Solihul ... How times have changed

**Rosco** · 10th September 2008, 06:33 AM

I was watching part of a DVD last night on Len Beadell, the bloke you are no doubt aware, was responsible for surveying the Gunbarrel et al. Whilst his story in itself was fascinating, there was one point of particular interest.

The whole story was made recently with him as a senior gentleman, recalling events as they unfolded.

Anyway, he made the comment that he started out using Jeeps, until the first Landys arrived, at which time he switched over to them.

Some time soon after, he was talking to the boffins from Solihul. If I recall, he was over in the UK at the time, but not sure as I was starting to dose off ..

. They asked him for his comments and he told them about quite a few modifications he had made to his first batch to make them more suited.

Lo and behold, when his next lot of new replacements arrived, they incorporated all of his suggested modifications. He was later advised they took great interest in feedback from Aus and African users and took all the comments on board.

When I read here all the gripes about this very issue, I can't help but wonder where along the road to developing this marque, that they so badly lost the plot.

P.S. The DVD is excellent and his dry sense of humour very entertaining.

Cheers

**dobbo** · 10th September 2008, 06:43 AM

What is the Title of the DVD?

**Rosco** · 10th September 2008, 06:55 AM

Originally Posted by dobbo

What is the Title of the DVD?

"Too long in the bush - Len Beadell looks back"

**Narangga** · 10th September 2008, 06:57 AM

Must have been an old video as I heard him speak to our school 30 years ago and he was at least 70 then!

Yes the humour was like the country he worked in - very dry!

Yep in days of old when vehicle manufacturers had ears rather than advertising departments

**numpty** · 10th September 2008, 07:46 AM

Originally Posted by Stuuu

Must have been an old video as I heard him speak to our school 30 years ago and he was at least 70 then!

Yes the humour was like the country he worked in - very dry!

Yep in days of old when vehicle manufacturers had ears rather than advertising departments

Len was actually 73 when he died in 1995.

**Rosco** · 10th September 2008, 08:04 AM

Originally Posted by Stuuu

Must have been an old video ............

It was a collection of footage. Some old, some not so old. Where he re-visited the area, he was driving an early 90's Disco.

The DVD is Copyright 2007, so must have been put together quite recently.

**disco2hse** · 10th September 2008, 08:25 AM

Originally Posted by numpty

Len was actually 73 when he died in 1995.

But remember, to kids anyone over 18 is old, anyone over 25 is ancient and if he had grey hairs then, he must be way into his 70's --- he's like, sooo old

**disco2hse** · 10th September 2008, 08:30 AM

But seriously, I think they lost the plot when they got a dose of managementitis, otherwise known as British Leyland. Up till then they were boffins trying to make great vehicles, after then they became a production facility; working to a budget, with performance criteria, and battling with the enemy of budgets and performance outputs - customers and unions.

**Redback** · 10th September 2008, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by Rosco

It was a collection of footage. Some old, some not so old. Where he re-visited the area, he was driving an early 90's Disco.

The DVD is Copyright 2007, so must have been put together quite recently.

I have this DVD, i watched it and thought the same thing about them losing the plot.

Originally Posted by disco2hse

But seriously, I think they lost the plot when they got a dose of managementitis, otherwise known as British Leyland. Up till then they were boffins trying to make great vehicles, after then they became a production facility; working to a budget, with performance criteria, and battling with the enemy of budgets and performance outputs - customers and unions.

Did British Leyland ever make a good car, not that i recall and was probably why Len went too Toyota around that time, along with countless others.

Baz.

**disco2hse** · 10th September 2008, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by Redback

Did British Leyland ever make a good car, not that i recall and was probably why Len went too Toyota around that time, along with countless others.

Kind of the point really. BL is responsible for some absolute rubbish, and I mean total

Our family got a Morris-Austin-Leyland Marina van in the early 70's that lasted 6 months before it rusted out from under the doors and mud guards and basically fell apart. But I am sure it made the performance criteria on the production line and was built within budget.

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