Ryton Shadow Factory

Coventry Rootes Securities Limited Ryton-on-Dunsmore No.2 Factory Aircraft Division. Designed Photographed and Produced in the Studios of the Rootes Group.

The Rootes Archive Centre has an album dated June 1945 with a remarkable collection of some 120 photographs from the Rootes Studio. The preface to this album reads as follows.

These records depict the growth of the second Aero Engine Shadow
Factory which, in early 1939, Rootes Securities Limited, were
commissioned by the Air Ministry to erect and equip for the production
in quantity of Bristol Hercules Engines.

A site of approximately 60 acres was chosen, situated on the London
and Oxford Road junction leading from Coventry. In June 1939 work
commenced levelling the site, road and sewers laying, erecting
steelwork with special gas, water and electricity mains, these being
necessary to cater for this large factory.

Meanwhile, from temporary offices in wooden huts, staff and techicians
organised equipment, machinery, materials and labour ready to commence
production immediately the buildings were available.

Despite the Declaration of War in Sep'1939, bringing innumerable
difficulties, the first units were completed and despatched early in
1940, after which, production steadily increased until the planned
target of ``one an hour'' was achieved. Early in 1943, with the
factory in full production, the war situation demanded that the output
should be doubled.

This entailed considerable re-arrangement of existing plant, additional
buildings, machine tools and labour, all of which, at that period,
were in exceedingly short supply.

Mainly due to the wonderful team spirit which prevailed amongst our
6,000 employees, who worked long and arduous hours consistently, the
target of ``two an hour'' was accomplished and exceeded, later, to
accommodate the production of the latest type Bristol Hercules 100
Engine, further re-arrangements of the factory layout were necessary.

No effort was spared in the layout to ensure for all the most hygienic
and modern working conditions; a Canteen catering for 6,000 meals a
day -- the most up to date Surgery with fully qualified staff and
Works Doctor always available to deal with any injury and look after
the general health of the workers -- social activities, covering
indoor and outdoor sports, with a large playing field adjacent to the
factory grounds.

In Dec'1943, when ultimate Victory was assured, in common with most
Ministry contracts, we were advised by MAP to reduce production
gradually to a finality by 30/6/1945.  As in the case of No.1
Factory, therefore, this factory will change over to the Industries of
Peace as manufactured by the Rootes Group.

This index lists the page numbers in the Album.

1. .
2. .
3. .
4. .
5. Plan of Works
6. Site of Factory - May 1939
7. .
8. Model of Works
9. Aerial view of Site - June 1939
10. Site Entrance on London Road
11. Temporary Offices
12. Block ``A'' Steelwork Exterior
13. .
14. Block ``A'' Steelwork Interior
15. .
16. Boiler House Erection
17. Sub-terranean Reservoir Construction
18. Storm Water Drain Construction
19. Storm Water Drain Construction
20. Sewage Farm
21. Storm Water Effluent
22. View of Front Offices from N.E. Corner
23. General View of Offices from S.E. Corner
24. Aerial View of Works with Painted Camouflage
25. Aerial View of Works with Camouflage Netting
26. South Road Camouflage
27. Gas Producer Plant
28. View of Camouflaged Works from top of Office Block
29. Car Park Camouflage
30. First Machines in Block ``A''
31. General View of Block ``A'', Dec'1940
32. Panoramic View of Block ``A'', Dec'1941 (in full production)
33. Panoramic View of Block ``A'', Dec'1941
34. Interior Views Block ``AX''
35. .
36. First Hercules Components completed 27/11/1939
37. First Hercules Blower Units completed 16/7/1940
38. View of Heavy Section Front Covers and Crankshaft Rear
39. View of Heavy Section Crank Cases
40. Borematic Operation on Crank Case Assy
41. Ryder Automatics on Clutch Section
42. Tool Reclamation Dept
43. Tool Room
44. Heat Treatment Block ``E'' and Electric Salt Baths, Block ``D''
45. General View, Block ``D''
46. Radiant Heat, Enamelling Plant and Plating Shop
47. Polishing Shop
48. Physical Laboratory ``AX'' and Chemical Laboratory
49. Physical Laboratory in Block ``A''
50. Final View
51. Standards Room
52. Blow Test Rigs and Rear Cover Rigs
53. Blower Test Rig
54. Bulkhead Assy
55. Engine Build
56. Crankshaft Assy with Bearings, Main Drive Shaft and Reduction Gears
57. Crankshaft Assy
58. Composite View
59. Crank Case and Sleeve Drive Assy
60. Blower Assy
61. Hercules VI Front View
62. Hercules VI Three-quarter View
63. Hercules VI with Exhaust Ring and Controllable Gills
64. Hercules ``100'' sectioned Engine
65. General View of Crane Bay, Quarantine and Bonded Stores
66. Power Plant Receiving Bay
67. General Stores
68. Grinding Wheel Stores
69. Test Rig Rectifiers
70. No.1 Sub-Station
71. Boiler House
72. Compressor House
73. Swarf Disposal
74. Garage
75. Foyer
76. Large Conference Room
77. Small Conference Room
78. Photostat Room
79. Drawing Office
80. Buying Office
81. Cost Accounts
82. Merchandised Accounts
83. Accounts Dept
84. Employment Office - Reception
85. Training Dept - Fitting instruction
86. Training Dept - Machine instruction
87. Security Police
88. Home Guard ``D'' Company, 14th, Coventry Battalion
89. Fire and Ambulance Station
90. Fire Tender and Ambulance
91. Roof Spotters
92. A.R.P. Control
93. Surgery Reception
94. One of the Surgeries
95. Blood Donors
96. Blood Donor
97. Health Week: Brains Trust
98. Warships Week: Rootes Exhibit
99. ``Salute the Soldier'' Week: Target Board
100. ``Salute the Soldier'' Week: American Concert Party
101. Canteen Exterior
102. Works Canteen
103. Main Bar
104. Games Room
105. Directors' Dining Room
106. Executives' Dining Room
107. Staff Canteen
108. Kitchens
109. General View: Dilke Farm Hostel
110. Dilke Farm Hostel
111. Rootes Group Mobile Cinema Show
112. Tea Trolley Service
113. Barber's Shop
114. Clean Overall Stores
115. Works Orchestra
116. Male Voice Choir
117. Production Supervision Dinner
118. Entertaining American Wounded Soldiers
119. Halifax with Hercules Engine over Rootes No.2