We FOUND The Lost Cars Of the Longbridge Tunnels! PROTOTYPES And The GREATEST BRITISH BARNFIND!

In this video we REVEAL THE IDENTITIES OF some of the most incredible and mysterious British Leyland and BMC prototypes ever made but with a twist, these cars were stored in the Longbridge tunnels and after a disaster in the late 70s these cars were destroyed.
With the help of the workers at the time from Austin, BMC and British Leyland we uncover these incredible lost cars
We also explore the Longbridge tunnel Minis and the greatest barnfind this country and maybe even the world has ever seen.
PLEASE NOTE: This site is an active construction site with the tunnels in a dangerous state. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO “EXPLORE” OR INFILTRATE THE COMPLEX IT IS NOT SAFE.
The thumbnail photo is not of the tunnels as there are no suitable images that exist.
I have credited where possible these works are transformative.
Credits:
AROnline - ADO74, ADO88, Bentley Java, ADO30
BMIHT - Development footage
Austin Memories - Historic Longbridge
Further reading:
ADO74: www.aronline.co.uk/concepts-a...
ADO88: www.aronline.co.uk/concepts-a...
Bentley Java: www.aronline.co.uk/concepts-a...
Austin Memories is the best source for all Austin/Longbridge related information I have used some of these images in this video: www.austinmemories.com
Credit to: forum.retro-rides.org/thread/... for the Mini photo.
All images of the tunnels belong to the BMIHT it goes without saying this is the best place to visit if you enjoy these videos and history: britishmotormuseum.co.uk/
Follow me on Instagram for more cool stuff: / tomisdrivingcars

[@tomdrives]

Correction: The understanding is that the Longbridge Plant Fire Service attended the fire first but were unable to bring the fire under control & then they called the West Midlands Fire Service 40 minutes later.

[@michaeltreadwell777]

WOW, that was fascinating ! I owned a 1970 Austin 3Litre - VOT 868H, when I was 21. I loved them from the day they were launched, and vowed to own one . In reality, I was too young to really appreciate it, but it was a beautiful 'Carriage' and I loved every second of owning it. The Princess version looked lovely, but I'm wondering how much more luxurious it could have been from the Austin version. That was full of Burr Walnut, leather, really thick carpets and West of England headlining - it was a Luxury car in its own right. Anyway, thanks for stirring some lovely memories for me from 48 years ago ! Thanks - take care 🙂

[@tomdrives]

Thanks Michael! Appreciate the story of your 3 litre as well! I hope to own one eventually

[@NickyB62]

As always another brilliantly researched & well put together video. The fact the guy who raised the alarm was disciplined for using another department's phone shows the poor standard of management at Longbridge at the time. It goes a long way into explaining why relations between the factory floor workers & management were so poor & troubled. Their must be more companies fail due to a few bad managers than any other reason. Ive seen it happen. Staff get demoralised, hence quality drops. Good workers leave to go & work for the competition. Then bang all of a sudden a company that used to be top notch goes to the wall

[@kibrok]

Well done Tom, that was a great video. Thanks for all your hard work putting this together 👍

[@tomdrives]

Thanks! Couldn’t have done it without the help from the people who worked there.

[@aliendon73]

I remember the fire vividly, I used to live in Bombers Field opposite the Leyland plant. The smoke was intense! Bombers Field was part of Tinmeadow Crescent, to which was part of where the air field was. There was also a MK1 Wolseley Mini in the tunnel, I was lucky enough to go inside the tunnels when I worked there in 1990

[@chrisboll1515]

An Austin apprentice friend , who was at Bromsgrove College with me, showed me around some of the tunnels on a saturday morning . There was no security or identification checks. That was around 1966.

[@manofthehour6856]

I just subscribed, Tom. Normally I don't follow many youtubers, but your information is properly researched and always fascinating. Cheers!

[@alancobbin]

So glad I found ya channel as I’m learning new things on every upload,thanks for another superb video ,cheers Tom 👍💪😉

[@tomdrives]

Thanks Alan, glad you enjoyed it

[@ianstewartorr8455]

Another very interesting video Tom thanks greetings from Scotland 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@tomdrives]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@stuartfletcher5755]

Fascinating stuff Tom. Keep ‘em coming!

[@doctordapp]

Nice! Let's see if this video is as good as the others! Well done!

