1.
United Kingdom
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The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country in western Europe. Lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland, the United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain, Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom that shares a land border with another sovereign state—the Republic of Ireland. The Irish Sea lies between Great Britain and Ireland, with an area of 242,500 square kilometres, the United Kingdom is the 78th-largest sovereign state in the world and the 11th-largest in Europe. It is also the 21st-most populous country, with an estimated 65.1 million inhabitants, together, this makes it the fourth-most densely populated country in the European Union. The United Kingdom is a monarchy with a parliamentary system of governance. The monarch is Queen Elizabeth II, who has reigned since 6 February 1952, other major urban areas in the United Kingdom include the regions of Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Liverpool and Manchester. The United Kingdom consists of four countries—England, Scotland, Wales, the last three have devolved administrations, each with varying powers, based in their capitals, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, respectively. The relationships among the countries of the UK have changed over time, Wales was annexed by the Kingdom of England under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. A treaty between England and Scotland resulted in 1707 in a unified Kingdom of Great Britain, which merged in 1801 with the Kingdom of Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the UK in 1922, leaving the present formulation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, there are fourteen British Overseas Territories. These are the remnants of the British Empire which, at its height in the 1920s, British influence can be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies. The United Kingdom is a country and has the worlds fifth-largest economy by nominal GDP. The UK is considered to have an economy and is categorised as very high in the Human Development Index. It was the worlds first industrialised country and the worlds foremost power during the 19th, the UK remains a great power with considerable economic, cultural, military, scientific and political influence internationally. It is a nuclear weapons state and its military expenditure ranks fourth or fifth in the world. The UK has been a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council since its first session in 1946 and it has been a leading member state of the EU and its predecessor, the European Economic Community, since 1973. However, on 23 June 2016, a referendum on the UKs membership of the EU resulted in a decision to leave. The Acts of Union 1800 united the Kingdom of Great Britain, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have devolved self-government
2.
Rover Group
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The Rover Group plc was the name given in 1986 to the British vehicle manufacturer BL, which had been state-owned company since 1975. It initially included the Austin Rover Group car business, Land Rover Group, Freight Rover vans, the Rover Group was owned by British Aerospace from 1988 to 1994, when BAe sold the remaining car business to the German company BMW. The group was broken up in 2000, when Ford acquired the Land Rover division, with the Rover. Ownership of the original Rover Group marques is currently split between BMW, SAIC, and Tata Motors. The Rover Group plc was formed by renaming BL plc in 1986, soon after the appointment by Margaret Thatcher of Canadian Graham Day to the position of Chairman and Managing Director of BL. This group was privatised in 1988 by the sale of the company to British Aerospace for £150 million, who retained Day as joint CEO and Chairman, the group changed its name again in 1989 to Rover Group Holdings Limited. Whilst the car manufacturing subsidiary Austin Rover Group Limited shortened its name to Rover Group Limited, on 31 January 1994 BAe sold its 80% stake in the company on to German vehicle manufacturer BMW for £800 million, the name changing again in 1995 to BMW Holdings Limited. Millions of pounds of investment by BMW failed to turn the company into profit and it has been estimated that the entire Rover bankruptcy cost BMW fifteen billion Marks. In March 2000, BMW announced its plans to sell the Rover Group, within two months, much of the group had been sold. Following bids from Alchemy Partners and Phoenix Consortium, core areas of manufacturing capability, despite trading as MG Rover Group, the new companys key Rover marque was a property licensed from BMW. The new Mini, which had developed at Longbridge by Rover Group and was due for launch within a year, along with marques. It is believed these names are associated with the heritage of sports car manufacturers. After MG Rover Groups financial crisis and talks of acquisition or investment by Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation failed in early 2005, following liquidation, SAIC bought the design rights to the acclaimed Rover 75 platform, along with the marques of Austin, Morris, and Wolseley. Nanjing Automobile Corporation bought the rights to the MG marque, in December 2007, Nanjing and SAIC announced their merger, which reunited some of the marques that had formed Rover Group. Despite BMW agreeing to sell the Rover marque to SAIC, Ford gained control of the luxury saloon name, when Fords Jaguar and Land-Rover businesses were sold to TATA Motors of India, the rights to the historically prestigious Daimler, Lanchester, and Rover marques transferred to TATA Motors. 1987, The Leyland Trucks division merged with DAF and then floated,1989, The new Rover 200 goes on sale, abandoning the four-door saloon bodystyle in favour of a three- and five-door hatchback. It is also sold as the Honda Concerto, Maestro and Montego production is scaled down as a result. 1990, The Rover 400 – saloon version of the Rover 200 – goes on sale, also going into production is the heavily updated Metro, which features modernised body styling, a reworked interior and a new range of engines
3.
