Bren facility at Enfield

[Peter Laidler]

Learned something interesting during the past weeks about the Bren production facility at Enfield. The Bren 'facility' at Enfield seems to have been in business from the start of production in 1937 until early in 1981 when the Bren facility shut down. Although this '81 date could be a bit earlier or later. There was pretty well continual Bren work between those dates although it is possible (I'd say VERY highly probably....) that there were short breaks in work and/or output.

This included the manufacture of new Mk3 guns and parts, Conversion of 20,000 Mk2 to Mk2/1 spec and FTR of others in the 50's. Conversion of guns to L4 spec and later, FTR of worn out L4 guns. Conversion of others for foreign buyers. Manufacture and conversion of spare parts until Bren facility closed. Manufacture of any Bren parts that were NOT compatible with current production ceased after .303" gun production ceased.

Also included in this was the refurbishment of parts such as bipods, butt slides etc etc for return to Ordnance as spare parts stockpiles. This is very interesting as an Armourer because you would occasionaly get through the Ordnance system a seemingly brand new, say bipod or piston/piston extension assembly that simply cannot be brand new. It's simple! The parts had been rebuilt/refurbished to new spec at Enfield and returned to Ord as spare parts.

The Bren facility was occasionally the financial lifeline that Enfield needed

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