Fisher and Ludlow...

[dutchman]

Here seen assembling a body for the Standard Vanguard in 1953:

[rebbonk]

I believe that Fisher and Ludlow proposed a moving body line for almost 2 miles alongside the railway from their premises (Tile Hill) to the Triumph Canley site. I don't think they ever got planning permission.

[dutchman]

That particular stretch of land was earmarked for a freight siding which was never built.

Have to confess I'd not heard of 'Fisher and Ludlow' before but if it was the same firm which later became part of 'Pressed Steel Fisher', the latter was taken over by BMC who subsequently refused to supply rivals Standard with one-piece bodies. That was also the origin of Triumph Herald series which reverted to separate chassis and bolt-on body construction.

[Midland Red]

Fisher and Ludlow, Tile Hill
Purpose built by Fisher and Ludlow in 1938 to build the Flying 8 bodyshells for delivery to Canley. Also used to build Vanguard and 8/10 bodies in the post war period. Standard purchased Fisher and Ludlow in 1958 with the proceeds of the Ferguson, Banner Lane, sale and the site was used to build Herald body parts. At one point Standard planned to construct a moving conveyor along the railway that connects the site to Canley two miles away, but planning permission was never achieved. The site is now the spares department for Peugeot.

[dutchman]

BMC acquired the Fisher and Ludlow group in 1953. Standards only ever bought the Tile Hill factory from BMC. The rest of Fisher and Ludlow remained under BMC ownership and was eventually merged with Pressed Steel in 1965 to form 'Pressed Steel Fisher'.

Standards then built a body plant of their own at Canley specifically for construction of the Triumph Herald series but production didn't begin there until 1961, two years after the Herald had been unveiled to the public.