British Leyland
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It was partly nationalised in 1975, when the UK government created a holding company called British Leyland, later BL, in 1978. It incorporated much of the British-owned motor vehicle industry, which constituted 40 percent of the UK car market, despite containing profitable marques such as Jaguar, Rover and Land Rover, as well as the best-selling Mini, British Leyland had a troubled history. In 1986 it was renamed as the Rover Group, later to become MG Rover Group, MG and the Austin, Morris and Wolseley marques became part of Chinas SAIC, with whom MG Rover attempted to merge prior to administration. Certain other related businesses, such as Unipart, continue to operate independently. At the time, LMC was a manufacturer, while BMH was perilously close to collapse. The Government was hopeful LMCs expertise would revive the ailing BMH, the new corporation was arranged into seven divisions under its new chairman, Sir Donald Stokes. After the merger, Lord Stokes was horrified to find that BMH had no plans to replace the elderly designs in its portfolio. Also, BMHs design efforts immediately prior to the merger had focused on niche market models such as the Austin Maxi and the Austin 3 litre. BMH had produced several cars, such as the Mini. While these cars had been advanced at the time of their introduction, the Mini was not highly profitable, immediately, Lord Stokes instigated plans to design and introduce new models quickly. The first result of this programme was the Morris Marina in early 1971. It used parts from various BL models with new bodywork to produce BLs mass-market competitor and it was one of the strongest-selling cars in Britain during the 1970s, although by the end of production in 1980 it was widely regarded as a dismal product that had damaged the companys reputation. The Austin Allegro, launched in 1973, earned a similarly unwanted reputation over its 10-year production life, the company became an infamous monument to the industrial turmoil that plagued Britain in the 1970s. Industrial action instigated by militant shop stewards frequently brought BLs manufacturing capability to its knees, the upshot was that both Ford and Vauxhall ultimately overtook BL to become Britains two best selling marques, a title they hold to the present day. At its peak, BLMC owned almost 40 manufacturing plants across the country, even before the merger BMH had included theoretically competing marques that were in fact selling substantially similar badge engineered cars. The British Motor Corporation had never properly integrated either the dealer networks or the facilities of Austin. The upshot was that plants were producing badge engineered models of otherwise identical cars so that each network would have a product to sell. Rover competed with Jaguar at the end of the market
4.
Volvo Buses
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Volvo Buses is a subsidiary and a business area of the Swedish vehicle maker Volvo, which became an independent division in 1968. It is the worlds largest bus manufacturer, with a range of heavy buses for passenger transportation. The product range includes complete buses and coaches as well as combined with a comprehensive range of services. The bus operation has a presence, with production in Europe, North and South America. In India it set up its production facility in Bangalore, former production facility was located in Irvine, Scotland. Codes in parentheses are VIN codes for the chassis models, b9M – low-budget version of the B10M 1988–1991 B10C – special Australian coach version of the B10M 1978-1991, B10R 1978-1987. B6F/B6FA198. -198. 8-litre engine 2011-, B11R –10, KG, Heilbronn, Germany Prevost Coaches, Quebec, Canada, now known as Prevost Car Merkavim, Israel, jointly owned by Volvo Bus Corporation & Mayer Cars & Trucks Ltd
5.
