Thornycroft Steam Wagon Co
of Basingstoke.
of Homefield, Chiswick
See Thornycroft
1896 John Isaac Thornycroft fitted a vertical steam engine to a van at Chiswick. After this happened he started building vehicles.
1896 Company registered
1896 November. 'MR. THORNYCROFT, whose name is identified throughout the world with high class torpedo-boat machinery, has identified himself with the new self-propelled traffic, and designed a steam-carriage which will carry a load of one ton, and weighs about 35 cwt. when in full working order—including the weight of the coke used as fuel, the driver, and water necessary for a run of 20 miles.
The boiler is of the Thornycroft water-tube launch type with water fire-bars, steam being raised in about 15 minutes. The engine is double compound, the cylinders being respectively of 2 and 4 inches diameter, with a stroke of 3 inches. The engine speed is geared in the ratio of 9 to 1 to the road driving wheels. The condenser is placed on the roof, and is of sufficient cooling surface to condense all the steam at ordinary rates of working. The van can climb an incline of 1 in 10 When fully loaded. The ordinary speed of working is about six or seven miles per hour, but a speed of nine miles per hour can easily be sustained on level roads. The floor space available for carrying goods is about 25 square feet. Several trials have been made of this carriage with excellent results, while the name of Thornycroft is sufficient guarantee of the admirable quality of the workmanship and material which k used throughout. For developing this new branch of work au establishment has been founded under the title of the Steam Carriage and Wagon Company, Homefield, Chiswick Mall.[1]
1897 The Steam Carriage and Wagon Co of Chiswick was building steam vehicles
1901 The Thornycroft Steam Wagon Co Ltd entered 2 vehicles in the Liverpool trials[2]
1901 December. Details of the steam lorry for military purposes.[3]
1902 March. Details of a steam omnibus for the London Road Car Co.[4][5]
1904 The company was acquired by John I. Thornycroft and Co to provide more work for Thornycroft's Chiswick yard[6] and was voluntarily wound up[7]
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ Automotor Journal 1896/11
- ↑ The Times, Jun 10, 1901
- ↑ The Autocar 1901/12/14
- ↑ The Autocar 1902/03/01
- ↑ The Autocar 1902/04/19
- ↑ The Times, Jun 11, 1906
- ↑ London Gazette, 6 Sept 1904