IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Astoria Drive, COVENTRY, CV4 9ZY

This is the back entrance (from Broad Lane) to the former Massey Ferguson Works, Coventry. Although the facade of the offices (and the tower block) facing Banner Lane have been left standing, this is all that remains of the works. The house builders' sales office is already in place at the far end of the site.

Showhomes on the Bannerbrook Park redevelopment of the former Massey Ferguson factory site.

After heavy overnight and morning rain has ameliorated, surface water flows down Broad Lane towards the junction with Banner Lane, covering most of the left hand side of the road. A stream runs behind the raised kerb on the right.

Looking south east.

Heavy overnight and morning rain has caused excessive surface runoff from Hockley Lane on the right to add to the problems with an overflowing stream alongside Broad Lane. The stream is visible in front of the houses and passes under the road to continue behind the raised kerb on the left. By this time the rain had eased for a couple of hours. Near the direction sign is a boundary post, marking the 1928 city boundary extension.

According to the sign on the right, this appears to be the entrance to Broad Lane Trading Estate. The nearby area was formerly occupied by the Massey Ferguson factory and the gate posts are remnants from the site. A similar view in 2012: Image

The gate posts are the last vestiges of the former Massey Ferguson tractor factory which ceased operation in 2003 and was mostly demolished by 2005. The factory, built 1939/40, started out as a Standard No. 2 shadow factory producing aircraft engines during WWII then was turned over to post-war tractor production, the last tractor rolling off the line on 24 Dec 2002. The 1960s office tower block was demolished on 8 July 2012. The area is currently being redeveloped for housing, some of which is visible here. The gateway appears to be used as the entrance to Broad Lane Trading Estate, the sign for which is on the right. A similar view in 2009: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3035154 Images of the factory site: Image (2005) Image (2005) Image (2005) Image (2005) Image (2006)

The factory gates and fences are always the last to go - they provide access control to the redevelopment site. This was formerly the northern Banner Lane entrance to the Massey Ferguson factory which has now been demolished and is being redeveloped for housing.

Approximately one hour after the former Massey Ferguson tower block had been demolished by controlled explosion and the top of the remains can just be seen behind the Spar shop on the skyline. At this time Banner Lane was still closed whilst damping down of dust and clearance of any stray debris took place.

Two hours after the demolition of the former Massey Ferguson tower block and mechanical grabbers are at work clearing the debris. In the background are houses built on the former factory site in the past five years or so.