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Photos of locomotives and Isetta cars

The two photos below should add a little more information to the history of the old Brighton Locomotive Works

Brighton Locomotive Works site. The picture, from the early 1970s, shows the early use of the site as a car park. The old main signal box is still in situ. I believe the occasion was the removal of some of the locomotives that had been stored in the old "Pullman" Works to the care of the National Railway Museum. Prior to this many of these locos were brought out each year and placed on display in Brighton Station on their annual "Open Days", usually alongside the 'road' platforms.
From the private collection of Brian Matthews
Isetta Bubble Cars leave Brighton Works. The picture, from around the late 1950s, shows a short train of goods wagons containing brand new "Isetta" bubble cars being hauled out of the Works site where they had just been built. The irony of this is that the "Terrier" tank locomotive hauling the train had itself been built in those same Works some 60 or 70 years previously!
From the private collection of Brian Matthews

Comments about this page

  • I ran into some nice lads from Zap Art the other day who are looking for ex employees of the Isetta factory, or other interested/informed people, who can tell them first hand stuff about it for an archive project. You can find them by googling “Zap Art”.

    By Cathi (14/02/2007)
  • Nina – nina@pierproductionsltd.co.uk
    I work for Pier Productions, a Brighton-based Production company who make short films for BBC’s The One Show. We’re researching the history and stories of Isetta bubble cars for a One Show pitch.
    I’m currently looking for anyone who used to work at the Isetta factory/has a relative who is an ex-Isetta factory worker, who might be up for chatting with me about their stories and memories of the factory? Alternatively, perhaps someone is an Isetta ‘bubble’ car fanatic now/used to own a bubble car and now feels that they have a personal connection or story to the brand? If anyone comes to mind when reading this, please send me an email.

    By Nina Semple (15/10/2019)

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