English Electric

English Electric was created after the end of the First World War, as a merger of Coventry Ordnance Works, Phoenix Dynamo (in Bradford) and Preston’s Dick, Kerr and Company. The latter had a background in locomotive building.

Expansion added Siemens’ dynamo works in Stafford in 1919. EE specialised in heavy mechanical and electrical engineering in power generation and rail traction, as well as domestic products such as cookers.

In 1942, it added Napier to its stable and that company’s range of internal combustion engines. Napier was to develop the Deltic diesel engine fitted in motor torpedo boats and British Rail’s 100mph Class 55 locomotives.

EE’s aircraft division became known for its Mach 2 interceptor (the Lightning) and its bomber (the Canberra). Its railway division came to the fore in Britain as British Railways looked to modernise and replace steam traction. Further expansion came in 1955, with EE taking over Vulcan Foundry and Darlington’s Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns.

Among the BR classes it designed and built are Class 08 shunters, diesel locomotives in Classes 20, ‘37’, ‘40’, ‘50’ and ‘55’ and electric Classes 83 and ‘86’.

In addition to its own diesel engine designs, EE added the Ruston-Paxman designs with a takeover in 1966.

EE had tried to take over GEC in 1960, but GEC later merged with AEI and this larger group merged with EE in 1968. GEC was the dominant partner, and so English Electric’s name was lost.

GEC made further changes to its and EE’s diesel engines divisions, taking in Mirrlees Blackstone along the way. It is now part of MAN.