Motor Industry in Coventry

Hi, Lindatee 2002. I have sent you a private message with a link to a site that do digital back issues, maybe that will help.

Hi Lindatee. The 'Olympus' engines as the power source for Concorde & Vulcan bomber were designed by Bristol Siddeley, which was taken over by Rolls-Royce. The engines were assembled at R-R Bristol. That said, the marine version of the Olympus (used in Type 42 destroyers, Type 21 & 22 frigates and through-deck cruisers; Invincible, Illustrious and Ark Royal), plus the 'industrial' variant used in power stations & oil rigs, and many other applications for electrical generation were assembled and serviced at R-R Ansty. Many suppliers in and around Coventry manufactured piece parts and accessories or repaired Items for all types of this engine. The Vulcan bomber at the Coventry Air Museum is a testament to this, its final flight before landing there was a flypast at both the Bristol & Ansty sites.

From an article in 'The Veteran and Vintage Magazine', October 1956, Vol. 1 No.3; Mr J. Russell-Sharp lived in Grosvenor Road and had driven in the original 'Emancipation' run on the 14th November 1896, (the London to Brighton run), having driven from Coventry to London the day before.

A heads up for those interested, I've just been tipped off about the following program, BBC Four 22:00 Tuesday 29th April 2025; Classic Cars Made In Coventry, [also Friday 2nd May 2025 01:50] The program info from the BBC is: "To celebrate the award of UK City of Culture 2021 to Coventry, local boy Mark Evans tells the full history of the classic cars made in Coventry, This passionate retrospective runs from the industry's beginnings in 1897 through to the present day. It includes interviews and archive footage detailing the stories behind the creation of classic marques such as the Daimler, the Triumph, the Riley and the Jaguar and the companies and people behind them." This was originally broadcast 17th May 2021.