Bristol Siddeley

Bristol Siddeley Engines Limited was a major British aerospace and power-equipment manufacturer active from 1959 until its acquisition by Rolls-Royce in 1966. It was created by combining the aero-engine interests of the Bristol Aeroplane Company and the Hawker Siddeley Group, bringing together two long-established British engineering traditions. The company inherited Bristol's turbojet, turboprop and industrial-gas-turbine capabilities and Armstrong Siddeley's experience in aircraft engines, motor vehicles and related engineering. The merger was preceded by the creation of a pilot company in May 1958 and took effect on 1 April 1959. Bristol Siddeley was intended to consolidate research, design, production and marketing resources at a time when the British aviation industry was being reorganized and aircraft-engine development was becoming increasingly expensive. Bristol and Armstrong Siddeley initially held the new company's share capital in equal proportions. The company operated major facilities in the Bristol area and Coventry and became one of the broadest-based engine manufacturers in the world. In November 1961, Bristol Siddeley expanded through the acquisition of the de Havilland Engine Company and Blackburn Engines. These additions brought further turbojet, rocket, turboshaft, auxiliary-power-unit and small-gas-turbine programs into the business. Its portfolio covered piston engines, turbojets, turbofans, turboprops, turboshafts, ramjets, liquid-propellant rocket engines, marine and industrial gas turbines, diesel engines and automatic transmissions. Among its best-known products were the Olympus turbojet, whose development later provided the basis for the powerplant used by Concorde; the Pegasus vectored-thrust turbofan for the Harrier family and its predecessors; the Orpheus turbojet for the Folland Gnat; the Proteus turboprop for the Bristol Britannia; and the Viper turbojet used in aircraft including the Hawker Siddeley HS.125. The company also developed the BS100 vectored-thrust turbofan for the proposed P.1154 supersonic vertical- or short-takeoff fighter, although that aircraft program was cancelled in 1965. Bristol Siddeley's activities extended beyond aviation. Under licence from Maybach, it manufactured high-speed diesel engines for British Rail locomotives, including engines associated with the Western Region's diesel-hydraulic express trains. Its diesel range also served generating sets, oil rigs and pumping equipment. The company briefly retained motor-vehicle interests inherited through Armstrong Siddeley Motors and Bristol Cars, but Armstrong Siddeley car production ended in 1960 and Bristol Cars was sold in the same year. Contract production of Sunbeam Alpine sports cars continued at Coventry until 1962. Rolls-Royce Limited acquired Bristol Siddeley in 1966 for £63.6 million, partly to prevent a proposed international collaboration involving Bristol Siddeley, Pratt & Whitney and Snecma from creating a competing engine producer. Bristol Siddeley retained its identity and marketing organization for a period after the transaction, but its independent corporate role eventually disappeared into Rolls-Royce. The name survives primarily in the history of British aero-engine development and in the lineage of engines and technologies absorbed by Rolls-Royce.

