Editing English Electric

{{Short description|British industrial manufacturer, 1918–1968}}
{{Other uses}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}}
{{Infobox company 
|name = The English Electric<br> Company Limited
|former_names = 
|logo = English Electric.png
|logo_size = 150
|type         = [[privately held company|Private]]
|fate         = Merged with [[General Electric Company|GEC]] in 1968
|industry     = [[transport industry|Transport]] 
|foundation   = December 1918 (as The English Electric Company Limited)
|defunct      = {{end date and age|1968}}
|location     = [[Strand, London|Strand]], [[London]], [[England]], UK
|predecessor   = {{collapsible list|
* [[Coventry Ordnance Works]] 
* [[Phoenix Dynamo Manufacturing Company|Phoenix Dynamo Co.]] 
* [[Dick, Kerr & Co.]] 
}}
|successor    = {{collapsible list|
* [[General Electric Company|General Electric]]
* [[British Aircraft Corporation|British Aircraft]]
* [[International Computers Limited|International Computers]]
}}
|products     = {{plainlist|
* [[Electric motor]]s
* [[Transformer]]s
* [[Locomotive]]s
* [[Diesel engine]]s
* [[Steam turbine]]s
* [[Consumer electronics]]
* [[Nuclear reactor]]s
* [[Guided missile]]s
* [[Military aircraft]]
* [[Mainframe computer]]s
}}
|parent     = 
|subsid     = {{collapsible list|
* [[D. Napier & Son]]<br>(1942–68)
* [[Marconi Company]]<br>(1948–68)
* [[Vulcan Foundry]]<br>(1955–68)
* [[Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns]]<br>(1955–68)
* EE Aviation<br> (1958–68)
* [[LEO (computer)|EE Leo Marconi]]<br>(1964–68)
}}
|brands = 
}}
'''The English Electric Company Limited''' ('''EE''') was a British industrial manufacturer formed after [[World War I]] by amalgamating five businesses which, during the war, made munitions, armaments and aeroplanes.<ref name="TT41986"/>

It initially specialised in industrial [[electric motor]]s and [[transformer]]s, [[locomotive]]s and [[railway electric traction|traction equipment]], [[diesel engine|diesel motors]] and [[steam turbine]]s. Its products were later expanded to include [[consumer electronics]], nuclear reactors, [[guided missile]]s, [[military aircraft]] and [[mainframe computer]]s.

Two English Electric aircraft designs became landmarks in British aeronautical engineering; the [[English Electric Canberra|Canberra]] and the [[English Electric Lightning|Lightning]]. In 1960, English Electric Aircraft (40%) merged with [[Vickers Armstrongs|Vickers]] (40%) and [[Bristol Aeroplane Company|Bristol]] (20%) to form [[British Aircraft Corporation]].

In 1968 English Electric's operations were merged with [[General Electric Company#Further expansion (1961–83)|GEC]]'s,<ref>English Electric and GEC plan biggest merger in Britain. ''The Times'' (London), Saturday, 7 September 1968; pg. 1; Issue 57350</ref> the combined business employing more than 250,000 people.<ref>Payroll of 250,000 for the new giant. ''The Times'' (London), Saturday, 14 September 1968; pg. 13; Issue 57356</ref>

==Foundation==
Aiming to turn their employees and other assets to peaceful productive purposes, the owners of a series of businesses decided to merge them forming The English Electric Company Limited in December 1918.<ref name=TT41986>City Notes. ''The Times'', Wednesday, 1 January 1919; pg. 13; Issue 41986</ref>

===Components===
English Electric was formed to acquire ownership of:
* [[Coventry Ordnance Works]] of [[Coventry]], which retained a separate identity, and their ordnance works at [[Coventry Ordnance Works#Scotstoun|Scotstoun]] which was later sold to [[Harland and Wolff]] in April 1920.
* [[Phoenix Dynamo Manufacturing Company]] of [[Bradford]]
* [[Dick, Kerr & Co.]] of [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]] founded 1880 and its subsidiaries:
** [[United Electric Car Company]] of [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]]
** [[Willans & Robinson]] of [[Rugby, Warwickshire|Rugby]] which retained a separate identity—not wholly owned.
The owners of the component companies took up the shares in English Electric.<ref name=TT41986/>

