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The Nottingham Factory History
Royal Ordnance had its origins in the Royal Powder Mill at Waltham Abbey in 1560. Since then, under various names and guises, it has played a crucial part in the defence of Britain.
Its weapons were tried and tested against the Spanish Armada, during the Napoleonic Wars and in the Crimean War. Its design and manufacturing capability grew to meet the demands of Britain's Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force during the Great War, World War II and Korea. More recently Royal Ordnance Equipment played a decisive role in the Falklands Campaign, and in the two Gulf conflicts.
In 1985 the Government privitised the Royal Ordnance Factories which became known as Royal Ordnance Plc which then, in 1987 was sold to British Aerospace, with the exception of ROF Leeds which became part of the Vickers organisation. British Aerospace commenced a continuous program of site consolidation to reduce the number of old ROF sites, the one having the biggest initial effect on Nottinngham was the closure of the Royal Small Arms Factory (RSAF) Enfield and the desision to amalgamate it's capabilities into a new facility at Nottingham.
In 1993 British Aerospace purchased British Manufacture & Research Company, know as BMARC, and moved the ammunition and medium calibre manufacturing to the Nottingham site, along with many BMARC employees.
During the late 1990's general consolidation of the Defence industries within Europe was being discussed. This led in 1999 to British Aerospace and the GEC Marconi Land and Naval Systems (MLANS) being merged to form a new company called BAE Systems.
During the rationalisation and consolidation that took place the Nottingham site was set for closure in 2001, and by 2006 only 3 of the original 11 sites that were sold were still operational.
The Nottingham site was built by Cammel Laird & Company Ltd in 1915-16 and managed by them as a National Projectile Factory (NPF) producing heavy shell, it was reorganised in 1917 for the manufacture of 18 pounder and 6 inch Field Service Guns and thus became a National Ordnance Factory (NOF). After the First World War Cammel Laird used the factory for the manufacture of railway carriages but it was later closed down.
In 1936 the factory was purchased by the Government, who renovated and re-equipped it to become part of the Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF) organisation. A foundry, forge and heat treatment shop were added followed by a drop-stamp, light machine shop, welding shop and finally, around 1950, by a heavy erection shop. From its reopening in 1936 until 1946 it produced 2 pounder to 5.5 inch, together with mountings and ancillary equipment.
After the second World War, the factory engaged in civil work, producing machines for hosiery, woodworking, paper working and mining, until armaments were again needed for the Services re-equipment programme. New production included guns from 40mm Bofors up to 165mm demolition guns, components for tanks and reworking of same.
Later products include the world famous 105mm L7 tank gun, the 120mm rifled tank guns for the Chieftain and Challenger Main Battle Tanks and the 105mm Light Gun Artillery system.
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