Leyland Motors
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Leyland Motors Limited was a British vehicle manufacturer of lorries, buses and trolleybuses. It gave its name to the British Leyland Motor Corporation formed when it merged with British Motor Holdings, British Leyland later changed its name to simply BL, then in 1986 to Rover Group. Leyland Motors has a history dating from 1896, when the Sumner and Spurrier families founded the Lancashire Steam Motor Company in the town of Leyland in North West England. Their first products included steam lawn mowers, the companys first vehicle was a 1. 5-ton-capacity steam powered van. This was followed by a number of steam wagons using a vertical fire-tube boiler. By 1905 they had begun to build petrol-engined wagons. The Lancashire Steam Motor Company was renamed Leyland Motors in 1907 when they took over Coulthards of Preston and they also built a second factory in the neighbouring town of Chorley which still remains today as the headquarters of the LEX leasing and parts company. In 1920, Leyland Motors produced the Leyland 8 luxury touring car, parry-Thomas was later killed in an attempt on the land speed record when the car overturned. Rumours that a chain drive broke were found to be incorrect when the car was disinterred late in the 20th century as the chains were intact, at the other extreme, they also produced the Trojan Utility Car in the Kingston upon Thames factory at Ham from 1922 to 1928. Three generations of Spurriers controlled Leyland Motors from its foundation until the retirement of Sir Henry Spurrier in 1964, Sir Henry inherited control of Leyland Motors from his father in 1942, and successfully guided its growth during the postwar years. Whilst the Spurrier family were in control the company enjoyed excellent labour relations—reputedly never losing a days production through industrial action, during the war, Leyland Motors along with most vehicle manufacturers was involved in war production. Leyland built the Cromwell tank at its works from 1943 as well as medium/large trucks such as the Leyland Hippo, after the war, Leyland Motors continued military manufacture with the Centurion tank. In 1946, AEC and Leyland Motors worked to form the British United Traction Ltd, in 1955, through an equity agreement, manufacture of commercial vehicles under licence from Leyland Motors commenced in Madras, India at the new Ashok factory. The products were branded as Ashok Leyland, donald Stokes, previously Sales Director, was appointed managing director of Leyland Motors Limited in September 1962 originally a Leyland student apprentice he had grown up with the company. In 1968 Leyland Motor Corporation Limited merged with British Motor Holdings to form the British Leyland Motor Corporation, BMH brought with it into the new organisation more famous British goods vehicle and bus and coach marques, including Daimler, Guy, BMC, Austin and Morris. The Leyland diesel engines were used in Finnish Sisu and Vanaja lorries and buses in 1960s, the BLMC group was difficult to manage because of the many companies under its control, often making similar products. This, and other reasons, led to difficulties and in December 1974 British Leyland had to receive a guarantee from the British government. This division was split into Leyland Bus and Leyland Trucks in 1981, Leyland Trucks depended on British sales as well as export markets, mainly commonwealth and ex-commonwealth markets
6.
Workington
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Workington is a town, civil parish and port at the mouth of the River Derwent on the west coast of Cumbria, England. Historically in Cumberland and lying in the Borough of Allerdale, Workington is 32 miles southwest of Carlisle,7 miles west of Cockermouth, at the 2011 Census it had a population of 25,207. Workington is the seat of Allerdale Borough Council, sue Hayman is the MP for the constituency of the same name that includes other towns in Workingtons hinterland. The area around Workington has long been a producer of coal, between AD79 and AD122, Roman forts, mile-forts and watchtowers were established along the Cumbrian coast. They were coastal defences against attacks by the Scoti from Ireland and by the Caledonii, the 16th-century Britannia, written by William Camden describes ruins of the coastal defences at Workington. A Viking sword was discovered at Northside, which is believed to indicate there was a settlement at the rivers mouth. In 2007, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors named Washington Square as the best commercial project in North West England, several works of public art were installed in the town centre, including, Glass Canopies designed by Alexander Beleschenko. The Hub by BASE Structures and Illustrious, the Grilles architectural metalwork at Central Car Park by Tom Lomax in association with pupils from St Patricks Primary School and Alan Dawson. by Paul Scott and Robert Drake. Lookout Clock, a town clock designed by Andy Plant. In 2011 a closed meeting of Allerdale councillors took place to discuss the sale of the site, Tesco stated that they were still seeking a site for a store of around 60,000 sq ft in Workington to replace the established store. Workington lies astride the River Derwent, on the West Cumbrian coastal plain and it is bounded to the west by the Solway Firth, part of the Irish Sea, and by the Lake District fells to the east. The town comprises various districts, many of which were established as housing estates, North of the river these districts include Seaton, Barepot, Northside, Port and Oldside. The Marsh and Quay, a working class area of the town around the docks. Much of the area of the Marsh is now covered by Clay Flatts Industrial Estate. The Cumbria iron ore field lies to the south of Workington, for the first 25 years of the process, until Gilchrist and Thomas improved upon it, phosphorus-free haematite was required. With Cumbria as the premier source, and the local coalfield providing energy for steel production. The Bessemer converter continued to work until July 1974, the Moss Bay Steelworks closed in 1982, despite having received significant infrastructural investment and improvements almost immediately prior to the closure. Workington was the home of Distington Engineering Company, the arm of British Steel Corporation
7.