Bristol Siddeley emerged from the consolidation of Britain's aircraft-engine industry in the late 1950s. Bristol Aero-Engines traced its origins to the Bristol Aeroplane Company's acquisition of the assets of Cosmos Engineering Company in 1920. Armstrong Siddeley's engineering lineage went back to the 1919 combination of Siddeley-Deasy and the Armstrong Whitworth Company. Both businesses had developed substantial experience in aircraft propulsion, while Armstrong Siddeley also operated in motor vehicles. A pilot company was established on 6 May 1958 to develop an alliance between the Bristol and Coventry organizations. The full merger took effect on 1 April 1959, forming Bristol Siddeley Engines Limited. Bristol and the Hawker Siddeley Group held the new company's share capital in equal proportions. The purpose was to combine research, design, manufacturing and commercial resources and to give the British industry a stronger basis for increasingly complex and costly engine programs. The creation of Bristol Siddeley occurred alongside wider restructuring of British aviation manufacturing, including the consolidation of aircraft production into the British Aircraft Corporation. The enlarged company became a major producer of military and civil propulsion systems. Its Patchway works in South Gloucestershire produced or supported several significant engine families. The Olympus was a two-spool turbojet that later formed the basis of the engine developed for Concorde. The Orpheus powered the Folland Gnat light fighter and trainer. The Pegasus two-shaft, medium-bypass-ratio vectored-thrust turbofan became central to the Hawker Siddeley P.1127, Kestrel and Harrier vertical- and short-takeoff aircraft. The Proteus turboprop was used by the Bristol Britannia, while the Viper turbojet served aircraft such as the Hawker Siddeley HS.125. Bristol Siddeley strengthened its position in November 1961 by buying the full share capital of the de Havilland Engine Company and Blackburn Engines. The de Havilland business contributed the Sprite rocket engine, the large Gyron turbojet and the Gyron Junior family, as well as licensed Gnome turboshaft production. Blackburn's engine activities included small gas turbines developed from the Turbomeca range for airborne auxiliary power and military ground-starting applications. The company also investigated advanced propulsion concepts, including the BS100 vectored-thrust turbofan for the proposed P.1154 fighter and hypersonic and high-supersonic propulsion research. The P.1154 program was cancelled in 1965, and the proposed BS143 engine for the future MRCA aircraft was not adopted after the Rolls-Royce takeover; the aircraft later used the RB199. The company's activities were not limited to aircraft. Bristol Siddeley produced Maybach diesel engines under licence for British Rail locomotives. MD-series engines were high-speed units available in inline and V configurations and in several power ratings. They were installed in diesel-hydraulic locomotives, including British Rail Class 42 and Class 52 locomotives, and were also used in generating sets, oil-field equipment and pumping installations. Bristol Siddeley additionally manufactured marine and industrial gas turbines and automatic transmissions. The inherited motor-vehicle operations were reduced during the company's short independent life. Armstrong Siddeley car production, by then focused on the Star Sapphire, ended in July 1960 because it was no longer considered economically viable. Bristol Cars was sold in September 1960, although Bristol Siddeley continued subcontracted production of the Sunbeam Alpine at Coventry until 1962. In 1966 Rolls-Royce Limited acquired Bristol Siddeley for £63.6 million. The transaction was linked to the strategic importance of preventing a planned Bristol Siddeley partnership with Pratt & Whitney and Snecma from establishing a rival international engine enterprise. Bristol Siddeley kept its identity and marketing organization for a period following the acquisition, but its independent existence ultimately ended as its programs and capabilities were integrated into Rolls-Royce. A dormant company using the Bristol Siddeley name remains associated with the Rolls-Royce group.

• 1966

  Rolls-Royce acquisition

  [1]Bristol Siddeleyen.wikipedia.org

  Rolls-Royce Limited acquired Bristol Siddeley for £63.6 million.

• 1965

  BS100 and P.1154 program is cancelled

  [1]Bristol Siddeleyen.wikipedia.org

  The proposed supersonic vertical- or short-takeoff fighter program using the BS100 vectored-thrust engine was cancelled.

• 1961

  de Havilland Engine Company and Blackburn Engines join the group

  [1]Bristol Siddeleyen.wikipedia.org

  Bristol Siddeley acquired both companies in November, broadening its engine portfolio.

• 1960

  Armstrong Siddeley car production ends and Bristol Cars is sold

  [1]Bristol Siddeleyen.wikipedia.org

  Star Sapphire production ended in July, and Bristol Cars was sold in September as the company concentrated on propulsion and engineering activities.

• 1959

  Bristol Siddeley Engines Limited begins operations

  [1]Bristol Siddeleyen.wikipedia.org

  The merger of Bristol Aero-Engines and Armstrong Siddeley Motors took effect on 1 April.

• 1958

  Pilot company is created

  [1]Bristol Siddeleyen.wikipedia.org

  A pilot company was formed on 6 May to prepare an alliance between the Bristol and Coventry engine businesses.

• 1920

  Bristol Aero-Engines is established

  [1]Bristol Siddeleyen.wikipedia.org

  The Bristol Aeroplane Company acquired the assets of Cosmos Engineering Company, forming the foundation of Bristol's aero-engine business.

