Alexander Engineering in Haddenham

[Pete]

Been doing a little research into Alexander Engineering as my car was rebuilt there in early 1965 and wondered if the original garage had survived. Very unlikely I know but then got a lead to a possible location. I found out from a local that the original premises, which was owned and run by WW2 Wellington bomber pilot Fred Hillyer changed its name to Townsend Garage in the 70s and low and behold I found a recent estate agent advert for it. It seems to be located on the Thame Road industrial estate .The photos are recent, the description says it’s been long established and it certainly looks old enough and seemingly little developed!
Can anyone confirm this is the original Alexander Engineering garage? Apparently Fred used to test the cars on the nearby airfield which all makes sense!

[Oneball]

Looking in google earth there’s a building near to it called Alexander House

IMG_4066.jpeg

[Pete]

And this from Andy B

[Pete]

The old airfield

[mk1]

Lots of Alexander info here, including a pic of the original works in the "demise" article.

https://mk1-performance-conversions.co. ... er_eng.htm

[Pete]

Thanks Mark, this one, which does look very similar albeit a little bigger. This would have been the original workshop and a new much larger one was built next to it in the mid 60s is my understanding so far.

[Peter Laidler]

What sort of aeroplanes are they sat on the tarmac?

[Oneball]

Looks like twin stabilisers and rounded wing tips so I’m leaning towards Lancaster.

[Peter Laidler]

It was the (what looks like...) the lack of rear wing thinggies that made me think that they weren't Lancasters. Although to be honest, apart from my airfix Spitfire and Lancaster I had as a by, all aeroplanes look the same to me

[LMM76C]

Halifaxes? Later mark with the larger tail fins and Hercules engines? Glider tugs?

[63monte]

The planes were Short Stirlings.
Townsends went out of business and the unit was taken over by B3 Vehicle Hire who were there last time I visited 3 or 4 years ago. I have in-laws living just up the road from the site who did some investigating about Alexander for my car who told me that 3B moved out in the past couple of years and that there were plans submitted for redevelopment into offices. I think the buildings are still there at the moment. Will compare notes at Kop Hill tomorrow.

[LMM76C]

The planes in the photo are not Stirlings (which had a single fin, not twin fins).
Halifaxes. Later mark with the later fins not the earlier "arrow" shape and Bristol Hercules engines replacing Merlins.
Haddenham was apparently a glider training base at one time. It may well have had Stirling tugs before Halifax tugs or concurrently with them.

[Pete]

Well the airfield (test track!) is long gone but the buildings haven’t! The garage I was told it was isnt right (it’s a garage Fred Hillyer moved into later I think!) but I think this one is, as is the brick building behind which they built in 65 to house the engineering operation and also another brick building to the left of this shot, which is all now called Alexander House but divided into units.

[Pete]

So the former Alexander building I pictured above housed the cars and original workshop, it’s the centre of the three buildings in this photo. The building to the left in this photo was the showroom and petrol forecourt which was demolished and redeveloped in the late 60s (and again in the 80s) so there’s two seperate brick buildings there now. The building to the right in this photo was also part of the Alexander premises but was demolished and a substantial new two storey (flat roof) brick building built there in the mid 60s as the company expanded rapidly, it’s still there, wraps right around the far side of the original centre building and housed the engineering operation which Christie bought out and moved lock stock and barrel from Thame, the new building also housed offices and the majority of the accessories business. There’s a pine furniture business on the ground floor there now and a bottled water business above. The whole complex is divided into seperate units but is all called Alexander House. So that’s that, a centre of motor racing and engineering excellence owned and run by Michael Christie and later his son Tim, and the oily stuff run by Fred Hillyer. Now where’s the blue plaque?

[Pete]

Couple more of the original workshops…you can see the later build wraps around one side and the rear. Robbie Gordon broke down in a mechanically tired Minty when he bought it off the Taylors in January 1965 and took it straight here for a rebuild. Then back over to Cambridge for a repaint.

[Pete]

The tribute to Michael Christie in the stained glass window of St Mary’s church in Haddenham

[Pete]

The racing tender, I’ve seen photos of it before but not these… courtesy of Russel Filby

[Pete]

Michael Christie Motors in nearby Aylesbury opened mid 60s?

[Pete]

The original and long gone Haddenham Petrol forecourt / showroom. Two seperate units were built in its place one to the left looked late 60s , one to the right looked 80s to me and neither owned by Alexander when built.

[mk1]

Great research, as always Pete.