Foden
From Graces Guide
of Elworth Works, Sandbach produced commercail vehicles.
- In 1856 Edwin Foden became apprenticed to the agricultural equipment manufacturing company of Plant and Hancock.
- He left the company for an apprenticeship at Crewe Railway Works but returned to Plant and Hancock at the age of 19. Shortly afterwards he became a partner in the company.
- 1880s Supplied an engine to the Kidwelly Tinplate Co. Edwin Foden.
- 1880s Supplied an engine to the Baglan Bay Tinplate Co. E. Foden, Son and Co.
- 1882 Edwin Foden designed his first steam tractor.
- 1887 On the retirement of George Hancock in 1887, the company was renamed Edwin Foden Sons and Co Ltd. The company produced massive industrial engines, as well as small stationary steam engines and agricultural traction engines. Regular production of the steam tractors commenced.
- 1889 Traction engine shown at the RASE at Windsor. [1]
- 1900 The first Foden steam lorry was produced and continued until 1932.
- 1902 Production of the 5 ton lorry commenced until 1923.
- 1904 Steam wagon. (Exhibit at Birmingham Thinktank museum).
- 1913-1917 For a list of the models and prices of Steam Motor Wagons, Tractors and Ploughs etc. see the 1917 Red Book
- 1931 Commenced diesel powered lorries using the Gardner engine but also used other makes later.
- 1932 Produced vehicles from 4 ton to 15 ton payload until the outbreak of WW2.
- WW2 Produced 1,750 vehicles for the War Department including 6 x 4 Army lorries and 770 Centaur and Crusader tanks. Also 7.5 million 20mm shells.
- 1944 Advert for Foden Diesel.
- 1954 Advert on this page. [2]
- 1964 Received order from the Steel Company of Wales for large-capacity tip lorry and this led to many giant dump trucks being produced.
- 1964 The Foden two-stroke diesel engine produced and continued until 1977.
- 1974 Opened new factory.
- 1977 New Fleetmaster (with Cummins or Rolls-Royce 290bhp engine) and Haulmaster (with Cummins) models with introduced.
- 1980 Financial difficulties and Paccar International acquired control.
Buses
- Foden introduced diesels in the early 1930s.
- In 1933 the first PSV chassis The Bandmaster carried the famous Foden brass band.
- It had forward control layout with Gardner 4LW engine to the rear-side of the driver.
- Foden built three double-deckers and a small number of single-deckers with larger Gardner 4LW.
- 1945 A PVD6 double-decker demonstrator was made.
- This model had a full width bonnet, a concealed radiator, hydraulic brakes, and a speedometer in the middle of the steering wheel.
- 1946 A single-decker was launched, the PVSC6.
- 1948 Foden exhibited a two-stroke engine, 4.1 litre unit called the FD6.
- 1950 Developed a single-deck coach chassis, it had full-front bodywork with a setback front axle.
- 1954 Production of rear-engined Fodens had ceased.
- 1955 Saw Foden produce five PVD6 double-deckers, 450 of these were built in the space of ten years.
- Seventy five of these were exports that were mainly sent to Australia.
See Also
- [2] Wikipedia
Sources of Information
- British Lorries 1900-1992 by S. W. Stevens-Stratten. Pub. Ian Allen Publishing
- Ian Allan - British Buses Since 1900 - Aldridge and Morris
- The Modern Diesel edited by Geoffrey Smith. Published by Iliffe and Sons 1944
- The Steam Engine in Industry by George Watkins in two volumes. Moorland Publishing. 1978/9. ISBN 0-903485-65-6
- ↑ The Engineer of 28th June 1889 p546
- ↑ [1] History World