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 detailes 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 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.

Many of the itenm