====Planned activities of the combined businesses====
[[John Pybus]] was appointed managing director in March 1921<ref>City News in Brief, ''The Times'', Friday, 11 March 1921; pg. 17; Issue 42666</ref> and chairman in April 1926.<ref>English Electric Company. ''The Times'', Thursday, 22 April 1926; pg. 21; Issue 44252</ref> Initially J H Mansell of Coventry Ordnance Works, John Pybus of Phoenix Dynamo Manufacturing and W Rutherford of Dick, Kerr were joint managing directors.<ref name=TT42153>Prospectus, English Electric Company, Limited. ''The Times'', Wednesday, 16 July 1919; pg. 18; Issue 42153</ref><br>The five previously independent major operations under their control had these principal capabilities:
* Coventry Ordnance Works: the plant was built for the production of heavy armaments but was suitable for the manufacture of large generating units<ref name=TT42153/>
* Phoenix Dynamo Works: during the war production was shells and aeroplanes but by July 1919 had been returned to electric motors<ref name=TT42153/>
* Dick, Kerr and United Electric Car: special war work<ref name=TT42153/> munitions, aeroplanes and metallic filament lamps, prior to the war locomotives and tram cars
* Willans & Robinson: made steam turbines, condensers and diesel motors, there was a foundry<ref name=TT42153/>
Together these businesses covered the whole field of electrical machinery from the smallest fan motor to the largest turbo-generator.<ref name=TT42153/>

In November 1919, English Electric bought the [[Stafford]] works of [[Siemens Brothers#Stafford site|Siemens Brothers Dynamo Works Ltd]].<ref>City News in Brief. ''The Times'', Saturday, 15 November 1919; pg. 19; Issue 42258</ref> In 1931 Stafford became English Electric's centre.<ref name=TT45799/>

[[File:Flickr - nmorao - Locomotiva 1449, Poceirão, 2008.08.31 (1).jpg|thumb|200px|Locomotiva 1449 [English Electric • [[Sorefame]]] N.º UIC: 9094 110 1449-3 (Takargo Rail)]]
However, there was no post-war boom in electrical generation. Though English Electric products were indeed in heavy demand, potential buyers were unable to raise the necessary capital funds. In 1922, a drastic reorganisation of the works was carried through and that managed to halve overheads. The Coventry Ordnance Works was practically closed down. Cables, lamps and wireless equipment were then in buoyant demand, but that would have been a new field for the company to enter. English Electric's business was in heavy electrical and mechanical plant.<ref>English Electric Company, chairman's address to shareholders. ''The Times'', Thursday, 31 March 1927; pg. 21; Issue 44544</ref> Both the [[1926 United Kingdom general strike|1926 general strike]] and the [[1926 in the United Kingdom|miners strike]] caused heavy losses.<ref>English Electric Company. ''The Times'', Tuesday, 1 May 1928; pg. 25; Issue 44881</ref> In 1929 part of the Coventry Ordnance Works was sold and the pattern shop at Preston, neither of which was required.<ref>English Electric Company. ''The Times'', Saturday, 19 April 1930; pg. 16; Issue 45491</ref>

By the end of 1929, it was clear the only solution to English Electric's financial difficulties was a financial restructure. The restructure acknowledged the loss of much of the shareholders' capital and brought in new capital to re-equip with new plant and machinery. In the event, an American syndicate fronted by [[Lazard Brothers|Lazard Brothers and Co. bankers]] came up with the new capital, but left control in the hands of the previous shareholders.<ref>English Electric Scheme. ''The Times'', Tuesday, 4 February 1930; pg. 20; Issue 45428</ref>

In June 1930, four fresh directors were appointed, filling four new vacancies.<ref>English Electric Directorate. ''The Times'', Tuesday, 10 June 1930; pg. 18; Issue 45535</ref>

Ten days later, there was a formal announcement of an American arrangement. "English Electric, with works at Preston, Stafford, Rugby, Bradford and Coventry, had entered into a comprehensive arrangement" with [[Westinghouse Electric (1886)|Westinghouse Electric International Company]] of New York and [[Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company]] of East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania US, whereby there would be an exchange of technical information between the two organisations on steam turbines and electrical apparatus. It was made clear that this technical and manufacturing link did not carry with it any control from America. In recognition of the exchange arrangement, Westinghouse had offered to provide further capital, which would be less than 10% of the total, including that new capital organised earlier by Lazard Brothers.<ref>English Electric. ''The Times'', Thursday, 12 June 1930; pg. 20; Issue 45537.</ref>

==George Nelson==
Seven weeks later the chairman, [[Lionel Hichens]], who had temporarily replaced John Pybus in 1927, retired at the end of July 1930 and was replaced by [[Holberry Mensforth|Sir Holberry Mensforth]] as a director and as chairman.<ref>English Electric. ''The Times'', Wednesday, 30 July 1930; pg. 18; Issue 45578</ref> It was then announced that [[George Nelson, 1st Baron Nelson of Stafford|George H. Nelson]] had been appointed to the board and would take up the position of managing director early in October.<ref>English Electric Directorate. ''The Times'', Friday, 26 September 1930; pg. 21; Issue 45628</ref> Mensforth had been taken away from his position as general manager of American Westinghouse Trafford Park Manchester, where George Nelson had been his apprentice, in 1919 by the Minister of Transport. The minister had given Mensforth the responsibility of easing the transition of the nation's munitions businesses back into peacetime industry. It was Mensforth who had arranged the technical exchange agreement and extra capital with Westinghouse.<ref>Geoffrey Tweedale, ‘Mensforth, Sir Holberry (1871–1951)’, ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004</ref> They began to reorganise.

