Trustworthy, administrator
6,858
edits
Changes
m
no edit summary
SDF already supplied forgings for aviation and allied industries and the automotive, electrical, agricultural machinery and general engineering trades.<ref>[https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Smethwick_Drop_Forgings Smethwick Drop Forgings, Grace's Guide To British Industrial History]</ref> The idea of a modern forge was conceived prior to World War II, the 42-acre site acquired at Kidderminster and plans drawn up.<ref name=Worthington>[https://www.kidderminster.co.uk/reviews/139/ Worthington, John, 'How SDF began', kidderminster.co.uk, 21 November 2014] (Retrieved 27 May 2024)</ref> A shadow factory was built for SDF in Kidderminster in about 1939, making components for both aircraft and vehicles.<ref>[https://radish.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/media/4769796/heritage-impact-assessment-2019-appendix-a.pdf Wyre Forest District Council Local Plan Pre-Submission Publication September 2019 Heritage Impact Assessment] (Retrieved 29 May 2024)</ref>
With the outbreak of war, the Ministry of Supply stepped in and speeded up construction. Production, was mainly for the armed forces (including tank parts).<ref name=Beddoes>[http://www.miac.org.uk/drop.html Keith Beddoes via miac.org.uk]</ref>) began in 1942. During the war about 1,200 workers were employed at Kidderminster.<ref name=Worthington/>
Owing to the amount of wartime traffic it generated, SDF was provided with small shunting locomotive by the Ministry of Supply ("M.O.S.").<ref name=Turley/> The locomotive, W.G. Bagnall 0-4-0ST works no. 2664/1942 "S.D.F No 1", remained at Foley Park until late 1947 before moving to Newcastle Upon Tyne.<ref name=Beddoes/><ref group="note">Turley refers to "William Barclay of Stafford". This is presumably a typographical error; W.G. Bagnall were based at Stafford while Andrew Barclay & Sons were a Scottish company.</ref>
