Straker-Squire

Straker-Squire was a British vehicle manufacturer established in Bristol in 1893 as Brazil, Straker & Co by Irish engineer J. P. Brazil and London motor agent Sidney Straker. The enterprise initially developed engines and complete steam wagons, entering a transport market in which heavy road vehicles were still powered primarily by steam. Its engineering work included distinctive chain-drive steam wagons and a proprietary water-tube boiler, and the company demonstrated its products in military and commercial-vehicle trials. The business expanded through partnerships. In 1899 Sidney Straker joined Edward Bayley, and in 1904 L. R. L. Squire entered the partnership. By 1906 the company had reportedly produced about 200 steam wagons. In 1907 it moved to a larger factory on Lodge Causeway in Fishponds, Bristol. The new works supported a broader commercial-vehicle operation, including trucks, bus chassis and licensed production of a French car design. Straker-Squire became particularly prominent in the London bus market; by 1909 its Fishponds factory was reported to supply a substantial majority of London buses. The company also developed a motor-car business. Its early models included the 16/20 and 12/14 Shamrock, followed by a family of four-cylinder 15 hp cars designed and refined under chief designer Roy Fedden. Competition successes at Brooklands and several hill climbs helped establish the marque as a performance-oriented British manufacturer. The company later introduced larger six-cylinder cars, including the 20/25, 24/80 and fast 24/90, as well as lighter four-cylinder models such as the 10/20 and 12/20. The 24/90 was marketed as a high-performance car capable of approximately 70 mph, although only a small number were built. During the First World War, chief designer Sir Roy Fedden persuaded the company to undertake aircraft-engine repair and manufacture in addition to producing staff cars, lorries and military vehicles. The aircraft-engine activity was transferred to Cosmos Engineering in 1918. Commercial-vehicle production also shifted during the war, and after the conflict the company moved all production to Edmonton in North London in 1919. Passenger-car production continued there until 1926. Beyond conventional buses and trucks, Straker-Squire manufactured chassis for the Straker-Clough trolley omnibus. This was developed with Clough, Smith, which coordinated bodies, electrical equipment supplied by British Thomson-Houston, and associated overhead infrastructure. The arrangement represented an integrated trolleybus supply model rather than simply a chassis sale. After car production ended, the company continued limited production of bus and truck chassis and trolleybuses, but it did not survive as a major independent motor manufacturer. Sidney Straker died in a hunting accident not long after the end of car production, and the Straker-Squire marque is now a historical British automotive name rather than an active brand.

Straker-Squire's origins lay in the 1893 Bristol partnership of J. P. Brazil and Sidney Straker, trading as Brazil, Straker & Co at St Philips. The firm entered mechanical road transport by making engines for steam wagons and then complete vehicles. One early technical feature was a chain-drive layout in which the differential was mounted on the rear axle and power was transmitted to each wheel by a separate chain. The design used large traction-engine-style rear wheels and was intended for heavy loads. The company demonstrated its engineering in the Second Liverpool Steam Wagon Trials of 1899 and in War Office trials at Aldershot in 1901 and 1902. Its steam wagons evolved through several configurations, including vehicles with compound two-cylinder engines and a proprietary vertical water-tube boiler derived from the De Dion pattern. In 1905 the company introduced a substantially revised overtype steam-wagon design using a locomotive-style boiler. No known Straker steam wagon is recorded as surviving. In 1899 Straker entered a partnership with Edward Bayley, and L. R. L. Squire joined in 1904. Production had reached approximately 200 steam wagons by 1906. The company broadened its portfolio with licensed production of Büssing trucks and moved in 1907 to a new Fishponds factory on Lodge Causeway. That plant concentrated on commercial vehicles, but also supported the firm's emerging car operation. Straker-Squire supplied bus chassis to operators including the Great Western Railway's road services and became a major London supplier. Contemporary accounts stated that the Bristol factory supplied around 70 percent of London's buses by 1909. The passenger-car range began with models such as the 16/20 and 12/14 Shamrock. The 14/16 followed in 1909, while the 15 hp series, associated with chief designer Roy Fedden, became one of the company's best-known car families. These cars competed successfully in trials, hill climbs and Brooklands events. A specially prepared 15 hp car set a flying-mile record in its class at Brooklands in 1910, and Straker-Squire cars achieved further competition results in the years before the First World War. The company produced a range of trucks, including licensed Büssing vehicles, the Colonial 5-ton model and military 3/4-ton vehicles. It also supplied bus chassis and participated in trolleybus development. The Straker-Clough trolley omnibus combined a Straker-Squire chassis with electrical equipment from British Thomson-Houston and bodies and infrastructure coordinated by Clough, Smith. The system was marketed as a complete package to operators and was regarded as an important development in British trolleybus practice. The First World War changed the company's priorities. Roy Fedden advocated taking on aircraft-engine repair and manufacturing work, while the company also produced staff cars and lorries for wartime use. The aircraft-engine business was taken over by Cosmos Engineering in 1918. Commercial-vehicle production moved to Twickenham during the war, and in 1919 the remaining production operation moved from Bristol to Edmonton in North London. After the war, Straker-Squire revived the 15 hp car and added larger six-cylinder models. The 20/25 and longer-wheelbase 24/80 were offered during the early 1920s, while the 24/90 represented a lighter, faster and more expensive performance model. The final phase of the passenger-car business focused on smaller four-cylinder models, including the 10/20, 11/28 and 12/20. Car production ended in 1926, although limited bus, truck and trolleybus chassis production continued. Sidney Straker died in a hunting accident not long afterward. The company subsequently disappeared as a significant independent manufacturer, leaving a legacy spanning steam transport, buses, commercial vehicles, sporting cars and aircraft-engine work.

