1910 Straker Squire 2800cc, Nr519, pic15

Straker-Squire (also known as Brazil Straker) was a British automobile manufacturer based in

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

, and later

Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...

North London North London is the northern part of London, England, north of the River Thames. It extends from Clerkenwell and Finsbury, on the edge of the City of London financial district, to Greater London's boundary with Hertfordshire. The term ''nort ...

. The company was formed in 1893 at St Philips, Bristol, as Brazil, Straker & Co by the Irish engineer J.P. Brazil and the London motor agent Sidney Straker. In 1899 Sidney Straker joined forces with Edward Bayley and went into production of

steam wagon A steam wagon (or steam lorry, steam waggon or steamtruck) is a steam-powered truck for carrying freight. It was the earliest form of lorry (truck) and came in two basic forms: ''overtype'' and ''undertype'', the distinction being the position of ...

s, joining in partnership with L.R.L. Squire in 1904 and production reached 200 steam wagons by 1906. In 1907 the company moved into a new factory on Lodge Causeway,

Fishponds Fishponds is a large suburb in the north-east of the English city of Bristol, about from the city centre. It has two large Victorian-era parks: Eastville Park and Vassall's Park (once the Vassall Family estate, also known as Oldbury Court). T ...

, at first to manufacture commercial vehicles, including large numbers of early

London Buses London Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London (TfL) that manages most bus services in London, England. It was formed following the Greater London Authority Act 1999 that transferred control of London Regional Transport (LRT) bus se ...

, and a French car design under licence. The company also produced and successfully raced a number of its own car designs. When

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

started, Sir

Roy Fedden Sir Alfred Hubert Roy Fedden MBE, FRAeS (6 June 1885 – 21 November 1973) was an engineer who designed most of Bristol Engine Company's successful piston aircraft engine designs. Early life Fedden was born in the Bristol area to fairly wealthy ...

, their chief designer, convinced the company to take on aircraft engine repair and manufacture, and that arm of the company was taken over by

Cosmos Engineering Cosmos Engineering was a company that manufactured aero-engines in a factory in Fishponds, Bristol during World War I. Sir Roy Fedden, the company's principal designer, developed the 14-cylinder radial Mercury engine during this period. The com ...

in 1918. The company built staff cars and lorries during the war and afterwards, all production moved to Edmonton in North London in 1919. Car production continued until 1926 and Sidney Straker was killed in a hunting accident not long afterwards.

Steam wagons

Straker boiler, section (Rankin Kennedy, Modern Engines, Vol III)

Straker began by building engines for

s. A "Bayley" undertype wagon, fitted with a Straker engine and de Dion boiler took part in the Second Liverpool Steam Wagon Trials of 1899. Norris, Modern Steam Road Wagons, p. 151 By 1901 Straker were building an entire wagon. This exchanged the previous gear drive to the rear axle with a

chain drive Chain drive is a way of transmitting mechanical power from one place to another. It is often used to convey power to the wheels of a vehicle, particularly bicycles and motorcycles. It is also used in a wide variety of machines besides vehicles. ...

. Although other steam wagons used chain drives, this was the first to use a single chain, with the differential mounted on the axle rather than the chassis, and with a chain to each wheel. The rear wheels were large in diameter and constructed on the

traction engine A traction engine is a steam engine, steam-powered tractor used to move heavy loads on roads, plough ground or to provide power at a chosen location. The name derives from the Latin ''tractus'', meaning 'drawn', since the prime function of any t ...

pattern, with two rows of narrow built-up spokes. As these wheels were too large to fit under the load deck of the wagon, they were mounted outboard of it, requiring an extra-long axle. These wagons were sold by the 'Straker Steam Vehicle Co' with offices at 9 Bush Lane, London and the works in Bristol. They took part in the

War Office The War Office was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the new Ministry of Defence (MoD). This article contains text from ...

Trials at

Aldershot Aldershot () is a town in Hampshire, England. It lies on heathland in the extreme northeast corner of the county, southwest of London. The area is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council. The town has a population of 37,131, while the Alders ...

of 1901, where they were awarded £100, and 1902 By 1902 the rear wheels had been reduced in diameter and now had six broader spokes from a flat sheet: a single sheet for the 2 ton, doubled for the 5 and 7 ton models. The steam engine itself was a two-cylinder

compound Compound may refer to: Architecture and built environments * Compound (enclosure), a cluster of buildings having a shared purpose, usually inside a fence or wall ** Compound (fortification), a version of the above fortified with defensive struct ...

