Aircraft manufacturer from Yeadon that produced two prototypes in 1932 but failed to find orders and concentrated on component manufacture until 1951
The late Peter Lowe rebuilt a number of engines at his Abbey Light Railway near to Kirkstall.
Manufactured a few commercial vehicle bodies
Metal working firm still going strong in Hunslet, operating in the former Mann works
Plane manufacturer Avro were founded in Manchester in 1910. During the second world war they established a large "shadow factory" next to Yeadon Aerodrome (now Leeds Bradford Airport).
Mainly a builder of hydraulic machinery at Croydon Works in Hunslet.
The Balmforth family were partners with the Smiths and Booths that went on to form the famous Rodley crane makers. After these partnerships broke up William Balmforth formed the Peel Ings Foundry. The works produced steam cranes, though not to the extent their former partners enjoyed. A small number of locos were also produce before the firm crashed in 1916
John Bingley of 25 Harper Street built one loco for the Sheffield and Rotherham Railway in 1840 as a sub contract for Fenton, Murray and Jackson. Looking at the historic maps the works was situated where the Leeds outside market is today near to the bus station. From the details located in "Directory of Leeds" for the entries until 1870 Bingley made boilers, engines and mill machinery.
Crane maker at Mill Lane Bramley, possibly also connected to Isles.
Metal working firm still going strong in Hunslet
Crane builder
Built a few cranes in Leeds,
Builder of cranes in Stanningley.
Formed when Booth's merged with a crane builder in Clydeside.
Tool maker
Clayton, Son & Co Ltd had works on Pepper Road, the Moor End Works off Balm Road and the Dartmouth Works just off Dewsbury Road in the Hunslet area of Leeds. Key products were mill boilers, gas holders, water tanks and pipes, they also produced boilers for Yorkshire Patent Steam Wagon Co, a member of the same group of companies.
The Sun Foundry on Dewsbury Road was one of a few works set up by Charles Todd, it built fairly few locomotives, though one of them was the first to run in South Africs. They went in to building steam powered pumps and after a few changes of ownership became part of the Sulzer group
One of the early manufacturers of Trolleybuses to have premises in Leeds.
See the history of Shepherd and Todd and also Todd Kitson & Laird.
Job Day & Sons Ltd; produced a cycle-car between 1912 and 1924.
Dougill's Engineering built the Loidis between 1898 and 1904. They also built cars and commercial vehicles under the Frick name.
EB Wilson's Railway Foundry produced locomotives for many of the early railway comapnies as well as a number of overseas orders including several important orders for Spain and India. Many of their locomotives were based on the popular Jenny Lind design. The company also experimented with marine engines and road steam.
Made 'electric vehicles, trucks and locomotives' at their Prospect Works in Otley between 1914 and 1933
The Railway Foundry in Hunslet saw a few changes of partnerships in the 1840s and 1850s. For a short time James Fenton (son of the James Fenton of the Round Foundry) and John Chester Craven were in charge while Edward Brown Wilson was absent
Made some tools
A photograph and drawings survive for one engine known to survive until it was scrapped during World War I.
Under this partnership steam locomotive manufacture returned to the Round Foundry. Locomotives were built for many early railways, the works built a number of the Great Western Firefly class including the first locomotive to haul Queen Victoria and the locomotive chosen for the gauge trials
The Round Foundry was a pioneer not only for Leeds but for the world, producing the first succesful freight locos. They also produced fine stationary engines, experimented with steam ships. The core of their business was supplying machinery to the textile industry. After the death of Murray and Wood the firm became known as Fenton, Murray and Jackson
Often known as GREENBAT this company made all manner of machinery including a number of battery locomotives in their Albion Works in Armley
Made a few tools
Ginetta are a manufacturer of sports cars in Garforth district of Leeds.
Glover's Motors, of Woodhouse Lane, Leeds Sold an "American car" designed and assembled in the UK in 1920's. Few were sold
For over 100 years Hudswell Clarke's Railway Foundry supplied large numbers of industrial locomotives for use all over the world
This firm built large numbers of stationary engines primarily for pumping purposes in the former Sun Foundry on Dewsbury Road Leeds. They became part of Sulzer Pumps and moved to Manor Mill Lane.
