Armstrong Whitworth: Railway
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Note: This is a sub-section of Armstrong Whitworth.
1919 The Scotswood works in Newcastle-upon-Tyne were laid out for locomotive building with potential capacity of 200 steam locomotives per annum in addition to large numbers of boilers and component parts for marine and general engineering works.
Some very large locomotive contracts were carried out at Scotswood - one for 200 heavy main line locomotives for the Belgian State Railways was said to be the largest single order for locomotives ever placed at the time.
1922 Armstrong Whitworth delivered an experimental steam turbine locomotive to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway for trials. The engine used electric transmission. It was designed by Mr D. M. Ramsay, managing director of the Ramsay Condensing Locomotive Company of Glasgow[1]. The engine was too heavy and did not deliver the expected improvements and was returned to Armstrong Whitworth in 1923.
1929 The group suffered heavy losses; capital reduction[2]. Two private companies formed: Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth and Company (Engineers) Ltd, and Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth and Company (Shipbuilders) Ltd; the former took over the general engineering businesses at Scotswood and Gateshead and developed work with Sulzer of Switzerland on early railway Diesel Electric Locomotives. The holding company was renamed Armstrong Whitworth Securities Company Ltd[3].
Armstrong Whitworth were early entrants into use of Diesel engines on railways in Britain; they worked in conjunction with Sulzer Brothers.
1933 Description of three 880 BHP diesel-electric 2-6-2 locomotives put into experimental service between Newcastle and Berwick. The engine was a British-built eight-cylinder Armstrong-Sulzer unit (of the same size as that used on the Paris Ceinture Railway). The main generator was by Laurence, Scott and Co, and the traction motors by Crompton Parkinson.[4]
'The firm commenced the construction of Diesel locomotives and rail cars in 1931, the first few engines being obtained from Messrs. Sulzer. This type of engine has been retained throughout, in conjunction with Saurer engines for some of the lighter rail vehicles, but apart from the few units mentioned, all engines of both types have been built in the Newcastle works. A very complete and modern plant has been laid down for the manufacture of the Sulzer engine, while the Saurer engine is produced in the new shops devoted to the manufacture of the Armstrong-Saurer commercial vehicle.' The first diesel units were three 250-h.p. rail-cars, fitted with Sulzer engines, which were in regular service on the northern section of the LNER.[5]
The first Diesel electric vehicle to be completed at Scotswood was the "Tyneside Venturer," a 250 H.P. Railcoach for the LNER. A sister vehicle, equipped as a luxury saloon, made history as the first Diesel city-to-city express to operate in England providing a daily service between London and Birmingham during the British Industries Fair of 1933 (under the title of the "Armstrong Shell Express").
Other customers for Diesel rail vehicles constructed at Scotswood in the 1930s included the Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway, and the Baroda State Railway.
1934 Description of diesel electric multiple units for Sao Paulo.[6]
Armstrong Whitworth offered all types of Diesels ranging from main line express locomotives to small shunting engines for industrial uses.
1937 Built 226 engines for the LMSR, the largest order ever placed with a private builder by a British Railway Company.
1937 Vickers decided to concentrate on defence equipment and get out of railway locomotive building [7]. The Scotwood plant was sold.
See here[8] for a good account of Armstrong Whitworth diesel-engined locomotive and railcar production.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ The Armstrong-Whitworth Turbine-Electric Locomotive [1]
- ↑ The Times, 8 February 1929
- ↑ The Times, 10 July 1929
- ↑ Engineering 1933/11/24
- ↑ Engineering 1934/12/21
- ↑ Engineering 1934/12/21
- ↑ The Times, 31 July 1937
- ↑ [2] Derby Sulzers website - Armstrong Whitworth Worldwide Locomotive & Railcar Production