The Sentinel Drivers Club

History of The Sentinel 1874-1923

1874
Stephen Alley and John MacLellan formed a partnership called Alley & MacLellan Ltd in Glasgow making valves, ships steering gear, small steam engines, compressors and even pre-fabricated ships.

1898
Stephen Alley died and his son Stephen Evans Alley took over the partnership as Managing Director

1903

Alley and MacLellan bought the rights of the Simspson-Bibby steam wagon and the assistance of Daniel Simpson its designer.

1898
Stephen Alley died and his son Stephen Evans Alley took over the partnership as Managing Director

1903

Alley and MacLellan bought the rights of the Simspson-Bibby steam wagon and the assistance of Daniel Simpson its designer.

1905
The first Alley and MacLellan ‘Sentinel’ steam waggon was constructed and was known as the Model 6 Ton Flat or Model 5 Ton Tipper. These had a two-cylinder double-acting engine, a vertical boiler and steel straked or wooden fellow wheels.

1911
An overtype ‘Sentinel’ waggon was produced, of which only seventeen were built.

1907-9
Eleven 3 Ton waggons were built.

1911
A & M offer solid rubber tyres as an optional extra on their ‘Sentinel’ steam waggons




1914 Oct – 1915 July
A & M prefabricate a modular factory in Glasgow and erect it on a new site at Shrewsbury in just 9 months.

1914

Solid rubber tyres become standard on all waggons and trailers.

1915 Sept
Sentinel steam waggon (No.1010) was the last to be built in Glasgow.

1915 July
The first Sentinel (No. 1102) was built on the Shrewsbury premises

1915
The death of John MacLellan. Also death of Daniel Simpson in a road accident.

1918
Stephen Alley sold all his shares in Alley and MacLellan, and bought the complete manufacturing unit at Shrewsbury from A & M. He formed a new company ‘The Sentinel Waggon Works Ltd.’ and became its Chairman & Managing Director.

1922 July
Sentinel patented their new Trailer design. Sentinels had built trailers for use with their waggons since 1905.

1923
The new patented Sentinel-Cammell rail coach was introduced, using waggon engine and boiler and chain driven bogie unit, widening the product range.

1923 December
Last Standard waggon built (No 4426). Some 3746 Standard waggons built since 1905.


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