Dear All,

The following information comes from a Bullivants' catalogue dated 1905.

The main name of the co. is Bullivant & Co.Ltd., Reg.Off. 72 Mark Lane,
London EC., with the main works being at Millwall.

The company's' manufactures covered MARINE: Flexible Steel Wire Hawsers,
Cables & Ropes, and Appliances for working them. HAULING & HOISTING: Wire
Ropes for Mines, Ropeways, Cable Tramways, Cranes, Sheerlegs, etc., etc..
Blocks, Crab Winches, etc., etc.. WIRE ROPEWAYS.

(This catalogue has the co. compliments slip pasted to inside front board -
and is ink stamped W.H.HOLMES, Ketley Bank, SALOP??? - any ideas!).

It is interesting to note that on the cover page for the section of ROPEWAYS,
the co. name of Bullivant & Co.Ltd has been overstamped with Bullivants'
Aerial Ropeways Ltd., so it is clear that a separate co. was formed for this
sole purpose just after or around 1905 - most likely due to an upsurge in the
use of this method of transport?

The title says, quote: Wire Ropeways, Constructed by Bullivant &
Co.Ltd........ From Designs by W.T.H.Carrington, M.Inst.C.E.
The 'introduction' is very plain, and I quote verbatim:
NOTICE
Wire Ropeways or Tramways were the invention of Charles Hodgson, and were
protected by Patent No. 2281, July 20th 1868.
These patents were acquired by the Wire Tramway Co.Ltd., of which Mr Charles
Hodgson and Mr W.T.H.Carrington were the Engineers.
The interest in these patents and the goodwill of the Wire Tramway Company
were subsequently bought by Messrs Bullivant & Co. and Mr W.T.H.Carrington.
All the systems at present put forward are covered in principle by Mr Charles
Hodgson's original patent.
It is desired to make it perfectly clear that at the present time there are
no valid patents, and Messrs Bullivant & Co. are prepared to contract for and
if necessary erect Ropeways on any known system.
Their unique experience in this class of work renders it absolutely certain
that a satisfactory result will be obtained from any Ropeway they may
undertake to construct.

The ROPEWAYS section commences by give costings per mile for different
systems.

There are in fact 6 different systems/methods of wire rope haulage, viz.,
1). ENDLESS-RUNNING ROPE
2). ENDLESS ROPE
3). FIXED ROPE
4). SINGLE-FIXED ROPE
5). TWO FIXED ROPES
6).ONE FIXED ROPE

(I will detail on list if asked/required).

There are p.graphs of:-
Algeria, 1.5 miles, minerals (4 pics.).
Warwickshire 1.75 miles, 200t p.d., ironstone (6 pics.).
Cement Works on the Thames, carrying coke (3 pics).
Bilbao, a spectacular p.graph of a 9 line system on huge pylons, capacity
2500 t p.d.
Ceylon, 3 miles, tea (4 pics.)
Japan, carrying mineral from top of a mountain at nearly 1 in 1. (7 pics).
Cape Town, up Table Mountain (5 pics.)
Hong Kong, for the carriage of workmen (5 pics.)
Cape Town, for unloading ships.
Pyrenees, span 700 yds, load 1/2 t, incline 1 in 6.
Pyrenees, span 1000 yds, loads 1/2 t, 1 in 6.
Alps, span 1100 yds, loads 8 cwts.
Alps, 1600 yds,

There are other p.graphs of these and other systems built, but mostly they
only state country only, and demonstrate stations and mechanisms and give no
ref. as to capacity etc.. There are many p.graphs of actual carrying gear.

Bullivant was one of the main manufacturers of steel rope/cable, and supplied
same world-wide, having patents in all main countries - a natural dev. from
making wire ropes etc. of course. They supplied Govts. as well as Ind..

Again, the date of this catalogue is 1905, so this info. can be accepted as
current for that period and for two years after this date.

I hope this information is of use, and will help to clear up one or two
important points.

Regards, Bernard.