English Electric Co., Stafford

Description:Pictured is the Over-speed Test Building on English Electric Co.'s Lichfield Road site in Stafford.

Over the years this facility has been used to test rotors manufactured by the English Electric Co. and later by GEC and Alstom to confirm the rotor's mechanical integrity.

The walls of the Over-speed Test tunnel are incredibly strong. Before testing a Rotor commenced, the heavy sleepers hanging on rails on each side of the archway would be pulled across the tunnel’s entrance. These would absorb kinetic energy in the case of a test failure. In later years the building was re-clad and is still in use (May 2014).

This image is taken from a glass negative donated to the Staffordshire County Museum by Alstom Power, Lichfield Road, Stafford.

Siemens Brothers purchased the land in 1901 and built the 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 became part of ALSTOM with global HQ in Paris and to date (May 2014) continues to be part of the ALSTOM Group.