William Beardmore and Company

William Beardmore and Company
Company type	Private company
Industry	Engineering, shipbuilding, armaments, aviation, locomotive manufacturing, road vehicles
Founded	1886
Founder	William Beardmore
Defunct	mid-1930s
Headquarters	Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
Area served	United Kingdom, British Empire
Key people	William Beardmore (founder)
Products	Steel forgings, armour plate, naval guns, ships, locomotives, aircraft, aero engines, airships, road vehicles
Number of employees	40,000 (at peak)

William Beardmore and Company was a prominent British engineering and shipbuilding conglomerate situated in Glasgow and the Clydeside region. Operating from 1886 until the mid-1930s, it reached a workforce of approximately 40,000 employees at its height. The enterprise was established by William Beardmore, who later became Lord Invernairn, and bore his name.

Forged steel castings, armour plate and naval guns

The company's foundation was centered around the Parkhead Forge located in east Glasgow. Originally founded by Reoch Brothers & Co in 1837, it was purchased by Robert Napier in 1841 to manufacture forgings and iron plates for his shipyard in Govan. Napier had the contract to construct , the sister vessel to the Royal Navy's inaugural ironclad . Parkhead was assigned to produce her armour plating but encountered difficulties, prompting manager William Rigby to bring in William Beardmore Sr., then superintendent of the General Steam Navigation Company, for assistance. Beardmore became a partner and moved to Glasgow with his brother Isaac and son William Jr. Following William Sr.’s passing, Isaac withdrew from the business while William Jr. assumed sole partnership, officially founding William Beardmore and Company in 1886. By 1896, the works covered , making it Scotland’s largest steel manufacturing site, with a focus on steel forgings for the shipbuilding industry along the River Clyde. The firm broadened its scope to include steel armour plating and heavy naval artillery such as the BL 9.2 inch gun Mk IX–X and BL 15 inch Mk I naval gun.

Shipbuilding

In 1900, Beardmore expanded by acquiring the shipyard of Robert Napier and Sons in Govan, diversifying beyond its primary steel forgings operation. That same year, Beardmore initiated construction of The Naval Construction Yard at Dalmuir in west Clydebank, which became the largest and most technologically advanced shipyard in the UK at that time.

This growth placed financial strain on the company, necessitating a restructuring in 1902. Supported by the Admiralty, half of the company’s shares were purchased by Vickers, while Armstrong Whitworth declined to invest due to Beardmore's significant debt levels.

The first vessel completed at Dalmuir was , finished in 1906 with assistance from the Arrol Gantry—a vast steel structure equipped with nine electric cranes. A comparable gantry was subsequently constructed for Harland and Wolff in Belfast, which played a role in building . In 1912, Beardmore sold its Govan shipyard to Harland and Wolff. Among the distinguished warships produced at Dalmuir were dreadnoughts , , and (1917). In 1917, Beardmore delivered , notable as the first aircraft carrier featuring a full-length flight deck. At its operational peak, Dalmuir employed around 13,000 workers and expanded into manufacturing armaments.

Following World War I, Beardmore suffered greatly during the economic downturn, leading to the closure of its shipyard in 1930. Portions of this site were later repurposed as ROF Dalmuir and facilities for cable-laying vessels operated by the General Post Office.

Merchant ships

Beardmore constructed several oil tankers for the British Tanker Company, including:

British Commerce (1922)
British Enterprise (1921)
British Merchant (1922)
British Trader (1921)

Land weapons

During World War I, Beardmore was engaged in the manufacture and maintenance of field artillery pieces such as the BL 6-inch 26 cwt howitzer and the QF 18-pounder gun. Following the war, the company developed a 40 mm anti-tank gun, various other field artillery models, and the Beardmore-Farquhar light machine gun, which was based on the Farquhar–Hill rifle. However, none of these post-war weapons were adopted due to an oversupply of surplus equipment from the First World War.

Railway locomotives

In the 1920s, Beardmore expanded its operations to include railway locomotive production at its Dalmuir facility. Among its output were:

Twenty 4-6-0 tender locomotives for the Great Eastern Railway (class S69)
Ninety locomotives of the London and North Western Railway Prince of Wales class produced between 1921 and 1922
A special exhibition locomotive created for the LNWR's successor, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, in 1924
Ninety 'Jinty' tank engines for LMS built during 1928 and 1929

Despite these ventures, Beardmore’s locomotive production volumes remained modest when compared to more established manufacturers.