[@tomdrives]

Thanks, I’m just happy we finished it off really! Finally light at the end of the tunnel for the cars

[@doctordapp]

​@@tomdrives really a nice informative video, again! Your voice is also quite pleasant to listen to! Can't wait to see what you will come up with next. Greetings from the Netherlands.

[@jonathanpalmer1084]

Enjoying your films, are you able to do one covering the ERA mini turbo and Lamm cabrios?

[@tomdrives]

I will one day, I did cover the ERA in brief in my Mini Madness video

[@richardrobinson9084]

thanks tom that was mint as always

[@tomdrives]

Thanks Richard, glad you enjoyed

[@G58]

What a waste. Whenever I hear specific dates in the late 1970s, I try to remember where I was and what I was doing at the time. As the years roll by, the memories get fewer. Thank you for sharing this interesting story. Subscribed. Peace 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@andysllt155]

Great video Tom cheers I loved it

[@timboharty7325]

Great channel , deserves way more subscribers

[@tomdrives]

Thanks, appreciate it :)

[@Koulis_]

It would be cool if somebody could refabricate one of those 3 litre Princesses to have for posterity. Great work on this channel, I love reading up on ARO online and this is as invaluable as that website. 👍🏼

[@garymorris801]

Mate really great video loved it

[@tomdrives]

Thanks Gary

[@johngettins794]

A couple years ago in nz, someone had made replica Austin 3L in 70s or 80s and was up for sale after being in family storage facility.

[@tomdrives]

A replica of the lost VDP?

[@salvagedb2470]

Great vids as always , bet those Tunnels have some stuff in Them , I remember the TV news reporting on the BL strikes back then , think there was a bit where Workers were sleeping in make -shift Bedrooms on the Production line ! ..Luv yer Vids T//D .

[@tomdrives]

I’ve read that as well re the line sleeping on the job one night, ended up being caught by management.

[@jongmans38]

Well done.

[@chrisblay]

Does anyone know how the fire of 28th October 1978 started? Bit late to find out now. Probably deliberate to hide some activity in the tunnels from being discovered.

[@tomdrives]

I don’t think anyone knows, well someone might.

[@landrover8327]

Theres some pictures of the tunnels from some "urban explorers" taken years ago that showed the state of them and what remains there were down there. I think the entrances to them were filled in but the tunnels exist and given how many ways into them there were i bet one day someone will find their way back in them

[@a11csc]

as the vdp rr engined car did well i think the bentley would have been a game changer

[@tomdrives]

Ah what could have been! I agree

[@marcushull12]

Those poor "workers" losing their sleeping quarters.

[@tomdrives]

It’s important to remember it was only a few of the workers that did things like that

[@_Ben4810]

It does make wonder why over the years the tunnel entrances were not simply steel gated, locked & keys kept with the plant manager...?

[@marcushull12]

@@tomdrives it`s only a few people who run the country too and look how that`s working out 😂

[@adamweston4152]

@ 10:17 those wheels are the same type as were used on innocenti mini's from Italy, I recognised them instantly as I spent alot of time in Italy during the late 70s and the early 80s and those innocenti's were very popular then.

[@6643bear]

Hi Tom, another great informative video, keep up the great work. Regards , Austin’ maxi hl Austin princess 2l his, princess 2.2 HL Wolseley 1500 , mgzs180 owner

[@JR90.]

Would it be plausible that some of these tunnels have still not been filled in, as there was so many of them?

[@mrg-ghx8052]

the onsite firecrew had to submit paperwork to onsite managemamt, who had to check with local authorities and obtain a permit from the union before they could start work

[@michaeloreilly657]

Do you know if other manufacturers generally kept their prototypes in storage? Rootes? Ford? Vauxhall? Did Longbridge keep them just because they had the tunnels?

[@tomdrives]

Lots of them do, Mercedes is a good example.

[@thesunreport]

7:16 - Shirley that's going to become the Fiat Punto at some point.

[@tomdrives]

I see some Uno in there

[@thesunreport]

@@tomdrives lol..sorry yeah the Uno is what I was thinking.

[@philtowle4683]

It's very Lancia Y10

[@helenlloyd6564]

Some nice designs should have made it into production. So sad we haven't got a British mass car producer. We used to be innovative and world leader in engineering design. Where did we go wrong.

[@tomdrives]

We do have JLR but owned by TATA

[@helenlloyd6564]

@@tomdrives As you said TATA owned. Profits if any going to India. But there is a new production facility, not sure either Poland or Hungary?

[@paulm3033]

I liked the look of the Princess then ,Andi still do now .

