pistonbroke Posted December 2, 2005 Posted December 2, 2005 Timeline of major events in the history of British motoring Car production and car ownership began in earnest in Britain during the 1890s, although only in very small numbers, and with only the most wealthy and adventurous actually buying a car. However, once more people saw the potential of the motor car and more manufacturers appared on the market, the purchase price decreased and ownership rose. By the turn of last Century, cars were appearing all across the country and the dawn of this monumental transport revolution had well and truly begun. Below is a summary of many of the significant dates in the history of the motor car in Britain, from the very first motor show to the ending of production at MG Rover. 1895 Britain's first motor show is held, at the Agricultural Halls in London 1896 The first Daimler car is built in Britain 1896 The first London to Brighton car run is staged 1897 The first meeting is held of the Automobile Club of Great Britain (renamed the RAC in 1908) 1902 The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders is formed 1903 Vauxhall builds its first car in Britain 1903 The new Motor Car Act sees Britain's speed limit increase to 20 mph 1905 The Automobile Association is formed 1905 The Motor Show is held at Olympia in London for the first time 1905 The Austin Motor Company of Longbridge is registered 1907 Brooklands, the world's first purpose-built race track opens at Weybridge in Surrey 1908 Total annual car production in the UK exceeds 100,000 for the first time 1910 CS Rolls dies in an air crash at the Bournemouth aviation meeting 1911 Ford opens its new car plant in Manchester 1912 The Automobile Association opens its first roadside telephone box 1914 The Motor Show at Olympia is cancelled because of the War 1915 Due to the war, cars on the east side of England are only allowed to use sidelights in towns 1921 Tax discs need to be displayed on a car's windscreen for the first time 1925 A Morris Oxford with a Morris Garages body becomes the first MG 1925 Citroen opens its first UK factory, in Slough 1925 General Motors acquires a controlling interest in Vauxhall 1926 The first British grand prix is held at Brooklands 1927 The first British traffic lights are introduced, on Piccadilly in Central London. 1927 Malcolm Campbell sets a new world land speed record of 174 mph on the Pendine Sands in South Wales 1927 Henry Segrave brakes the world land speed record at Daytona Beach, passing 200mph. 1928 Autocar magazine publishes the first car road test 1930 Compulsory third party insurance is one of the many new regulations the motorist has to deal with following the new Road Traffic Act 1931 Rolls Royce purchases Bentley 1931 The first Swallow Side car is launched -effectively the first Jaguar 1932 The £100 Ford 8hp Saloon is launched at a special show at the Royal Albert Hall in London 1934 The Hillman Minx is the first British car to have a radio installed by the factory 1934 The first flashing pelican crossings are introduced, named Belisha beacons, after the Minister of Transport, Leslie Hore-Belisha 1934 London's North Circular Road and the Mersey Tunnel are opened 1935 William Lyons' new SS100 receives huge praise 1935 Driving tests are introduced 1937 All new vehicles must be fitted with safety glass 1939 The last ever races are held at Brooklands 1939 The Riley name is taken over by the ever growing Morris Group 1948 The new Land Rover, Morris Minor and Jaguar XK120 are all displayed at the London Motor Show to great acclaim 1950 Rover demonstrates its gas turbine prototype car -with the license plate JET 1 1951 A Jaguar XK120 is victorious at Le Mans 1951 The British Motor Corporation is formed following the merger of Austin and Morris 1952 A collaboration between Donald Healey and Herbert Austin sees the launch of the Austin Healey "100" at the Earl's Court Motor Show in London 1955 MG launches its new ultra-modern two seater sports car, the MGA 1955 Mike Hawthorn wins Le Mans in a Jaguar "D" type 1957 An extensive fire at Jaguar's Brown's Lane factory destroys many cars 1957 Double white lines are introduced on certain roads to prevent overtaking 1958 Britain's first parking meters are introduced, in London's Grosvenor Square 1958 Austin Healey launches its Frog Eyed Sprite 1959 Alec Issigonis launches his revolutionary Mini car 1959 Minister of Transport Ernest Marples opens the first section of the M1 motorway 1960 Traffic wardens appear for the first time 1960 Armstrong Siddeley decides to quit the motor industry 1960 Jaguar buys Daimler for £3.4 million 1960 The first MoT tests are introduced, for all cars over 10 years old 1961 The "E" type Jaguar is launched at the Geneva Motor Show 1962 Stirling Moss is seriously hurt and goes into a coma following a bad crash at Goodwood 1962 The MGB, Louts Elan, Triumph Spitfire and AC Cobra are all launched 1963 Jim Clark wins his first world drivers championship 1964 Paddy Hopkirk and Henry Liddon win the Monte Carlo Rally in a Mini Cooper 1964 The letter "A" appears as a suffix on all new number plates, denoting the vehicle's age of manufacture 1965 Barbara Castle becomes the first woman Minister of Transport and the 70 mph speed limit is introduced 1965 Jim Clark wins his second world drivers championship 1966 Mini Coopers come first, second and third in the Monte Carlo Rally 1968 Jim Clark is killed in a car crash in Germany 1968 British Leyland is formed -initially with a model range of 46 cars 1969 Austin launches its Maxi -hoping for the same success as the Mini 1970 The upmarket Range Rover is launched 1971 Rolls Royce declares itself bankrupt and is nationalised by the government 1972 2.3 million cars and commercial vehicles are made in Britain -an all time record 1973 Jackie Stewart becomes world drivers champion for the third time 1975 British Leyland Motor Corporation is renamed British Leyland 1976 James Hunt becomes the new world drivers champion 1978 British Leyland is renamed BL 1980 BL's Metro car is launched, with the company's future dependant on its success 1980 BL announces it is to end production of MG cars, causing great disappointment among many enthusiasts 1980 After 18 years in production, the last Triumph Spitfire rolls off the production line at Canley in Coventry 1981 The Queen opens the Humber Bridge -the longest single span road bridge in the world 1981 The new Anglo-Japanese motoring relationship blossoms with the launch of the Triumph Acclaim -using a Honda engine 1982 The last MGB rolls off the Abingdon production line -after 20 years and more than 500,000 cars 1983 Seat belts become compulsory in Britain for the first time 1985 Clive Sinclair launches his C5 1987 Ford buys Aston Martin 1989 Ford buys Jaguar 1992 Nigel Mansell wins the first five grand prix races of the season and goes on to become the world drivers champion 1994 BMW buys the Rover group 1995 Land Rover production passes 100,000 vehicles a year for the first time 1996 Damon Hill becomes the new world drivers champion 1998 BMW acquires Rolls Royce 1999 The new Highway Code is introduced, having been comprehensively revised and rewritten 2000 Production of the original Mini ceases after more than 40 years and more than five million cars 2002 Motor related road deaths are fewer than 4,000, compared with 7,500 thirty years earlier 2003 Ford ends car production in the UK after more than 80 years 2004 Jaguar announces it is to end car production at its Brown's Lane headquarters in Coventry after more than 50 years 2005 The AA celebrates its centenary 2005 Bentley announces the launch of its new luxury four door Flying Spur which has a top speed of more than 190 mph 2005 A continuing decline in sales and lack of new investment results in the closure of MG Rover, although it is later purchased by Nanjing Automobile (Group) Corporation of China -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote
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