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Lucas products and services

Vivienne14

Kentish Brummie Moderator
Staff member
The history of Lucas shows it researched, developed and produced many products across several industries. And like many large companies, it manufactured them at many different sites across Birmingham. This can be confusing, especially if you’re researching an ancestor who worked for Lucas. A suggestion made by Bob Johnson in the Lucas Mere Green thread prompted me to start this list.

So I’ve prepared the list in post #2 by researching press cuttings which mention the Lucas company. It gives the products that were manufactured at the various Birmingham sites. I shall also be adding to this using information from the threads we have on BHF and the “Lucas Memories” site. I emphasise that this is a first attempt, and can be added to, enlarged or corrected over time.

Note. Dates included in the list (in the main) are the dates any information about their products appeared in the press (not the date the product started production or ceased) It doesn’t contain all sites and products but this can be built upon if members want to contribute information.

If anyone wants to add to the list please post your information and I shall amend the list.


Many thanks.

Viv.
 
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LUCAS PRODUCTS, SERVICES AND SITES

BIRMINGHAM

Great King Street Hockley

Electrical 1955
Up to 1986 producing ignition systems, windscreen wipers, solenoids and small motors
Group Research Department based here in 1962
1986 Great King Street ceased as a factory (wipers and ignition systems were to be integrated into other Lucas plants)
Factory demolished in 1994.

Great Hampton Street
In 1965 the Lucas Training School was here
1966 Sales and Service

Shaftmoor Lane Hall Green Branch Works 3 & 4
From 1947 automobile dynamos were produced here until 1974 when production of dynamos transferred to Great Hampton Street. Shaftmoor Lane site also produced starter motors and continued to do so after this date
Lamps (Branch Works 4)
Expansion turbines in 1965
Gas turbine plant 1969
Hydraulic/mechanical equipment for aircraft gas turbines in 1979

Forman’s Road Sparkhill
1961 Batteries
1966 Lucas Electrical die casting factory located here
Yuasa Batteries Formans Road - still at Formans Road in 1994, so moved to South Wales sometime after that

Mere Green
Producing semi-conductors in 1977
Producing high voltage silicone conductors in 1967
In 1975 producing purpose designed audio in-car sound systems including:
- LS241 combined push button radio & eight track stereo tape player
- LS450 Third Dimension sound system: amplifier and speakers
High voltage silicon conductors - won Queens award for technological innovation in 1967 Silicon devices were being developed for automotive products at Mere Green in 1963 (an expensive product previously used in aircraft, missile & communications)

Well Street Hockley
Electrical in 1955
In 1955 this is where the Personnel Dept was located

Lucas CAV
Lucas took over Simms Motor Parts in 1968. Manufacturing fuel injection equipment. vehicle electrical parts.

Lucas Aerospace Small Heath Branch Works 5
Existed in 1977

Lucas York Road Hall Green
Aerospace engine controls in 1979

Lucas (Butlers) Small Heath “Atlantic Works “ Branch Works 13
Made lamps, including fog lamps
Closed down in 1980

Lucas Girling Kings Road Tyseley
1979 Lightweight brake systems
Disc brakes for rail freight rolling stock

Lucas Services
After sales service company

Lucas Engineering Centre College Road Perry Barr
Existed in 1975, 1978
Organised supply of special purpose plant and equipment to Lucas Electrical group

Lucas Group Research Centre Marston Green
Existed in 1964

SITES NEAR TO BIRMINGHAM
For other Lucas sites, products and business interests please see post #10 and it’s links to Grace’s Guide.

Marshall Lake Road, Shirley
Producing alternators in 1968

Lucas Group Research Centre, Monkspath Solihull
Opened in 1964

Lucas (Sales & Service) Fradley B90 Parts and Service Depot nr Lichfield
Reconditioning of components, including starter motors was operating here in 1969, 1979, 1981
In 1967 the address was Lucas Fradley Airfield Sales & Service Depot

Walkmill Lane Cannock
Lighting
 
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The history of Lucas shows it researched, developed and produced many products across several industries. And like many large companies, it manufactured them at many different sites across Birmingham. This can be confusing, especially if you’re researching an ancestor who worked for Lucas. A suggestion made by Bob Johnson in the Lucas Mere Green thread prompted me to start this list.

