BRUSH electrical history - a collection.
Coach - Tram & Rail products
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There are hundreds of items in the public space referencing the many different rail products made by Brush. Starting with the Hughes horse pulled vehicles, Brush expanded to passenger buses, trams, subway engines and cars, steam and diesel then diesel electric and modern all electric locomotives. Here is just a snapshot. Search the web for other great Brush rail products if this is your interest.
Mention of three notable locomotive projects:
In 1891 the first street electric tramway with overhead electric supply in the British Isles was running on the island of Guernsey. Falcon Coach Works, part of the original Brush Loughborough business, initially supplied five trams. The line ran about three miles from Saint Peter Port, the principal town, along the coast to the port of Saint Sampson's,
The 1000th locomotive built by Brush (60098) was a Type 60 diesel electric locomotive named Charles Francis Brush.
The Channel Tunnel which links England to France carries 1000's of tonnes of freight daily. These trains are pulled by the Brush freight locomotives, an all-electric design.The Brush Traction company is now owned by WABTEC Corporation (since 2011), which itself has a distinguished history dating back to the Westinghouse Air Brake product patented in 1868.
The Brush Traction locomotive works (part of the Brush Loughborough site) is still occupied by the traction business and remains in use for the rebuild, overhaul and repair of locomotives as part of Wabtec. George Westinghouse an 1800's contemporary of the Brush founder Charles Francis Brush was another early pioneer of the engineering industry.
Generations of past and recent Brush employees use their craftsmanship and enthusiasm to support the heritage Great Central Railway which operates daily commuter services between Leicester and Nottingham. Restored steam locomotives pull excursion trains throughout the year.
First installation of Tram lines in London - around 1890 - notice the "conductor channel" in the center which provided electric power to the driver motors.
The loco 92-006 was built and delivered from Brush Traction in 1996. It was taken out of service and stored by SNCF in France in 2006.
Refurbished by WABTEC Brush Traction in 2019. Watch the recent YouTube video of it back in service. New paint job too.