, with cylinders of 7" stroke and 4" and 7" diameter. The transmission was relatively crude, using open gears rather than the enclosed oil-bath that was in use amongst other makers, and indeed used for the high-speed engine of their 2-ton light tractor. Two gears were provided, but one was only intended for hill-climbing and could only be selected from alongside the engine, not from the driver's cab. The boiler was Straker's own development of the original De Dion. Norris, Straker, p. 31-33 It was a vertical

water-tube boiler A high pressure watertube boiler (also spelled water-tube and water tube) is a type of boiler in which water circulates in tubes heated externally by the fire. Fuel is burned inside the furnace, creating hot gas which boils water in the steam-gene ...

, constructed from four concentric tubes. The inner and outer pairs of tubes were joined to form two double-walled water jackets. Between these jackets ran numerous short, straight watertubes, sloping up slightly towards the centre. The central waterspace was higher than the outer space, acting as a

steam dome The steam dome is a vessel fitted to the top of the boiler of a steam engine. It contains the opening to the main steam pipe and its purpose is to allow this opening to be kept well above the water level in the boiler. This arrangement acts as a ...

. This also made the boiler's water level less sensitive to tilting when hill climbing, a great concern for many wagon makes. The boiler was fired by dropping fuel, usually gasworks coke, down a central firing chute. For cleaning every few months, the outer shell could be removed entirely. In many ways the boiler was similar to, and a precursor of, the

Sentinel Sentinel may refer to: Places Mountains * Mount Sentinel, a mountain next to the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana * Sentinel Buttress, a volcanic crag on James Ross Island, Antarctica * Sentinel Dome, a naturally occurring grani ...

of 1905. It did however require more labour to manufacture four shells rather than two, with considerably more tubes. The work of removing the boiler shell was also greater for the Straker, as it required the pipework and external fittings to first be removed. For 1905, inspired by the new regulations, an almost completely new design was produced. This was a conventional

-style

overtype The Insert key (often abbreviated Ins) is a key commonly found on computer keyboards. It is primarily used to switch between the two text-entering modes on a personal computer (PC) or word processor: * overtype mode, in which the cursor, when ...

with a locomotive boiler. No Straker steam wagons are known to have survived today.

Car models

The first pre-war models consisted of the Straker-Squire 16/20 and 12/14 Shamrock. Next, Fedden designed the 15 hp model in three versions, which were more conventional than later designs influenced by the company's experience in aero engines. These 4-seater 15-20 hp models were developed over six years and in advertising were described as the best medium powered cars on the world market. A specially prepared 15-hp driven by Witchell took several records at

Brooklands Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England, United Kingdom. It opened in 1907 and was the world's first purpose-built 'banked' motor racing circuit as well as one of Britain's first airfields, ...

including the flying mile in 1910 at (21 hp class), and the same year saw class wins at the Aston Clinton, Caerphilly, Pateley Bridge and Saltburn

Hill Climb Hillclimbing, also known as hill climbing, speed hillclimbing, or speed hill climbing, is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course. It is one of the oldest forms of motorsport, since the fir ...

s. 1914 saw similar success including 4th in the TT. Production of the 15 hp was revived after World War I, which was joined by the large 6 cylinder 20/25, 24/80 and 24/90 models. The 24/90 was light, quick and noisy, it was guaranteed to meet and was priced at the 1919

Olympia The name Olympia may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * ''Olympia'' (1938 film), by Leni Riefenstahl, documenting the Berlin-hosted Olympic Games * ''Olympia'' (1998 film), about a Mexican soap opera star who pursues a career as an athlet ...

Motor Show initially at £1,600. Straker's nephew H "Bertie" Kensington Moir of

Aston Martin Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings PLC is an English manufacturer of luxury sports cars and grand tourers. Its predecessor was founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford. Steered from 1947 by David Brown, it became associated with ...

fame tested the prototype at Brooklands and set a class record lap at 103.76 mph. The final cars built by Straker-Squire were the lighter 4 cylinder 10/20 and 12/20 models. The full list of Straker-Squire models is: *CSB. 1906. 25 hp 4900 cc T-head engine. Imported French Cornilleau-Ste Beuve model. Competed in 1907 the Heavy-Car Tourist Trophy. *16/20. 1907, 4cyl 2919 cc engine. *12/14 Shamrock. 1907, 20 hp 4cyl 2069 cc water-cooled engine, in length. Straker-Squire 15HP 1912 (5870889824)

*14/16. 1909, 4cyl 2022 cc 15hp engine, in length. Completed in the

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2,000 Miles Trial and was placed 3rd in class. *15 hp Mark 1. 1910 model, 4cyl 2851 cc

side-valve A flathead engine, also known as a sidevalve engine''American Rodder'', 6/94, pp.45 & 93. or valve-in-block engine is an internal combustion engine with its poppet valves contained within the engine block, instead of in the cylinder head, as ...

