Author: WHAEA Admin

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The WHAEA Newsletter

The WHAEA Newsletter is published in April and October each year.

The latest Newsletter No. 16 was published on the 31 October 2025 and features articles old and new as well as the regular updates on what is happening with WHAEA, New Members, etc. together with a few old WHA pictures. Sadly, there are also several deaths to report.https://www.whaea.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Magazines/WHAEA-Documents-2018-to-present/WH

View the latest Newsletter

The articles in the issue cover the following topics:

    • Steam Turbine Generator Request for History
    • The WHA Documents at Bedfordshire Archives
    • Longfords Mill, Gloucestershire
    • One Part of the Belliss & Morcom Story
    • The Story of Allen Park
    • Pershore & Allen Gears Memories
    • WHAEA New Members
    • WHA Heritage Update
    • The History of the WHAEA AGM
    • The Bedfordshire Local History Association (BLHA)
    • WHAEA AGM 2025 – Bletchley Park, Milton Keynes
    • Letters/emails

We hope you find this issue of interest and if you have any comments or feedback on the newsletter or suggestions or news for the next one, then please feel free to get in touch. Our thanks to everyone who contributed to the newsletter.

To receive all future newsletters and see all previous issues, simply become a member or guest member.

 

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Allen 4S12 Genset Model

The Allen 4S12 Marine Diesel Genset model was set in a ship’s engine room layout, in a glass display cabinet. 

The model was made in 1960/61 and first appeared at the Indian Industries Fair which was held in New Delhi November 1961. A scan from the Allen Magazine No 53, the black and white photos show the model in build.

Having been in storage for some years the model and case deteriorated. During 2023 the model was fully restored and repainted by WHAEA Heritage Officer Phil Mann. Complete with a new case, the model is now located in the offices of Allen Diesels in Bedford.

Further details and pictures of the restoration at Allen 4S12 Genset Model

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PHOTO GALLERY

The WHAEA Photo Gallery continues to grow. The collection now includes over 6400 images of W. H. Allen history.

The Photo Gallery has a full listing of all images that can be quickly searched to find pictures of interest.

The gallery can also be browsed via a simple structure that is divided into the following groupings:

PEOPLE – The Allen Family, Employees & Group Photos.

PLACES – Allen Installations such as Industrial, Marine, Oil & Gas, Pumping Stations, Power Station, Textile Mills, Railways & Heritage Museums.

PRODUCTS – Images of W. H. Allen Aero Engines, Steam Engines, Diesel Engines, Gear & Gearing, Steam Turbines, Gas Turbines, Electrical Equipment and WHA Mementos.

SOCIAL – Pictures of Social Events, Recreation Activities, Sports, The Bedford Allen Club and more.

TRAINING – A collection related to WHA Training including Apprentice Intakes,  Indentures, The Training Models, Test Pieces, Tools, Pedal Car Races and the Training Centres.

TRANSPORT – A few images of how W. H. Allen products were transported around the world.

SITES – Pictures of W. H. Allen sites such as Atlas Works, Biddenham Works, Crossley Works, Gwynnes Works, Kuala Lumpar, Queens Engineering Works Bedford and York Street Works London.

WHAEA – W. H. Allen Engineering Association images of AGMs, Visits & Reunions.

Just select “Join Us” to become a member and get access to the Photo Gallery. Note guest membership is available to everyone!

 

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Members Login

Some pages on the W H Allen Engineering Association website  are restricted to WHAEA members only.

If you have login details, please logon here.

Existing Users Log In

   
Forgot password? Click here to reset

If you don’t yet have a login, please become a member (cost is £10) by completing the membership form.

Once a member, register for an account here.

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About Us

The W H Allen Engineering Association (WHAEA) is dedicated to preserving the heritage of the engineering company started in Lambeth in 1880 by William Henry Allen. 

