Dave Handley
Project Manager
The computers in those days took up masses of space, consisted of rows of tape drives and used punch cards and paper tape. In the mid 1970’s we were aware of the Ryder report and plans to centralise all of the computers at the various manufacturing plants ( Longbridge, Solihull and Cowley ) into one massive state of the art computer site.
This building was known as CDC ( or Cars data Centre) was built on a greenfield site at Moons Moat in Redditch ( locals will recognise it as the building between McDonalds and the Amazon warehouse). To those of us working on an old factory site, in an office that had been converted into a computer room CDC was an exceptionally attractive environment. I was fortunate to move off shift as a computer operator at Longbridge to work on the project team planning the new site. We started in an old building in the Triumph motor works at Canley, then moved to Redditch – Aspenwood House whilst waiting for CDC to be finished. In those days we planned the location of equipment in the new machine room using Lego bricks – CAD systems came much later.
I find it quite difficult to explain the buzz and the excitement around the place. We knew we were part of something pretty big, but we had no idea how big it would be. We were all young, keen and ambitious and led by equally enthusiastic management team. There was very much a ‘can do’ attitude, everything was new and exciting, something I have never experienced before or since.
I remember the first day I went on site, long before it opened. The building was huge I never imagined how we would ever find enough computers to fill the massive halls. Little did I realise that a few years down the road, space would be at a premium and there would be several building extensions and at some point people ended up in portacabins or even moving offsite, such was the growth of systems. It was not just the size that was impressive, there was a massive backup generator ( Redditch as a new town was prone to frequent power cuts as a result of building work ) also it was the security systems, cameras, high razor roll fencing etc, that all gave the place an air of something special.
It was Redditch’s best kept secret. This was in the days where industrial disputes were common and there was always a concern that the site could be picketed, systems stopped and all of BL car manufacture could grind to a halt. Hence in addition to security, there were no signs outside saying what the building was. However the fact there was a huge microwave tower that could be seen from miles away did not help. All the locals knew about the place, and it was a standing joke that anyone who got lost and asked for directions would be told to ‘look out for the massive tower at the secret BL computer site !’
Over the years I was involved in many projects, built lots of lifelong friendships and learned a huge amount based upon the brilliant people I worked with and the many courses the company sent me on.
There was a tremendous pride in the place. I regularly took visitors around the site at CDC – it was very much a showpiece that always impressed visitors. It was used as part of the sales process to show clients how secure the site was, but it was also used as a recruiting tool. People would apply for jobs and as part of their interview we gave them a tour, they invariably wanted to work there. We also had an arrangement with Redditch development Corporation, whereby people who joined us would get a good chance of renting a house from RDC.
The first 10 years went through a massive growth period, as mentioned the first job being to centralise all of the large IBM mainframes from the Car plants and later to install more equipment as the network grew and we took on new customers.
It sounds strange to many people but there was a certain pride in working for ISTEL, we had a reputation in the IT Industry as being very advanced for the time. Also what I remember was the commitment made by everyone who worked there, our aim was always to keep the systems running and above all to keep BL manufacturing running in the early days. As a simple example of people’s commitment during a particularly severe winter in the early 80’s when people were snow bound, many people just stayed at work and did not go home for a few days, just to keep everything running and to cover for those who could not get in.
I left after the boom years and remember sadly the start of a recession where people were made redundant. The only good thing to come out of it is that most that I knew managed to get jobs elsewhere, some of which muse be due to the training and experiences they had gained at ISTEL.
ISTEL is now long gone, but I think it is important to keep the memory going. It was at one time the largest employer in Redditch and occupied not only CDC and Grosvenor House in Prospect Hill, but many other offices around the town. Many of us have set up home in Redditch as a result of working there and I’m sure the local economy benefited too .
It is with a degree of sadness that the CDC building has changed hands and may know be demolished – but then again it is getting quite old as it was built in 1977.
I’ve now reached a time in my life where memories are important. As an ex Austin man I very often sit in the M&S café at the old Longbridge site and gaze whistfully at the massive car parks where some great Rover cars were built. Wishing that Rover had continued and we still had a massive manufacturing plan in the Midlands.
Sadly I may soon be doing the same at McDonalds in Moons Moat and looking over the old site of CDC.
