CARS and crowds descended on Cofton Park as 20 years of Pride of Longbridge was celebrated at Cofton Park today.
The event gave former employees of MG Rover and ‘the Austin’ to meet up and reminisce.
There were hundreds of vehicles – all built at Longbridge – glistening in the spring sunshine while visitors struck up conversations with their owners.
Picture by Tristan Harris. Copyright Bullivant Media Group Ltd.
Models included classic Austins, Minis, Metros, Montegos, Maestros, MGs, Rovers and more. All had been maintained or lovingly restored and there were a number of former service vehicles, including police cars and vans and Post Office vans.
Adrian Cottrell, who used to live in Bromsgrove, was at the event with his 1967 Post Office Morris Minor van.
Picture by Tristan Harris. Copyright Bullivant Media Group Ltd.
He said: “I bought it two years ago with all the original equipment in it and promised the owner I would preserve it how it was.
“I always wanted something a bit quirky and I love it.
Picture by Tristan Harris. Copyright Bullivant Media Group Ltd.
“The Royal Mail vans have always been red but back then, the Post Office telephone vans were green before they became the yellow BT ones.”
Elaine and Alan Hipkiss try to come to the event every year from Redditch with their 1948 Austin 16Bsi.
He said: “Before this year, I had to work on the weekend of Pride of Longbridge but I’m retired now so will hopefully be coming to a lot more.”
Charlie and Andy Hatton attended the event with their ‘his and hers’ MGs. The pair live in Stoke-on-Trent – Birmingham-born and bred Elaine has an MG ZR and Andy has an MG ZS 180.
Picture by Tristan Harris. Copyright Bullivant Media Group Ltd.
She said: “I saw a couple at another get-together with ‘Mr and Mrs’ cars so thought we would have ‘His and Hers’.”
Maurice Palmer from Rubery brought one of his two Austins – a 1936 Austin Hertford. He has a big affiliation with the Austin and MG Rover plant. He used to run the Austin Apprentice Training School as the chief instructor in the mid 1960s. And he was in Nigeria, running the engineering training school for Leyland International.
Picture by Tristan Harris. Copyright Bullivant Media Group Ltd.
World-wide enthusiasm
Motor enthusiasts came from all over the World with their Longbridge-built cars.
One group from Germany – Bavaria, Berlin, Dresden and Hanover brought six cars – Rover 75s, an MG ZS, an MG ZR and a Rover Coupe.
Picture by Tristan Harris. Copyright Bullivant Media Group Ltd.
Christopher Horn said: “They are very special cars and quite rare these days – you don’t see them everyday and they have character.”
Ramiro Garcia, Cristina Martinez and Alfredo Escudero came from near Madrid in Spain and were joined at Pride of Longbridge by Gonzalo Latorre who is a Spaniard now living in England.
Picture by Tristan Harris. Copyright Bullivant Media Group Ltd.
Ramiro said: “We came here last year but were not able to bring our Rover. This year we have finally got it back here to where it was made.”
‘Success in the sunshine’
Pride of Longbridge organiser, Gemma Cartwright MBE, said: “It has brought together the ex-employees and enthusiasts who love the cars built at Longbridge.
“We’ve had people from all over the UK and other countries, including Germany, Belgium and others, to mark 20 years of the event.
“It has been absolutely amazing – despite the cost of living crisis. People have still spent money to put fuel in their cars and come down here to show their support – I’m so thankful to everybody.”
Commonwealth Car Club
One group at the event was the Commonwealth Car Club which was started by Jordan Tocknell.
The membership started with the owners of cars which were used in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games’ opening ceremony.
Picture by Tristan Harris. Copyright Bullivant Media Group Ltd.
Red, white and blue cars built at Longbridge were positioned in formation to create a giant Union Flag in the centre of the Alexander Stadium.
Cat Vichare, one of the members, said: “It was a real intense time in the run up to the games – we were rehearsing for whole days over the weekend for two months beforehand.
“Everybody got on so well and supported each other and when it finished, we wanteed to stay in touch and meet up. Jordan was fantastic and organised it all.”
The club has been going two years now and has the motto ‘Fueled by friendship’.
Members hold their own get-together each year at the Alexander Stadium. And they attend other motoring events, such as the Classic Car Show at the NEC.
There is also a Commonwealth Car Club Facebook page which has more than 8,000 members from all over the world.
Jonathan Cotterill, another member, said: “Everyone is welcome to join and we have members from most countries – all you need is a passion for cars.
“The vehicles do not have to be built at Longbridge or in the UK – they can be from anywhere – it’s just people who love their cars coming together in a community.