So I’ve prepared the list in post #2 by researching press cuttings which mention the Lucas company. It gives the products that were manufactured at the various Birmingham sites. I shall also be adding to this using information from the threads we have on BHF and the “Lucas Memories” site. I emphasise that this is a first attempt, and can be added to, enlarged or corrected over time.

Note. Dates included in the list (in the main) are the dates any information about their products appeared in the press (not the date the product started production or ceased) It doesn’t contain all sites and products but this can be built upon if members want to contribute information.

If anyone wants to add to the list please post your information and I shall amend the list.


Many thanks.

Viv.
Thanks Vivienne, great idea.
 
LUCAS PRODUCTS AND SITES

Great King Street

Electrical 1955
Up to 1986 producing ignition systems, windscreen wipers, solenoids and small motors
1986 Great King Street ceased as factory (wipers and ignition systems were to be integrated into other Lucas plants)

Great Hampton Street
1966 Sales and Service

Shaftmoor Lane Hall Green
From 1947 automobile dynamos were produced here until 1974 when production
of dynamos transferred to Great Hampton Street. Shaftmoor Lane site also produced starter motors and continued to do so after this date
Expansion turbines in 1965
Gas turbine plant 1969

Forman’s Road Sparkhill
1961 Batteries
1966 Lucas Electrical die casting factory located here

Marshall Lake Road
Producing alternators in 1968

Mere Green
Producing semi-conductors in 1977
Producing high voltage silicone conductors in 1967
In 1975 producing purpose designed audio in-car sound systems including:
- LS241 combined push button radio & eight track stereo tape player
- LS450 Third Dimension sound system: amplifier and speakers

Well Street Hockley
Electrical in 1955

Lucas Aerospace Small Heath
Existed in 1977

Lucas Services
After sales service company

Lucas Girling Kings Road Tyseley
1979 Lightweight brake systems
Disc brakes for rail freight rolling stock

Lucas Engineering Centre College Road Perry Barr
Existed in 1978

Lucas Group Research Centre Marston Green
Existed in 1964
LUCAS PRODUCTS AND SITES

Great King Street

Electrical 1955
Up to 1986 producing ignition systems, windscreen wipers, solenoids and small motors
1986 Great King Street ceased as factory (wipers and ignition systems were to be integrated into other Lucas plants)

Great Hampton Street
1966 Sales and Service

Shaftmoor Lane Hall Green
From 1947 automobile dynamos were produced here until 1974 when production of dynamos transferred to Great Hampton Street. Shaftmoor Lane site also produced starter motors and continued to do so after this date
Expansion turbines in 1965
Gas turbine plant 1969

Forman’s Road Sparkhill
1961 Batteries
1966 Lucas Electrical die casting factory located here

Marshall Lake Road
Producing alternators in 1968

Mere Green
Producing semi-conductors in 1977
Producing high voltage silicone conductors in 1967
In 1975 producing purpose designed audio in-car sound systems including:
- LS241 combined push button radio & eight track stereo tape player
- LS450 Third Dimension sound system: amplifier and speakers

Well Street Hockley
Electrical in 1955

Lucas Aerospace Small Heath
Existed in 1977

Lucas Services
After sales service company

Lucas Girling Kings Road Tyseley
1979 Lightweight brake systems
Disc brakes for rail freight rolling stock

Lucas Engineering Centre College Road Perry Barr
Existed in 1978

Lucas Group Research Centre Marston Green
Existed in 1964
I didn't know that Mere Green manufactured radios. I remember the 'Lucas' radio and eight track.

I attended the the Lucas training school in Great Hampton st in 1965.
 
Thanks for that.
Would be interesting to find out what different Lucas factories made.
Batteries were made at Formans road.

