Page Text:
The Ariel Factory
The Ariel factories were located in Bournbrook in South Birmingham. The original Bournbrook factory, founded in 1896, was in Dale Road, top left of the above picture. As it expanded over the early part of the 20th Century it spread along the North side of Dale Road and finally along both sides of Grange Road, bottom right.
In 1926 the address changed to Selly Oak, probably because the telephone and telegraphic addresses were Selly Oak.
After the bankruptcy in 1932 some parts of the factory were sold off, eventually leaving only the buildings either side of Grange Road.
BSA took over Ariel and closed the factory in 1962, transferring production of the Arrow and Leader motorcycles to the BSA factory at Small Heath.
One of the last parts of Ariel to exist were Boxfoldia, who inhabited the original Dale Road buildings. They made boxes and packaging, a business sold off in 1932.
The factories were demolished in 2000 to make way for student accomodation for the nearby University.
Look on the postcards page for a couple more views.
Click on thumbnails to enlarge.
The original factory in Dale Road, Bournbrook, taken shortly before demolition, which has already started.
Left, Dale road, with the factory buildings lying to the North.
On the right, looking from Grange road to the end of the Dale Road factory. My Square 4 is at the end of the line of Ariels on the right.
The main office block at the end of Grange Road. The original tiled floor of the main entrance with the Horse Head logo was still there.