===Relocations===

The main base of the company's operation was moved from London to Stafford including the sales departments, general and factory accounts and the principal executives previously in London. The managing director was to divide his time between the various works but would be mainly in Stafford or in London<ref name=TT45799>The English Electric Company. ''The Times'', Friday, 17 April 1931; pg. 21; Issue 45799</ref>

On 30 December 1930 the engineering shops at Preston closed leaving the following distribution:<ref name=TT45799/>
*Preston: specialists in high-tension direct-current railway electrification, rolling stock and trolley buses '''''Dick, Kerr'''''
*Stafford: medium-sized electrical plant, transformers and switchgear and (from Preston) large turbo-alternator work '''''Siemens'''''
*Rugby: prime movers, steam turbines and condensing plant, Fullagar and Diesel engines and (from Preston) water turbine plant '''''Willans & Robinson'''''
*Bradford: small motors and control gear and (from Preston)  traction motor and traction control work '''''Phoenix'''''
*Coventry: engineers small tools (stopped in 1931), zed fuse (cartridge type) transferred to Stafford in 1931 '''''C.O.W.'''''

===Radiators and cookers===

Manufacture of domestic apparatus got underway at both Stafford and Bradford during 1931.<ref>English Electric Company. ''The Times'', Friday, 4 March 1932; pg. 24; Issue 46073</ref> They were followed in 1934 by a range of household meters of various kinds. In the same report to shareholders, the chairman pointed out that every day 330 more homes adopted electricity for heating cooking and lighting and between 1929 and 1935 the production of electricity in Britain had increased by 70 per cent.<ref>English Electric Company. ''The Times'', Tuesday, 7 April 1936; pg. 23; Issue 47343.</ref>

===Recovery===
1933 proved to be the first of four years of real achievement. At the beginning of July 1933, Mensforth stepped down and George Nelson took up the post of chairman. Nelson remained managing director.<ref>City News in Brief. ''The Times'', Monday, 10 July 1933; pg. 21; Issue 46492</ref> Mensforth kept a seat on the board from which he later retired at the end of 1936.<ref>Business Changes. ''The Times'', Saturday, 2 January 1937; pg. 17; Issue 47572</ref>

English Electric's recovery was noted by commentators as remarkable. During 1936, past preference dividends had been brought up to date: they were English Electric's first dividend since a 1924 dividend on ordinary shares. The balance sheet at the end of 1936 showed liquidity was in a strong position<ref>City Notes.''The Times'', Wednesday, 17 February 1937; pg. 20; Issue 47611</ref> and the chairman told shareholders that the rate of production in the factories for the last three months of the year was double the rate of production in the first three months.<ref>City Notes. ''The Times'', Thursday, 25 February 1937; pg. 19; Issue 47618</ref>

During 1938, the first dividend was paid on ordinary shares since 1924.<ref>City Notes. ''The Times'', Thursday, 10 February 1938; pg. 19; Issue 47915</ref>

In the summer of 1938, a large display advertisement confidently declared:
{{Blockquote|ENGLISH ELECTRIC PLANT AND EQUIPMENT in operation throughout the world.<br>With its historical achievements and the wealth of experience of its several Associated Companies the English Electric Company<br>continues to maintain its reputation as Manufacturers and Suppliers of electrical and allied products for Home and Overseas markets:
[[File:The National Archives UK - CO 1069-182-9.jpg|thumb|Three English Electric<br>7SRL Diesel alternator sets being installed<br>the Saateni Power Station, [[Zanzibar]] 1955]]
*STEAM TURBINES
*WATER TURBINES
*OIL ENGINES
*GENERATORS
*SWITCHGEAR
*TRANSFORMERS
*RECTIFIERS
*ELECTRIC MOTORS
*ELECTRIC AND DIESEL-ELECTRIC TRACTION EQUIPMENTS
*MARINE PROPULSION EQUIPMENT
*DOMESTIC APPLIANCES
:'''Complete Electrification Schemes Undertaken'''<ref>The English Electric Company Limited. ''The Times'', Tuesday, 9 August 1938; pg. 51; Issue 48068</ref>}}

