Gkn

[seriesonewelder]

Mr Nettlefold was super rich had a very nice house built in the 1930s, on the South Coast IIRC. It was featured in BBC's "Flog It!" The house has been converted into an hotel in its original style and is popular with the rich and famous.

He also had a house built in Edgbaston, a very leafy part of Birmingham. the house is owned by Birmingham University and you can visit it, the garden is very good. In the house there is a display about GKN.
http://winterbourne.org.uk/

 

[ronan]

Can i ask any brummies on here is the fort dunlop tyre factory gone ? Wasn't it one of the biggest factories in the world at one point ?

http://www.pbase.com/beppuu/image/92254267

 

[Robotstar5]

Can i ask any brummies on here is the fort dunlop tyre factory gone ? Wasn't it one of the biggest factories in the world at one point ?

It's now a shopping centre - link

 

[Baloo]

Can i ask any brummies on here is the fort dunlop tyre factory gone ? Wasn't it one of the biggest factories in the world at one point ?

http://www.pbase.com/beppuu/image/92254267

yes its still there, re furbished not to long ago, l have worked on the signs there a few times in years gone by

you can see it if you take a google earth ride down the M6 past it

 

[Mikey D]

They still have a factory there (well nearby)making aircraft tyres do they not ??

 

[ronan]

Glad it wasn't flattened , but whats the obsession that modern architects have with plate glass ? Why remove the original windows and have plate glass inside ? Seems daft.

 

[Robotstar5]

They still have a factory there (well nearby)making aircraft tyres do they not ??

A small part still makes specialist tyres, a bit like Goodyear in Wolverhampton is now only a fraction of it's original size.

 

[tigler]

Isn't the racing tyre division still based there ?

 

[tigler]

Goodyear in Wolverhampton is now only a fraction of it's original size.

My father started his working life there and one of my aunties was PA to one the US big bosses ! I used to be given loads of those Goodyear tyre ashtrays when I was a kid but didn't have any affinity with them so they were just binned Worth a bomb now, particularly the older tread pattern ones.

 

[Drains]

yes its still there, re furbished not to long ago, l have worked on the signs there a few times in years gone by

And on the other side of the M6 (and up a bit), there's Star City. My cousin calls it Stab City. Better when it was Nechells Power Station.

I guess all us Brummies remember all the stuff around the G (Electric Avenue)? Apart from GEC, there was that massive IMI Witton complex and a few other proper places too.


While we're being a bit nostalgic, there's a list of the exhibitors in the 1937 British Industries Fair. It's a bit of a shock to see how many companies are there - many with names familiar to the slightly older folk, and some interesting ones - I notice "Emery Brothers" is in there. I can guess what they made!
http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/1937_British_Industries_Fair

 

[hareng]

Now your talking Drains, had an uncle work there and set the place alight late 60's early 70's was on ATV

 

[ronan]

Has anyone done the tour of the gun barrel proof house in birmingham ? I hear its fascinating.

 

[tigler]

Keep saying I will but I've only managed to drive past it so far !

 

[hareng]

Didnt know you could tour Ronan, been in a few times law to themselves.

 

[Bsmith]

A small part still makes specialist tyres, a bit like Goodyear in Wolverhampton is now only a fraction of it's original size.

Talking about Wolverhampton, Does the metal scrapyard that Cox and Danks had there in approx 1930s still exsist?

 

[ronan]

Didnt know you could tour Ronan, been in a few times law to themselves.

http://www.gunproof.com/Organised_Tours/organised_tours.html

 

[ouchmyfinger]

They had a steel manufacturing plant in cardiff, i know a few guys who worked there, and their still scratching their heads as to why it closed, early 70s if i remember, it was renowned as the finest STAINLEES STEEL plant in the world, not even the japs could match it. I believe it became just too expensive to produce, and all were made redundant, They then made nuts and bolts and nails i think......

 

[Drains]

Has anyone done the tour of the gun barrel proof house in birmingham ? I hear its fascinating.

Went past it on the train about a million times when I was a kid.

 

[ouchmyfinger]

Went past it on the train about a million times when I was a kid.

the good old days Drains...