Chronology
Last Updated on Sunday, 10 January 2010 22:14 Saturday, 09 January 2010 21:14
Ailsa Craig History, the chronology.
Known Company names:
Ailsa Craig Bicycle Company, Glasgow (pre 1891) Putney, London Post 1891.
Putney Motor Company (Craig-Dorwald).
Ailsa Craig Machine Tool Company.
Ailsa Craig Motor Company Ltd.
Ailsa Craig Ltd.
Complete Motor Boats.
Pre 1891. Bicycles were manufactured. Glasgow, Scotland.
1891 – 1894 Bicycles and machine tools. Putney, London.
1895 – 1902 Machine tools, engine designs and parts.
1902 – 1904 Motor vehicles (road). Cars, lorries, tractors, vans and a bus developed.
1904 ‘S’ series petrol 1,2,4,& 6 cylinder models. (available up to early 1920’s).
1904 The World’s first V12 side valve 4 stroke engine.
1904 Work with H Cecil Booth to produce a petrol engine vacuum cleaner.
1904 Joint work with university boat builders Clark, produce CLACRADOR.
1904 ‘LS4’ prototype engine.
1905 ‘R4’ and ‘R6’ petrol o.h.c. (4,6 cylinder prototypes) 4 stroke engines.
1905 – 1906 Boat engines and other protype designs. Racing boat TOGO produced.
1906 New backers found, Craig & Dorwald leave, Ellis Kisch takes over.
1906 Company became the Ailsa Craig Motor Company Ltd. Chiswick.
1907 Hydroplane Sleuth Hound produced for John Wilesmith & Co.
1907 – 1914 ‘D’ series, 1,2,4 & 6 cylinder models, side valve 4 stroke. (up to 1920’s).
1914 ‘Y’ series produced.
1914 – 1918 War effort additional works at new Dominion Factory. (WW1).
1914 – 1918 ‘K’ series 2 stroke semi-diesel (Kirkaldy manufactured) 1,2 & 4 cylinder.
1914 – 1918 ‘H’ series developed out of the ‘K’ series with an Ailsa Craig gearbox.
1914 – 1918 ‘L’ series investigation for the Admiralty, as ‘LS1,2 & 4’ cylinder.
1914 – 1919 ‘E’ series 4 stroke paraffin (Kirkaldy manufactured) 1,2,3 & 4 cylinder.
1920 ‘F1’ stationary 2 stroke single cylinder version only. (available to 1925).
1921 ‘L’, ‘LA’, ‘LB’ series petrol / paraffin 2,4 & 6 cylinder. (up to 1940).
1924 ‘KM’ and ‘KMR’ series produced.
1922 – 1923 ‘M4 & 6’ cylinder series petrol / paraffin. (available up to 1940).
1923 – 1925 ‘SM’ 4 & 6 cylinder special petrol racing model. (available up to 1940).
1925 ‘R2’ PUP two stroke opposed twin cylinder. (available up to 1940).
1926 Granted Royal Appointment. Became Ailsa Craig Ltd.
1926 ‘Z4’ Silent Seven petrol 4 stroke engine. (available up to 1940).
1927 ‘VA4 & 6’ cylinder series petrol / paraffin 4 stroke, o.h.v.. (up to 1940).
1927 ‘LV4’ prototype.
1928 ‘A2’ petrol opposed twin cylinder. (available to 1940).
1929 ‘T4’ side valve version of the prototype VA4 petrol paraffin engine.
1929 Complete Motor Boats Ltd. To work with Thames Boat builders.
1929 – 1930 ‘VD4’, ‘VD6’ diesel. (Conversion of VA series petrol / Paraffin version).
1931 ‘P6’ prototype petrol side valve engine.
1931 ‘XL6’ petrol (aluminium crankcase indicated by L).
1932 ‘DD2’, ‘DF’, ‘CF1’, ‘CF2’ (available up to 1963).
1932 ‘DF’, ‘RF1,2,3,4 & 6 cylinder vesions.
1932 – 1933 ‘XD6’ diesel version of XL6.
1933 ‘CD1,2,3,4 & 6’ cylinder versions (available up to 1962).
1934 ‘DF’ series expanded to include straight 8,V8, V12, V16 diesel 4 stroke.
1934 – 1937 General diversification to the use of engines in industrial roles.
1937 ‘CF2’ diesel engines supplied to the Hudson Hunslet Railways Group.
1937 – 1938 Ailsa Craig Ltd. marinised Fordson tractor engines. (‘CFS2’ substituted).
1938 ‘DFV16’ is developed.
1938 Ricardo whirlpool combustion chamber design adopted. ‘RF’ series.
1939 Massive war time commitment to supply 5000 ‘RL2’ engines.
1939 – 1940 ‘RFR4’ engines produced for Royal Army Service Corps launches.
1940 ‘RF’ versions revised to ‘RFR’, ‘RFS1,2,3,4 & 6’ versions only.
1941 Chiswick factory bombed, chief designer Harold Linford killed.
1942 World market showed upturn in marine engine sales.
1947 – 1948 Moved all work to Ashford in Kent.
1949 – 1959 ‘RA3 & 6’ cylinder versions series produced as prototypes.
1960 ‘RK3,4 & 6’ cylinder versions produced up to 1963.
1962 ‘RLSF2’ high speed locomotive version produced (up to 1963).
1963 Company sold to the Warsop’s Fram Group.
1963 – 1972 Production of spares and re-branded Albin & Tomos engines only.
1972 Ailsa Craig ceases trading.
1972 – 2007 Dr Robert Kisch offered customer advice on Ailsa Craig products.
2007 Revised historical book and support offered.
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