Pride of Longbridge 2026

[Peter Alexander]

I bought my A40 nearly 11 years ago and within a few weeks I attended the Annual Pride Of Longbridge event where I met Keith Bennett (amongst many others) who signed me up for the club.

The Cofton Park event is to remember the Longbridge manufacturing plant which closed in 2005. It is open exclusively to all BMC variants, wherever they were made.

Sadly for very understandable reasons, there have been less A40 Farinas present in recent years. Some people were travelling a long distance etc..Reason for this post is to make people aware of it. It would be great to see some more of our cars there, particularly as they were made across the road from the park and have such a provenance in Austin BMC history.

It would also be nice to see the cars assembled together and maybe the best way to do this would be to meet at a suitable point and drive in convoy..Please do call me if you are interested in doing this..07843 858276.

This year's event is Saturday 18th April and is from 10 am until 4 pm, although it is not obligatory to be there at 10 or to stay until 4.

Peter Alexander membership number 3833.

[Keith Bennett]

Hi Pete, so good to hear from you. Do please make sure your invitation appears in the March edition of FN.

For those who've never been, Cofton Park is a very large grassy area interspersed with mature trees with easy access from the main road. The show is well-organised and cheerful stewards help everyone park neatly, so Pete's suggestion of meeting up before entering the site is very sensible.

I wonder whether we can get hands on one of the Club's banners?

Please keep us posted on the progress, Peter (and was it really eleven years since first we met??)

[Peter Alexander]

Yes it was 2015. My car was an ebay win from Devon and the fool Hardy guy I am went down on the train, utilised a school mate for the finer logistics down at that end and drive it back up the m5 to coventry the same afternoon. I was tired, the car less so and I stopped off at stensham services. A chap came up to me and told me he remembered them being made at Longbridge and I thought I must attend the pride event which I did about 3 weeks later. Thanks to you Keith, I have since learned alot more about the provenance of our little cars and at the nec show was telling the punters the story of Prince Philip and the letters you got from him. It seems the British public or at least the classic car types are much more in favour of stories like that rather than the scandals his middle son are involved in.

2024, and I know you have one if these too,, I did the modest thing ever and bought a t2 camper from Devon.. utilised same school friend for finer logistics. He is on standby to help me out again in about 2033.

[Keith Bennett]

Sod's Law strikes again. Just received a long-awaited appointment from the consultant's secretary at the JR hospital for - wait for it - Saturday 18th April at 2:15 You couldn't make it up. Anyhoo, may the sun shine on Crofton Park and your A40s.

[Peter Alexander]

All the best for the appointment Keith. Hope to catch you at another event during the show season. Please do carry on crossing fingers and toes for sunshine too.

[Keith Bennett]

Just a reminder that tomorrow's the Cofton Park show; the weather forecast looks good enough, so I hope Pete's endeavours will be well rewarded by a good turnout.