Starter motors..........

Dynamos.....

Alternators.....

Flasher units....

Wiper motors....

Distributors.....

The list goes on.
Indeed it does...I remember the old Lucas alternator factory at Marshall Lake Road and the Lucas lighting factory was at Walkmill lane Cannock. I think Shaftmoor Lane also made these, too many to research if you think Lucas Industries grew to encompass everything automotive and aerospace over 100 years...good old Joseph and his sons...
 
Post #2
Mere Green - H.V. silicone conductors.
That's the squishy stuff that's in boob implants isnt it Vivienne - sorry, only joking - silicon without the e.
John
 
Thanks John. It won a Queens award for innovation in 1967. Originally designed to improve car ignition, but it helped to make advances in other fields too. Viv.
 
lucas also

1943 Acquired David B. Irvine (Edinburgh) and Girling brakes, which absorbed the Bendix and Luvax operations.

1944 Acquired Avon Electrical Services.

1945 Acquired Bon Accord Electrical Repairs.

1948 Acquired Butlers.

1949 Acquired Auto Services Electrical Co (Falmouth).

1951 Name changed to Joseph Lucas (Industries) Ltd[9]

1953 Acquired Wrexham Motor and Electrical Engineering Co.

1954 Acquired Starting, Lighting and Ignition Services (Midlands).

1954 Acquired Auto Electric Services (Stourbridge).

1954 Lucas sold Bosch Ltd back to the German parent Bosch for the sum of £25,000.
 
I was an apprentice at Simms Motor Units it was taken over by Lucas CAV in 1968. Manufacturing fuel injection equipment. vehicle electrical parts.
When I were a lad working st A T Gittins, part of my training involved learning anout how to do 'spill timing' on a Simms injection pump. I have never had to use it in 55 years.
 
When I were a lad working st A T Gittins, part of my training involved learning about how to do 'spill timing' on a Simms injection pump. I have never had to use it in 55 years.
spill timing yer, never done that since lol. injectors.i cleaned and bagged millions of them. i still remember the ford part no for Thames trader.50 year on lol.c39 c4o Dynamo. bob i dont know if you you remember the growler machine for testing armatures. my initiating was to turn the armature by the com . wow what a shock you got.
 
spill timing yer, never done that since lol. injectors.i cleaned and bagged millions of them. i still remember the ford part no for Thames trader.50 year on lol.c39 c4o Dynamo. bob i dont know if you you remember the growler machine for testing armatures. my initiating was to turn the armature by the com . wow what a shock you got.
The 'GROWLER yes, rotate armature whilst holding a piece hacksaw blade onto the highest point of the armature. If the blade bounced the armature was faulty. The other machine that held a fascination for me was the 'MAGNETISER'.

Happy days.
 
Is this a giant cafetière?! Or did a condenser just happen to look like one ? Viv.
 

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Lucas stand at the Birmingham Industries Fair 1939, displaying Lucas products. Nice use of the “King of the Road” slogan beneath the Lucas sign.
The products on display included dynamos, starters, batteries, coil ignitions, magnetos, horns, lamps, windscreen wipers and direction indicators. Some are displayed as working parts.

Viv.

154F21CF-1BFD-4847-BA2F-7ACC4D515510.jpeg
 
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Thanks John. It won a Queens award for innovation in 1967. Originally designed to improve car ignition, but it helped to make advances in other fields too. Viv.

The award was for developing high voltage darlington transistors ( known locally as HVDs ) which were an important component in electronic ignition systems.

"Joseph Lucas (Electrical) Ltd won the Queen’s Award for Technological Achievement in 1967 in recognition of pioneer development work on high-voltage transistors for use in petrol-engine ignition systems. Ths use of semiconductor technology, in the form of high-voltage transistors, provided an electronic switch which was capable of performing the function previously achieved using mechanically operated contact-breaker points. This electronic switch enabled the company to upgrade the performance of an established product through the use of a new component. "
 
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