MetCam Works - Birmingham

[xc170]

Just found a thread on another forum I'm a member of that some of you may find interesting, it's an explore of the disused Met Cam/Alstom works in Birmingham, it's interesting to see the 458 mockup still in situ as well as what looks like a Tyne and Wear metro tram mockup.

https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threa...idland-works-washwood-heath-sept-2018.114779/

 

[Taunton]

How a business was ruined by incompetent management. Often when people say this, it isn't really correct, but in the case of Met-Cam it certainly is. They weren't just the No 1 independent train builder, they were likewise with buses, especially for London but also elsewhere, and especially with Underground cars as well. A huge market in Hong Kong, for both trains and buses. All markets that continued with other manufacturers.

 

[Ken H]

How a business was ruined by incompetent management. Often when people say this, it isn't really correct, but in the case of Met-Cam it certainly is. They weren't just the No 1 independent train builder, they were likewise with buses, especially for London but also elsewhere, and especially with Underground cars as well. A huge market in Hong Kong, for both trains and buses. All markets that continued with other manufacturers.

It was bought by GEC-Alsthom in 1989 and closed in 2005 because GEC-Alsthom considered they had too much train building capacity. Some said the french management closed it out of spite, or to protect french jobs. Or maybe sacking British workers is cheaper than sacking french ones, because of their stringent employment laws.