William Henry Allen (1844-1926)

The objectives are to perpetuate the heritage of W H Allen Sons & Co Ltd, its personnel, its products and its contribution to engineering Worldwide.  Membership is available to anyone who has been an employee or trainee of the company or one of its subsidiaries, or who has had a close involvement with the maintenance, operation or preservation of its products.

With the imminent closure of Queens Works in Bedford in the late 1990’s it was felt by many of the members of the Allen Pupils and Students Association that it should be more than just an Old Boys Club with one re-union meeting each year.

The Association was formed in 1999.

Much work was done thereafter to rescue and preserve as many of the records and remaining artefacts of the Company as were available while it was still possible to do so.

These pages are not intended as a definitive history of the Company but as a portal providing an insight into the Company, and the family that ran it, and the work being done to preserve its memory.

Allens was a family run company and members of the family were on the board from 1880 until 1977. Many of the employees felt, and still feel, that they were part of that family. This was due in no small part to the paternalistic regard the family had for their employees.
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Membership is available to ALL ex-employees of W.H. Allen & Sons Co. Ltd, APE, NEI and those with an interest in WH Allen/APE/NEI heritage. e.g. Belliss & Morcom or customer employees who underwent Allen customer training.

Guest Membership is now also available to everyone. If you would like to use the new Document Archive Search (searches for text within all .pdf files) simply become a guest member. No need to have had any link to W. H. Allen Sons & Co. Ltd, just fill out the membership form and have the same benefits as a full member.

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For a fuller history of the Company, we would refer you to the excellent book by Michael R Lane.

“The Story of Queen’s Engineering Works, Bedford”

Published in 1995 by Unicorn Press, London, ISBN 0 906290 09 0

 

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DOCUMENT ARCHIVE SEARCH

A new search capability has been made available for the Document Archive. This will search within all 1000 .pdf files and 4000 image files to quickly identify people, places or products within the archives.

This search capability is available to WHAEA or Guest members. Why not become a member and find the documents and/or pictures that feature people, places or products asocciated with from W H Allen, Sons & Co Ltd.

Just select “Join Us” to become a member. Note guest membership is available to everyone!

 

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BEDFORD WHA REUNION 2024

The WHAEA committee are pleased to announce that a further W H Allen reunion has been arranged for Friday 9 August 2024 at 7:30pm.

This will again be held at the Bedford Athletic Rugby Club function room at Wentworth Drive, Bedford, MK41 8QA.

The reunion follows the successful event held in 2022. All ex-employees and their partners are welcome. Entrance is free! Why not come along for a chat and a drink and meet up with past friends and colleagues?

If you would like to attend, please register by emailing the names of those attending to whaeagroup.membership@gmail.com.

 

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WHAEA Re-union & AGM 2023

We are pleased to confirm the details for the 2023 W H Allen re-union and AGM for Saturday 7th October 2023 at the Silverstone Interactive Museum:

The museum is located at the Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone, Towcester, Northamptonshire, NN12 8TN.

www.silverstonemuseum.co.uk/

Attendance this year is open to all WHAEA members, their partners, friends and any ex-WHA employees or those interested in the association.

To book your place, please email whaeagroup@gmail.com

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WHAEA Re-union & AGM 2025

We are pleased to confirm the details for the 2025 W H Allen re-union and AGM for Saturday 11th October 2025 at the Bletchley Park, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK3 6EB. Attendance this year is open to all WHAEA members, their partners, friends and any ex-WHA employees or those interested in the association.

To book your place, please email whaeagroup@gmail.com

 

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MR W H ALLEN – HIS LIFE & WORK

A new 20 page A5 sized illustrated publication by the W. H. Allen Engineering Association (WHAEA) is now available to Members.

This booklet has been issued as a tribute to William Henry Allen (1844-1926).
 
While providing a brief history of Queens Engineering Works and the growth of the works within Bedford, the main focus here is on the life of William Henry Allen, his funeral, memorial service and a memorial plaque unveiled in his honour.
 
Using text from local press reports of the time together with pictures and articles from the company’s own Queens Engineering Works magazine, it tells the story of Mr. Allen’s many personal and engineering achievements