Description and History of Site:-
This the second works premises that Hugh Campbell operated from for his gas engine company. Outgrowing his first works location in the Stone Dam Works on Well Lane, Halifax NGR SE09706 25383 by 1892.
His new works at Kingston, Halifax consisted of two large work bays, designed so as to be able to be extended in the future, which they were, in 1896, 1903, 1905 and 1916. By this time the company were producing their own castings in both iron and brass. By 1917 the works included a foundry, an erection shop, fitting shop, offices and a large timber yard to season timber used for pattern making. A second foundry, Albert Foundry, was purchased in 1917 to cope with increased demand. In 1860 Hugh Campbell was born in Glasgow.
On leaving school he entered the engineering industry, studying at Glasgow Mechanics Institute. On qualifying from the Institute, Campbell started experimenting with the internal combustion gas engine in his spare time. He produced an engine capable of driving workshop machinery and when coupled with a generator could provide power to light a whole works.
The engine design was so impressive that the engineers Greenwood & Batly, Armley, Leeds offered Campbell a three year contract to develop the engine further.
In 1880 Hugh's father moved to Halifax with his work, Hugh decided to stay with the family and moved too.
He continued building his gas engines to his own design. Robert Demster, Gas Engineers of Elland, Leeds offered to produce his engines for him but he decided to go into business under his own name, starting out in a small workshop in Stone Dam Works, Well Lane, Halifax.
Outgrowing the works, Campbell moved to a purpose built engineering works at Kingston, Halifax. This in itself had to be extended several times to cope with demand for the engines.
The gas engines being produced, prior to 1894, were two-stroke which ran on town gas.
Their 1892 catalogue listed fourteen sizes of engines available ranging from 2.5 to 85 Induced Horsepower (IHP). Their 85 IHP engine weighed 9.5 tons and had flywheels 78'' diameter with 7'' faces, cost was £480 and needed a 3'' gas supply pipe.
In 1890 the Otto Four-cycle patent of 1876 lapsed leading many manufacturers to change from two-stroke to this system. Campbell changed over in 1894.
Town gas had its limitations though as gas supply was originally designed for lighting and heating to some extent, supply was restricted by the size of the gas pipework so restricting the potential power output of the gas engine.
In 1895 the suction gas producer was introduced which enabled gas engine operators to employ their own suction gas plants which were independent of the town gas mains, burning anthracite coal but also wood-chip, charcoal and coke.
Campbell started producing suction gas plants by 1902. Gas engines were now capable of higher power outputs of up to 650 BHP (Brake Horse Power).
The lower calorific value of suction gas meant that engines needed electric ignition, Campbell's were one of only a few manufacturers to enter this specialised market.
Campbell's customers ranged from local companies to customers as far as China, Russia and South Africa. Many of these customers placed repeat orders, such was the satisfaction with the Campbell gas engine.
By 1912 Campbell introduced its Heavy Oil engine which quickly earned a worldwide reputation for reliability even in extreme operating conditions, the company were swamped with orders and at times struggled to keep pace with demand.
During World War One engine production continued, along with munitions and other war work. The labour force had nearly doubled to 1,500 men and women.
In 1919 a dispute between the company and trade unions over the employment of ex-servicemen erupted. It was seen by the unions as the dumping of cheap labour onto the engineering trade. Hugh Campbell backed the servicemen, even advertising for more to be trained at his works. The fallout led to strike action and Campbell replacing the strikers with ex-servicemen now declaring his works a union free company.
Following the war came the post war slump across the country. Campbell had financial difficulties now with a trading loss of £150,000 caused mainly by the strike action, this lead to the company being taken over by the banks.
Hugh Campbell felt unable to continue working under these new arrangements and left the company.
In 1930 he left Halifax, moving to Blackburn as a manager for engineers and millwrights Clayton Goodfellow of Atlas Iron Works. He remained with them for several years until failing eyesight forced retirement. He died 24th March 1950 age 90.
In 1928 Campbell Gas Engine Co was sold to George Cohen 600 Group, shortly afterwards they closed the works and stripped out all the machinery, most of it going to Kryn & Lahy Works Ltd of Letchworth, owned by the same group. A number of Campbell employees moved to Letchworth with engine production starting up again for a number of years. The works at Kingston were demolished and the land cleared for housing.
A Campbell revival followed around 1950 with a Cold Start Diesel engine in Cardiff, Wales, producing five models from 6-40 BHP they remained in production until around 1969-70.

Further Reading and References:-
Stationary Engine magazine Number 238 December 1993. Patrick Knight pp6-9
Stationary Engine magazine Number 239 January 1994. Patrick Knight pp6-9

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Key Words :- gas engine foundry

Viewing the Site :- Public footpath alongside road.

Address :- Hopwood Lane, Kingston, Halifax, West Yorkshire
Grid Ref :- SE 07395 24758
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.719182 , Long -1.889418
Local Authority :- Calderdale Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Site demolished or no longer extant
Site Condition :- Site cleared - no above ground remains visible
Site Dates :- 1892 - c1928
Record Date :- 18 October 2019

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © Andrew Garford