==World War II==

=== Airframes ===
[[File:Handley Page Hampden - Waddington - Royal Air Force 1939-1945- Bomber Command C1180.jpg|thumb|Two Hampden bombers pictured on 9 April 1940]]
The first steps to strengthen the Royal Air Force had been taken in May 1935 and English Electric was brought into the scheme for making airframes<ref>Air Defences. From Our Aeronautical Correspondent. ''The Times'', Thursday, 2 February 1939; pg. 13; Issue 48219</ref>  working in conjunction with [[Handley Page]].<ref>City Notes. '' The Times'', Wednesday, 8 February 1939; pg. 20; Issue 48224</ref> The chairman reported to shareholders that though both Dick, Kerr and Phoenix were involved in the aircraft business during and shortly after the previous war the problems had so changed they were now completely new to the company. He also noted as he ended his address that the demand for domestic appliances including cookers, breakfast cookers, washing machines and water heaters was growing progressively.<ref>English Electric Company. ''The Times'', Wednesday, 22 February 1939; pg. 22; Issue 48236</ref>

The Preston works without subcontracting made more than 3,000 [[Handley Page Hampden|Hampden]] and [[Handley Page Halifax|Halifax]] aircraft.<ref name=TT50081>War achievements, English Electric Company. ''The Times'', Friday, 2 March 1945; pg. 9; Issue 50081</ref><ref name=TT50112>From Tramcars To Bombers. ''The Times'', Monday, 9 April 1945; pg. 2; Issue 50112</ref>

=== Aero engines ===
[[File:Napier Deltic Engine.jpg|thumb|[[Napier Deltic]] engine, cut away for display]]

[[File:De Havilland Vampire T11 (DH-115) Point Cook Vabre.jpg|thumb|de Havilland Vampire T11]]
In December 1942, English Electric bought the ordinary shares of [[D. Napier & Son Limited]]. Mr H G Nelson, son of English Electric chairman George H Nelson, was appointed managing director.<ref>The offer of the English Electric Company. ''The Times'', Tuesday, 29 December 1942; pg. 7; Issue 49429</ref>

Napier's [[Napier Sabre|Sabre]] engines were used in [[Hawker Typhoon|Typhoon]] and [[Hawker Tempest|Tempest]] aircraft and [[Napier Lion|Lion]] engines in [[Motor Torpedo Boat]]s<ref name=TT50081/><ref name=TT50112/>

=== Tanks, locomotives, submarines, ships, power generation ===
The Stafford works made thousands of [[Covenanter tank|Covenanter]], [[Centaur tank|Centaur]] and [[Cromwell tank|Cromwell]] tanks as well as precision instruments for aircraft, electric propulsion and electrical equipment.<br>The Rugby works made Diesel engines for ships, submarines and locomotives, steam turbines for ships and turbo-alternator sets for power stations.<br>Bradford made electric generators for ships' auxiliaries and a wide variety of other naval and aviation material.<ref name=TT50081/><ref name=TT50112/>

=== Employees ===
In April 1945, English Electric employed 25,000 persons in its four main works.<ref name=TT50112/> Subsequently the chairman revealed that the peak employment number during wartime had been 45,000 when including Napier's people.<ref>Company Meeting. ''The Times'', Friday, 1 March 1946; pg. 10; Issue 50389</ref> [[C. P. Snow]] was appointed director of scientific personnel in 1944. Later he was physicist-director, a position he held until 1964.<ref name="Enc.com">{{cite web|title=C.P. Snow facts, information, pictures {{!}} Encyclopedia.com articles about C.P. Snow|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/people/history/historians-miscellaneous-biographies/cp-snow|website=www.encyclopedia.com|publisher=Encyclopedia.com|language=en}}</ref>

=== de Havilland Vampire ===
In September 1945, details were released of the [[de Havilland Vampire|Vampire jet]], the fastest British aircraft with a top speed of 548&nbsp;mph. The aircraft was built by English Electric at its Preston works, the [[Frank Halford]] designed [[de Havilland Goblin|Goblin]] jet engine, the world's most powerful, by [[de Havilland]] in London.<ref>Three New British Aircraft. ''The Times'', Thursday, 20 September 1945; pg. 2; Issue 50252</ref>

==Peacetime==

===Trams===
From 1912 to 1924, United Electric and English Electric (with assistance from [[Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock]]) supplied second- and third-series tramcars for [[Hong Kong Tramways]]. These cars were eventually retired from 1924 to 1930 as the fourth Generation cars were being introduced.{{Citation needed|date=January 2022}}

