English Electric Co., Stafford

Description:This view shows the Richards Horizontal Milling Machine which was more commonly known as the Richards Boring Mill. It was situated in 112 Shop adjacent to the main gangway on the right hand side when facing the Fabrication section, in the Turbine Generator Division on the former Main Works site on Lichfield Road, Stafford.

The Richards was primarily installed for the accurate boring of large diameter components such as generator endplates, ribs, hydro stators and both AC and DC machines and parts thereof. What looks like a generator endplate or rib is on the machine in the picture, the two rectangular holes are apertures for the coolers to fit through. The machine was part of the early 1960s modernisation when there was a full order book and heavy electrical machinery was increasing in size and output very rapidly. The Richards was one of several new large machine tools introduced at this time and the concrete foundation for another of them, the Craven lathe, can be seen in the picture below the far pendant support arm of the Richards and at the other side of the main gangway.

The Stafford Works was renowned for its electrical equipment products including generators, transformers and switchgear. Siemens Brothers purchased land by the Lichfield Road in 1901 and built a factory and offices which were ready to start production in 1903. In 1918 Siemens merged with several companies, including Dick, Kerr and Co., to become The English Electric Co. Two years later in 1920, The English Electric Co bought the Stafford Works. The English Electric Co. merged with GEC (The General Electric Company) during 1968 and the Lichfield Road Site became part of GEC Power Engineering Ltd. On 22 March 1989 became part of GEC ALSTHOM, an Anglo French Joint Venture. On 22 June 1998 this in turn became part of ALSTOM with global HQ in Paris and on 2 November 2015 the Stafford Grid and Power Businesses became part of GE (General Electric, an American Company).

During 2020 and 2021 the former Main Works site was demolished and the site cleared for redevelopment. However, on a neighbouring site the Transformer Works remains and is still operational (April 2022) as part of the GE (General Electric) group.

Thank you to Mr Chris Coates for the information on the Richards machine.