X-Nico

7 unusual facts about Filton


Bristol 412

The earliest versions of the 412 were also very unusual for a post-World War II car in that the body was made by Zagato in Italy and attached to a chassis built by Bristol Cars in Filton, England.

Bristol Gordon England biplanes

However it was found to be unsuitable for use as a trainer, and was returned to the Bristol works at Filton in September 1912 and scrapped.

Bristol Type 101

Continued as a private venture, it first flew at Filton on 8 August 1927, piloted by Cyril Uwins, registered G-EBOW.

Economy of Bristol

The Bristol Aeroplane Company diversified into car manufacturing in the 1940s, building luxury hand-built cars at their factory in Filton, under the name Bristol Cars.

In the 20th century, Bristol's manufacturing activities expanded to include aircraft production at Filton, six miles (10 km) north of the city centre, by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, and aero-engine manufacture by Bristol Aero Engines (later Rolls-Royce) at Patchway.

The aircraft is seen a few minutes before landing on the Filton runway from which she first flew in 1969

Parnall Pixie

The Pixie I first flew, at Filton on 13 September 1923, in good time for the competition.


Bristol Monoplane

The single-seat monoplane was designed in 1911 by George Challenger and Archibald Low and two were built at Filton in February 1911.

Cyril Uwins

On 1 May 1919 he was demobilized from the Royal Air Force and formally joined the Bristol Aeroplane Company and the same day made the first post-war civil air flight in Britain when he flew the Bristol Company's general manager, Herbert Thomas, from Filton to Hounslow in a Bristol Tourer.

Filton Abbey Wood railway station

In 1974, when the Local Government Act 1972 came into effect, the southern part of Gloucestershire, including the district of Filton, became part of the new county of Avon.

Frederick Corfield

He subsequently held the positions of Minister for Aviation Supply and Aerospace Minister (1970-2) where he was responsible for the cancellation of the Black Arrow rocketry programme but provided financial assistance to Rolls-Royce (whose Filton, Bristol factory was within his constituency) when it ran into difficulties that hampered its defence commitments.

Henbury Loop Line

The Henbury Loop Line, also known as the Filton to Avonmouth Line is a railway line following the boundary between Bristol and South Gloucestershire between the Severn Beach Line at Hallen Marsh Junction, Avonmouth and the Cross Country Route/South Wales Main Line at Filton.

North Fringe of Bristol

Before the motorways were built in the 1960s and 1970s, the area contained the suburban villages of Filton, Patchway and Stoke Gifford, together with Stoke Park Hospital.

ROF Chorley

In 2000 the Royal Ordnance headquarters function was transferred to BAE System's Filton, Bristol site and more recently to Glascoed in Monmouthshire.

Thomas Cockcroft

He was wounded in action at Clifton Suspension Bridge during a Luftwaffe attack on the Bristol Aeroplane Company factory at Filton on the night of 25 September 1940, in which 168 bombs were dropped in 45 seconds, killing 131 people.

Warton Aerodrome

Warton is the base for BAE Systems' Corporate Air Travel department which operates scheduled services for employees (and those of partner organisations) to Farnborough, Munich, Filton, Cambridge, RAF Coningsby, and RAF Marham.


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