===Railways===

[[File:EKD EN80 (5).jpg|thumb|right|Preserved 1927 EN80 English Electric tram, the last example of a fleet of 20 once used by the [[Warszawska Kolej Dojazdowa|Warsaw Commuter Railway]]]]
In 1923, English Electric supplied the [[NZR EO class (1923)|EO electric locomotives]] for the [[New Zealand Railways Department|New Zealand Railways]] for use between [[Arthurs Pass]] and Otira, in the [[Southern Alps]]. Between 1924 and 1926, they delivered [[Canadian National Class Z-4-a|nine box-cab electric (B+B) locomotives]] to the Harbour Commissioners of Montreal (later the National Harbours Board); later they were transferred to [[Canadian National Railways]], where four of them ran until 1995. In 1927, English Electric delivered 20 electric motor cars for Warsaw's [[Warszawska Kolej Dojazdowa]]. During the 1930s, equipment was supplied for the electrification of the [[Southern Railway (UK)|Southern Railway]] system, reinforcing EE's position in the traction market, and it continued to provide traction motors to them for many years.

In 1936, production of [[diesel locomotive]]s began in the former tramworks in Preston. Between the late 1930s and the 1950s, English Electric supplied [[electric multiple unit]] trains for the electrified network in and around [[Wellington]], New Zealand. In 1951 English Electric supplied 3 & 5 car articulated Diesel Electric multiple units to the Egyptian State Railways [http://www.preservedthumpers.com/articles-egyptian-thumpers.html Egyptian-thumpers]. Between 1951 and 1959, English Electric supplied the [[National Coal Board]] with five 51-ton, 400&nbsp;hp electric shunting locomotives for use on the former Harton Coal Company System at [[South Shields]] (which had been electrified by Siemens in 1908) to supplement the existing fleet of ten ageing Siemens and [[AEG (German company)|AEG]] locomotives. English Electric took over [[Vulcan Foundry]] and [[Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns]],<ref>{{cite web |last1=Longhorn |first1=Danny |title=Alstom celebrates 200th Anniversary of the World's First Locomotive Works in Newcastle |url=https://news.railbusinessdaily.com/alstom-celebrates-200th-anniversary-of-the-worlds-first-locomotive-works-in-newcastle/ |website=RailBusinessDaily |access-date=13 March 2024 |date=29 June 2023 |quote=went on to become English Electric}}</ref> both with substantial railway engineering pedigrees, in 1955.

English Electric produced nearly 1000 diesel and electric locomotives, of nine different classes, for [[British Rail]] as part of the [[1955 Modernisation Plan|Modernisation Plan]] in the 1950s and 1960s. Most of these classes of locomotive gave long service to British Rail and its successor train operating companies, some still being active well into the 21st century.

===Aviation===
[[File:Canberra.pr9.takeoff.arp.jpg|thumb|right|[[English Electric Canberra]] PR.9 of the [[RAF]], 2006]]
Both Dick, Kerr & Co. and the Phoenix Dynamo Manufacturing Company built aircraft in the First World War, including [[flying boat]]s designed by the [[Seaplane Experimental Station]] at [[Felixstowe]], 62 [[Short Type 184]] and 6 [[Short Bomber]]s designed by [[Short Brothers]]. Aircraft manufacture under the English Electric name began in Bradford in 1922 with the [[English Electric Wren|Wren]] but lasted only until 1926 after the last [[English Electric Kingston|Kingston]] flying boat was built.

With [[World War II|War in Europe]] looming, English Electric was instructed by the [[Air Ministry]] to construct a "shadow factory" at [[Samlesbury Aerodrome]] in Lancashire to build [[Handley Page Hampden]] bombers. Starting with Flight Shed Number 1, the first Hampden built by English Electric made its maiden flight on 22 February 1940 and, by 1942, 770 Hampdens had been delivered – more than half of all the Hampdens produced. In 1940, a second factory was built on the site and the runway was extended to allow for construction of the [[Handley Page Halifax]] four-engined heavy bomber to begin. By 1945, five main hangars and three runways had been built at the site, which was also home to [[No. 9 Group RAF]]. By the end of the war, over 2,000 Halifaxes had been built and flown from Samlesbury.

In 1942, English Electric took over [[D. Napier & Son]], an aero-engine manufacturer. Along with the shadow factory, this helped to re-establish the company's aeronautical engineering division. Post-war, English Electric invested heavily in this sector, moving design and experimental facilities to the former [[RAF Warton]] near Preston in 1947. This investment led to major successes with the [[English Electric Lightning|Lightning]] and [[English Electric Canberra|Canberra]], the latter serving in a multitude of roles from 1951 until mid-2006 with the [[Royal Air Force]].

