Title
Associated Electrical Industries spare parts catalogues
Reference
GEC/4/7/6
Production date
1956 - 1960
Creator
- Associated Electrical Industries (AEI)BiographyBiography
Associated Electrical Industries (AEI) was formed in 1928 as a financial holding company for a number of leading electrical manufacturing and trading companies in the United Kingdom. The two major constituent companies were British Thomson-Houston (BTH) based at Rugby, (Mill Road Works) and Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Company Ltd (Metrovicks) situated at Trafford Park, Manchester. However, fierce rivalry existed between the Metrovick and BTH brands resulting in internal competition and duplicated management. This was highlighted during the Second World War in 1939, when Metrovicks and BTH became the first two firms in the world to construct jet engines (independently from each other).
Following the Second World War, in 1954, AEI expanded to consist of BTH, Metrovicks, Edison Swan Electric Co, Ferguson Pailin, Hotpoint Electric Appliance Co, International Refrigerator Co, Newton Victor, Sunvic Controls, Premier Electric Heaters, Siemens Bros (1955) and Birlec (1954).
In 1959 AEI decided to remove the familiar brands of BTH and Metrovicks and consolidate both as AEI resulting in internal problems and a fall in sales and market value. However, AEI acquired a variety of companies from 1959 to 1967, these included Associated Insulation Products, W. T. Henley’s Telegraph Works Co (1958), and London Electric Wire Co and Smiths (1958), Submarine Cables, Hackbridge Holdings Ltd., The Lancashire Dynamo and Crypto Ltd., W.T. Avery Ltd., Henley and Schreiber. The General Electric Company bought AEI in 1967.
Scope and Content
The box contains 4 Associated Electrical Industries and 1 British Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co Ltd spare parts catalogues.
Extent
1 box
Level of description
FILE
Repository name
National Railway Museum, York
Associated people and organisations
- British Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co LtdBiographyBiography
The British Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company Ltd was formed in 1889 by George Westinghouse as a manufacturing subsidiary of the American Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, of Pittsburgh, USA. Initially it was an agency for American exports, based in London. From 1902, the company was operating in newly-built offices and factory at Westinghouse Road, Trafford Park, Manchester. Products manufactured included gas engines, stationary steam engines, electric generators, transformers, switchgear, meters, motors, control gear, and arc lamps. During the First World War, British Westinghouse built some small petrol-electric locomotives for the War Department Light Railways.
By 1916 British Westinghouse felt that the American ownership of its operations during World War One had been a hindrance, so a British holding company was created to obtain the American shares. In 1917 the Metropolitan Carriage, Wagon and Finance Co provided the capital for British Westinghouse to become independent of US control. Finally, in 1919 Vickers Ltd acquired the Metropolitan Carriage, Wagon and Finance Co and with it the British Westinghouse business. Vickers wished to be able to supplement their production of steel, ships, trains, and machinery with that of the associated electrical equipment. The company name changed to Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Company on the 8th September 1919.
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