Abingdon Sunday

[uk kiwis]

Just arrived back from the Abingdon fund raiser....very pleasant chatting in front of the local museum. Many fine old buildings in this MG town. The church bells peeling made for a 'special feel' day. The 'F's in the square an impressive sight. Good to meet up with old faces and some new ones and yes, the sun it did shine!

See you at the Fest.

[Nick]

I very nesarly went to this, but I didnt get any free time until late afternoon, was it a good run? how many of the South Wales lot made it?

[Rich]

We would have liked to have gone too but had things we couldn't get out of at home. Looks like it was a great day and well done to those who contributed to the £500 rasied for the museum!

Rich

[uk kiwis]

Six or seven 'F's from Wales/ Somerset joined the party for the day. About twenty five cars in total. Sean and Clare from Norfolk also. Interesting MG factory photos in the museum, one of those buildings that stir memories instantly as one walks up the several flights of old wooden stairs to the Atic where more MG memorabilia is kept.

No run on the day but just pleasant chatting in the Sunshine and walking down to the river.

[Rich]

I've been there before, but that was when I was driving around the country in my little white works van. I used to go to the 'Ock Mill' as one of my calls, which used to flood when the rain was heavy, being on the banks of the River Ock. Abingdon is a fine town and even scored highly in a recent tv programme about the most ideal place to live in the UK. It's a shame that just about all of the old MG Car Co. buildings are now replaced by a housing estate and a retail park. I used to work with a guy who was the MD of Pavlova Leathers, a business that traded from one of the old production huts. He recalled the old phones that were still in the building with the MG extension numbers still written on them. Shame he didn't keep one as that would have made an interesting artifact for the museum!

Rich

[uk kiwis]

Interesting Richard. Like you say pity it is all gone now, bit like the Relient Scimitar factory at Two Gates Tamworth now also a housing estate although I am told reference to the history exists in the street names.

One can't help but speculate on the demise of the Motor industry in this country. So many fine desireable cars were made here. My theory runs against management over the years, just no one with vision. Sad.

[Rich]

What's really annoying is that British manufacturing of cars is not dead, it's just the British Car Manufacturers... Look at the huge plants the likes of Honda, Nissan, and Ford just to name three of the biggies. Even the Mini, now of course BMW property, is still being built by ex-Rover staff. All down to management and there's your problem with so many companies in the UK...

Rich

[daved]

What's really annoying is that British manufacturing of cars is not dead, it's just the British Car Manufacturers... Look at the huge plants the likes of Honda, Nissan, and Ford just to name three of the biggies. Even the Mini, now of course BMW property, is still being built by ex-Rover staff. All down to management and there's your problem with so many companies in the UK...

Rich

Bad management, bad marketing and internal politics. It all goes back to Leonard Lord. And then Leyland bosses when BMC merged with them. Leyland owned Triumph, BMC owned MG and after the "merger" Leyland bosses held the upepr hand and closed MG down in favour of Triumph................TR7 anyone?

The obviousness of the error of that management decision si that MG as a brand was relaunched where Triumph, as a car brand has more or less been forgotten. This is not hindsight. I remember when the TR7 was announced and the cry that went up from MG enthusiasts in the media, the dealer network, owners, the US dealer network etc. etc. but the bosses ignored those at the sharp end and went with the TR7!

It never ceases to amaze me that those that get paid 6 and 7 figure salaries to make the right decisions consistently make the wrong ones.................just becasue they think they know better! Look at Terminal 5.

Cheers

Dave

[Rich]

... but so very true!

Rich

[uk kiwis]

I well remember that TR 7 folly, thought so at the time and then the Spitfire sports! although I know they do have a following.The MG R and the MG twin cam A, now they were right on the button. Then think of the honey comb grill of the old early MG's, truly inspired, they were such wonderful cars right up to the old TF.

I guess we have to live in the present though and consider cars like the Aston Martin range, the money maybe foreign but the cars are not!

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