By Classic Yorkshire contributor Tony Lofthouse
Workers at the Ellesmere Port plant have been raising a glass in celebration of 60 years of car production.
Constructed in 1962 and opened in 1964, the plant is synonymous with the Vauxhall name and notably home to the very first Viva to roll off production.
Since then, the workforce has produced more then one million Vivas, over 250,000 Chevettes and seven generations of the hugely popular Astra (totalling 4.1 million units).
Keith Tabiner worked at Ellesmere Port for 40 years and has owned nothing but Vauxhalls.
He said: “I witnessed the first Vauxhall Viva to be made in 1964 and my three sons have followed in my footsteps and are working at the plant today.”
In 1970, the plant covered 350,000 sq metres, but has since seen many changes including the addition of a battery assembly shop.
Over the years, vehicle production has expanded and in 1980 the plant exported the first Opel badged cars from the UK with 2,000 Chevettes built on the Wirral. However, it’s biggest success was the Astra, launched in 1981.
Today, Ellesmere Port is a key part of the UK’s electric vehicle production and following investment from its owners, Stellantis, the plant was retooled to make vans for Fiat, Citroen and Peugeot as well as Opel/Vauxhall.
It’s a wonderful British motoring success story but you do wonder if things could have taken a different turn without the birth of the much underrated Viva all those years ago.
Classic Yorkshire 