Last Alteration: Sunday 07 April 2013
Lucas CAV
Lucas CAV
Research and Development Block, 54 Larden Road, Acton, London
The company CAV, owned by Charles A. Vandervell, moved into Warple Way in 1904, and made accumulators, carriage lamps and switchboards, pioneering the dynamo-charged battery. Joseph Lucas Ltd. bought the company in 1926, after which the company would make fuel injection pumps for industry and then for aircraft in the Second World War. The company was merged with Bosch in 1931, but the German company was thwarted by the War, though Lucas continued to market their products. Bosch finally bought back the company in 1954. The company's name changed to Lucas CAV in 1978, where in around 1980 there were 3000 employees!
The company has since closed down, with Bosch establishing its own plant in Cardiff in 1991.
How to get here:
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Rail: Acton Central - Exit right out of the station, and then walk through Acton Park to the far corner; this comes out opposite Warple Way. +
Where to walk to next?
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Birkbeck Road (Attack of the Cybermen). Walk north to the end of Larden Road, then turn left onto the Vale; continue along here, and then turn right into Birkbeck Road.
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Becklow Road (Attack of the Cybermen). Walk south and then turn left into Cobbold Road. This leads to Becklow Road on the left, and the site of the former junkyard is on the corner.
Additional locations as the crow flies:
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Davis Road (Attack of the Cybermen): 0.28 miles. 
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Horn Lane (site of former TAVC) (Remembrance of the Daleks): 1.02 miles.
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Wulfstan Street (Remembrance of the Daleks): 1.04 miles.
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Lime Grove Studios: 1.05 miles.
Filming Reports:
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2 May 1980: Paul Champion, 23rd Aug 2007: "I was working in the building that was used for the shot - gosh -how time flies. On top of the building and at its southern end (near to the corner of Cobbold Road) is the 'services room' or roof space. This is where such things as the ventilation equipment, lift-head-gear etc., is housed; no one works up there. It was this part of the building that served as the ready made set." Paul has written a more detailed reflection for the filming archive.
Further links about the location:
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British History Online - Acton Economic History
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Bosch - History of relationship with Lucas
Also seen in:
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Blake's 7: Terminal: ladder into the inside of Terminal
Related Stories
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State of Decay [2 May 1980]: Inspection Shaft
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