Thomas Storey (Engineers)
Thos. Storey (Engineers) Ltd. of Stockport
See also Thos. Storey (Engineers): By Thomas E. T. Storey
1936 Company founded.
The company first became famous as original manufacturers of the Bailey Bridge system, a product first used by Allied forces during the second world war and praised by both British and American Generals as playing a key role in the successful invasion of Europe. These had been designed by Donald Coleman Bailey and enabled thousands of bridges to be put together quickly.
Subsequently Storeys acquired a licence to produce Bailey Bridges from the National Research Development Corporation.
At its peak there were at least 3 factories in Stockport, the main one based in Reddish, close to Tiviot Dale station and called the Tiviot Works. Others were at Vernon Mill nearby and another at Spring Mount Works on Brinksway in Stockport. (Tommy Storey was a well known figure in Stockport – often happy to offer his employees a lift in his Rolls Royce!)
1953 Company made public.
1960 Acquired by Acrow (Engineers).
1961 Bridging and structural engineers, welders and sheet metal workers, producers of the well-known Bailey Bridge.[1]
In the 1960s they also manufactured pontoon, or floating, bridges, selling these as far away as Argentina and the Tonga Islands.
Privately owned by Tommy Storey, it was for a short time part of the Acrow Group, later reverting to Thomas Storey. Throughout the next 50 years the bridge systems and other heavy-duty machinery were sold by the manufacturer to over 100 countries around the world including the USA and Canada.
1996 The remaining Stockport factory, Tiviot Works became too small and the company moved to new, larger premises in Openshaw, retaining all their Stockport staff
Notes
- 1. Photos by W. Rhodes Marriott