[@martinbridges835]

Tom sorry to bother you do you know how many pre face lift 45 lwb were made cheers martin. I've got chance to buy one .

[@joaosabino2909]

Does your Cortina 3 have a V6 engine? Perhaps 2,3L? V4 2L?

[@tomdrives]

1600 Pinto

[@charlier7548]

What a tragedy, although not unexpected with the debacle at BMC/Leyland/BL Austin-Rover and its 'work'force. So much could and should have been achieved, so much more was peed down the drains though.

[@tomdrives]

It’s important to remember though it wasn’t all of them.

[@craigyllyn]

Isn’t the P5 in the Liverpool overhead railway tunnel?

[@philtowle4683]

Care to elaborate?

[@craigyllyn]

@@philtowle4683 tried twice giving the info but neither post has appeared so assume it’s been deleted.

[@craigyllyn]

Kyle May seems to show it in his URBEX of Dingle Tunnel end to end in Liverpool

[@Suprahampton]

Didn't you do this video a while ago?

[@tomdrives]

I did but this is the final one in the series, confirming everything with a proper timeline with new cars etc confirmed to be there when the fire happened with new stories from the people on that day as well.

[@InfiniteLoop]

Great vid, but clickbait title, the cars were not found.

[@tomdrives]

The cars were found. We found their identities.

[@RachelEvans680]

Such a damn shame about these gems 😢

[@jamesdeath3477]

"Demystifying one of the most mysterious mysteries"....😀 wait, what?

[@tomdrives]

I’m glad you noticed, I do not know why on earth I said that, thought it would be funny to keep it in. It’s quite hard to say “Demystifying one of the most mysterious mysteries of British motoring history” 😂

[@dantheman7370]

British industry disappeared the same as the tunnels

[@tomdrives]

Dismantled by people from above?

[@normanmcleod7169]

Sad that the tunnels were filled in. We will need them when we are at war soon.

[@tomdrives]

War?

[@normanmcleod7169]

@@tomdrives Take your head out of the sand Tom! It looks more and more likely that we will be at war with Russia soon ... maybe as soon as late autumn

[@edgarbeat2851]

​@tomdrives 🎶 What is it good for? 🎶

[@deanstevenson6527]

🥝✔️

[@cjones175]

Correction. The title is clickbait. NO cars were FOUND. Your videos are good enough that you shouldn't need to use false and misleading clickbait titles.

[@tomdrives]

No, you cannot on KZbin have literal titles as much as I’d love to, you can’t. In addition you are the person who drew the conclusion that I’d be down there time team style, it’s not misleading at all, we did find them we found their identities.

[@wrusty3767]

"One of the most mysterious mysteries..." Really?

[@tomdrives]

It is quite mysterious this mystery

[@DiscoCol08]

"We FOUND The Lost Cars Of the Longbridge Tunnels!" where?

[@tomdrives]

I’d watch the full video, it’s about finding their identities.

[@adamweston4152]

Stop nitpicking, you have to be a pretty sad person to be complaining about it, is your Mrs not giving you any?.

[@carfan7727]

Austin made some greate cars I was a big Austin fan shame you chose to show the crap ones

[@tomdrives]

Shame I only showed the ones that were relevant?

[@gafrers]

No offense but this feels like a rehash of a video you already did. Same quality just a bit repetitive 👍

[@tomdrives]

Ah it’s more of a capping it off kind of exercise, finishing off the series as I said in the video, the ADO88, 74 and other prototypes were not confirmed to be in the tunnels Only the ADO30 and VDP 3L were so this video is about finally ticking it off with confirmation of what was there and with a new story or two thrown in.

[@gafrers]

@@tomdrives Thank You for clarifying

[@adamweston4152]

​@@gafrers Give Tom the credit he deserves as he's been very thorough creating this series of videos, I really don't see an issue myself.

[@gafrers]

@@adamweston4152 Never said he doesn't put time, effort and passion in these videos. Hence the " Same quality" part

[@tomdrives]

@@gafrersjust a misunderstanding it’s no worries, glad to have you here as always

[@itsProd.L.A.B]

Let’s go see if the tunnels are still accessible 🫡 I’m down for a mission it’s missed history I feel left out on 😢

[@tomdrives]

They’re not and I’d advise against it.

[@itsProd.L.A.B]

@@tomdrives a couple are. but each to there own, I’ll Deffo be taking a look before there gone gone