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
Quayle Munro was Sir Alan Smith. In the 1980s, the company was involved in Dawson International's £650 million bid for Coats PLC and the £135 million full placing and listing of Shanks Group. Quayle Munro also assisted the Scottish Office with the privatisation of ScotRail and the Scottish Bus Group, the disposal of Scottish Enterprise's investment portfolio, the funding arrangements for the Skye Bridge and were advisers on the options regarding privatisation of water facilities in Scotland. The Skye bridge deal was the first private finance initiative (PFI) deal in the United Kingdom. Quayle Munro became the preferred adviser for the majority