Longbridge Gates
Everybody around the world has heard about
K & Q Gates
But did you ever wonder where the others
were.
It was a in the
First World War, after the North and West Works had been built to
supply the War effort that the Gates were given a Letter
Code.
It was done to
help the delivery of goods to the works, as on the delivery
paperwork it would give the gate letter so that the driver new
exactly where to go.
The following information and pictures are based on the
period before the Site closed in April 2005.
An aerial view of the location along with
a view of the gate.
____________
NORTH--WORKS
‘A’ Gate (Longbridge Lane)
Located near to Longbridge Railway Station, it was only open at
certain times in the day for pedestrian
traffic.
____________
‘B’ Gate (Longbridge Lane)
As you can see it doesn’t have a sign,
this is because it was closed many years ago.
____________
‘C’ Gate (Longbridge Lane)
This gate has been changed over the years, but as always been the
Main Gate into North Works.
The picture above shows it still showing ‘C’ but now been used by
the contractor for the new Bournville
College
___________
‘D’ Gate (Longbridge Lane)
This gate was nearly at the corner of
Longbridge Lane and Bristol Road, and hear lies a tale.
A coach which failed to negotiate the traffic lights in early 1989
ended up smashing the gates down.
So it was decided to close this entrance and replaced with a
fence.
Nice to see that the Police arrived in an AUSTIN
______________________
WEST--WORKS
‘E’ Gate (Bristol Road South)
This gate has always been open, and in the 1980s after the launch
of the Metro
became an IN only for Old and New West Works.
‘F’ Gate (Bristol Road South)
This gate was also closed around the early 1980s, with access via
Gate E.
‘G’ Gate
This was the rear OUT gate for West Works, note the level crossings
barrier which was were the original GWR line from Halseowen
crossed.
‘H’ Gate
This is the foot-bridge over the railway
from car park ‘B’ to West Works
____________________________
SOUTH--WORKS
‘K’ Gate 1905
‘K’ Gate 2005
This gate is where in all started in 1905, and their were various
versions of the gate over the years.
The last time these gates were used was in 2006 to allow access for
demolition of the
various buildings in South Works.
Thankfully these gates which were a symbol of Austin and
Longbridge
were donated to the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust by St
Modwen the developer.
‘K’ Gates arriving at BMIHT
Gaydon
____________
‘L’ Gate (Lickey Road)
You will notice that this Gate shows the
original L on top of the pillar, when the building on the left was
built
in the early 1950s. It was closed at the same time as Gate D in
West Works.
‘M’ Gate (Lickey
Road)
Now although this gate
has a Rover-MG sign it was closed at the same time as Gate
L.
____________
‘N’ Gate (Lickey Road)
This was the main gate into
South Works, along with ‘Q’ Gate.
____________
Gate ‘O’ (Lickey
Road)
This gate is another one that was closed
in the late 1940s.
____________
‘P’ Gate (Lowhill
Lane)
This gate
was closed around the early 1980s
____________
‘Q’ Gate (Lowhill
Lane)
This Gate is known around the world
because it was where the Press would gather to report on
Longbridge.
Originally it was only a small gate that was used to gain access to
the airfield in the war.
But in 1951 when CAB and other building were built it was
enlarged.
About 20 years ago it was changed as you see in the
picture.
____________
‘R’ Gate (Lowhill Lane)
Used in the war and after when the Flight Shed became a Service
Department,
and later converted to produce the Marina gearboxes.
It was closed when the Flight Shed role changed and came an
Engineering facility.
____________
‘S’ Gate (Groveley
Lane)
This gate opened in WWII as access to the
Flight Shed. The brick building shown was added in the late
1960s.
Around about 1988 this building and Flight Shed became part of the
Engineering Facilities.
____________
‘W’ Gate (Groveley
Lane)
You will
have noticed that this gate is out of sequence. The entrance was
installed around 1970, to give employees access to the car park by
CAB2 and the roof car park named the Ponderosa.
____________
EAST--WORKS
‘T’ Gate (Groveley Lane)
____________
‘U’ Gate (Groveley
Lane)
This was the main gate into East Works and around 1965 to Cofton
Works.
____________
‘V’ Gates (Parsonage
Drive)
This gate
gave access to the rear of East Works, but did not have much
traffic.
In the mid 1960s Cofton Works was built and traffic
increased.
___________________
The above shows the walkway over the River Rea from the railway
platform into South Works.
Also at this point workers could use a footbridge over the railway
to North Works
____________
You will have noticed that the following
letters are missing.
I J
On the opposite side to North Works in Longbridge Lane - Bristol
Road was a large Car Park, which had two large gates that had been
allocated I, J,
But I don’t think they were ever
marked up as such.
If anybody has anymore information, please get in touch via the
Contact Page