The Cooper Works later The Traffic Police Garage In Surbiton

[Simon776]

Unusual looking Police dash with the steering wheel radio

PoliceCooperdash.jpg

A Jaaag and the two Coopers; presumably somewhere nearby.

[spoon.450]

Off topic a bit (sorry) but we all like old photos don't we......ex Police S owned by a mate of mine in the early 70's.

[Simon776]

Essex Police also had EWC 457H.

[Pete]

Unusual looking Police dash with the steering wheel radio

PoliceCooperdash.jpg

A Jaaag and the two Coopers; presumably somewhere nearby.

There's film footage of those two Coopers on the web somewhere.

[mab01uk]

A press cutting and photo from the original launch of the Mini Cooper in the showroom at Surbiton. (Thanks to Neil Duke)
L-R
Bruce McClaren, Roy Salvidori, Mayor & Mayoress of Surbiton (Mr & Mrs Greenwood) & John Cooper.



(From 1962 Autocar magazine - (Thanks to Mininuts)

[mab01uk]

Red Wheel Unveiling - Surbiton - Sat 1st August 2015
Cooper Car Works was the birthplace of rear-engined Formula 1 racing cars and of the Mini-Cooper. Red Wheel #77 will be unveiled at 12:00 noon on the building at the corner of Hollyfield Road and Ewell Road between Surbiton and Tolworth. This was at one time the office of the Cooper Car Company (more recently a fish shop) before the more modern garage building was constructed behind it in the late 1950s to house Coopers' development works.This event will be relatively low key with no display of cars but with active support from the Cooper Car Club. Parking has been arranged from 10:00 at the King Charles Centre, King Charles Avenue, at the further end of Hollyfield Road (KT5 9AL).
http://www.transporttrust.com/10002.html

The Red Wheel scheme commemorates Britain's rich and globally important legacy in the development of transport and presents it to a new and wider audience. Some of our most significant heritage sites, eg. the Forth Bridge and Channel Tunnel, are household names but many more are currently little known and their importance unappreciated.
Drawing advice from local historians, industrial archaeologists and other experts, Transport Trust members are taking a closer look at Britain's transport heritage to determine sites of greatest significance. Whereas many plaque schemes commemorate famous individuals, Red Wheels principally highlight key locations of engineering and transport importance. Nominations are evaluated for their importance, rarity, public awareness and access/'something to see'. We may rank a 'hidden gem' higher than a site already nationally recognised. Most sites will be unique but a few are chosen as particularly good examples of an important category in the built environment. Exceptionally a Red Wheel may be awarded as a reminder to current and future generations of an important former use of a location which has since been obliterated.

Where can I find Red Wheels?
Red Wheel plaques were successfully pioneered in Derbyshire in 2009 and the programme is being rolled out across the country. To find out all about the sites selected to receive Red Wheel plaques search in our Heritage Directory (opens in a new window).
http://www.transporttrust.com/10021.html

[coop12g295]

Mab are you going today? Kyle Stanger has bought the unveiling forward to 11am come
say hi I'll either be on crutches or electric scooter Ian

[mab01uk]

Mab are you going today? Kyle Stanger has bought the unveiling forward to 11am come
say hi I'll either be on crutches or electric scooter Ian

I only found out about the unveiling late yesterday and unfortunately it clashes with a wedding I have to attend today. Ian if you do go take some photos if possible.

[mab01uk]

Many thanks to Ian (coop12g295) for sharing the photos below of yesterdays unveiling ceremony of the Red Wheel Plaque at the old Cooper Works in Surbiton.
Latest word is that Porsche maybe taking over the site which would be better than a development of flats.....if they retain the oriiginal garage building.

[BRI MK1]

My eight port rally mini that come from Dave Jenkins that was a cooper car company car the reg number is 540 TDV wish i never sold it now

[mab01uk]

Another Cooper Garage site in Surbiton, Surrey is under threat of re-development:-
http://m.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/1 ... ef=mr&lp=9

Quote:
Protesters against a planned Sainsbury’s store in Berrylands, Surbiton claim a piece of the borough’s racing car history will be lost if the building goes ahead.
A planning application for the shop and five flats on the site of the petrol garage at 118 Raeburn Avenue has been submitted to Kingston Council.
But campaigners claimed the building should be protected because of its connection to the famous Cooper racing garage.
Car making legend John Cooper rented the garage in the late 1940s and started to build his racing empire there, before moving on to the famed Mini Cooper garage in Hollyfield Road.
Raeburn Avenue resident Peter Bell said: “The cars were tested up and down the road. These were not the Mini Cooper cars. These were big racing cars.
“Stirling Moss was spotted a few times testing the cars. “The building has a great history and it would be a real shame to lose it and see it demolished.”
The old Cooper garage in Hollyfield Road, often referred to as the birthplace of the Mini Cooper, is also up for sale.
Teenager Kyle Stanger received support from across the world when he started the Save the home of the Cooper campaign in May and urged the council to list the property as a community interest site.
A commemorative plaque was fixed to the Hollyfield Road building last month. The application by Kent-based company Kal-max Properties shows plans for a three storey building with a supermarket on the ground floor with provisions for car access, parking, and landscaping.
Agent Barry Kitcherside said: “All the information about the building and planning history is available on the [council] website.
“Residents can make comments about the application there.”
Comments on the proposal closed on October 16.
Visit kingston.gov.uk for more information.

[mab01uk]

The Cooper Race Mini's lined up 1968 (Photo: Mike Cooper)
Edit: Canada Road, Byfleet Cooper premises.



More photos here:-
https://www.facebook.com/coopercarcompany/

[Cooper997]

The lineup of Cooper Car Co Minis must surely be inside the later Canada Road, Byfleet Cooper premises.

[mab01uk]

The lineup of Cooper Car Co Minis must surely be inside the later Canada Road, Byfleet Cooper premises.

The F1 team had moved to Byfleet but I think you might be right.......judging by the property details and internal video shots of the Surbiton workshop roof below:-
http://bonsors.agencypilot.com/store/do ... key=296+97

Cooper Cars workshop and then TDV's home, Hollyfield Road, Surbiton:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10Ue4h6mzgY

[coop12g295]

I'll take this round to my friends place and get a definitive answer for you as to the location

[coop12g295]

My friend looked at the pic today and couldn't confirm or deny that was Canada Rd
as it was a long time ago and said Ginger Devlin would be the person to ask

[mab01uk]

Thanks for asking him, I suppose Mike Cooper might also know but he does not mention the exact location of the photo on the Cooper car Company facebook page.

Quote: 14th Oct
"Found this great picture of the Works cars ready to race."
https://www.facebook.com/coopercarcompany/

[Pete]

Mike's edited that FB post so maybe he's not sure himself. I know the GP cars had been moved/sold by then but I thought that pic was Surbiton, I'll check some of my other shots.

[coop12g295]

Pete its not Surbiton with the lack of all the metal trusses and should have said
it was Roy Golding who I saw He only lives 3 miles from me

[billycooper]

I wonder if there is "actually" any of these cars still alive !