What is most surprising is that so much of the former Leyland factory is still in place – so much so, that where the more recently-applied white paint is flaking away from rotting window panels and ageing skirting boards, you’ll find Leyland Bus corporate-spec blue proudly revealing itself underneath. And a warning from the past – forcing manufacturers into building facilities hundreds of miles away from their traditional bases is not a great idea. But for Mike Humble and I, it was an emotional reminder of our lost industrial heritage. And boy, did we find them.įor most people, wandering around these windswept industrial units on a blustery October day on the Cumbrian coast would have been a chore at best. And that’s why, recently, Mike Humble and I found ourselves heading to Lillyhall near Workington to look over one of Eddie Stobart’s depot, now downgraded to a fulfilment centre, to seek out the remnants of the Leyland Nationalbus factory. However, there are still links if you know where to go. Equally, those landmarks we associate with the firm are being erased from our landscape – Rover dealer totems are pretty much extinct now, while the factories in which the cars were built are disappearing or unrecognisable now. And that’s a shame, but an inevitable consequence of the passage of time.

With MG Rover as we know it falling into administration more than 15 years ago, and eventually being carved up, our contact with the company is becoming rarer by the day.Īsk yourself – when you’re out and about, how often do you see pre-2005 MGs or Rovers on the road? The answer won’t be that often.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – the passage of time can be a cruel mistress, especially for fans of the firm, like us.

Banished 1.07 maps 2018