I wrote:
I've seen several sources that the last motorcycle produced was May '69 but 51 years later, who can be sure about a month or two here and there,
Various sources state July and there's a photo (somewhere?) of the last Plumstead Commando which if I remember correctly was an 'S' type (20M3S).
I have seen a statement that possession of the land at Plumstead Rd. reverted to the Council in May '69, with the implication being that that was the time when everyone had to be out and the wreckers began pulling down the structure but, again, over 50 years ago, details have become *very* shrouded in time. Not that it matters, we agree that a "general statement" for end of production at Plumstead Rd. was about the middle of 1969.
I wrote:
did engine build go on for a few weeks after Andover began vehicle assembly??)
Plumstead apparently continued to build engines and manufacture parts for a while after bike assembly ended. The Plumstead-built engines are said to have a 'P' suffix but I'm not sure how accurate that information is.
I've noted this supposed suffix for Plumstead engines, too, but that would have been long before my arrival at the Wolverhamton. I think that I've seen a photo of *one* engine number with a "P" suffix but that the only validation of this practice that I've seen. I agree with your lack of confidence in this. My '69 "S" built about April, 1969 (Serial No. 20M3S/1317**) did not have a "P" suffix; similarly, my '70 Roadster which was built about June, 1970 (Serial No. 20M3S/1366**) did not have a "P" suffix.
I believe that the whole move of final vehicle assembly from Woolwich to Andover was a "phased" operation -- some bits ended at the AMC works and began at Andover on one date and then other bits at a later date, etc. until at some time there was a final and complete end of the transfer. And I have never seen any data that indicates to me when that final phase of transfer happened. I KNOW that that was what happened for the shutdown of vehicle assembly at Andover and transfer of assembly to Wolverhampton -- I was at Wolverhampton at the time. NB. I heard bit of info that makes me think -- without a lot of certainty and no written records -- that some "odd bits of production" carried over at Andover after the supposed final date of the transfer.
I wrote:
- then approx 30 for engine production at Wolverhampton and vehicle assembly at Andover.
Sorry to be obscure. I meant to make clear that there was about 3 months of production of the 20M3S engine at Plumstead Rd. and then production of the the 20M3S engine at Wolverhampton from mid-1969 until 1 January, 1972:
6 months in 1969
12 months in 1970
12 months in 1971
"approx. 30 months of engine production at Wolverhampton" --
for that particular series of engine.
Apologies for not being clearer.
