Rolls-Royce, Ansty

Midland Red. Excellent, but I believe the collision was on the ground while taxiing? I think it's worth mentioning Coventry 8F ATC had training there at that time. Do you know the dates of the training of the Mosquito aircraft at Ansty?

No sir, sorry

Morning Kaga. I have a paperback entitled "The History of Ansty" published by the Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust (of which I am a member) that includes the history of the aerodrome. I will try and find it. There is another publication tracing the history of the Parkside factory from pre-WWI I also possess somewhere.

Wearethemods, that would be interesting, can it be bought? Thank you for your reply.

Hi Kaga, the RRHT have numerous publications, some of which pertain to Siddeley Deasy, Armstrong Siddeley etc., all of which can be bought whether a member or not (slightly higher price for non-members). However, some are out of print. I will send you some details shortly privately.

Hi Kaga, the book I referred to in my previous post is 'A View of Ansty 1935-1982' which is available at £6 to members, and £9 non-members. The other book is 'Armstrong Siddeley - The Parkside Story 1896-1939' which is out of print. There is a further publication entitled 'Parkside - Armstrong Siddeley to Rolls-Royce 1939-1994' priced £10 members, £15 non-members. As stated above, I will message you direct with contact details etc. If anyone else is interested, please let me know

Wearethemods, thank you. I have tried to e-mail you but it has gone to draft, I have to sort it out. I will be getting in touch with Julie.

I started at RR as an apprentice in 1982, Quinton Road for the first year then to Ansty for a 20 year service. Always regretted leaving but management changes in 2 shop made the job not the one I was happy with. Spent more time in "team meetings" than actually repairing engines! I can remember nearly every single name of all that were in ROS, which is odd cos I can't even remember my next door neighbours name! Terry Bromwich had was just taking over as PLM, think it was Derek Waters that moved on..... the Ayatollah as we called him. Geoff Hall was on the move too, went to Westlands and caused a strike almost immediately. He had his 15 mins of fame when he made the Sun newspaper for his management skills. Keith Orchard was site manager I recall, before they drafted in yet another big gun..... Frank(?)Turner! He was memorable for 2 things..... closing the bar in the canteen and having us in at weekends painting the floors. Cheers Frank, made a fortune on overtime with a paint brush. Hell, that place had so many top management levels it was unreal. Colin Case, the poison dwarf as he was known was another one they railroaded through. But have to say without any doubt, Ansty were the best days of my life. Colin Swain, Sully, Joe McKernan to name 3 shop stewards. Frankie Burns was convenor when I first started. Remember the mass meetings between 3 and 4 shop. There was so many of us, just a sea of heads. It was with huge sadness I read and saw photos on a Facebook page what they've done to the site. Could not believe that a site with so much was thought of so little by Buckingham Gate. And to destroy the old Customer Training building was surely illegal due to its Art Deco design. Unbelievable. Anyone he else remember Paul King from King Love and Pride fame working in the Bellman before he found chart success?

"Anyone he else remember Paul King from King Love and Pride fame working in the Bellman before he found chart success?" Hi Joey. It was me who got him the application form from Personnel to apply for a position in 'Stock Audit'. He was in fact a probationary policeman prior. Not so long back he was at the 'Two-Tone Village' giving a talk. After the shortlived 'King' split he became a 'VideoJockey' at MTV when Satellite TV was in its infancy. Incidentally, Frank Turner was the first MD that had worked his way up from being an apprentice at Derby as opposed to being brought in from elsewhere. If I remember correctly his name was mentioned in the House of Commons by Jeff Rooker MP using Parliamentary Privilege talking about corruption! What is the Facebook page that shows the pictures of Ansty?

Hi, yeah the Facebook thing is a closed group, which I think means you have to click on the request button to join and then be able view the pics - and there are loads!! There are about 750 members. Go onto facebook and do search for ROLLS ROYCE ANSTY VET'S. That should get you to the home page where you find the request. I got on through someone inviting me but no idea how that works. Let me know if you have success, else I will get a mate to invite you on. Cheers, J.

Hi Joey, I'm not on 'Facebook', 'Facelift', 'Faceache' or any other! Can you get someone to invite me on if it's possible? You can contact me direct if necessary. Thanks a lot.

Hi, I guess because it's a Facebook group you have to be able to login to Facebook to access the group. I'll check out if it's possible to do it any other way. Cheers J

5th Mar 1941 A Tiger Moth of 9 EFTS was landing at Ansty when it collided with another Tiger Moth on the ground. Both were burnt out, but there were no casualties.

My dad John Godwin was the Dowty Fuel Systems engineer at Ansty. Always remember him telling me about the Tornados blowing in the Ansty fields ironically he worked with jet Tornados years later. He often came home soaked in kerosene due to the fuel system being under the engine.

The thunderous roar of the Sapphire jet engine was really something to hear in full blast, and with the rocket propulsion yard less than fifty yards away, when that went off at the same time it was a deafening, fearsome sight. Could be heard as far away as Bell Green. The Sapphire was housed between two high walls, along the inside of the walls were long work benches, above a light roof, the front and back open, the engine seemed about 4ft in diameter and about 10ft long with masses of wiring and metal tubes along it. There was another engine in the next bay, but I forget the name. For its size only a handful of technicians seemed needed to test this monstrous engine, this was long before the public had heard the word jet engines or even before air holidays were known. The airfield had just been closed to flying, and was changing its role to something new. Unknown to the general public, only a handful of scientists and workers were in the know, and only four years after the V-2 had hit London. Not even the works fire brigade knew or were allowed near both sites, not without instructions from the experts.