Gresham & Craven Limited

This Manchester company started out under various guises in the mid-nineteenth century and and partners came before becoming Gresham & Craven circa 1879. In these early years they made boiler feed injectors and non-railway items such as wire matresses and sewing machines. In 1879 the Vacuum Brake Company was formed with Gresham & Cravens as their sole supplier — vacuum brake equipment become their main focus, they also dabbled with other items such as carriage heaters and sanders for locos but the non-railway items were soon dropped.

In 1954 they were taken over by the Westinghouse Brake & Signal Company.

More company details:
Polunnio Ltd a detailed history including factory pictures;
Science Museum including a list of company items held at the NRM;
Grace's Guide to British Industrial History with many vintage adverts;
Sewing Machines — Pinterest, Sew Muse, Fiddlebase.

The company supplied the brake equipment for all the vacuum braked first generation DMUs. Their 'Quick Release' twin-pipe system is described in the technology section as are some of the main components such as the Automatic Feed Valve, Deadman's Control and the most recognizable and visible item — the Driver's Brake Valve. The image shows a driver with his right hand on the removable handle of that valve.

Some types of DMU had this plaque fitted to the drivers desk when new.