National Engineering Laboratory
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The National Engineering Laboratory (NEL) was one of several large government-funded civilian research laboratories in the UK, staffed by scientists and engineers of the Scientific Civil Service. Other such laboratories included the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC), the Building Research Establishment (BRE) and the Transport Research Establishment (TRL).
NEL was established in 1948 at Thornton Hall, in the village of the same name near East Kilbride, just south of Glasgow, Scotland. The location was partly dictated by politics, since it was realised that Scotland did not have a civilian research establishment (in contrast to its defence establishments). There was also debate on whether the new laboratory would be an outpost of the prestigious NPL or have a separate identity. Eventually the latter course was taken with the new laboratory focussing on mechanical engineering research, complementing the work of the CEGB laboratories in electrical engineering.
As NEL expanded, it moved to a large, purpose-built site in East Kilbride itself. Under the control of the Director, and now part of the DTI, the 'lab' was organised into a number of subject-based Divisions, including a Control Systems Division, Fluid Power Division and Design Analysis Division. The last of these was in the forefront in the use of the emerging technology of Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Indeed, the growing need for quality-assurance in FEA let to the foundation of the National Agency for Finite Element Methods and Standards, now operating simply as NAFEMS. For history of Thorton hall see http://members.lycos.co.uk/peelnews/Th_History.htm
The policy of the Thatcher Government was for the privatisation of all of the government laboratories and, in 1990, NEL became an executive agency of the DTI. In 1995 it was fully privatised and is now part of the TUV company.