One of the best known of the Leeds firms having produced many notable designs such as the Austerity 0-6-0STs and the Quarry Hunslets, this company's varied products were supplied all over the world. Parts were also supplied to other builders including gear boxes to BR Swindon for the class 14 0-6-0DH locos. Babcock and Wilcox built a few Hunslet locomotives in Spain under licence.
Most of Hudsons locomotive orders were subcontracted to Hunslet, Hudswell or outside Leeds though they produced some locomotives in house in their Gildersome Foundry. The bulk of their manufacturing business was supplying light railway equipment, track, wagons, etc. One of the crane makers of Leeds
Built a few traction engines in 1869
Primarily a crane manufacturer Booths also produced a small number of electric mine locos under the 'Union' brand in their Union Foundry at Rodley.
Manufacturer of machine tools at Wellhouse Foundry. This was acquired by Craven Bros in 1928 who had also been bought in 1919 by John Brown & Co.
Crane builder
Located in the Steam Plough Works they were pioneers of the agricultural uses for steam power. They went on to apply steam to road haulage, road construction, fairground use and built a number of locomotives. The firm also branched out in to power generation and rope winding engines amongst other things.
Primarily a manufacturer of traction engines, stationary engines and diesel engines this firm also made two or three locomotives based on their traction engine designs.
The Whitham family engineering business was first established in 1794 by John Whitham.
One of the big Leeds loco makers, this firm made big locos as well as little ones. As well as producing large numbers of small tank engines like other local firms Kitson also won orders for the Great Northern, Great Central and London Brighton and South Coast, amongst others. They produced over 3000 locos in their century of existence
The firm was founded as Beecroft & Butler
Thompson retired in 1858 from KTH, once again there was a change of name, the company becoming Kitson and
Hewitson
For a short period this was a name carried by the company that eventually became simply known as Kitson.
This was the name under which the Airedale Foundry operated for around 20 years before the name Kitson & Co was adopted. The two oldest working steam locomotives in the world, India's Express and Fairy Queen were produced in this period
Early manufacturer of bus bodies on Barclay Street, Sheepscar, Leeds.
Trams were built at Kirkstall Road works
Made an 8hp cyclecar in 1913 called "The Leo" which was sold by Derry & Toms of Kensington.
The Leeds Forge supplied railway wagons and other items for many years.
Produced 5 horse trams
Mann produced steam lorries in all shapes and sizes from their works on Pepper Lane in Hunslet
Many components were made here for the loco builders.
Pudsey based crane and steelwork manufacturer
Furniture manufacturer from York Road that turned its hands to Aircraft manufacture for the First World War.
The Boyne loco works practically rose from the ashes of E.B.wilson and continued to turn out their designs of small contractor locomotives as well as plenty of narrow gauge locos and a few unusual orders
Optare made buses in the former Cross Gates works of Charles Roe, taken over by employees and managers of that firm on its closure in the 1980s. The company has since moved to Sherburn in Elmet. In 2020 has changed name with the emphasis on electric vehicles and currently owned by the Indian company Ashok Leyland.
Optare made buses in the former Cross Gates works of Charles Roe, taken over by employees and managers of that firm on its closure in the 1980s. The company has since moved to Sherburn in Elmet. In 2020 has changed name with the emphasis on electric vehicles and currently owned by the Indian company Ashok Leyland.
With roots in making oil cans in Horsforth the company now supply specialist locks for the rail, architectural, high security and custodial industries. Pickersgill-Kaye is also been involved in supplying components to railway rolling stock manufacturers across the world.
Potts made about 1700 clocks in Leeds that use precision engineering. Many are still in use in original locations.
Aviation manufacturing commenced on Balm Road at Hunslet not far from the Middleton Railway. Between the wars built a few road vehicles.
This company carried out pioneering work into Railless trams, or trollybuses as they became better known, from a small works and office on Balm Road.
The Korte car was produced by Rice & Co. Ltd of Low Hall Mills, Holbeck between 1903 - 1905
In 1953 Henry Brown designed and had built a micro car in Rodley, a forerunner to Hunslet's Scootacar
Charles Roe began by making trailers for locally produced traction engines produced and bodies for commercial vehicles in a rented works on Balm Road. They went on to make large numbers of bus bodies in a much larger works in Cross Gates.
Royal Ordnance Factory was opened during the First World War making ammunition later to produce many of the familiar tanks such as Centurions, Challengers and Chieftains.
