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Post by zbang on May 30, 2021 16:45:02 GMT
Peeling this off another thread, more of musings on a Sunday morning (for me  ) than much else-
The arrangement is very common all over New York and North America in general - I've seen similar in Toronto too. It seems to be done as standard there. I've seen photos and videos from the prefabrication of the layout and the points were operated on the pre-fab by a Union Switch and Signal point motor imported from New York. Sounds like that's rather uncommon (the USS motor). Any idea how much North American railway technology has been pulled into London? For one, there's the Westinghouse brake. And while the basics of multi-unit operation came from the US, I'm not sure how I'd count importing basic concepts vs equipment.
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Post by quex on May 30, 2021 17:16:23 GMT
The Met made good use of Westinghouse traction equipment, as well as brakes.
When putting his bills though Parliament, Yerkes was often at pains to point out, under cross-examination, that despite himself being an American, the UERL Group would source contracts for equipment (signalling, rolling stock etc.) through British suppliers wherever practically possible. IIRC he came under fire for the Gate stock being built in the US, France and Hungary.
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Post by fish7373 on May 30, 2021 17:35:57 GMT
The Met made good use of Westinghouse traction equipment, as well as brakes. When putting his bills though Parliament, Yerkes was often at pains to point out, under cross-examination, that despite himself being an American, the UERL Group would source contracts for equipment (signalling, rolling stock etc.) through British suppliers wherever practically possible. IIRC he came under fire for the Gate stock being built in the US, France and Hungary. We had one fitted with Westinghouse traction equipment and didn't catch on to to say |
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Tom
Administrator
Signalfel?
Posts: 4,098 
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Post by Tom on May 31, 2021 0:51:06 GMT
the UERL Group would source contracts for equipment (signalling, rolling stock etc.) through British suppliers wherever practically possible. While the equipment was definitely supplied by British firms, the principles of the signalling on the Yerkes tubes (and on the DR) was very heavily influenced by the Americans. The style of the mechanical interlocking was an import from the US (Hambay's cross locking),as were the track circuits, originally developed by one Harold G. Brown from Melrose, Massachusetts. Certainly comparing Hambay's original patent to our designs of mechanical locking today, there's very little difference. |
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Post by d7666 on Jun 1, 2021 14:08:07 GMT
BTH = subsidiary of GE of USA (... historically zero to do with GEC of UK until 1960s mergers)
Metrovick = originally Westinghouse Electric of USA (ditto same comment)
BTH + M-V = AEI by 1930, nominally a British concern and ''British supplier'' but holding all GE (USA) patents and licences and influences.
''GExx'' traction motors of the early days were GE of USA not GEC of UK.
Not only train borne traction kit, but a good deal of the distribution and switching kit came from the same suppliers.
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Post by d7666 on Jun 1, 2021 14:14:50 GMT
If you want a good read about the GB electrical industry and the US influence generally, I recommend ANATOMY OF A MERGER by Marriot and Jones.
Nominally a history of how GEC (UK) managed to take over all of AEI (BTH + M-V) and EE, it goes into a lot of history with the US influences.
No way is it a technical book, you will not find any tekkie gen at all, and certainly not 'train numbers', it is a business history, but seriously good read especially to understand the US involvement in all this, as well as German, and the lamp cartels. You'd be surprised just HOW important an influence the electric lamp and the international lamp cartels were over the whole electrical equipment supply industry.
IMHO essential reading for any author writing about any British electrical thing, railways or otherwise, and good background gen for just understanding it all.
It is long out of print but you can find it on the 2nd hand market including on Amazon right now - there are paperback cheap versions published at the time as well as the original heavy hardbacks; full gen :
Anatomy of a Merger: History of G.E.C., A.E.I. and English Electric
Marriott, Oliver, Jones, Robert
ISBN 9780224618724
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) than much else-
