Avonside

Avonside was a railway locomotive manufacturer located in Bristol, England. Founded in 1837 as Thomas Edington and Sons, it later became Edington and Sons and then, in 1864, the Avonside Engine Company. The company built locomotives for a wide range of gauges and purposes, including industrial, mainline, and export markets. Avonside was known for its high-quality workmanship and innovative designs.

The company operated from a site in St. Philips Marsh, Bristol. Over its history, Avonside built over 1,700 locomotives. Notable customers included the Great Western Railway, numerous industrial users in the Bristol area, and railways in countries around the world, including South America, Australia, and India.

In 1905, Avonside joined with two other Bristol-based locomotive builders, Peckett and Sons and Fox, Walker and Company, to form Bristol Engine Company. However, Avonside retained its identity and continued to build locomotives under its own name.

Following World War I, the demand for locomotives declined, and Avonside struggled financially. In 1934, the company closed down. The remaining assets were acquired by Peckett and Sons. Although the Avonside works are now gone, examples of their locomotives survive in preservation around the world, serving as a testament to their engineering legacy.