Waggonfabrik Talbot
Encyclopedia
Waggonfabrik Talbot was a rolling stock manufacturer founded in Aachen
, Germany in 1838. The company was an early pioneer of self discharging freight wagons, and in the latter part of the twentieth century a major supplier to the Dutch State Railways (Nederlandse Spoorwegen).
In the 1990s the company developed the Talent
passenger train, and was acquired by Bombardier Inc.. As of 2011 company is part of Bombardier GmbH., and manufacturers passenger rolling stock. Since takeover it is also referred to as Bombardier Talbot.
), and was one of the earliest wagon factories in Germany.
Belgian and English industrial knowledge played a role in the early wagonworks, in particular English wagon technology, and Belgian engineers acting as technology transfer
ists; Pauwels, a Belgian stagecoach and wagon maker had the experience to oversea a wagon making business, having already delivered wagons from his Brussels wagonworks to the Leipzig-Dresdner Eisenbahn-Compagnie (Leipzig-Dresden Railway Company), whilst Talbot had the necessary Prussian citizenship to be eligible for the Rhenish Railway contract. New production facilities were opened at in the Nordbahnhof area in 1845.
After the initial contract the company sought orders; but was hampered by a dependence on external suppliers, and by disruption due to the revolutions of 1848 in the German states
, as well as the distance to the markets, because of transportation difficulties a factory was built in Heidelberg
in 1842.
Several early German railways were supplied with wagons from Aachen, including the Leipzig-Dresdner Eisenbahn-Compagnie (Leipzig–Dresden Railway Company
), the München-Augsburger Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft (Munich-Augsburg Railway Company
), Köln-Mindener Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft (Cologne-Minden Railway Company
), Düsseldorf-Elberfelder Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft (Düsseldorf-Elberfeld Railway Company
), Main-Neckar-Bahn (Main-Neckar Railway
), Bergisch-Märkische Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft (Bergisch-Märkische Railway Company) and Großherzoglich Badische Staatseisenbahnen (Grand Duchy of Baden State Railway
); most of the early lines in Southern Germany got wagons from the plant.
After Hugo Talbot's death in 1850 his sons with Peter Herbrand ran the company; after 1855 named as Talbot & Herbrand. A new factory was built on Jülicher Straße in 1860.
In 1891 George Talbot developed a new type of wagon - the 'self discharging wagon', which became a major source of sales. A modern plant along North American lines was added in 'Jülicher Straße in the 1890s, with modern equipment including air hammer
s, rivetting machines, and electric power for machines. By 1900 the plant employed up to 400 workers.
The factory site expanded in the early 1900s, by 1929 the factory employed 1700, and had a full order book, including a large order for express coaches for the Paris-Versailles line. After the interruption of the 1930s Great Depression
a new factory hall was completed, the Tannhäuserhalle. During the Second World War the factory was heavily damaged being hit by over 3000 incendiary bombs. The company recovered during the 1950s, and by 1957 accounted for half of German exports of rolling stock.
After 1968 the company became the major supplier of rolling stock to the Dutch Railways, Nederlandse Spoorwegen
(NS).
In 1994 the Talent
multiple unit was developed, and in 1995 the factory was acquired by Bombardier. The Talent soon entered service in the rail system of Germany, Austria and Norway.
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
, Germany in 1838. The company was an early pioneer of self discharging freight wagons, and in the latter part of the twentieth century a major supplier to the Dutch State Railways (Nederlandse Spoorwegen).
In the 1990s the company developed the Talent
Talent (train)
The Talent is a multiple unit railcar manufactured by Bombardier that was developed by Waggonfabrik Talbot in Aachen shortly before the company was acquired by Bombardier in 1995...
passenger train, and was acquired by Bombardier Inc.. As of 2011 company is part of Bombardier GmbH., and manufacturers passenger rolling stock. Since takeover it is also referred to as Bombardier Talbot.
History
In 1838 Pierre Pauwels and Hugo Talbot founded the Eisenbahn-Waggon-Fabrik Pauwels & Talbot Aachen (Pauwels & Talbot railway wagon factory) near the Adalbert gate (Adalbertsot) on Adalbertsteinweg. The company was founded to supply wagons to the to Rheinische Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft (Rhenish Railway CompanyRhenish Railway Company
The Rhenish Railway Company was along with the Cologne-Minden Railway Company and the Bergisch-Märkische Railway Company one of the railway companies that in the mid-19th century built the first railways in the Ruhr and large parts of today's North Rhine-Westphalia.-Foundation :The...
), and was one of the earliest wagon factories in Germany.
