1924 Crossley Brothers Type 1065 Engine

Imported engines, like this Type 1065 Crossley Brothers, that was exhibited at the 2019 Foothills Antique Power Association of North Carolina Spring show, aren’t something you see very often around here. Judging by the fit and finish shown by this example, they were not inexpensive, even back in 1924. There were dozens of domestically produced engines available that could do exactly the same thing,  that almost certainly cost less.

In 1867 Francis and William Crossley bought a factory that manufactured steam engines, pumps and presses from a man named John M. Dunlop and set up shop under the name of Crossley Brothers. Frank was in charge of factory operations while William  managed the business. It always helps to have a Daddy Warbucks in the family and with considerable help from a rich uncle they acquired the rights to the Otto and Lang atmospheric gas engine for the entire world with the single exception of Germany in 1869. Those privileges expanded in 1876 to include the famous Otto four stroke engine.

Crossley contributed improvements to the engines they manufactured that included poppet valves and hot tube ignition and in 1888 an improved carburettor for using liquid fuels. In 1896 they bought the rights to the Diesel system and by 1901 they were manufacturing gasoline engines for automobiles and buses. In 1906 they expanded again and began building automobiles under the name of Crossley Motors Ltd. During World War 1 Crossley built aircraft for the war effort.. 

The spending spree continued after the war ended with the purchase of the Premier Gas Engine Co. in 1919. Premier specialized in large power plants for ships, railroad locomotives and stationary engines. All good benders must eventually come to an end and Crossley woke up with a serious financial hangover. Now it was Crossley’s turn to be bought out by a company called Bellis and Morcum, who used the Crossley - Premier trademark into the late 60’s. 

The corporate Pac Man game continued as Crossley - Premier merged into Amalgamated Power Engineering, also known as the A.P.E. Group, in 1968. This created A.P.E. - Crossley LTD. Honest, I didn’t make this up. By 1988 Crossley Engines had become a division of Rolls - Royce Engineering who retained ownership up until 2009 when they moved production and closed the Crossley factory in Manchester for good. 

Sources:

www.crossley-motors.org.uk/history/origins.html 

www.grace’sguide.co.uk/crossley_brothers