ROF Leeds facts for kids
The Royal Ordnance Factory Leeds was a very important factory in Leeds, England. It first opened in December 1915 to make ammunition during the First World War. Later, in January 1936, it became a Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF). These factories were set up to build weapons and equipment for the country, especially as the Second World War was about to begin.
Contents
Early History of the Factory
First World War Production
This factory started as National Filling Factory No. 1, also known as Barnbow, in December 1915. It was a huge place where workers filled shells with explosives. Between 1914 and 1918, Barnbow was Britain's most important shell factory. By the end of the war in November 1918, it had sent out a massive 566,000 tons of ammunition overseas.
Building for the Second World War
Becoming an Engineering Factory
In the late 1930s, it looked like another big war might happen. Because of this, the country started a large program to build more weapons. Many older weapons were also becoming outdated. So, the factory in Leeds was changed to make more modern military equipment.
After the Wars
Right After the War
After the Second World War, the factory kept making important military vehicles. In November 1945, it started full production of the Centurion Mark II tank. This tank was stronger and had better armor. The factory in Leeds was one of several places building these tanks. The Centurion tank officially started being used by the army in December 1946.
Later Years and New Tanks
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For many years, the factory in Leeds built the Chieftain Tank. This was another powerful tank used by the army. The factory also made lighter vehicles. These included the Fox armoured reconnaissance vehicle, which was used for scouting. It also built the FV180 Combat Engineer Tractor, a vehicle used by engineers.
Later, the factory built the Challenger tank. In 1986, a company called Vickers Defence Systems bought the ROF Leeds factory. This included the production line for the Challenger tank. Vickers Defence Systems later became Alvis Vickers.
Selling Off Royal Ordnance Factories
Becoming a Private Company
On January 2, 1985, the remaining twelve Royal Ordnance Factories became a company owned by the UK government. This new company was called Royal Ordnance plc. The government wanted to sell this company to private investors as soon as possible. They hoped to do this by selling shares on the stock market.
Challenges to Selling the Company
In mid-1985, the government aimed to sell the company by July 1986. However, by June 1986, they announced that selling shares on the stock market would not work. Instead, they decided to sell the company privately. There were a few problems that made it hard to sell:
- The Future of ROF Leeds: There were too many factories making main battle tanks in the UK. This made the future of the Leeds factory uncertain.
- Relationship with the Ministry of Defence: The government needed to figure out how the company would work with the MOD.
- Company's Money Situation: The company's financial health needed to be improved.
- Old Contracts: There were some old agreements, like one with British Aerospace, that needed to be sorted out.
Solving the Problems
The problems with ROF Leeds were solved when Royal Ordnance agreed to sell the factory. They also sold the rights to build the Challenger tanks to Vickers plc. This deal happened on October 4, 1986. The final agreement was signed on March 31, 1987, and the Leeds factory was valued at £15.2 million. Vickers later became Alvis Vickers, and then part of BAE Systems in 2004. After this, the Leeds factory was closed.
The other problems were also fixed. The MOD gave promises to the company about future orders. The government also gave money to the company. The old contract issues were resolved in February 1987.
The Final Sale
In October 1986, several companies were asked to make offers to buy Royal Ordnance plc. Eventually, two main offers remained. One was from British Aerospace (BAe) and the other from Guest, Keen & Nettlefolds (GKN). The offer from BAe, which was £188.5 million GBP, was accepted. The sale was completed on April 22, 1987.
Factory Closure
The Royal Ordnance Factory Leeds officially closed down in 2004. The land where the factory once stood was then sold to build new homes.
See also
- Barnbow
- Board of Ordnance
- List of Royal Ordnance Factories
- Royal Ordnance Factory
- Royal Ordnance
- Royal Small Arms Factory
Sources
