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Thornycroft was an English vehicle manufacturer which built coaches, , and from 1896 until 1977.
Thornycroft's first petrol vehicle was built in 1902, and the company completed the move into internal combustion engine power in 1907.
Thornycroft's Basingstoke factory supplied nearly 5,000 motor vehicles for the World War I effort. It also provided large numbers of engines of various powers to the Admiralty, War Office and other government departments at the beginning of the war and for the next two years. Thereafter the Basingstoke factory manufactured marine engines for the Coastal Motor Boats being built at the John I. Thornycroft & Company works in Woolston, Southampton. The 180HP 6-cylinder Thornycroft marine engine was also used in 20 petrol shunters made for war use by Manning Wardle & Co. Thornycroft also made the Thornycroft depth-charge thrower for anti-submarine warfare.Chairman's report (John E Thornycroft) to Annual General Meeting of John I. Thornycroft & Co. (Limited). The Times, Saturday 14 June 1919; pg. 20; Issue 42126
In 1924, the War Office, anticipating the immediate need for motorised transport in the event of another war, set up a subsidy scheme whereby purchasers of approved vehicles would receive a £120 subsidy per vehicle with the proviso that the War Office could buy the vehicles at a pre-arranged price when needed. The Thornycroft A1 chassis was chosen for this scheme.
From 1931, Thornycroft used descriptive names for its vehicle range. During World War II the company designed the Terrapin and other war-related vehicles.
In 1948, the company name was changed to Transport Equipment (Thornycroft) Ltd to prevent confusion with the shipbuilding Thornycroft company. The company was well known for providing fire engine chassis, with multi-axle drive for uses such as airports. A limited number of 4x4 chassis were also provided to Worcester-based fire engine manufacturer, Carmichael for sale to civilian brigades in the 1950s.
Thornycroft was taken over on 1 March 1961 by AEC parent Associated Commercial Vehicles (ACV), AEC Thornycroft no change for present Commercial Motor 10 February 1961 page 37AEC-Thornycroft Merger Announced in England Truck & Bus Transportation March 1961 page 5 with production limited to Antars, Big Bens and Nubians, although the Thornycroft-designed six-speed constant mesh gearbox was used in AEC and later medium weight Albion Motors and Leyland Motors trucks. £1m of New Plant for Thornycroft Works Commercial Motor 5 January 1962 page 42 ACV was taken over by Leyland in 1962. Leyland already had a specialist vehicle unit in Scammell. Vehicle production at Basingstoke ceased in 1969 with production transferred to Scammell at Watford. The factory continued to manufacture gearboxes. It was sold in 1972 to Eaton Corporation. Thornycroft to leave Basingstoke Commercial Motor 12 January 1973 page 28
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