Craven Brothers
Craven Brothers was a British engineering firm started in 1853 by brothers William and John Craven that built large machine tools for railway and engineering workshops and later workshop and railway cranes.
Their first factory was known as the Vauxhall Works, Salford. In 1857, they moved to larger premises in Osborne Street. By 1900 they required larger premises and expanded into the new Vauxhall Works in Greg Street, Reddish. Difficult trading lead to the closure of the Osborne Street site in 1920.
In 1928, Craven Brothers acquired the machine tool interests of Armstrong Whitworth, Joshua Buckton & Co and Thomas Shanks & Co.
The crane division was sold to Herbert Morris of Loughborough in 1928, with the crane work being transferred to Loughborough in 1931.
In 1939, the company purchased the Victoria Works in Saxon Street, Denton from Knight & Hale.
The Machine tool division at Reddish remained in business until 1966.
Gallery
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The former general and drawing office of Craven Brothers in 1999 -
1907 Craven Brothers builders photo of a lathe. -
Craven Brothers catalogue illustration of a steam locomotive firebox drilling machine. -
Craven Brothers catalogue illustration of a 25 Ton railway breakdown crane.
References
- Tatlow, Peter (2012). Railway Breakdown Cranes Volume 1. Noodle Books. ISBN 978-1-906419-69-1.
- Brownlie, John.S. (1973). Railway Steam Cranes. John S. Brownlie. ISBN 0-9502965-0-3.