26-03-2014, 04:10 PM
Bathgate Tractor Production Line Tour
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Nuffield and Leyland Tractor production took place at the Leyland Truck and Bus factory at
Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland. Many of the components required to build the tractor were
produced ‘In house’. The factory was arranged into five ‘Blocks’ ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’ & ‘E’
All the parts that needed machining for the engines
were produced in ‘B’ block as were all gearbox gears,
shafts, differential crown wheels and pinions plus many
small components required to complete main units.
Where parts required heat treatment this was also
carried out in ‘B’ block. The main tractor assembly line
was contained in ‘C’ block where all the gearbox, half
axle, hydraulic, main frame, front axle and other smaller
castings were machined.
When visitors were shown round Bathgate we would start at the Tractor Training Centre at
Mosside Farm where we would introduce the company and show a ‘Tractor’ film, usually ‘Tractors
for the 70’s’. We would then proceed to ‘B’ block were we showed them the engine block and
cylinder head ‘Transfer’ lines to see the engine blocks and cylinder heads being machined. (All the
rough castings were produced at either Wellingborough, Coventry or Leeds in England and taken
to Scotland by Train or Truck) after viewing the finished engine blocks we would then pass the
heat treatment facility where items like crankshafts, camshafts and gears were hardened. This
area was very hot and no time was wasted before we moved across to view the crankshafts being
machined, hardened by being heat treated and then balanced, we would then view the engines
being assembled and tested in a dedicated sound proofed test facility.