c.1917 A two-stroke experimental engine was installed at the Chiswick Laboratory of the developers which produced 400 indicated horse-power
1919 Company formed to acquire the rights to the Still Engine (except for the Japanese rights which had been sold previously) from the Engine Development Co; the engine was said to have a number of advantages including better efficiency and higher specific power.
1920 Public company incorporated; William Joseph Still, inventor of the Still engine, was technical adviser to the board. Agreements had been made with various ship builders and others to licence the engine. The engine had been used with various fuels and in both 2-stroke and 4-stroke form. 3 marine examples had been built and tested afloat[1]
1927 Edwin Kitson Clark described a proposed Kitson-Still locomotive[2]. He explained that most marine Diesel engines had two motive power sytems - oil for running and a compressed air system for starting and manoeuvring - in the Still engine, a steam system was substituted for the air system. The engine was double-acting, with internal combustion at one end of the cylinder and steam at the other end through which the piston rod worked. The combustion cycle was a 2-stroke cycle; much lower compression pressure was required because of the hot engine jacket and cylinder walls. The steam was supplied by a boiler. Application was foreseen in stationary systems as well as ships and locomotives.