History

Bargoed in South Wales, in the late 1940s was an area dependant on mining, and the loss of a job in this field meant almost invariably joining the dole queue. With this sad fact in mind, Sir Leonard Lord, Chairman of the Austin Motor company, conceived the idea, in 1946, of creating a factory which would employ men disabled by pneumoconiosis, and so forced to leave the mines. Doing light assembly work they would produce toy motor cars.

The idea was realised in 1949, and the official opening of the Austin Junior Car Factory was 5th July 1949. There were 55 men in its initial employ . It was actually paid for by Government funds and it was run on a not-for-profit basis and purely for the employment of the disabled coal miners. The factory had a floor area of 24,500 square feet.

The workforce gradually increased until it stood at just over 500 men in 1965.

They started production by making one model, the Pathfinder Special. It was based on the Austin 7Jamieson OHV 750 racing car of the 1930,s. Its prototype was tried and tested whereas the prototype for the forebears of the J40 was not satisfactory, so it was the Pathfinder which was produced first. and it was planned to build 250 a week, but unfortunately this figure was never reached. After a year the Pathfinder was dropped and was replaced in 1950 by the J40.

1947 Austin 10 Saloon The J40 prototype called “Joy 1” was designed with the Austin 10 in mind, (with separate headlamps), but as the Austin 10 was going out of fashion, it was thought better to design and produce a more modern looking roadster. Joy 1 still exists and can be seen at the Heritage museum.

Joy 1 as it is today, in remarkably great condition after 50 years!!

It is on show at the Heritage Museum, you can see it if you come to the Rally in October

So Joy 4 was based on the A40 Devon and Dorset.

Production of this last prototype, to be called the J40 roadster, was ready to go ahead, so after a year, the Pathfinder ceased, no record remains of the number of Pathfinders made.

The J40 production was in the later years rather seasonal in its demands, peak being the weeks before Christmas. The method was similar to that of a full size car. Individual body panels were pressed out and then welded together to form the body shell. The metal used was thought to be off-cuts from Austins built at Longbridge which made them very solid, this in turn was degreased ready for painting.

The paint colours used, although all thought to be Austin colours (or from the BMC/BL group) were constantly changing. The painted shell then passed along an assembly line to be fitted with its pedals, running and steering gear, wheels and tyres, spark plugs, working hand brake, upholstered seats, bumpers and number plates, grille, badge and other chrome fittings, and of course its working headlights and horn.

The original J40 cost around £27 with the pathfinder selling at around £25

Production ceased in 1971, 32098 cars having been built.

The Bargoed factory was closed in April 1999.

Tim.Stevenson@ntlworld.com