Editing Rolls-Royce Merlin (section)

===Glasgow===
[[File:Rolls Royce factory -Merlin engines and female workers-1942 (original).jpg|thumb|alt=An image of workers on an engine assembly line|Workers assembling cylinder heads on the Hillington Merlin production line in 1942]]
Hives further recommended that a factory be built near [[Glasgow]] to take advantage of the abundant local work force and the supply of steel and forgings from Scottish manufacturers. In September 1939, the [[Air Ministry]] allocated £4,500,000 for a new Shadow factory.<ref>[http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C9003498 War Cabinet-Supply and Production: First Report by the Air Ministry, Appendix XI.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308203426/http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C9003498 |date=8 March 2016 }} National Archives.gov.uk. Retrieved: 8 March 2016.</ref>{{#tag:ref|This allocation had increased to £5,995,000 by December 1939.<ref>[http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C9003607 War Cabinet-Supply and Production: Fourth Report by the Air Ministry, Appendix XI.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308203419/http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C9003607 |date=8 March 2016 }} National Archives.gov.uk. Retrieved: 8 March 2016.</ref>|group=nb}} This [[Her Majesty's Government|government]]-funded and -operated factory was built at [[Hillington, Scotland|Hillington]] starting in June 1939 with workers moving into the premises in October, one month after the outbreak of war. The factory was fully occupied by September 1940. A housing crisis also occurred at Glasgow, where Hives again asked the Air Ministry to step in.<ref>Pugh 2000, p. 197.</ref>

With 16,000 employees, the Glasgow factory was one of the largest industrial operations in Scotland. Unlike the Derby and Crewe plants, which relied significantly on external [[subcontractor]]s, it produced almost all the Merlin's components itself.<ref>Lloyd and Pugh 2004, p. 61.</ref> Hillingdon required "a great deal of attention from Hives" from when it was producing its first complete engine; it had the highest proportion of unskilled workers in any Rolls-Royce-managed factory”.<ref>Robotham 1970, p. 127.</ref> Engines began to leave the production line in November 1940, and by June 1941 monthly output had reached 200, increasing to more than 400 per month by March 1942.<ref>Lloyd and Pugh 2004, p. 69.</ref> In total 23,675 engines were produced. Worker [[absenteeism]] became a problem after some months due to the physical and mental effects of wartime conditions such as the frequent occupation of [[air-raid shelter]]s. It was agreed to cut the punishing working hours slightly to 82 hours a week, with one half-Sunday per month awarded as holiday.<ref>Pugh 2000, p. 198.</ref> Record production is reported to have been 100 engines in one day.<ref name=BBCNews>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/scotland/4531580.stm End of era for Rolls-Royce plant.] news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved: 25 August 2009</ref>

Immediately after the war the site repaired and overhauled Merlin and Griffon engines, and continued to manufacture spare parts.<ref name=BBCNews/> Finally, following the production of the [[Rolls-Royce Avon]] [[turbojet]] and others, the factory was closed in 2005.<ref>[http://www.rolls-royce.com/about/heritage/branches/scotland.jsp Hillington factory history] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090807021409/http://www.rolls-royce.com/about/heritage/branches/scotland.jsp |date=7 August 2009 }} rolls-royce.com. Retrieved: 24 August 2009</ref>