Henry Meadows

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Henry Meadows of Wolverhampton, England were major suppliers of engines and transmissions, to the smaller companies in the British motor industry. Founded in 1920 in Park Lane, Wolverhampton, as a car gearbox maker, they expanded into petrol engines in 1922 and in the 1930s built a large factory in Fallings Park, Wolverhampton.

Products

Petrol and diesel engines

4½-litre engine in an Invicta car, 1931

One of the most popular petrol engines was the 1½-litre four-cylinder Type 4ED engine, widely used by Frazer Nash and Lea-Francis during the 1920s and 30s. Another successful product, the 4½-litre 6-cylinder engine is best remembered as the power unit for Invicta and Lagonda cars.

In 1938 they supplied diesel engines for the New Zealand Railways Standard class railcars.

In World War II they built the flat-12 petrol engine of 300 bhp used in the Covenanter[1] This engine was also used in the prototype A20 tank, although this weighed more than twice the Covenanter and so was considered underpowered.[1] The later, and widely used, A22 Churchill tank was a development of the A20. Partly to provide more power, and also to improve production time, this was instead powered by a Vauxhall flat-12 engine termed the "Twin-Six", as it was based on two pre-existing Bedford six-cylinder lorry engines.[1] This engine was slightly more powerful, but only to a rated 350 bhp.[1] Meadows were also involved in the Rolls-Royce Meteor petrol tank engine from 1944.

After World War II they continued making diesel engines both for the vehicle, marine and stationary markets. Many were supplied to their neighbor in Fallings Park, Guy Motors for use in their buses and trucks. A small number of diesel engines was supplied for British Rail Railbuses in 1958.

Gearboxes

During the early 1950s, Meadows supplied gearboxes for the Jowett Javelin car.[2]

Cars

They were also responsible for making the Meadows Frisky microcar between 1957 and 1961.

Merger and closure

The company became part of Associated British Engineering and Henry Meadows closed in 1960.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Fletcher, David (1983) [1944]. Churchill Tank (Reprint of original WW2 operating manuals ed.). HMSO / Bovington Tank Museum. pp. vii, 9(3), 29(19). ISBN 0-11-290404-1. 
  2. ↑ Images of Motoring: Jowett Cars by Noel Stokoe (ISBN 0752417231)

External links


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