GOB and Methods building
(Watch a Video
at the end of the article)
The long building on the Lickey Road was
built in 1931 as a Service Department for Austin owners. After the
War the Service Department moved to the Flight Shed in Lowhill
Lane. The building then became mainly used as an office for various
departments, this is how it got its new name General Office Block
(GOB). The end of the building by Lowhill Lane housed various staff
and management canteens, along with the Post Room and the Telephone
Exchange.
Lowhill Lane
End
This brick building shown here was another
canteen. and the corrugated building had many uses, such as the
publicity stores, pilot plant for the making of the foam seats for
the 1100 models. In the later years the brick building became
Methods Build, preproduction builds of the new models before
production started, they only did the vehicles that would be made
at Longbridge. The corrugated building became the Chassis
Development for all new models in 1970s, they then moved to the
Flight Shed in the late 1980s and at this point methods expanded
into the space. The last models that were built there were the New
Mini in 1999/2000, which were going to be built at Longbridge but
ended up at Cowley.
Methods
Building
Main South Staff Canteen
Other end of
the GOB
This view shows
the bridge that connects to the Kremlin
Click on the Play Button to see a Video