The modern road system is something that is now almost taken for granted. It relies on many inventions and developments that took place in the 19th and 20th centuries. Some of those developments were made locally thanks to the ingenuity of local businessmen and manufacturers.

One of the country’s first motorists was Thomas Parker, who from 1884 commuted daily in electric cars of his own design from Newbridge, and later Tettenhall, in Wolverhampton, to his factory on the corner of Commercial Road and Lower Walsall Street. His company, Elwell-Parker Limited designed and built some of the earliest power distribution systems, which made early electric street lighting a practicality. Motorcycles and cars were produced in Wolverhampton, in large numbers, and one local manufacturer, Clyno, became the third largest car manufacturer in the UK.

The first practical traffic lights were experimentally installed and tested in Princes Square, Wolverhampton in November 1927. They became a permanent fixture in October of the following year. Princes Square was also the site of another very important development, pedestrian safety barriers. The first barriers in the country were installed there in 1934 by local company Steelway Limited.

Company history

Steelway was founded by Charles William Goodyear on 4th January, 1928 at Queensgate Works, Bilston Road, Wolverhampton to manufacture steel flooring and treads, and handrails. The product range also included weed burners and domestic household goods.

In 1931 the company merged with handrail standards manufacturer, F. Hammond & Company. The board of directors then consisted of Bill Goodyear, Fred Harry Clark, (chairman, and also a director of Stourbridge Glazed Brick Company), Fred Hammond, John William Edward Bettles, and company secretary, Miss Edith Kate Holbrook.

Steelway became associated with J. Brockhouse & Company, of West Bromwich, manufacturer of drop forged handrail standards. Steelway was the sole agent for the standards, and Mr. J. V. H. Brockhouse became the London agent for Steelway’s products.

In 1934 Steelway developed the country’s first pedestrian safety barriers in cooperation with Edwin Tilley, Chief Constable of Wolverhampton, and H. B. Robinson, Wolverhampton’s Borough Engineer & Surveyor. The safety barriers were supplied free of charge to the council as part of an experiment, which proved to be a great success. The barriers were installed in Princes Square in 1934 at what had previously been a dangerous road junction for pedestrians.

Right: Edwin Tilley
Chief Constable.

Britannia Crossing, Camden. Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

The second London installation, for the Metropolitan Borough of Stepney, was carried out three days later at Whitechapel Crossing.

Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

These were outside Oceanic House.

Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

The Metropolitan Police were clearly impressed with the barriers because Steelway received the following letter of appreciation from New Scotland Yard in 1937:

Now that the coronation is a matter of history, I should like to express my thanks to your firm for the efficient way in which you met the demand for barrier material. As you know, the barriers were of an unusual design, which required special attention by you in manufacture. They proved most satisfactory, and I have not had any complaints regarding them. This is a matter of satisfaction to all concerned.
    

Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

An advert from 1936.

An advert from 1938.

An advert from 1935.

Four types of safety barrier produced in the 1930s. Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

Two types of safety barrier. Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

Another view of the above installation, and a sliding ladder in Steelway's yard. Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

A Steelway stair tread, and a special safety barrier. Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

A Steelway truck, designed as a fire hose carrier. Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

The washing line could be easily folded, and carried away. Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

Two views of a Steelway blowtorch for killing weeds. Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

More views of the blowtorch. Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

A larger and more powerful weed-killing blowtorch. Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

A Steelway weed burner, and a large weed killer. Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

A burner in use in a foundry. Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

A compact fire escape. Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

A Steelway industrial installation of aerial walkways and ladders, and a Steelway sack truck. Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

Normal and heavy duty Steelway sack trucks. Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

A Steelway wheelbarrow. Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

The building has since been demolished.

Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

During World War 2, Steelway concentrated on war work, including the production of steel medical stretchers to carry injured personnel. One customer was St. John's Ambulance Brigade.

Two views of a Steelway stretcher carrier, unloaded and loaded. Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

The Steelway party in 1953. Courtesy of Laura Eddowes.

In 1952 Steelway was acquired by Fred Willetts of Hipkiss Bros, Birmingham. In 1953 he sold the business to the Glynwed Group of companies. Steelway's open mesh flooring was seen by millions of people when installations were supplied to the ‘Z Cars’ TV series, various stage sets, and two James Bond films; ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’, and ‘Diamonds are Forever’.

Many Steelway products have been produced in aluminium alloy to meet the increasing demand for light, strong, and non-rusting installations. Some of the products made in aluminium alloy include installations for atomic research plants, shipping industries, and numerous engineering companies. Steelway has also exported products for power stations, water treatment plants, and pumping stations, etc.

In 1983 Steelway expanded, and formed Steelway Fensecure, to become one of the country’s leading fencing manufacturers. Fensecure originated in Wednesbury in 1918 with the formation of tube fittings manufacturer John Knowles Limited, of Walsall Street, Wednesbury. It was taken over by Tipper Brothers in the 1960s, and produced the classic range of tubular fencing, using the company’s tube fittings.

In 1999 the company was taken-over by Tyco International Limited, and in 2000 became privately owned. In 2005 it became part of the Brigam group of companies, and two years later acquired Brickhouse Access Covers, based in West Bromwich, which subsequently became known as Steelway Brickhouse (Steelway Fensecure Ltd).

In 2008 the company acquired PP Mackindale, a specialist heritage castings business, and now supplies steel structures for restoration projects, such as the rebuild of the old GWR turntable on the West Somerset Railway at Minehead.

There are now three operating divisions: Steelway incorporating Rail and PP Mackindale; Steelway Fensecure; and Steelway Brickhouse. The manufacturing plants in Wolverhampton and West Bromwich employ over 175 people.

In July 2010 the company went back into the private ownership when it was purchased by Dan Houghton. The business continues to prosper where many others have failed, thanks to its high quality products, made to the highest standards, and to individual customer’s requirements.

Acknowledgement

I must thank Laura Eddowes, who is Sales Estimator at Steelway. She kindly supplied the photographs, and the information that made it possible for me to write this brief history of an important local manufacturer. The company has an interesting website at www.steelway.co.uk which includes details of the many fascinating and varied products that are produced today.

If anyone has any further information about the company, or memories of the company, please send me an email as I would love to hear from you.