Swaythling passenger cars in the UK, leaving the Southampton made Transit as their only British-made vehicle. In 2009, with the new Kocaeli, Turkey, plant in full production, Ford reluctantly halved production at Southampton and reduced the workforce to just over 500. Employing 500 workers, the factory produced up to 35,000 Transit chassis/cab variant vehicles annually, of which 50% were exported. The Ford Southampton plant closed on 26 July 2013. The very first branch of the DIY chain B&Q was opened in Swaythling in 1969. The shop was owned by Messrs Block and Quayle. Swaythling railway station is on the main line
Bill Quayle Bill Quayle William Quayle (born April 8, 1940) is a former American university sports administrator and professor. Quayle is mostly known for his work as athletic director for Emporia State University, a NCAA Division II sports program in Emporia, Kansas. Quayle began as an admissions counselor at Central College in Iowa in 1963, and then became the assistant director of admissions at Augustana College in Illinois in 1965. In 1968, he left for Phillips University in Oklahoma to become an associate professor, associate athletics director, and tennis coach. In 1979, Quayle accepted the position to become athletics director at Emporia