Long before Loughborough was a large university town it was a centre of manufacturing.
It was proud to manufacture cranes, railway engines, hosiery, socks and Ladybird books among many things.
Just about all that is left is what locals call "The Brush."
Located on the edge of town it has been manufacturing since 1865 when it was set up by Henry Hughes, a local engineering entrepreneur. His company was called Hughes's Locomotive & Tramway Engine Works, and they made tramcars and steam engines until going into receivership in 1882 after encountering legal problems. Hughes soon departed for New Zealand where he established a new business making tramcars.
The Loughborough works were soon up and running again in 1882 as the Falcon Engine and Car Works Ltd.(FECW Ltd.) and it continued to make railway engines, tramcars and rolling stock until 1889.
In 1889 Anglo-American BRUSH Electric Light Corporation acquired FEWC Ltd. "Brush" had been established in 1879 in Lambeth, London, to exploit the inventions of Charles Francis BRUSH. He was from Cleveland, Ohio, had developed his first dynamo in 1876.
The fortunes of The Brush have risen and fallen since then, with several changes in ownership, and changes in manufacturing, from steam engines to airplanes, trolleybuses to tram cars. Latterly the works have built many British diesel and electric trains and engines, including the Eurostar. At its peak it employed 5000 people, a figure that has fallen to less than 1000 today.
The observant may notice that "The Brush" is next to Loughborough Railway Station. Yesterday, the UK government announced that our railway line to London will be upgraded and electrified in the next 6 or 7 years, at a cost of £500m. Let us hope that The Brush, and local train maker Bombardier are able to secure their businesses in the UK for many years to come and share in the benefits of this and other major infrastructure improvements.
@ozziehoffy Thanks Cassandra, the great British summer. Yep, we made ladybird books here. Sadly not anymore, though I know a few people who worked for them.