• 1919

  Armstrong Siddeley lineage is established

  [1]Bristol Siddeleyen.wikipedia.org

  Siddeley-Deasy and Armstrong Whitworth combined, creating the corporate lineage that later contributed Armstrong Siddeley Motors to Bristol Siddeley.

A broad-based British propulsion and power-equipment manufacturer combining aerospace-engine capabilities from Bristol, Armstrong Siddeley, de Havilland and Blackburn. Its strategic value lay in the breadth of its technologies, from military turbojets and vertical-lift turbofans to civil turboprops, rocket engines, railway diesels and industrial turbines.

• Turbojet engine

  Olympus

  A two-spool turbojet produced at Bristol Siddeley's Patchway facility. The Olympus became one of the company's most important engine families and provided the developmental basis for the powerplant used by Concorde.

• Vectored-thrust turbofan

  Pegasus

  A two-shaft, medium-bypass-ratio turbofan designed for vectored thrust. It powered the Hawker Siddeley P.1127 and Kestrel demonstrators and became the defining propulsion system of the Harrier vertical- and short-takeoff aircraft family.

• Turbojet engine

  Orpheus

  A compact turbojet associated with the Folland Gnat light fighter and trainer. It represented Bristol Siddeley's role in military propulsion for relatively small aircraft.

• Turboprop engine

  Proteus

  A turboprop engine used in the Bristol Britannia airliner. The program demonstrated the company's civil-aircraft propulsion capabilities alongside its better-known military turbojets and turbofans.

• Turbojet engine

  Viper

  A compact turbojet used in aircraft including the Hawker Siddeley HS.125. It formed part of Bristol Siddeley's broad range of engines for trainers, light military aircraft and business or executive aircraft.

• Vectored-thrust turbofan

  BS100

  An experimental vectored-thrust turbofan with a plenum-chamber burner, developed for the proposed Hawker Siddeley P.1154 supersonic V/STOL fighter. The aircraft project was cancelled in 1965 before the engine could enter operational service.

• Diesel engine

  Maybach MD series

  A family of licensed high-speed Maybach diesel engines, including MD650, MD655 and MD870 variants. Bristol Siddeley-built units powered British Rail diesel-hydraulic locomotives and were also used in generating sets, oil-field equipment and pumping systems.

• 1966

  Sale to Rolls-RoyceM&A

  Background

  Rolls-Royce sought to prevent a proposed Bristol Siddeley, Pratt & Whitney and Snecma collaboration from creating a competing international engine producer.

  Action taken

  Rolls-Royce Limited acquired Bristol Siddeley for £63.6 million.

  Aftermath

  Bristol Siddeley initially retained its identity and marketing organization, but its independent corporate existence was subsequently absorbed into Rolls-Royce. The acquisition also influenced the engine selected for the later MRCA, which used Rolls-Royce's RB199 rather than Bristol Siddeley's proposed BS143.

  Acquisition price. £63.6 million (1966)

  Source

• 1961

  Acquisition of de Havilland Engine Company and Blackburn EnginesM&A

  Background

  Bristol Siddeley sought to expand its technical base and consolidate British engine manufacturing capabilities.

  Action taken

  The company acquired the full share capital of de Havilland Engine Company and Blackburn Engines in November.

  Aftermath

  The acquisitions added rocket, turbojet, turboshaft, auxiliary-power-unit and small-gas-turbine programs to Bristol Siddeley's portfolio.

  Source

• 1960

  Exit from Armstrong Siddeley passenger carsStrategy

  Background

  After the merger, the company reviewed its inherited motor-vehicle businesses while concentrating resources on aircraft engines and related industrial propulsion.

  Action taken

  It ended Star Sapphire production in July 1960 and sold Bristol Cars in September. Subcontracted Sunbeam Alpine production continued at Coventry until 1962.

  Aftermath

  The move reduced the company's exposure to passenger-car manufacturing and left aerospace and industrial engines as its principal activities.

  Source

1. 1Bristol Siddeleyen.wikipedia.org