. I think it was originally used for storing CKD kits. I never saw the bridge, I'd love to see some photos of it but I did see the big clock tower that was demolished soon after I moved to Oxford. I worked there reworking MINIs for about 9 months after I finished at Uni. There are still quite a few features around the plant, signs, photos, my toolbox was Rover logo'd, they even use a Maestro van as a parts chaser I heard so many stories about the plant when I worked there, the ones that stick in my mind the are ones about testing V8 SD1s round the ring road and the guy who stole enough parts to build a complete Marina! I would post some photos of it but it is just a bland, emotionless business park now surrounded by wasteland, you need to be there to get a feel for it. Instead, I'll post these, I'd love to know where this was on the site... I sanpped this pickup ending its life no more than a mile from where it began!!
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K5
Part of things
Drives Vauxhall Ampera and Kadett E GT and sometimes camp out in our 1988 Classic Hymer
Posts: 579
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Jun 27, 2006 19:57:08 GMT
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I sanpped this pickup ending its life no more than a mile from where it began!! i always find things like this very sad. some things you just know that they have soul.
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Retro Classic cars and parts found, bought and sold from Catalunya. PM me for more details.
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Jun 27, 2006 20:01:36 GMT
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Cool thread.
That pick up ought to get its ass on the bay, someone would snap that up!
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1972 Fiat 130 1985 Talbot Alpine 1974 Lancia Beta Saloon 1975 + 1986 Mazda 929 Koop + Wagon 1982 Fiat Argenta 2.0 iniezione elettronica 1977 Toyota Carina TA14 BEST CAR EVER!!!!!!!! 1979 Datsun B310 Sunny 4-dr 1984 Audi 200 Quattro Turbo 1983 Honda Accord 1.6 DX GONE1989 Alfa 75 2.0 TS Mr T says: TREAT YO MOTHER RIGHT!
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impmann
Posted a lot
Overcoming stupidity is the greatest challenge left to mankind
Posts: 1,089
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Jun 27, 2006 20:18:14 GMT
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Marina pickups rool. When I was at Classics, the Marina club were woffling about there being more virgins in Essex than there were Marina Pickups... or something like that.
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1964 Hillman Imp 1976 Hillman Imp 1967 Hillman Imp (And a few projects dotted around the country)
Just cos something is good for you doesn't mean its good for everyone - for example Marmite does not make good Dog Food.
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Jun 27, 2006 22:53:08 GMT
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A good Marina/Ital pick-up or van are about as common as sausage rolls at a bar mitzvah........sadly the paint/rustproofing went to pot towards the end of the run and late ones corrode away from the inside out.....
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Rover Metro - The TARDIS - brake problems.....Stored Rover 75 - Barge MGZTT Cdti 160+ - Winter Hack and Audi botherer... MGF - The Golden Shot...Stored Project Minion........ Can you see the theme?
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tigran
Club Retro Rides Member
In rust we trust. Amen.
Posts: 6,444
Club RR Member Number: 142
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Morris Cowley RIPtigran
@tigran
Club Retro Rides Member 142
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1964 Rover P5 i6 1987 BMW 525e - The Rusty Streak 1992 Micra K10 2001 BMW E46 316i 2002 BMW E46 330Ci 2013 BMW F31 320d 2018 BMW G31 530d
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I never went into the South works being somewhat young at the time. But I've had plenty of colleagues who worked there. Legendary stories about sabotage of the line in the '70s when factory output was determined by the union shop stewards in the back room of the Original Swan. I heard the one about the bloke who built the Marina from stolen bits. I also heard one about a worker who was caught stealing an entire Mini engine and transmission by jamming it in the frame of his bike (Must have been a big bike!) and wearing a rain cape to cover it. The site was razed in 92 0r 93. Minor factoid - they crushed all the buildings on site and used them for road underpinnings. Not a pebble left the site so all the factory is still there in one form! The bit towards the Tesco is a bit scrubby. The hay meadow I'm talking about is on the other side behind that fancy sports club, I guess that's really the Pressed Steel side. And finally, the Marina pickup. Did any of you own one in the '70s? Didnt think so. They were legendary for not being very strong, load 'em wrong and they bend:) I saw one driving about 500yds from the Mini plant last week so they're not all gone.
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"Jeremy Clarkson, a man we motor enthusiasts need on our side like Lewis Hamilton's F1 car needs a towing ball and a Sprite Musketeer" My motor
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