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| D Wickham & Co Ltd, Ware, UK/Wickham Rail Cars, Goodyear https://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=23778 |
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| Author: | WickhamofWare [ Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:23 pm ] |
| Post subject: | D Wickham & Co Ltd, Ware, UK/Wickham Rail Cars, Goodyear |
I am new to this group and have a question / request enquiry. Obviously most railway enthusiasts in the UK and a few in North America will know that the Wickham name was synonymous with the ubiquitous engineers trolleys (speeders in US / Canada) and that they also manufactured the Class 109 DMUs one of which survives on the Llangollen Railway and the Elliot Track Recording Trolley now based on the Middleton Railway. However, they also manufactured railway equipment / vehicles for railways all over the world. I have been tracing the fate of the manufacturing records of the D Wickham company and believe the last known owner of the "company" was a gentleman called Michael Kukla who owned Wickham Rail Cars based in Goodyear, Arizona (www.wickhamrailcars.com). However, that is where the trail runs cold and so far I have not managed to find / make contact with Mr Kukla. These records are of particular interest to me as I hope they include the original drawings for anarrow gauge 5-Man Wickham railcar I have just bought as a restoration project. However, the records as a whole would be a significant addition to limited records of the company that currently survive in the Ware Museum / Hertfordshire Archives. If anyone has any further information or can assist in my research I would very much appreciate hearing from them.. |
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| Author: | Alexander D. Mitchell IV [ Mon Sep 03, 2007 9:23 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: D Wickham & Co Ltd, Ware, UK/Wickham Rail Cars, Good |
I find the idea that these companies are actually one and the same (as opposed to, say, a con artist running a fraudulent website) somewhat specious at best, but...... If you wish to try and hunt down someone in Goodyear, Arizona, your best bet might be to contact the somewhat-active Arizona Railway Museum and Arizona Chapter, National Ry. Historical Society at http://www.azrymuseum.org/ They are, by far, the closest active group of rail enthusiasts, not counting some model railroad club. Perhaps you can prevail upon them to do a little legwork on your behalf. |
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| Author: | WickhamofWare [ Wed Sep 05, 2007 7:49 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: D Wickham & Co Ltd, Ware, UK/Wickham Rail Cars, Good |
Thanks for your email. The two companies are indeed not the same companies as the UK company ceased operation. However the US company (see website) was using the history / name of the UK company and supporting all the products (speeders, railcars, railbuses etc.) perviously supplied by D Wickham & Co. Ltd. The history of the UK company is as follows: D Wickham & Co Ltd started business in Ware in 1886 and ran as a private engineering company for the next 100 years, until April 1986 when a Management Buyout team bought the company from its then owners the Cooper family. Subsequently, in July 1987 the Management Buyout team sold out to the BM Group plc (previously Braham Millar Group plc, later Brunel Holdings plc and now Guinness Peat Group Plc). The railway arm of the business was later purchased by the Bruff Group who merged it with their Bruff Rail Limited in May 1990 to form Wickham Rail Limited which at some stage ceased trading and was finally dissolved in November 1999. Mr Kukla's former employee has confirmed that Wickham Rail Cars was indeed supporting old Wickham rail vehicles around the world with spares etc. and had a large archive of Wickham drawings but was also trying to develop and sell new rail vehicles. I will contact the Arizona museum to see if they can help. Thanks again |
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