Vauxhall Motors Ltd

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

The other important wartime facility was the Hendon Plant, owned (freehold) by General Motors Ltd.

On the 28 June 1932, General Motors Limited leased part of the Hendon plant to VAUXHALL MOTORS LIMITED, for the period of 21 years from 1 May 1932.
They then leased another portion on 21 November 1932 to GENERAL MOTORS ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION for the period of 7 years from 1 May 1932.

From May 1932, therefore, the Hendon Plant however, continued as a major boxing plant for C.K.D. Vauxhalls and Bedfords, initially for Australia, and then a myriad of other countries. However, the plant became Vauxhall Motors Limited’s Sales and Service Depot as well, so the former Chevrolet Plant became, so far as commercial vehicles were concerned, a solely Vauxhall Plant, though General Motors Limited retained the freehold, had their offices in the building still, and also sold spare parts for Chevrolets.

The Hendon Plant continued to be a CKD Boxing Plant until spring 1940 when it went over to vehicle assembly, eg the ex-French order Whites that were diverted. Also repair and other war work. We also know that they assembled Canadian vehicles: 1943:224 and 1944: 97, Total: 321.

It was closed around 1946 and handed back to GM Ltd. The rest of the building continued to be a Frigidaire Ltd plant though. They dod a lot of war work including blood cooling equipment and aircraft fuel tanks.

[ted angus]

David many thanks, Now I know why I joined MLU rarely a day goes by without learning something !! Thank you.
I remember the Delco factory, another place I used to cyle as a child was to Dunstable mostly to look at the fire engines and there were also some good vantage points to watch construction of the M1. There were lots of little units around both the town and in its rural district which I suppose we could term shadow factories. Hat factories making gun parts. All manner of diversity. I lived on the north of the town very close to the Sundon Park works of Skefco bearings. As an 7 year old it was no mean cyle ride to Vauxhalls and then up to the Airport.
Reading between the lines the Dunstable shadow facility was in respect of trucks a repair/ refurb centre ?? in addition to churchill work. So can we say truck assembly was confined to Luton until the 1950s plant came along. I suppose the Dunstable facility remained dormant from 45 til the new plant opened ??

I recently read the history of Luton in WW2 It reminded me there were several raids on Vauxhall. But the worst atteck was the V2 on Biscot road that hit Commer's, My Dad had been called up to the REs early 44 so luckily was away. A couple of families in our street lost people in that attack. Sorry I digress. I wonder if my parents ever realised how far I used to wander to see the trucks and planes.

On a totally seperate tack where can I obtain a 1944 or similar Census number list please //
thanks again David
regards TED

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

I have Chevrolet, Ford, Dodge and Fargo listings but for a complete >1944 DOMESTIC theatre listing contact Groucho:
http://www.milweb.net/go/groucho/

The Vauxhall Dunstable Plant was built near the AC-Delco Plant of course (then AC-Sphinx Spark Plug Co Ltd). During the war some associated company, Delco-Reny & Hyatt Ltd, production was moved from the DRH factory in Grosvenor Embankment next to the Victoria railway bridge over the Thames to part of the AC-Sphinx Plant. This was basically tank electrical wiring looms etc. moved by the Ministry (of Supply?) away from the vulnerable Thames-side location to somewhere inland, safe from bombing. DRH used to manufacture electric motors for hanger doors, and Hyatt bearings for the doors! AC-Sphinx produced sparking plugs for the war effort and contact-breakers, etc.

After the war negotiations started in earnest in 1948 to allow General Motors Ltd to build a dedicated truck plant as Luton did not have the capacity to expand. They forced the exchange control comittee's hands and GM invested £25 million in dollars in the end to acquire more land next to that bought in 1938.

[ted angus]

Thanks David, I look forward top the day when yopu cann publish your Vauxhall Motors photos,
re the listing of census numbers awaiting word from groucho
regards TED

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

I am hoping that it's going to be in an issue next year.

Saw a flat-front Bedford 'RAF' tanker at Goodwood Revival today. Nice one!