Ruston, Proctor and Co
Sheaf Ironworks, Waterside South, Lincoln.
Ruston, Proctor and Co was an industrial equipment manufacturer.
The company was best known as a manufacturer of narrow and standard gauge diesel locomotives and steam shovels. They also built cars, steam locomotives and a range of internal combustion engines.
See sub-sections:
1857 The Partnership of Ruston, Burton and Proctor was formed when Joseph Ruston joined Proctor and Burton, becoming the partner of James Toyne Proctor.
Six months later Theophilus Burton disagreed with his partners and left the partnership which became Ruston, Proctor and Co when Joseph Ruston bought out Burton's share. [1]
1860 Acquired an established millwrights business in Lincoln. [2]
1860 Exhibited portable steam engines
1861 Employing 156 persons [3]
1861 Exhibited at the Royal Agricultural Society of England meeting in Leeds - exhibited portable steam engine, threshing machine, etc[4]
1862 Exhibited at the 1862 London Exhibition. Details of their products shown at
1865 Joseph Ruston became the sole proprietor.
From 1866 they built a number of four and six-coupled tank locomotives, one of which was sent to the Paris Exhibition in 1867.
In 1868 they built five 0-6-0 tank engines for the Great Eastern Railway to the design of Samuel Waite Johnson. Three of these were converted to crane tanks, two of which lasted until 1952, aged eighty-four. Among the company's output were sixteen for Argentina and some for T. A. Walker, the contractor building the Manchester Ship Canal
1876 First traction engine made in 6, 7, 8 and 10 nhp ratings. Details of an 8-hp traction engine. [5]
1877 Exhibtor at the 1877 Royal Agricultural Show at Liverpool.
1881 Employing 1,000 persons [6]
1889 Became a limited company. Employees 1,600. The company was registered on 12 July, to take over the business of agricultural and general engineers and boiler makers of the firm of the same name. [7]
1889 Contractor's tank locomotive. [8]
1889 Employing 1,600 men.
1890 Visit to Sheaf Iron Works described in The Engineer 1890/08/01.
1897 Employing 2,000 persons [9]
1899 They acquired limited liability status.
1899 Exhibited at the 1899 Royal Agricultural Show.[10]
1900 June. Royal Agricultural Show at York. Fixed, portable and traction engines. [11]
1910 Released catalogue of goods No. 1580. [12]
1911 16-ton steam crane navvy detailed. The company has recently taken over the business of Whitaker Brothers. [13]
1911 Smithfield Club Show. Exhibited thrashing machine, clover huller, traction engine and an oil engine. [14]
1911 The company has made to this date 42,800 engines of all types, 36,880 boilers, 5,200 centrifugal pumps, 600 excavators and 2,400 thrashing machines. It paid £361,181 in wages in the year. [15]
1913-1917 For a list of the models and prices of Steam Motor Wagons, Tractors and Ploughs etc. see the 1917 Red Book
1913-1917 For a list of the models and prices of Paraffin Commercial and Agricultural Motors, Tractors, Ploughs, Sprayers, etc. see the 1917 Red Book
1913-1917 For a list of the models and prices of Petrol Motor Commercial Vehicles see the 1917 Red Book
1914 Specialities include Portable Steam Engines, Road Rollers, Cornish, Lancashire, Multitubular and Verticle Boilers, Centrifugal Pumps, Maize Shellers, Straw Elevators, Chaff Cutters and Straw Presses. Employees 5200. [16]
WWI Maker of aeroplanes.
On September 11, 1918, the company amalgamated with Richard Hornsby and Sons of Grantham to become Ruston and Hornsby.
Note
- Portable engine 12 hp No. 18188. (Exhibit at Birmingham Thinktank museum)
See Also
Sources of Information
- [1] Wikipedia
- Aeroplanes of the Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing) by J. M. Bruce. Published 1982 ISBN 0-370-30084-x
- British Steam Locomotive Builders by James W. Lowe. Published in 1975. ISBN 0-905100-816
- ↑ The Morning Chronicle, Saturday, August 8, 1857
- ↑ The Engineer 1890/08/01
- ↑ 1861 Census
- ↑ The Farmer's Magazine, 1861
- ↑ The Engineer of 15th December 1876 p410
- ↑ 1881 census
- ↑ The Stock Exchange Year Book 1908
- ↑ The Engineer of 10th May 1889 p395
- ↑ The Standard, Saturday, June 12, 1897
- ↑ The Engineering Times 1899-1900 Jul-Jan
- ↑ The Engineer of 22nd June 1900 p650
- ↑ The Engineer 1910/03/11
- ↑ The Engineer of 1st September 1911 p236
- ↑ The Engineer of 8th December 1911 p594
- ↑ The Engineer of 8th December 1911 p597
- ↑ 1914 Whitakers Red Book