Crane builder
Manufacturer of machine tools that took over the former Round Foundry, they became part of the Greenwood and Batley Group.
Made a few tools including rail benders.
Made a few tools
Having taken over Hathorn Davey and their Sun Foundry on Dewsbury road this firm continue to have a presence in Leeds but at their more modern Manor Mill Lane facility.
Leeds firm producing small rollers for cricket pitches and sports grounds
The Railway Foundry. Some books list many of these as built by Charles Todd. Also see Sun Foundry & TKL.
Sterling Engineering produced a few cycle-cars powered by a JAP V2 8hp engine
Heavy machine maker
Thomas Green began as a big manufacturer of lawnmowers, they diversified somewhat in to producing steam rollers, tram engines and locomotives in their Smithfield Works on North Street
The first engine makers in the Hunslet area of Leeds, they built a small number of locomotives, including the Liverpool and Manchester's Lion before changes in partnership that eventually lead to the company becoming Kitson & Co
A short lived early manufacturer who had begun locomotive and stationary engine production at their Providence Foundry on Hunslet Lane in 1839 but were devastated by a fire at the works.
One of the crane makers of Leeds producing steam diesel and electric cranes in their works next door to Joseph Booth in Rodley
Crane builder
During 1986 Barnbow RoF was privatised and bought by Vickers Defence Systems. Vickers constructed a specially-designed new factory at Cross Gates for production of Challenger Tanks
Formed of a series of mergers including Leeds firms Joseph Booth and Thomas Smith, this firm are still producing cranes. Design work takes place in Yeadon but production is in Gateshead.
Built a few plough/tractors in Guiseley 1910-1919. Also a few oil engines.
The rail division of this company is situated in Leeds and has made components for anything from a replica LNER class A1 to the high speed Pendolino and TGV trains.
Produced Dennell motorcycles from 1906 to 1908
One of the smaller makers of cranes in the city of Leeds situated in the Horsforth subburb.
Coach and Motor Bus Body Makers established around the early 1940s, after the second world war the firm was taken over by coach operator Wallace Arnold, allowing that firm to overcome post war shortages. Though this meant much of Wilks & Meade's production was for Wallace Arnold, the firm did produce coach and bus bodies for a number of other operators.
This company produced quite distinctive steam lorries with their patented double ended boiler in their works on Pepper Road Hunslet. They dabbled with internal combustion engines and produced specialist bodies for commercial vehicles such as the gully emptiers that featured on some of their own steam wagons. The last steam wagon left the works in 1931 but the Yorkshire Patent Steam Wagon Co name was retained for a further 40 years
Displaying
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Engine builder statistics | Locomotive Manufacturers Association | Bradford | Rotherham All, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z Click onto the acronym to view full database listing for the relevant company. Clicking onto the name or works history link will display our brief history for the selected company. The companies may be filtered by the type of items produced using the links above. If there are survivors click onto the survivors to view.
Builder
Products
Notes
AAL
Arrow Aircraft (Leeds) Ltd
Aviation/Military
Works History
ALR
P.N. Lowe
Rail
Works History
APL
Appleyard
Road
Aviation/Military
Works History
AT
A.Taylor and Son
Works History
AVRO
A V Roe (Avro)
Aviation/Military
Works History
Berry
Henry Berry
Crane
Works History
Bfth
William Balmforth / Balmforth Bros
Rail
Crane
Works History
Bi
John Bingley
Rail
Other Items
Works History
BJ
Benjamin Johnson
Crane
Works History
BPL
Braime Pressings Ltd
Works History
Bram
Bramley Engineering
Crane
Works History
Bray
Bray & Waddington
Crane
Works History
BUT
Samuel Butler and Co
Crane
Works History
CCB
Clyde Crane and Booth
Crane
Works History
CH
Campbell Hunter Ltd, Hunslet
Machine Tools
Works History
CLAY
Clayton, Sons and Co
Other Items
Works History
CM
Carret, Marshall and Co
Rail
Road
Other Items
Works History
CS
Clough, Smith and Company Limited
Road
Works History
CT
Charles Todd
Rail
Works History
Day
Day- Leeds
Road
Works History
Doug
Dougill's Engineering
Road
Works History
EBW
EB Wilson
Rail
Road
Other Items
Works History
Elect
Electromobile (Leeds)
Rail
Road
Works History
FC
Fenton and Craven
Rail
Works History
FH
Frederick Haithwaite & Co
Machine Tools
Works History
Fi
Fisken
Road
Works History
FMJ
Fenton, Murray and Jackson
Rail
Other Items
Works History
FMW
Fenton Murray and Wood
Rail
Other Items
Works History
GBAT
Greenwood and Batley
Rail
Road
Aviation/Military
Machine Tools
Works History
GD
George Depledge
Machine Tools
Works History
GIN
Ginetta
Road
Works History
Glov
Glover's Motors
Road
Works History
HC
Hudswell Clarke
Rail
Works History
HD
Hathorn Davey
Other Items
Works History
HE
Hunslet Engine Co
Rail
Road
Other Items
Works History
HUD
Robert Hudson
Rail
Road
Other Items
Some items were bought second hand (quite a lot after the first war), sold onto new homes or hired out and these were not necessarily built in Leeds.