Serial numbers	Year	Quantity	Customer	Class	Wheel arrangement	Fleet numbers	Notes
100–134	1920	35	East Indian Railway	HGS	2-8-0	1520–1554	Built for 5' 6" gauge; later renumbered as all-India 26729–26763.
135–154	1920–21	20	Great Eastern Railway	S69	4-6-0	1541–1560	Transferred to LNER as 8541–8560 in 1923; subsequently renumbered back to 1541–1560.
155–173	1920	19	Nigerian Railways		4-8-0	282–300	Constructed for a 3' 6" gauge.
174–263	1921–22	90	London and North Western Railway	Prince of Wales	4-6-0	various	Became LMS numbers 5755–5844 after grouping in 1923.
264–268	1923	5	Burma Railways	Ns	0-6-6-0	16–20	Metre gauge Mallet-type locomotives.
269–293	1923	25	Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway	H (BESA HP)	4-6-0	540–564	Built for a 5' 6" gauge; later assigned all-India fleet numbers.
294–295	1923	2	Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway	W (BESA HP)	4-6-0	784–785	Designed for a 5'6" gauge; subsequently renumbered across India.
296–298	1923	3	Eastern Bengal Railway	LS (BESA HP)	4-6-0	31–33	Provided for a gauge of 5'6".
299–303	1924	5	North Western Railway	HPS	4-6-0	2875–2879	Built for a gauge of 5'6"; two units transferred to Pakistan, three to Eastern Punjab Railway.
304	1924	1	Exhibition locomotive	Prince of Wales	4-6-0	—	Displayed at British Empire Exhibition, Wembley; later sold to LMS.
305–324	1927	20	London and North Eastern Railway	N7/3	0-6-2T	2642–2661	Renumbered under the system introduced in 1946.
325–414	1928–29	90	London, Midland and Scottish Railway	3F	0-6-0T	16600–16624, 16685–16749	Subject to later renumbering.
415–416	1928	2	Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway	BE	Bo-Bo	901–902	Battery-electric locomotives built for a gauge of 5'6".
417–460	1930	44	East Indian Railway	XE	2-8-2	2016–2031,1981–2003,2032–2036	Designed for a gauge of 5'6"; later received all-India fleet numbers.
461–486	1930	26	North Western Railway	XC	4-6-2	1842–1867	Built for a gauge of 5'6"; some units transferred to Pakistan following Partition.
487–490	1930	4	Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway	XC	4-6-2	613–616	Constructed for a gauge of 5'6"; later assigned all-India numbers.
491–492	1930	2	East India Railway	XC	4-6-2	1948–1949	Built to operate on a gauge of 5'6"; subsequently renumbered across India.
493–494	1930	2	North Western Railway	DL class	(de) B-B	(30)–(31)	Gauge of 5'6"; approximately rated at 350 hp; renumbered later.

Together with Westinghouse, Beardmore engineered diesel power units intended for railway self-propelled vehicles. Canadian National Railways utilized several articulated cars equipped with Beardmore engines delivering between 185 and 320 hp. Additionally, two locomotives were fitted with Westinghouse engines rated at approximately 1,330 hp. Several American railroads also employed self-propelled cars powered by Westinghouse engines that traced their design origins back to Beardmore’s developments.

Aviation

Beardmore entered the aviation sector in 1913 by securing British manufacturing rights for Austro-Daimler aero engines, and subsequently for aircraft from D.F.W.. The company produced licensed Sopwith Pup aircraft at its Dalmuir facility and developed a naval variant, the Beardmore W.B.III, delivering 100 units to the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). Additionally, Beardmore manufactured 50 improved versions of the Nieuport 12, although delayed production limited their deployment primarily to training roles or storage.

The Inchinnan Airship Constructional Station in Renfrewshire was responsible for constructing airships such as R27, R32, R34, and R36. In 1924, Beardmore obtained a license for Rohrbach stressed skin construction techniques, resulting in two flying boats known as the Beardmore Inverness. The company also designed and built the all-metal trimotor transport aircraft called the Beardmore Inflexible at Dalmuir for use by the RAF. Beardmore developed a range of aero engines including the Beardmore Cyclone, Meteor, Simoon, Tornado (which powered the R101 airship), Typhoon, and Whirlwind.

Original designs

Beardmore W.B.1
Beardmore W.B.1a
Beardmore W.B.II
Beardmore W.B.III (the most accomplished model)
Beardmore W.B.IV
Beardmore W.B.V
Beardmore W.B.VI
Beardmore W.B.XXIV Wee Bee
Beardmore W.B.XXVI

Licensed models

Aircraft engines

Airships

Road vehicles

In 1917, Beardmore expanded into road vehicles by acquiring Sentinel Waggon Works, a producer of steam-powered railway locomotives, railcars, and road transport vehicles. By 1919, Beardmore Motors Ltd was established as a subsidiary focused on manufacturing automobiles at plants located in Glasgow and nearby towns including Anniesland, Coatbridge, and Paisley.

Cars and taxis

Following World War I, Beardmore manufactured both cars and London-style taxis under its own brand name. The initial offering was an 11.4 horsepower four-cylinder engine with overhead camshaft (OHC), displacing 1486cc, unveiled at Olympia in 1919 from the Anniesland factory. Early problems with the camshaft drive led to its replacement by a chain mechanism. The engine was later enlarged to 1854cc for the 12/30 model launched in June 1923, which powered the Super Sports variant priced at £750. Every Super Sports vehicle was accompanied by a certificate verifying it had achieved 70 mph (110 km/h) at Brooklands. A modified 2-litre Super Sports set a course record at the Shelsley Walsh hill climb in 1924.