At the end of the war, English Electric started production under licence of the second British jet fighter, the [[de Havilland Vampire]], with 1,300 plus built at [[Samlesbury]]. Their own design work took off after the Second World War under [[W. E. W. Petter]], formerly of [[Westland Aircraft]]. Although English Electric produced only two aircraft designs before their activities became part of BAC, the design team put forward suggestions for many Air Ministry projects.
[[File:lightning.xm215.arp.750pix.jpg|thumb|[[English Electric Lightning]] ]]
The aircraft division was formed into the subsidiary '''English Electric Aviation Ltd.''' in 1958, becoming a founding constituent of the new [[British Aircraft Corporation]] (BAC) in 1960; English Electric having a 40% stake in the latter company. The guided weapons division was added to BAC in 1963.

===Industrial Electronics===
The '''Industrial Electronics Division''' was established at Stafford. One of the products produced at this branch was the '''''Igniscope''''', a revolutionary design of [[Engine tuning#History|ignition tester]] for petrol engines. This was invented by Napiers and supplied as Type UED for military use during World War 2. After the war, it was marketed commercially as type ZWA.<ref>Instruction manuals and advertising brochures for the Type UED and Type ZWA versions</ref>

===Mergers, acquisitions and demise===
In 1946, English Electric took over the [[Marconi Company]], a foray into the domestic consumer electronic market. English Electric tried to take over one of the other major British electrical companies, the General Electric Company (GEC), in 1960 and, in 1963, English Electric and [[J. Lyons and Co.]] formed a jointly owned company – '''English Electric LEO Company''' – to manufacture the [[LEO (computer)|LEO computer]] developed by Lyons.

English Electric took over Lyons' half-stake in 1964 and merged it with Marconi's computer interests to form [[English Electric Leo Marconi]] (English Electric LM). The latter was merged with [[Elliott Automation]] and [[International Computers and Tabulators]] (ICT) to form [[International Computers Limited]] (ICL) in 1967.<ref>[http://purl.umn.edu/107365 Oral history interview with Arthur L. C. Humphreys], [[Charles Babbage Institute]], University of Minnesota.</ref>  In 1968 GEC, recently merged with [[Associated Electrical Industries]] (AEI), merged with English Electric; the former being the dominant partner, the English Electric name was then lost.

==Products==

===Electrical machinery===
[[File:London Post Office Railway 1930 Stock.jpg|thumb|London Post Office Railway]]
Complete [[electrification]] schemes
* [[Polish State Railways]]
* [[London Post Office Railway]], [[London Post Office Railway 1927 Stock]] and [[London Post Office Railway 1962 Stock]]
* [[Tranz Metro|Wellington N.Z. suburban railway system]]
Steam turbines
* [[Munmorah Power Station]]
* [[Churchill-class submarine]]s
* [[St. Laurent-class destroyer]]s - originally by licensee [[John Inglis and Company]])
* [[Restigouche-class destroyer]]s
* [[Hinkley Point A nuclear power station]], [[Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station]], [[Wylfa Nuclear Power Station]], [[Sizewell nuclear power stations]]
Water turbines
* [[Queen Elizabeth Power Station]]

Oil engines
Generators
[[File:Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester, 2015-10 - 04.JPG|thumb|English Electric Generator]]
[[File:English Electric wash machine 1964 IMG 9474.JPG|thumb|Washing machine]]
[[File:Mercury Arc Valve, Radisson Converter Station, Gillam MB.jpg|thumb|[[Mercury arc valve]] made by English Electric for the [[Nelson River Bipole]]]]
* [[Ultimo Power Station]]
* [[Tallawarra Power Station]]
* [[Monowai Power Station]]
* [[White Bay Power Station]]
* [[Blyth Power Station]]
Switchgear, transformers, rectifiers
* [[Drax power station]]
*[[HVDC Kingsnorth]]
*[[Nelson River DC Transmission System]]
Electric motors
* [[British Porpoise-class submarine]]

Electric and Diesel-electric traction equipment
* [[Blackpool tramway]], [[English Electric Balloon tram]]
* [[New Zealand Railways Department]] see [[Diesel Traction Group (NZ)]]

Marine Propulsion equipment
* [[Oberon-class submarine]]s
* [[HMAS Oxley (S 57)]], [[HMAS Orion]]
* [[GMV Aranui]]