engine, in length. *15 hp Mark 2. 1911-13 model. As above but heavier and in length. *15 hp Mark 3. 1914-22 model. Improved 4cyl 3054 cc side-valve engine and in length. *20/25. 1920-25, 6cyl 3920 cc engine with overhead cam, at 2400 rpm, in length. in normal spec. *24/80. 1920-25. As 20/25 but with longer wheelbase. *24/90. 1921. 6cyl 4962 cc overhead valve engine. 67 built. *10/20. 1923-25. 4cyl 1460 cc overhead valve engine, a lighter car of various bodywork length between and 92+ built. *11/28. 1926. 4cyl 1460 cc overhead valve engine, , in length. *12/20. 1926. As above but with wider track.

Bus manufacturing

Straker-Squire began by supplying a small number of buses to

GWR road motor services The Great Western Railway road motor services operated from 1903 to 1933 by the Great Western Railway, both as a feeder to their train services, and as a cheaper alternative to building new railways in rural areas. They were the first successful ...

before expanding rapidly to cater for the London Bus market. In 1905 work included the bus chassis used for

Royal Army Medical Corps The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. The RAMC, the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, the Royal Army Dental Corps a ...

ambulances An ambulance is a medically equipped vehicle which transports patients to treatment facilities, such as hospitals. Typically, out-of-hospital medical care is provided to the patient during the transport. Ambulances are used to respond to medi ...

and they manufactured 50 omnibus chassis and engines for London buses. By 1909 Straker-Squire dominated the market and the factory in Fishponds supplied 70% of London's buses. Great Eastern of London took delivery of another 22 in bright yellow chrome livery in 1911. Post war the A-type bus in chassis and/or body form sold very well. The company was also involved in the manufacture of

trolleybus A trolleybus (also known as trolley bus, trolley coach, trackless trolley, trackless tramin the 1910s and 1920sJoyce, J.; King, J. S.; and Newman, A. G. (1986). ''British Trolleybus Systems'', pp. 9, 12. London: Ian Allan Publishing. .or troll ...

es. The general manager of the Teesside Railless Traction Board developed a new and improved trolleybus design and

Clough, Smith Interserve Rail (formerly Clough Smith) is a British engineering and facilities management company. Founded in 1910, it is a subsidiary of Interserve. History Clough Smith was founded in 1910 by electrical engineers Norman Clough and Sidney Smi ...

arranged for it to be manufactured. It was marketed as the ''Straker-Clough trolley omnibus''. This chassis and design came to be regarded as both pioneering and improving the industry standard. The chassis was manufactured by Straker-Squire, the electrical equipment by BTH of

Bath, Somerset Bath () is a city in the Bath and North East Somerset unitary area in the county of Somerset, England, known for and named after its Roman-built baths. At the 2021 Census, the population was 101,557. Bath is in the valley of the River Avon, ...

, and Clough, Smith arranged production of the bodies. The whole would be sold to system operators as part of a package deal which included the design, supply and installation of the overhead electrical equipment.

Truck models

The first trucks built were German designed

Büssing Büssing AG was a German bus and truck manufacturer, established in 1903 by Heinrich Büssing (1843–1929) in Braunschweig. It quickly evolved to one of the largest European producers, whose utility vehicles with the Brunswick Lion emblem were wi ...

2cyl trucks under licence from 1906. Truck models included.:AutoLemon: Truck Straker-Squire
Retrieved on 2007-11-29 *Büssing 3-ton. 1906-09. 4cyl worm drive gasoline engine. German design built under licence. *Colonial 5-ton. 1910. *Military 3/4-ton. 1913-18. Built in large numbers for the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

. *A type 5-ton. 1919. Semi-forward-control, 4cyl worm drive engine. Commercial vehicle production moved to

Twickenham Twickenham is a suburban district in London, England. It is situated on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historically part of Middlesex, it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames since 1965, and the boroug ...

during the war. After car production ended in 1926 a limited number of bus and truck chassis and Straker-Clough trolley buses were also built.

References

{{Automotive industry in the United Kingdom Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1893 Defunct companies based in Bristol Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of England Manufacturing companies based in Bristol Steam wagon manufacturers Steam wagon boilers Motor vehicle manufacturers based in London Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1926 1893 establishments in England 1926 disestablishments in England British companies disestablished in 1926 British companies established in 1893

Steam wagons

Car models

Bus manufacturing

Truck models

See also

References