Closure of Ford Transit factory at Swaythling, Southampton

[Pengi]

http://www.itv.com/news/story/2013-07-26/ford-transit-van-factory-closes-in-southampton/

[jonclox]

That saddens me.
As a young apprentice in about 1963 I used to drive from Basingstoke to Winchester every morning in my battered small old Bedford van.
The A33 in those days was single and odd stretches of dual carriage way most of the way down. All vans and lorrys max. speed 40MPH.
Most mornings I would get caught at the back of the days convoy of Transit chassis en route for Sotton.
I soon got to know and be known by the drivers who would wave me through their numbers one by one or in bulk.
One morning halfway along a particularly slow moving journey I took a chance and started overtaking, past 3 loads and then hidden in between that and the next was a police car .I shot past him at about 55an noticed in my mirror that as I did so the load I had last passed had signalled and moved to the outside lane blocking the road for the police car. he also seemed to be slowing down bur was defiantly flashing his headlights at meand the rest of the convoy waved me though fast and out of sight of the police.
I dived up a side lane, turned round and waited a few minutes before continuing my journey sedately to work, passing a confused police car in a lay-bye just on a little.
Those drivers were diamonds and Ive never forgotten their aid that and every morning.
I loved the Transits and had one myself for years.
A very sad day for Sotton Today

[d-a-n]

I wonder how many people will be left out of work as a result of this decision? I remember seeing something on the news up here about it a while back and remember thinking it's a sad choice for Ford to make and one which I hope has been made as a last resort.

[surfaceman]

The decision by Ford to move was not a "last resort" but was the result of Ford being given funding by the EU to build the plant in Turkey ( no, I don't understand it either! ).

That made it a bit of a "no brainer" for Ford :

     new plant + cheaper labour = larger profits

[Agrippa]

Another nail in the coffin of British industry, is that all Ford
in UK now closed apart from an engine plant?