The old Solihull Plant Location?

302Rover

302Rover

Member
Hello to all in Rover Land,

I'm wondering if there is any thing left of the Rover Solihull plant or if not, is there any access to the site? Can anyone tell me where the main entrance used to be and are there any remnants of it still remaining?

I'll be in the area for a couple weeks in May and would love to at least see where the plant used to stand. And for that matter, I'd also love to visit the former Jaguar site at Browns Lane. Can anyone give me guidance to the former Browns Lane plant?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Tom
 
Er, am I right in thinking that the Land Rover plant that stands at Lode Lane right now is the same place that built all of the post-war Rovers up to the end of the P6?

Can't think of it being anywhere else, in which case the plant is still there.
 
It might be an abandoned wing of that site but yes I believe that is the place... I'm sure someone will know the exact answer!

Rich.
 
Yes, the Land Rover Plant at Solihull is the real Mc Coy.

There are two main production buildings. The older one is the new plant built for the P6 in the very early '60s, the newer one is the plant built and equipped to build P8 in around 1970/71 and then mothballed until the arrival of SD1. Then the P6 plant was converted to build Land Rovers which had been in the original Shadow Factory, or South works, on the same site up till then.

The Shadow Factory is a factory built by the Government in the late 1930's in preparation for war production. Once war was declared, the Rover Company of Coventry were placed in charge and production of Bristol Hercules Aero engines commenced. During the early stages of the war, the Rover Co's main factory at Lode Lane Coventry was bombed out, so after the war Rover car production was restarted in the Solihull plant.

Meanwhile, Rover's engineering department had relocated from Coventry to the Chersford Grange Hotel between Leamington and Kennilworth. It was from here that the design work on the first jet aircraft engines was carried out. The Rover Co design was gifted late in the war to Rolls Royce, where it entered full production as the Rolls Royce Derwent I engine. In this form, the Gloster Meteor became its first home, so whenever you see a Meteor at an air show, remember it has twin Rover power! The engine was later developed by Rolls Royce into the Nene, which via a curious aberration was then used to power the Russian Mig 15 in the Korean war. The deal with Rolls Royce saw Rover making Rolls Meteor tank engines all the way through to 1964.

After the war, the Rover design departments relocated yet again into new premises at Solihul, still retaining an active interest in turbine engines. This culminated in the series of Rover Jet cars, but more importantly for Rover, in a considerable business in turbine stationary engines - generators and pumps and the like. Rover gas turbines even appeared in the Advanced Passenger Train, powering it to 152 mph in 1971.
Chris
 
I am sorry to say the Jaguar plant at Browns Lane has been demoilished and is now a new housing estate, I was fortunate to visit the Jaguar/Daimler Heritage collection last year as i work for a Jaguar dealer, It was its last open day before it was flattened.

There is a whisper that JLR are looking to purchase the Mercedes visitor center down the road and build a new facility to house the collection as well as a test track and new visitor centor for both Jaguar and Land Rover.

You can arrange a factory tours at both Land Rover and Jaguar I believe the details are on their web sites.

Aaron.
 
aml194 said:
I am sorry to say the Jaguar plant at Browns Lane has been demoilished and is now a new housing estate, I was fortunate to visit the Jaguar/Daimler Heritage collection last year as i work for a Jaguar dealer, It was its last open day before it was flattened.

There is a whisper that JLR are looking to purchase the Mercedes visitor center down the road and build a new facility to house the collection as well as a test track and new visitor centor for both Jaguar and Land Rover.

You can arrange a factory tours at both Land Rover and Jaguar I believe the details are on their web sites.

Aaron.
Click to expand...

Aaron,
thanks to you and others who posted replies for the info. I had heard that the Browns Lane site was demolished but have also read that they retained the Wood Veneer facility there. Do you know if that is true? Even if there is nothing but a housing estate, is there any way to find the location of what would have been the Browns Lane main entrance? If nothing else, I'd love to stand on that particular patch of earth and maybe put a drop or two of oil from my Jags on the ground 8) OK, so just call me wierd :D

And I will take your suggestion to arrange factory tours for both Jag and the Land Rover plant.

Tom
 
Tom,

If you go to Google Earth or Google Maps and search for "Coundon Wedge Drive, Coventry" it will take you to the old main entrance to the Jaguar plant - I am not sure what remains, but you could leave your Jags mark there at least.

Alan
 
So Cal V8 said:
Tom,

If you go to Google Earth or Google Maps and search for "Coundon Wedge Drive, Coventry" it will take you to the old main entrance to the Jaguar plant - I am not sure what remains, but you could leave your Jags mark there at least.

Alan
Click to expand...
Alan,
thanks for the info. I see that Coundon Wedge Drive runs more or less parallel to Browns Lane. What entrances were actually on Browns Lane? And how will I recognize the main entrance on Coundon Wedge Drive?
Tom
 
Tom,

The roundabout on Coundon Wedge Drive marks the old main entrance. I don't know about any entrances on Brown's Lane itself, maybe someone here has some local knowledge they can share. The Google Street View shows the old sign still in place, don't know if that's still the case.

Alan.
 
So Cal V8 said:
Tom,

The roundabout on Coundon Wedge Drive marks the old main entrance. I don't know about any entrances on Brown's Lane itself, maybe someone here has some local knowledge they can share. The Google Street View shows the old sign still in place, don't know if that's still the case.

Alan.
Click to expand...

Alan,
thanks. I just 'drove' Google to the roundabout, turned left and see that there is a sign plus markings on the roadway saying "Jaguar Cars". Mostly there seem to be piles of rubble along side the road and behind a fence. As you say, who knows how old the Google Street View is so all the rubble may very well be gone now.

There are some reports that the wood veener factory still operates there so I'll check further into that.
Tom
 
302Rover said:
So Cal V8 said:
Tom,

The roundabout on Coundon Wedge Drive marks the old main entrance. I don't know about any entrances on Brown's Lane itself, maybe someone here has some local knowledge they can share. The Google Street View shows the old sign still in place, don't know if that's still the case.

Alan.
Click to expand...

Alan,
thanks. I just 'drove' Google to the roundabout, turned left and see that there is a sign plus markings on the roadway saying "Jaguar Cars". Mostly there seem to be piles of rubble along side the road and behind a fence. As you say, who knows how old the Google Street View is so all the rubble may very well be gone now.

There are some reports that the wood veener factory still operates there so I'll check further into that.
Tom
Click to expand...

Just a follow-up to my previous message, I discovered that if you go to Google Maps Satellite view you will find the entire plant intact. It is a fairly detailed view and was taken before any demolition was done.

Tom
 
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