By 1925, production at Anniesland ceased, with car manufacturing shifting to Paisley where the 14.40 model debuted featuring a 2297cc sidevalve engine with an aluminium cylinder head. The engine capacity increased to 2391cc in 1925 for the 16.40 model, available in Stewart saloon and Lomond limousine styles. An earlier larger four-cylinder model with a 4072cc engine called Thirty, produced at Coatbridge in 1920, was discontinued due to weak sales.

Taxi production commenced at Paisley in 1919 with the Mk1 model designed specifically to comply with the Metropolitan Police Conditions of Fitness for London Taxis. Known for reliability, it earned the nickname 'The Rolls-Royce of taxicabs'. Beardmore also offered a car variant named Country and Colonial as well as a light commercial van. The Mk2 taxi arrived in 1923 featuring a new chassis shared with light trucks and buses. After regulatory changes, the Mk3 'Hyper' was introduced with a smaller two-litre sidevalve engine aimed at improving fuel efficiency.

Following William Beardmore’s departure from the board in 1929, Beardmore Motors was acquired by its directors who relocated taxi production to Hendon, North London. In 1932, they launched the Mk4 Paramount equipped with a two-litre Commer engine and gearbox. This was succeeded by the Mk5 Paramount Ace in 1935 which featured an extended wheelbase but retained the same powertrain. The Mk6 Ace appeared in 1938 incorporating various improvements. During this era, Beardmore taxis were colloquially referred to as 'greengrocer's barrow' due to their distinctive styling.

Post-World War II, Beardmore Motors handled sales and servicing of the Nuffield Oxford Taxi until its discontinuation by British Motor Corporation in favor of the Austin FX3 model. Subsequently, Beardmore resumed production of its own cabs with the introduction of the Mk7 Paramount in 1954. This model featured traditional coachbuilt bodies constructed from aluminium panels over ash frames crafted by Windover. Engine options included Ford Consul units and from 1956 onwards Perkins diesel engines were also offered. Body manufacturing shifted to Weymann at Addlestone in 1956 followed shortly by complete assembly relocation there. In 1966, after Metropolitan-Cammell acquired Weymann, taxi production moved to MCW’s Washwood Heath plant in Birmingham before ceasing later that year; total Mk7 output was just over 650 units.

Motorcycles

From 1921 to 1924, Beardmore manufactured the Precision line of motorcycles, initially designed by Frank Baker, and marketed them under the name "Beardmore Precision". The engine capacities ranged between 250 cc and 600 cc. Additionally, Beardmore provided engines to various cyclecar producers. Following the end of Beardmore's production, Baker re-established his own enterprise and recommenced manufacturing activities.

Diesel engines

Although heavy oil engines had been utilized for power generation since the early twentieth century, development of diesel engines for automotive use progressed during the economic downturn. The Bank of England enlisted engineer Harry Ricardo to assess these engines, producing a report that was largely positive. Beardmore’s diesel engines built at Dalmuir found their largest client in Glasgow Corporation, which purchased thirty six-cylinder 90 bhp units installed on Albion Venturer M81 chassis in 1934. Nevertheless, due to subpar reliability, all units were replaced within five years by Leyland 8.6-litre engines.

Decline and demise

The economic slump following World War I caused Beardmore’s enterprises to become unprofitable, steering the company towards insolvency. Financial intervention from Vickers Limited led to their acquisition of a 60% ownership stake before they withdrew in the late 1920s. Subsequently, control was removed from Beardmore’s executives by the Bank of England. Over the ensuing years, most operations were gradually discontinued until Beardmore retired and passed away in 1936, though some business activities persisted.

Dalmuir Shipyard

The postwar crisis in shipbuilding prompted consolidation under National Shipbuilders Securities Ltd, chaired by Sir James Lithgow of Lithgows, Limited. This organization took over Beardmore’s Dalmuir yard in 1930, shutting it down and dismantling the facility to reduce industry capacity and competition. Maritime engineering continued at the location until 1936. The yard reopened as ROF Dalmuir in 1939 and was later sold to Babcock & Wilcox in 1957 to support their Renfrew plant amid the power station construction surge of the 1960s. Operations carried on until 1969 when production fully shifted back to Renfrew. The site was eventually redeveloped into Clydebank Industrial Estate and currently houses the Golden Jubilee Hospital and Beardmore Hotel.

Parkhead Forge

In 1934, Sir James Lithgow purchased Beardmore’s debentures from the Bank of England, thereby acquiring control over Beardmore’s iron and steel holdings including the principal facility – Parkhead Forge. At Parkhead, Lithgow recognized engineering manager Ian MacGregor, who notably operated a crane himself during a strike period, propelling him toward a prominent industrial leadership role.

Following nationalisation by the Iron and Steel Corporation of Great Britain between 1951 and 1954, Parkhead Forge was sold to Sheffield-based Firth Brown Steels in 1957. The Forge ceased operations in 1983 as Firth Brown consolidated its activities in Sheffield. The site was redeveloped into The Forge Shopping Centre, which opened its doors in 1988.

Bibliography

May, C.A.N. Shelsey Walsh G T Foulis.

External links

Category:Former submarine manufacturers