Domestic appliances

===Military equipment===
Aircraft
[[File:Lightning.inflight.arp.750pix.jpg|thumb|right|English Electric Lightning UK]]
*[[Phoenix P.5 Cork|English Electric P.5 Phoenix "Cork"]] (1918)<ref>Flight 13 March 1924</ref>
*[[English Electric Wren|Wren]] (1923)
*[[English Electric Ayr|Ayr]] (1923)
*[[English Electric Kingston|Kingston]] (1924)
*[[English Electric Canberra|Canberra]] (1949)
*[[English Electric Lightning|English Electric P1A]] (Lightning prototype)
*[[English Electric Lightning|Lightning]] (1954)
*[[English Electric P.10]] (unbuilt supersonic bomber to OR.330/R.156).<ref name="Vulcan's Hammer, p35" >[http://www.crecy.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=573 Chris Gibson ''Vulcan's Hammer'' p35]</ref>

Manned spacecraft
*[[MUSTARD]]
[[File:Thunderbird-MKI-Tuusula.jpg|thumb|Rear view of English Electric Thunderbird MK I anti-aircraft missile at Anti-Aircraft Museum, Tuusula, Finland]]

Guided weapons
*[[English Electric Thunderbird|Thunderbird]] (1959) – [[surface-to-air missile]]
*[[Blue Water (missile)|Blue Water]] (cancelled 1962) – [[short-range ballistic missile]]

Tanks
*[[Covenanter tank|A13 Covenanter]]
*[[Excelsior tank|A33 Excelsior]]

====See also====
*[[Aerospace industry in the United Kingdom]]

===Computers===
*[[Luton Analogue Computing Engine]]
*[[English Electric DEUCE]] (1955)
*English Electric KDN2
*[[English Electric KDF6]]
*[[English Electric KDF8]]
*[[English Electric KDF9]] (1963)
*English Electric KDP10
*[[English Electric System 4]] (1965) – the System 4–50 and System 4–70 were based on the [[RCA]] Spectra 70 series, built under licence. The latter were almost the same as IBM System /360 range, differing only in their real-time facilities, with four processor states and multiple sets of general-purpose registers.

===Railways and traction===
[[File:English electric retiro 1959.jpg|thumb|right|Train in [[Retiro railway station|Retiro station]] of [[Belgrano Norte Line (Buenos Aires)|Belgrano Norte line]], 1959.]]
[[File:Napier Deltic, Alycidon.jpg|thumb|right|''Alycidon'' [[British Rail Class 55|English Electric Type 5 (British Rail Class 55)]] at the [[National Railway Museum]], [[York]], UK]]
[[File:E3035 at Doncaster Works.JPG|thumb|right|[[British Rail Class 83]] E3035 on display at [[Doncaster]] Works open day on 27 July 2003.]]
[[File:50035 'Ark Royal' at Doncaster Works.JPG|thumb|right|[[British Rail Class 50]] 50035 ''Ark Royal'' at [[Doncaster railway works|Doncaster Works]] on 27 July 2003. ]]
[[File:NZR EO class locomotive 03.JPG|thumb|right|A [[NZR EO class (1923)|New Zealand Railways EO class]] locomotive at [[Ferrymead Railway|Ferrymead]].]]

Engines
{{main|English Electric diesel engines}}
*English Electric 6CSRKT diesel
*English Electric 6SRKT diesel
*English Electric 8SVT 1000&nbsp;hp (fitted to Class 20)
*English Electric 8CSV 1050&nbsp;hp (at 750 rev/min - Typically used for Generation)
*English Electric 12SVT 1470&nbsp;hp (retro-fitted to Class 31)
*English Electric 12CSVT 1750&nbsp;hp (fitted to Class 37)
*English Electric 12CSV
*English Electric 16SVT 2000&nbsp;hp (Mk II version fitted to Class 40)
*English Electric 16CSVT 2700&nbsp;hp (fitted to Class 50)
*The 3250&nbsp;hp Ruston Paxman 16RK3CT fitted to the Class 56's was effectively an improved version of the Class 50 16CSVT power unit.
*[[Napier Deltic]] (Makers D. Napier and Son were an English Electric subsidiary company from 1942)

