Willans death the remaining shareholders decided to issue new shares to the public to raise capital to expand operations and meet demand for the company's engines and in particular for the large engines required to drive cotton and flax mills. The new shares were listed on the London Stock Exchange in July 1894. The works were severely damaged by flood in 1894. Willans & Robinson moved their operation to Rugby in 1896 but Ferry Works at Ditton remained in use until 1980 by AC Cars. Queensferry A new building in Pentre, Deeside, Flintshire CH5 2DA was built in 1899 for the manufacture of water tube boilers and special steels. Advertised for sale as early as 1907 the workshops area was 150,000 square feet and it had a 1200 feet frontage to the LNW main line. Its operation was closed in 1910.The building was described by Nikolaus Pevsner as "the most advanced British building of its date". Victoria Works, Rugby Soon after establishing their own fine new Victoria Works in 1896 at Newbold Road, Rugby. CV21 2NH, Willans & Robinson began the switch to steam turbines to match the efficiency of their competition's double-acting designs. After new designer H F Fullagar left the business C A Parsons and later Curtis designs were built under licence. English Electric's success with diesel-electric traction sprang from the pioneering work carried out at Willans & Robinson, Rugby, from 1904. In October 1908 the chairman reported to shareholders that the new metallic filament lamps had much reduced the demand for electricity and, while it would doubtless be followed by a great extension of demand, for the present there was a check on the sale of steam turbines. There was however some expansion in demand for Diesel engines and condensing plants. In March 1909 it was announced Willans & Robinson would be manufacturing water turbines, both Pelton and low-pressure wheels. Through World War I Salmson aero engines were manufactured under licence. In 1916 control of Willans & Robinson (86% later increased to 93% of the capital) was sold to Dick, Kerr & Co. A 1901 Willans engine generating set was retired in 1957 and placed on display here. In 2011 this was recognised with an Engineering Heritage Award. In 2017 it was transferred to the Internal Fire – Museum of Power in West Wales. Notable alumni Geoffrey de Havilland References External links Stationary steam engines Engineering companies