Buses Bodybuilders, Carriage and Wagon Company Limited, CRAVENS Sheffield, UK

CRAVENS Buses Carriage and Wagon Company Limited, Sheffield, UK

OC1 Cravens of Sheffield Karrier RoRailer at the factory of Cravens after the fitting of the bodywork

1932 Karrier Cravens 27-38 Ro-Railer

1932 Karrier Cravens 860

1932 Karrier Cravens LMS_Ro-Railer4

1935 Cravens bodied Leyland Lion 92 Central Stn

Cravens Carriage and Wagon Company Limited produced high class railway coaches and carriages for orders all over the world.  The works occupied a large site on Staniforth Road, Darnall, Sheffield and employed hundreds of men (and women) from the local area.  A form of sprayed (blue) asbestos was used in the construction of the railway coaches and sadly this industry, despite its world class reputation at the time, has left a deadly legacy in the Sheffield area. 

1936 AEC 661T with Cravens H26-26R body

We have had the sad privilege of representing many former employees, from senior management to cleaning staff.  No one could escape the lethal effects of the asbestos dust. We have represented draftsman, template makers, coach builders and fitters and many more who have developed asbestos related diseases, both benign and malignant, as a result of their work at Cravens in the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s.  The railway coach and carriage building industry was at its peak during this time.  In later years, as the railway coach industry began to decline, Cravens focussed more on wagon and container production for rail and road.  In the 1970’s and 80’s Cravens developed injection moulding machines for plastics at the Staniforth Road, Darnall, Sheffield site.  This was under the name of Cravens Machines Limited or Bone Cravens Limited.  Many of the employees of Cravens Machines Limited/Bone Cravens Limited were also exposed to asbestos from contamination of the works at Staniforth Road. 

1936 Cravens bodied AEC Regal 1

The steel chassis of the railway coach was sprayed with blue limpet asbestos (manufactured by JW Roberts Limited).  This was for fire protection and for noise insulation.  The coach frame was then fitted out on the exterior and interior.  The coach builders and fitters would drill and cut through the dried asbestos insulation in order to fit out the timber interior.  The coaches were fitted to a high standard by quality craftsman.  Many employees remember the railway coaches that were built for the King of Siam.  They were finished with gold plating in some areas and Cravens even held an open day for their employees and families to view the finished coaches before they were shipped overseas. 

1936 Leyland Cravens B32R EFJ-666_thumb

The Cravens men took great pride in their work and many men remember their days with affection when they learnt a valuable trade.  Many were members of the Cravens football team. They also describe the fun they had, as young lads, making snowballs out of the left over sprayed asbestos.  Little did they know at the time the devastating effect that this could have on their health 30 to 60 years later.  Their employer failed to warn them of the risk that the asbestos materials presented to their health.  They were not warned or provided with any respiratory protection.

1936 Leyland TD4C originally Cravens H29-26R.

The Cravens business ceased to exist in the 1990’s but claims can still be brought against the resurrected company.  The claims are handled by claims handlers for the insurers of Cravens who are also now in an insolvency arrangement.  Successful claims for compensation are ultimately paid by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.  Documents filed at Companies House show the various name changes of Cravens as follows:-

1936 Leyland Titan TD4 built in 1936 with Cravens bodywork

• Company incorporated in July 1891 as Cravens Limited.

1937 AEC Regal with a Cravens DP32R body

• Changed its name to Cravens Carriage and Wagon Company Limited in July 1919.

1937 AEC Regal with Cravens B32R body

• Changed its name to Cravens Limited in June 1954.

1937 Bussen AEC Regent I DAU462 Craven H56R

• Changed its name to Cravens Homalloy (Sheffield) Limited in July 1967.

1937 Leyland TD double decker DFJ560 with Craven H30-24R body

• Changed its name to Craven Tasker (Sheffield) Limited in April 1977.

1938 Cravens Body from Sheffield OBPJan2012285

• Changed its name to Montracon Tasker Limited in March 1993.

 

1892 Cravens Brothers Jubilee carriage body nr 353

 cravens ad

1900 Cravens Composite No. 412 Metropolitan Railway Bluebell Railway 1964 Keynes

Cravens Ad

1900 Relaunch Cravens Composite No. 412 Metropolitan Railway Bluebell Railway opgeknapt

 

1908-Brad-Cravens

1923 Built by Cravens Ltd., Sheffield

1923 Cravens Sheffield Tram

1930 Cravens

Cravens Sheffield Tramcar 123 on Abbey Lane, Beauchief.

Cravens Sheffield Tramway tramcar 74 at the National Tramway Museum, Crich

CRAVEN BROs. SHEFFIELD Collectable Waggon Sign

Cravens Sheffield Tramway tramcar 510

 1937 Bussen AEC Regent I DAU462 Cravens H56R

1938 Cravens H26-24R. Having dabbled with Leyland TD1 & 2’s

1938 Cravens Sheffield Corporation – Leyland Titan PD2

1938 Crossley TDD4s with Craven body

1946 Cravens H30-26R bodied Crossley DD42-3

1947 AEC Cravens Bodied Bus OC8 Neepsend of Sheffield

1948 AEC Cravens H56R KGK-750

1948 Guy Arab III with Cravens H30-26R bodywork

1949 Bussen Cravens Sheffield UK

1949 Cravens bodied AEC Regent III

1950 The small batch of RTs bodied by Cravens of Sheffield

1958 Cravens bodied AEC Regent III Carlton Colville 001

1966 Bedford VAS1 Craven B22F

 

A Cravens rarity

Cravens bodied AEC Regal 1

Cravens Body Builders Sheffield

Cravens Body from Sheffield OBPJan

Cravens Company of Sheffield built 405 railcars

Cravens H26-24R. Having dabbled with Leyland TD1 & 2′s

 

1949 Cravens bodied AEC DDKGK-750

Cravens Limited Sheffield England

Cravens of Sheffield a60 stock at baker street

 1960 Cravens Tube Stock

 Cravens Sheffield Metro’s 5091-wembley-park medium

Cravens Sheffield Train

Cravens Sheffield Corporation – Leyland Titan PD2

Cravens bodied bus

Cravens Trolley RV-9148

DMU Class 105 Cravens

One of the Cravens units at Grange Hill in the early 1990s 1960TS

Filed Under: Cravens, England, OLD BUSES, TRAINS, Trolleybuses, UK