Locomotives and multiple units
[[File:Tgr za bell bay.jpg|thumb|[[Tasmanian Government Railways]] Za class locomotive at [[Bell Bay, Tasmania|Bell Bay]] in February 1978]]
[[File:C1702 Busselton, 1986.JPG|thumb|[[Westrail]] [[Western Australian Government Railways C class (diesel)|C1702]] at [[Busselton, Western Australia|Busselton]] with a [[Hotham Valley Railway]] tour train in March 1986]]
*[[CGR class S1]]
*[[Ceylon Government Railway Class T1]]
*[[Indian locomotive class WCM-1]]
*[[Indian locomotive class WCM-2]]
*[[British Rail Class 08]]
*[[British Rail Class 09]]
*[[British Rail Class 11]]
*[[British Rail Class 12]]
*[[British Rail Class 13]] (modified Class 08 shunters semi-permanently coupled in pairs)
*[[British Rail Class 20|English Electric Type 1 (British Rail Class 20)]]
*[[British Rail Class 23|English Electric Type 2 (British Rail Class 23)]]
*[[British Rail Class 37|English Electric Type 3 (British Rail Class 37)]]
*[[British Rail Class 40|English Electric Type 4 (British Rail Class 40)]]
*[[British Rail Class 50|English Electric Type 4 (British Rail Class 50)]]
*[[British Rail Class 55|English Electric Type 5 (British Rail Class 55)]]
*[[British Rail Class 73]], components assembled by BR.
*[[British Rail Class 83]]
*[[British Rail Class 86]]
*[[British Rail Class 487]]
*[[British Rail D0226]]
*[[British Rail DP1|Diesel Prototype 1]] or ''Deltic'' led to the [[British Rail Class 55|Class 55]]
*[[British Rail DP2]] Class 55 body, re-engined with an E.E. 16csvt, led to the [[British Rail Class 50]]
*[[British Rail GT3]] (gas turbine)
*[[CP Class 1400]] (Portugal)
*[[CP Class 1800]] (Portugal)
*[[Japanese National Railways|JNR]] [[ED17 electric locomotive]]
*JNR [[EF50 electric locomotive]]
*[[Keretapi Tanah Melayu]] Class 15 shunter
*Keretapi Tanah Melayu Class 20
*Keretapi Tanah Melayu Class 22
*[[MRWA G class]]
*Nigerian Class 1001
*[[NIR 1 Class]]
*[[NS 500 Class]]
*[[NS 600 Class]]
*[[New Zealand DE class locomotive]]
*[[NZR DF class (English Electric)|New Zealand Railways DF class]] (not to be confused with the [[New Zealand DF class locomotive (1979)|DF class of 1979]])
*[[New Zealand DG and DH class locomotive|New Zealand Railways DG class]]
*[[NZR DI class|New Zealand Railways DI class]]
*[[New Zealand DM class electric multiple unit|DM/D class electric multiple units]]
*[[NZR EC class|New Zealand Railways EC class]]
*[[NZR ED class]] (one, with components for a further nine supplied to New Zealand Railways)
*[[New Zealand E class locomotive (1922)]]
*[[NZR EO class (1923)|New Zealand Railways EO class]]
*[[NZR EW class|New Zealand Railways EW class]]
*[[PKP class EU06]]
*[[PKP class EN80]] (Electric Multiple Unit)
*[[Queensland Railways 1200 class]]
*[[Queensland Railways 1250 class]]
*[[Queensland Railways 1270 class]]
*[[Queensland Railways 1300 class]]
*[[Queensland Railways 2350 class]]
*[[Queensland Railways 2370 class]]
*[[Rhodesia Railways class DE2]]
*[[Rhodesia Railways class DE3]]
*[[Tasmanian Government Railways X class]]
*[[Tasmanian Government Railways Y class]] (supplied parts local construction)
*[[Tasmanian Government Railways Z class]]
*[[Tasmanian Government Railways Za class]]
*[[Victorian Railways L class|Victorian Railways L class (electric)]]
*[[Victorian Railways F class (diesel)|Victorian Railways F class]]
*[[Western Australian Government Railways C class (diesel)|Western Australian Government Railways C class]]
*[[Western Australian Government Railways H class (diesel)|Western Australian Government Railways H class]]
*[[Western Australian Government Railways K class (diesel)|Western Australian Government Railways K class]]
*[[Western Australian Government Railways R class (diesel)|Western Australian Government Railways R class]]
*[[Goldsworthy railway]] 1 class
*Goldsworthy railway 3 class

Several industrial diesel and electric locomotive types were also built for UK and export use.

==References==
{{Reflist|3}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{citation|url = https://www.flickr.com/photos/29903115@N06/sets/72157619464406770/| title = English Electric Traction Ads| work = www.flikr.com| date = 29 January 2018}}, English Electric Traction advertisements and corporate brochures
*{{citation |url =http://englishelectric.zenfolio.com/ |title =English Electric Archive |work =englishelectric.zenfolio.com |access-date =15 January 2010 |archive-date =3 July 2014 |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20140703060846/http://englishelectric.zenfolio.com/ |url-status =dead }}, English Electric locomotive images
* {{PM20|FID=co/057077|TEXT=Clippings about|NAME=}}

{{English Electric aircraft}}
{{BAE Systems evolution}}
{{General Electric Company plc}}
{{Aerospace industry in the United Kingdom}}
{{Authority control}}

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