Works History
IS
Isles
Crane
Works History
Jac
Jackson
Road
Works History
JB
Joseph Booth and Bros
Rail
Crane
Works History
Jbu
Joshua Buckton
Machine Tools
Works History
JBUT
John Butler & Co
Crane
Works History
JF
John Fowler
Rail
Road
Aviation/Military
Other Items
Works History
JHM
J and H Mclaren
Rail
Road
Other Items
Works History
JW
Joseph Whitham
Road
Other Items
Works History
K
Kitson
Rail
Works History
KFO
Kirkstall Forge
Crane
Other Items
Works History
KH
Kitson Hewitson
Rail
Works History
KL
Kitson Laird or Laird Kitson
Rail
Works History
KTH
Kitson Thompson Hewitson
Rail
Road
Works History
LC
Lockwood and Clarkson
Road
Works History
LCT
Leeds City Transport
Road
Works History
Leo
The Bishop and Fuller Manufacturing Co Ltd
Road
Works History
LFO
Leeds Forge
Rail
Other Items
Works History
LTC
Leeds Tramway Co
Road
Works History
MANN
Mann's Patent Steam Cart and Wagon Co
Road
Other Items
Works History
MBIW
Monk Bridge Iron Works
Other Items
Works History
MID
Middleton Brothers
Crane
Works History
MJC
Marsh, Jones & Cribb
Aviation/Military
Works History
MW
Manning Wardle
Rail
Other Items
Works History
Opt
Switch mobility
Road
Works History
Opt
Optare
Road
Works History
PK
Pickersgill-Kaye
Other Items
Works History
Pott
Potts
Other Items
RB
Blackburn Aviation
Road
Aviation/Military
Works History
RET
Railless Electric Traction Company
Road
Works History
Rice
Rice
Road
Works History
Rodl
Rodley
Road
Works History
ROE
Charles Roe
Rail
Road
Works History
ROF(L)
Royal Ordnance Factory Barnbow
Road
Aviation/Military
Works History
SAP
Smith & Parker
Crane
Works History
SBT
Smith, Beacock and Tannett
Crane
Machine Tools
Works History
Scr
Scriven
Machine Tools
Works History
SH
Shepherd Hill & Co
Machine Tools
Works History
SP
Sulzer Pumps
Other Items
Works History
SR
Swillington Rollers
Works History
ST
Shepherd and Todd
Rail
Works History
Ster
Sterling Engineering
Road
Works History
TandF
Thomas and Foster
Machine Tools
Works History
TG
Thomas Green
Rail
Road
Crane
Other Items
Works History
TKL
Todd, Kitson and Laird
Rail
Works History
TO
Turner and Ogden
Rail
Other Items
Works History
TSSR
Thomas Smith
Crane
Works History
TW
Tannett, Walker & Co
Crane
Other Items
Works History
Vic
Vickers
Aviation/Military
Works History
Wbo
Wellman Booth
Crane
Works History
WC
Walsh and Clark
Road
Other Items
Works History
WCC
William Cook Cast Products
Other Items
Works History
West
West Leeds Motor Co
Road
Works History
Whit
Whitaker Bros
Crane
Works History
WM
Wilks & Meade
Road
Works History
Y
Yorkshire Patent Steam Wagon Co
Rail
Road
Other Items
Works History