- Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd
- Bristol, Filton and Coventry
- Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd (BSEL) was formed in 1958 as a vehicle to bring about the merger of Bristol Aero-Engines Ltd, Bristol (est. 1920) and Armstrong Siddeley Motors Ltd, Coventry (est. 1919), respectively the aero engine manufacturing subsidiaries of Bristol Aeroplane Co and Hawker Siddeley Group. The full and equal merger took effect in 1959. Bristol Siddeley initially included the motor car companies Armstrong Siddeley Motors and Bristol Cars. Car production ended in 1960 when Bristol Cars was sold, although subcontracted production of the Sunbeam Alpine sports car continued at Bristol Siddeley Engines in Coventry until 1962. In 1961 Bristol Siddeley Engines acquired the de Havilland Engine Co Ltd, Leavesden (est. 1944), and Blackburn Engines Ltd, Brough (est. 1959). Thereafter the company offered a wider range of engines than any other manufacturer including piston engines, turboprops, turboshafts, turbojets, turbofans, auxiliary power units, ramjets and liquid propellant rocket engines. The firm’s Patchway factory, South Gloucestershire, built military aero engines including the Olympus, Orpheus, Pegasus, Proteus and Viper. Development of an engine for Hawker Siddeley fighter was cancelled in 1965. Beyond aviation its products included industrial and marine and gas turbine engines, industrial, marine and rail traction diesel engines, motor cars and general engineering products, and it employed around 25,000. In 1961 Bristol Siddeley Engines set up Bristol Siddeley Whittle Tools to develop Frank Whittle’s idea for a new type of oilfield drill powered by a turbine running on pumped mud. Bristol Siddeley Engines was bought by Rolls-Royce Ltd in 1966 for £63.6 million to prevent competition from a proposed collaboration with Pratt & Whitney and Snecma. For a while Bristol Siddeley Engines retained its own identity and marketing organisation within Rolls-Royce group.
- Bristol Siddeley BE.58 (n.d.); Pegasus (1959); BS.59 (n.d.); BS.100 (1960); BS.143 (n.d.); BS.347 (n.d.); BS.358 (n.d.); BS.360 (n.d.); BS.605 (1965); BS.1001 (n.d.); BS.1002 (n.d.); BS.1003 Odin (n.d.); BS.1004 (n.d.); BS.1005 (n.d.); BS.1006 (n.d.); BS.1007 (n.d.); BS.1008 (n.d.); BS.1009 (n.d.); BS.1010 (n.d.); BS.1011 (n.d.); BS.1012 (n.d.); BS.1013 (n.d.); BS/SNECMA M45G (n.d.); BS/SNECMA M45H (1970); Gamma 301 (1957); Gnome (1959); Gyron Junior (1955); Stentor (c.1960); Double Spectre (n.d.); PR.23 (n.d.); PR.37 (n.d.); Artouste (n.d.); Cumulus (n.d.); Nimbus 1958); Orpheus (1957); Palouste (n.d.); Sapphire (1948); Spartan I (n.d.); Viper (1951); BSRJ.801 (n.d.); BSRJ.824 (n.d.); NRJ.1 (n.d.); R.1 (n.d.); R.2 (n.d.).
Research reports/project studies re rocket engines 1958-66; development cost plan re control system for a synchronous satellite 1967; component specifications 1964-65; correspondence and memoranda 1963-68; contracts 1961-62; handling manuals re rocket engines 1960-63; brochures re rocket engines 1959, 1962-64, 1966; press draft re rocket engine for aircraft assisted take-off 1965 [PA1716/1/, PA1764/1-4].
Various records (200+ items) 1945-97.
For information about records held search TNA Discovery at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ (search Bristol Siddeley Engines).
The Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust
For information about records held contact The Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust.
Papers re Thor engine incl information re its use in Bloodhound missile 1960-66 [BAE ET3/6/25]; papers re Bristol Siddeley engines, particularly Viper engine 1959-70 [BAE ET3/6/24].
University of Bristol Special Collections
Papers of Robin Ralph Jamison re: Ramjet department 1951-69, advanced propulsion research department 1961-67 [NCUACS 60.3.96/].
Correspondence, technical information, statistics, graphs, engineering programme notes and despatch instructions re engines supplied by Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd for Proteus Campbell's Bluebird 427 1960-65 [Bluebird/20].
Photographs of loading a Bristol Siddeley engine at Bristol airport 1956 [46608/3]; pension and life assurance leaflets and engine development work sheets of aircraft engineer Nigel William Teagle 1950s-60s [46507/2]; new employee handbook This is Bristol Siddeley 1961-62 [44566/56]; booklets re company pension and life assurance plan 1961-62 [46361]; booklet re Olympus 593 1963 [44511/IM/PM/2/10]; Bristol Siddeley Journal 1965 [44511/IM/PM/2/11]; photograph of Olympus 21 turbojet engine c.1960s [0826/AIR/26]; planning agreement re premises at Whitchurch airport 1966 [PA/24983].
Product brochures and technical reports 1959-67.
Pamphlets: Sapphire, Double Mamba, Proteus, Gamma Mk. 201, fans 1959-60, Bristol Thor 1960, BS 53 lift/thrust engine 1960, BS 100 turbofan engines 1965 [L pamphlets 5d, F historic pamphlets, F pamphlets 6a, M historic pamphlets 27]; development history, performance graphs and technical data re Viper Turbojet 1960 [archive room filed with Bristol material]; French-English glossary for technical translation 1967 [M pamphlets 26f, 34c]; design considerations for VTOL Strike aircraft 1962 [F historic pamphlets 89]; pamphlet re development management and cost control 1969 [m pamphlets 10d]; performance and installation data of Sapphire Sa.7 turbo-jet engine 1959 [f historic pamphlets 52].