• 1926

  Passenger-car production ends

  [1]Straker-Squireen.wikipedia.org

  Straker-Squire ended car production after building its final lighter four-cylinder models, including the 11/28 and 12/20.

• 1919

  Production moves to Edmonton

  [1]Straker-Squireen.wikipedia.org

  After wartime changes, the company's production operation moved from Bristol to Edmonton in North London.

• 1918

  Aircraft-engine arm transferred

  [1]Straker-Squireen.wikipedia.org

  The aircraft-engine repair and manufacturing operation was taken over by Cosmos Engineering.

• 1910

  Brooklands performance success

  [1]Straker-Squireen.wikipedia.org

  A specially prepared 15 hp car driven by Witchell recorded a 95.54 mph flying mile in its class at Brooklands and the marque also achieved hill-climb victories.

• 1909

  Strong position in London buses

  [1]Straker-Squireen.wikipedia.org

  The Fishponds works was reported to supply around 70 percent of London's buses.

• 1907

  New Fishponds factory

  [1]Straker-Squireen.wikipedia.org

  The company moved to a new factory on Lodge Causeway in Fishponds, Bristol, and expanded into buses, trucks and cars.

• 1906

  Steam-wagon production expands

  [1]Straker-Squireen.wikipedia.org

  Production reportedly reached approximately 200 steam wagons, and the company also entered licensed truck manufacture.

• 1904

  L. R. L. Squire joins the partnership

  [1]Straker-Squireen.wikipedia.org

  The partnership expanded when L. R. L. Squire joined the business.

• 1901

  War Office trial success

  [1]Straker-Squireen.wikipedia.org

  A Straker steam wagon took part in the Aldershot War Office trials and received a £100 award.

• 1899

  Partnership with Edward Bayley

  [1]Straker-Squireen.wikipedia.org

  Sidney Straker joined Edward Bayley, while the company demonstrated a Straker-engined steam wagon in the Second Liverpool Steam Wagon Trials.

• 1893

  Business established in Bristol

  [1]Straker-Squireen.wikipedia.org

  J. P. Brazil and Sidney Straker formed Brazil, Straker & Co at St Philips in Bristol.

A technically ambitious British vehicle maker serving commercial transport, public-service operators, military users and private-car customers. Its passenger cars were positioned around engineering quality and sporting performance, while its buses, trucks and trolleybuses targeted fleet and infrastructure markets.

• Steam commercial vehicles · 1901

  Straker steam wagons

  The company's earliest complete vehicles were steam wagons for heavy road transport. Straker developed its own engine and boiler work, including chain-drive layouts and a distinctive vertical water-tube boiler. Models evolved from early traction-engine-influenced designs to a 1905 overtype wagon with a locomotive-style boiler. The vehicles were tested in public and military trials, although no known example is recorded as surviving.

