This page is dedicated to Stan Kelly the first plant manager at Southampton.

The history of the Southampton plant is a long one owned by Ford since 1953 vehicle body panels were made their by Briggs motor bodies and supplied to Ford for the Thames van in the early 1960s and going back ever further aircraft were produced by Cunliffe Owen on the site in the 1930s and 40s, but its the Transit van production we need to get into so here we go. From 1965 Transit panels were produced at the plant and transported to Langley and Gent for assembly as at this time both plants were making the Transit for the Europe markets. The main plant for the Van building at this time in England was Langley. In 1972 the assembly line was moved to Southampton with full production starting in July and production went up to over 300 a day. From that date forward the van had found its true home, over the years there has been discussion about why its Southampton and not some other plant it's not my job to go into that. I just have the nothing but admiration for the plant and the people in it for producing the best van in the world for all these years. Anyway on my first visit to the plant someone had put a big sign up saying home of the Transit and I always believe what I read.

November 1967 Southampton

 Cunliffe-Owen the builder of the main offices.

The body pressing shop Briggs motor bodies.

The early years vans on skids being moved by hand.

Testing bay.

Masking up the van in the paint shop

Press picture outside the plant

The paint shop

More tests

A full working plant was up and running

Another press picture at the plant

February 1st  1973

The new van ready for sale spot the sign

Corrosion covering

2,000,000 on Production line

 

2,000,000 off the line

Production line

The final check

starting to get technical

The final bits of paint

 Another line of vans

  The limited edition

Full automation hits the plant 1993Loads more pictures and an information page to follow