Visit to Armoury Rd, BSA Factory Site 

Sad to see, but thank you nonetheless for sharing this. I owned a 1967 A65 Thunderbolt for about 20 years. When I was working in the UK for a year in 1984 I took myself to Small Heath to try to find the old BSA factory. The row of old buildings on the left as I walked down Armoury road that was once the BSA armaments factory was still there in what seemed to be its complete extent. The front part of the main three part frontage building that had been the motorcycle factory, on the right was still there too, though the BSA letters and the Ariel sign had gone. The rear section of this main building had been demolished by this time. There were three or four small businesses such as motor vehicle repairers operating from this rear area. The front part of the main building appeared empty and unused. I'd imagine this front part of the main building, that I had seen so often in photographs over the years, and had been so recognisably the home of "the mighty BSA company" was demolished quite soon after I was there. I found it all very sad. The end came about so quickly. In 1967 BSA won the Queens Export award for industry, but by 1972 the company was bankrupt! In regards to the destruction of large parts of the factory by bombing in WW II, my understanding is that the factory site was very easily recognisable from the air, sitting as it did at the confluence of the rail line and the canal. On that trip to Birmingham I also found Bracebridge Street where the Norton factory had been till the mid 1960's, but I couldn't make out which building had once been the home of Norton motorcycles.

The B50 does sound well, hope I haven't cursed it now! It's inspired me to do a bit more on mine today. Got a few small parts arriving from PES in the UK this morning, a step closer to getting the gearbox and timing side closed up. I've found your earlier videos useful when working on my bike which was exported to Sydney from that factory in September 1971. How times have changed and not always for the better, cheers from Adelaide

Oddly enough that building is my avatar 👍. Enjoyed that overview thanks for sharing. If you can get a copy of a book by Barry Ryerson called "The Giants of Small Heath" the history of the BSA. Well out of print now but copies do turn up eBay / independent book sellers etc. The B50 sounds well 👍

Think the factory finally shut in early 1976 when the final batch of Triumph T160's were built for export to Saudi Arabia. NVT also closed the old Wolverhampton site where the final Commandos were built.