• Passenger cars · 1910

  Straker-Squire 15 hp

  The 15 hp family was a central pre-war passenger-car line, comprising Mark 1, Mark 2 and Mark 3 versions. The cars used four-cylinder side-valve engines and were developed over several years under chief designer Roy Fedden. Their reputation was supported by Brooklands records and hill-climb results. The Mark 3 continued in improved form through the wartime and immediate post-war period.

• Large passenger cars · 1919

  Straker-Squire 20/25 and 24/80

  Introduced after the First World War, the 20/25 and longer-wheelbase 24/80 were six-cylinder touring cars. The 20/25 used a roughly 3.9-litre overhead-camshaft engine and was advertised with performance of about 75 mph in normal specification. These models represented the company's attempt to compete in the upper part of the British car market after returning to civilian production.

• Performance passenger car · 1921

  Straker-Squire 24/90

  The 24/90 was a fast six-cylinder model introduced in the early 1920s. It used a 4,962 cc overhead-valve engine and was described as light, quick and noisy, with a guaranteed speed of approximately 70 mph. The prototype achieved a Brooklands class lap record, but production was very limited, with 67 cars reported as built.

• Light passenger cars · 1923

  Straker-Squire 10/20, 11/28 and 12/20

  The final passenger-car phase included lighter four-cylinder models intended to broaden the range beyond the large six-cylinder cars. The 10/20 used a 1,460 cc overhead-valve engine and was offered with different body styles. The closely related 11/28 and 12/20 followed in 1926, with changes including power, track width and body configuration shortly before car production ended.

• Buses and commercial vehicles · 1905

  Straker-Squire buses and bus chassis

  Bus manufacture became one of the company's most important activities after the move to Fishponds. Straker-Squire supplied chassis and engines to public-service operators, including London operators and Great Western Railway road services. Its post-war A-type bus was sold in chassis and body forms. The scale of the London business made the company a major British bus supplier before and during the First World War.

• Trolleybuses

  Straker-Clough trolley omnibus

  The Straker-Clough trolley omnibus combined a Straker-Squire chassis with electrical equipment from British Thomson-Houston and bodies arranged by Clough, Smith. The partners marketed not only the vehicle but also a wider package involving design, supply and installation of overhead electrical equipment. The chassis was regarded as an influential development in early British trolleybus engineering.

• Trucks and military vehicles · 1906

  Straker-Squire trucks and military lorries

  The truck range began with licensed Büssing designs and later included the Colonial 5-ton vehicle, military 3/4-ton lorries and the A-type 5-ton chassis. The company supplied vehicles for commercial operators and built military vehicles during the First World War. Commercial production continued on a limited basis after passenger-car manufacturing ceased.

• 1926

  End passenger-car productionOther

  Background

  The company had moved through large six-cylinder cars and lighter four-cylinder models but no longer maintained a lasting position in the passenger-car market.

  Action taken

  It stopped producing cars after the final 11/28 and 12/20 models.

  Aftermath

  Limited bus, truck and trolleybus chassis production continued, but Straker-Squire ultimately disappeared as an active major manufacturer.

  Source

• 1919

  Relocate production to EdmontonStrategy

  Background

  Wartime production arrangements and the company's changing industrial focus led to a reorganization of its manufacturing base.

  Action taken

  Production was moved from Bristol to Edmonton in North London after the First World War.

  Aftermath

  Passenger-car production continued into 1926, while buses, trucks and trolleybus chassis remained part of the later, more limited operation.

  Source

• 1914

  Enter aircraft-engine work during the First World WarStrategy

  Background

  The outbreak of war created urgent demand for aircraft-engine repair and manufacture alongside military road vehicles.

  Action taken

  Chief designer Roy Fedden persuaded the company to undertake aircraft-engine repair and manufacturing work while it continued producing staff cars and lorries.

  Aftermath

  The aircraft-engine arm was transferred to Cosmos Engineering in 1918, while the company continued with wartime vehicle work and later relocated production to Edmonton.

  Source

• 1907

  Expand from steam wagons into buses, trucks and carsStrategy

  Background

  The company had developed a base in steam road transport but sought broader industrial scale and access to growing motor-vehicle markets.

  Action taken

  It moved to a larger Fishponds factory and expanded commercial-vehicle production while adding licensed and proprietary petrol vehicles.

  Aftermath

  The expansion supported major bus sales, especially in London, and established Straker-Squire as a multi-category vehicle manufacturer.

  Source

1. 1Straker-Squireen.wikipedia.org