Belgian and English industrial knowledge played a role in the early wagonworks, in particular English wagon technology, and Belgian engineers acting as technology transfer
Technology transfer
Technology Transfer, also called Transfer of Technology and Technology Commercialisation, is the process of skill transferring, knowledge, technologies, methods of manufacturing, samples of manufacturing and facilities among governments or universities and other institutions to ensure that...
ists; Pauwels, a Belgian stagecoach and wagon maker had the experience to oversea a wagon making business, having already delivered wagons from his Brussels wagonworks to the Leipzig-Dresdner Eisenbahn-Compagnie (Leipzig-Dresden Railway Company), whilst Talbot had the necessary Prussian citizenship to be eligible for the Rhenish Railway contract. New production facilities were opened at in the Nordbahnhof area in 1845.
After the initial contract the company sought orders; but was hampered by a dependence on external suppliers, and by disruption due to the revolutions of 1848 in the German states
Revolutions of 1848 in the German states
The Revolutions of 1848 in the German states, also called the March Revolution – part of the Revolutions of 1848 that broke out in many countries of Europe – were a series of loosely coordinated protests and rebellions in the states of the German Confederation, including the Austrian Empire...
, as well as the distance to the markets, because of transportation difficulties a factory was built in Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
in 1842.
Several early German railways were supplied with wagons from Aachen, including the Leipzig-Dresdner Eisenbahn-Compagnie (Leipzig–Dresden Railway Company
Leipzig–Dresden Railway Company
The Leipzig-Dresden Railway Company or LDE was a private railway company in the Kingdom of Saxony, now a part of Germany. Amongst other things, it operated the route between Leipzig and Dresden, opened in 1839, and which was the first long-distance railway line in Germany...
), the München-Augsburger Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft (Munich-Augsburg Railway Company
Munich-Augsburg Railway Company
The Munich-Augsburg Railway Company , the second private railway company in Bavaria, built the Munich–Augsburg line between 1838 and 1840...
), Köln-Mindener Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft (Cologne-Minden Railway Company
Cologne-Minden Railway Company
The Cologne-Minden Railway Company was along with the Bergisch-Märkische Railway Company and the Rhenish Railway Company one of the railway companies that in the mid-19th century built the first railways in the Ruhr and large parts of today's North Rhine-Westphalia.-Founding :The founding of the...
), Düsseldorf-Elberfelder Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft (Düsseldorf-Elberfeld Railway Company
Düsseldorf-Elberfeld Railway Company
The Düsseldorf-Elberfeld Railway Company was founded in October 1835 and officially recognised by a Prussian government statute on 23 September 1837. This gave the company a concession for the construction and operation of the 26 kilometre long Düsseldorf–Elberfeld line via Erkrath, Hochdahl and...
), Main-Neckar-Bahn (Main-Neckar Railway
Main-Neckar Railway
The Main-Neckar Railway is a main line railway west of the Odenwald in the Upper Rhine Plain of Germany that connects Frankfurt am Main to Heidelberg via Darmstadt, Bensheim and Weinheim...
), Bergisch-Märkische Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft (Bergisch-Märkische Railway Company) and Großherzoglich Badische Staatseisenbahnen (Grand Duchy of Baden State Railway
Grand Duchy of Baden State Railway
The Grand Duchy of Baden was an independent state in what is now southwestern Germany until the creation of the German Empire in 1871. It had its own state-owned railway company, the Grand Duchy of Baden State Railways , which was founded in 1840...
); most of the early lines in Southern Germany got wagons from the plant.
After Hugo Talbot's death in 1850 his sons with Peter Herbrand ran the company; after 1855 named as Talbot & Herbrand. A new factory was built on Jülicher Straße in 1860.
In 1891 George Talbot developed a new type of wagon - the 'self discharging wagon', which became a major source of sales. A modern plant along North American lines was added in 'Jülicher Straße in the 1890s, with modern equipment including air hammer
Air hammer
An air hammer, also known as an air chisel, is a pneumatic hand tool used to carve in stone, and to break or cut metal objects apart. It is designed to accept different tools depending on the required function.-Tools:...
s, rivetting machines, and electric power for machines. By 1900 the plant employed up to 400 workers.
The factory site expanded in the early 1900s, by 1929 the factory employed 1700, and had a full order book, including a large order for express coaches for the Paris-Versailles line. After the interruption of the 1930s Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
a new factory hall was completed, the Tannhäuserhalle. During the Second World War the factory was heavily damaged being hit by over 3000 incendiary bombs. The company recovered during the 1950s, and by 1957 accounted for half of German exports of rolling stock.
After 1968 the company became the major supplier of rolling stock to the Dutch Railways, Nederlandse Spoorwegen
Nederlandse Spoorwegen
Nederlandse Spoorwegen , or NS, is the principal passenger railway operator in the Netherlands.Its trains operate over the tracks of the Dutch national railinfrastructure, operated by ProRail, which was split off from NS in 2003...
(NS).
Talent (train)
The Talent is a multiple unit railcar manufactured by Bombardier that was developed by Waggonfabrik Talbot in Aachen shortly before the company was acquired by Bombardier in 1995...
multiple unit was developed, and in 1995 the factory was acquired by Bombardier. The Talent soon entered service in the rail system of Germany, Austria and Norway.