This building was known as CDC ( or Cars data Centre) was built on a greenfield site at Moons Moat in Redditch ( locals will recognise it as the building between McDonalds and the Amazon warehouse). To those of us working on an old factory site, in an office that had been converted into a computer room CDC was an exceptionally attractive environment. I was fortunate to move off shift as a computer operator at Longbridge to work on the project team planning the new site. We started in an old building in the Triumph motor works at Canley, then moved to Redditch – Aspenwood House whilst waiting for CDC to be finished. In those days we planned the location of equipment in the new machine room using Lego bricks – CAD systems came much later.
I find it quite difficult to explain the buzz and the excitement around the place. We knew we were part of something pretty big, but we had no idea how big it would be. We were all young, keen and ambitious and led by equally enthusiastic management team. There was very much a ‘can do’ attitude, everything was new and exciting, something I have never experienced before or since.
I remember the first day I went on site, long before it opened. The building was huge I never imagined how we would ever find enough computers to fill the massive halls. Little did I realise that a few years down the road, space would be at a premium and there would be several building extensions and at some point people ended up in portacabins or even moving offsite, such was the growth of systems. It was not just the size that was impressive, there was a massive backup generator ( Redditch as a new town was prone to frequent power cuts as a result of building work ) also it was the security systems, cameras, high razor roll fencing etc, that all gave the place an air of something special.
It was Redditch’s best kept secret. This was in the days where industrial disputes were common and there was always a concern that the site could be picketed, systems stopped and all of BL car manufacture could grind to a halt. Hence in addition to security, there were no signs outside saying what the building was. However the fact there was a huge microwave tower that could be seen from miles away did not help. All the locals knew about the place, and it was a standing joke that anyone who got lost and asked for directions would be told to ‘look out for the massive tower at the secret BL computer site !’
Over the years I was involved in many projects, built lots of lifelong friendships and learned a huge amount based upon the brilliant people I worked with and the many courses the company sent me on.
There was a tremendous pride in the place. I regularly took visitors around the site at CDC – it was very much a showpiece that always impressed visitors. It was used as part of the sales process to show clients how secure the site was, but it was also used as a recruiting tool. People would apply for jobs and as part of their interview we gave them a tour, they invariably wanted to work there. We also had an arrangement with Redditch development Corporation, whereby people who joined us would get a good chance of renting a house from RDC.
The first 10 years went through a massive growth period, as mentioned the first job being to centralise all of the large IBM mainframes from the Car plants and later to install more equipment as the network grew and we took on new customers.
It sounds strange to many people but there was a certain pride in working for ISTEL, we had a reputation in the IT Industry as being very advanced for the time. Also what I remember was the commitment made by everyone who worked there, our aim was always to keep the systems running and above all to keep BL manufacturing running in the early days. As a simple example of people’s commitment during a particularly severe winter in the early 80’s when people were snow bound, many people just stayed at work and did not go home for a few days, just to keep everything running and to cover for those who could not get in.
I left after the boom years and remember sadly the start of a recession where people were made redundant. The only good thing to come out of it is that most that I knew managed to get jobs elsewhere, some of which muse be due to the training and experiences they had gained at ISTEL.
ISTEL is now long gone, but I think it is important to keep the memory going. It was at one time the largest employer in Redditch and occupied not only CDC and Grosvenor House in Prospect Hill, but many other offices around the town. Many of us have set up home in Redditch as a result of working there and I’m sure the local economy benefited too .
It is with a degree of sadness that the CDC building has changed hands and may know be demolished – but then again it is getting quite old as it was built in 1977.
I’ve now reached a time in my life where memories are important. As an ex Austin man I very often sit in the M&S café at the old Longbridge site and gaze whistfully at the massive car parks where some great Rover cars were built. Wishing that Rover had continued and we still had a massive manufacturing plan in the Midlands.
Sadly I may soon be doing the same at McDonalds in Moons Moat and looking over the old site of CDC.
In the 1960’s I worked at British Leyland at Longbridge ( always known as ‘ the Austin’ to us brummies) as an apprentice. IT was not a term used in those days, we worked in the ‘ Computer Dept’. Coming from other office environments where people wore ties and tweed jackets, the computer operators were seen as very ‘rock and roll.’ They came to work in leather jackets, wore flowery shirts, loons and ridiculous platform shoes. So as a young impressionable lad it was a great place to work and I wanted to be part of it. I never did however manage to be as ‘cool’ as my colleagues.
1977 - 1988