Ashok Leyland
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Ashok Leyland is an Indian automobile manufacturing headquartered in Chennai, India. Founded in 1948, it is the 2nd largest commercial vehicle manufacturer in India, 4th largest manufacturer of buses in the world, operating six plants, Ashok Leyland also makes spare parts and engines for industrial and marine applications. It sells about 60,000 vehicles and about 7,000 engines annually and it is the second largest commercial vehicle company in India in the medium and heavy commercial vehicle segment with a market share of 28%. With passenger transportation options ranging from 19 seaters to 80 seaters, the company claims to carry more than 60 million passengers a day, more people than the entire Indian rail network. In the trucks segment Ashok Leyland primarily concentrates on the 16 ton to 25 ton range of trucks, however Ashok Leyland has presence in the entire truck range starting from 7.5 tons to 49 tons. With a joint venture with Nissan Motors of Japan the company made its presence in the Light Commercial Vehicle segment, Ashok Leylands UK subsidiary Optare has shut down its bus factory in Blackburn, Lancashire. This subsidiarys traditional home in Leeds has also been vacated in favour of a purpose built plant at Sherburn-in-Elmet, Ashok Motors was founded in 1948 by Raghunandan Saran, an Indian freedom fighter from Punjab. After Independence, he was persuaded by India’s first Prime Minister Nehru, Ashok Motors was incorporated in 1948 as a company to assemble and manufacture Austin cars from England, and the company was named after the founders only son Ashok Saran. The company had its headquarters in Rajaji Saalai, Chennai with the plant in Ennore, the Company was engaged in assembly and distribution of Austin A40 passenger cars in India. Ashok Leyland then started manufacturing commercial vehicles, under Leylands management with British expatriate and Indian executives the company grew in strength to become one of Indias foremost commercial vehicle manufacturers. Ashok Leyland’s long-term plan to become a player by benchmarking global standards of technology. Access to international technology and a US$200 million investment programme created a manufacturing base to roll out international class products. In 2007, the Hinduja Group also bought out IVECOs indirect stake in Ashok Leyland, the promoter shareholding now stands at 51%. Today the company is the flagship of the Hinduja Group, a British-based, early products included the Leyland Comet bus which was a passenger body built on a truck chassis sold in large numbers to many operators in India. By 1963, the Comet was operated by every State Transport Undertaking in India and it was soon joined in production by a version of the Leyland Tiger. In 1968, production of the Leyland Titan ceased in Britain, the Titan PD3 chassis was modified, and a five speed heavy duty constant-mesh gearbox was used together with the Ashok Leyland version of the O.680 engine. The Ashok Leyland Titan was very successful and continued in production for many years, during early 80s Ashok Leyland entered into a collaboration with Japanese company Hino Motors from whom technology for the H-series engines was sourced. Many indigenous versions of H-series engine were developed with 4 and 6 cylinders and also conforming to BS2 and these engines proved to be extremely popular with the customers primarily for their excellent fuel efficiency
8.
Leyland Trucks
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Leyland Trucks is the UKs leading medium & heavy duty truck manufacturer and is based in the town of Leyland, Lancashire. It emerged from the bankruptcy of DAF NV as the result of a management buy-out in 1993, since Leyland Trucks was acquired by Paccar it has become the groups established centre for the design, development and manufacture of light and medium duty trucks. Leyland Trucks operates out of one of Europes most advanced truck manufacturing facilities - the Leyland Assembly Plant, in 2008 Leyland produced more than 24,500 trucks of which 50% were exported. Its history lies in origins as Leyland Motors which subsequently became part of the nationalised British Leyland conglomerate, upon the breakup of BLs successor Rover Group, the truck making division merged with DAFs truck business as DAF NV. When the new company became insolvent a few later, Leyland Trucks emerged as an independent company. 1896 The Lancashire Steam Motor Company is formed by James Sumner at the Herbert Street workshops with 20 employees, the new company begins divesting its non-car manufacturing related businesses. 3%2009 In April Leyland Trucks was awarded the prestigious Queens Award for Enterprise in International Trade. 2010 Leyland Trucks was awarded the PACCAR Chairmans Award for 2009 DAF LF - Designed, developed and assembled at Leyland Trucks and this truck received the International Truck of the Year award in 2002. DAF CF - All CF652 axle rigids, and all right hand versions of the CF75. DAF XF - All RHD versions are assembled at Leyland Trucks and this truck received the international truck of the year award in 2007
