Buildings added to the Marconi New Street Works 1912-2007

The layout at the time of opening in 1912.

The New Street wireless factory in 1912.

This was the first factory to be built specifically for the manufacture of wireless components. The factory was to be constructed on the 10 acres that previously held the Chelmsford Cricket Ground and in addition to the manufacturing area; houses were to be built for the workers. The factory was to be entirely self sufficient. Located in Chelmsford opposite the coal yard, a rail track would run into the factory grounds to supply coke to the power house. The railway would be used to collect the finished wireless equipment from a platform alongside the packing area. Water for the factory and cooling the generators would be from a 400 ft bore hole feeding a water tower.

Marconi commissioned the architects W Dunn and R Watson in London to draw up plans for its New Street factory, (See extracts on this page). No expense was spared in its design; arches were prominent, both internally on office doors and on the south side of the building facing the courtyard. The main building running alongside the New Street, A clock tower stood above the main entrance of the main building which housed the company offices, drawing office, and showrooms. The workers entrance was to the left while a separate building to the left of that contained the dining area and clubroom. Behind the office block was the main test area, above which six cupolas provided light. Behind this was the factory where overhead line shafts were driven by DC generators, supplied in turn by state of the art turbines in the power house. In the courtyard a 200 foot wireless mast was erected to support an antenna.

The New Street wireless factory in 1921.

(Picture left of riggers at the base of one of the towers)

In 1919 at the end of the 1914/18 war, another landmark appeared over Chelmsford at the Marconi works with the erection of two 450 foot wireless masts. The masts and antenna can be seen in the plan of the works for 1921 below. Marconi always made use of army huts to house his various developments. These can be seen around the factory building, in the courtyard and to house the transmitter at the base of the antenna feed. Sprinklers had been added to the pond to prevent stagnation.

The New Street wireless factory in 1927.

By 1927 the development of the Marconi short-wave "Beam" system was underway with plans to supply the "Imperial Chain". (See my pages on "transmission") Note the four areas dedicated to development of this system. More factory space is required so the factory floor is extended, note the extension on the right in the drawing below. The design of this extension matches the original 1912 plans for the factory. A second borehole is sunk at the western end to supply a cooling resevoir for the high power transmitters. We can also see the embryos of the Marconi Research and Valve test, to later break away from the New Street location to other facories around the Chelmsford area.

The New Street wireless factory in 1936.

By now the two 450 foot masts have been removed. The test area is becoming too small and the factory is once more extended. This time little care is taken to the aesthetics. The new sections are plain square brick sections which cover up the arches facing the courtyard.

The New Street wireless factory in 1938.

In 1937 some of the adjoining land is purchased and we see the construction of Marconi House at New Street to house the main company offices. The MD has an office on the fourth floor with en-suite shower and toilet.

The New Street wireless factory in 1941.

Here we see the construction of Building 46. The development and manufacture of the high power broadcast transmitters will be carried out.

The New Street wireless factory in 1949.

The girls pavillion is removed and we see the construction of building 720. With the removal of the pavillion, I must assume that the Marconi Club in Victoria Road may have been formed in the same period. Building 720 was unique at the time in having the largest unsupported roof span in the country.

The New Street wireless factory in 1980.

The drawing below shows the factory layout in 1980. At the peak of the companys expansion, it probably represents the layout as most veterans will remember. Building 46 has been extended as shown, with a second floor above. The IDO hut is located near to the carpenters shop. Printed Circuit Boards are now commonplace and a dedicated PCB section lies between the first and second streets.

The New Street wireless factory in 2000.

In 1997 the decision is made to remove the numerous buildings, and construct a new building in their stead, to be named Eastwood House. Additional land is purchased to be able to extend the company car park, see the drawing below. A model of the proposed changes was placed in the foyer of Marconi House. On its completion however, Marconi Radar moved from the Comptons works into Eastwood House. Greater confusion occuring in December 1998 (See my Company Timeline) when Marconi Radar is transferred to British Aerospace and Alenia Marconi Systems is founded. Eastwood House is now the property of British Aerospace, later to become BAE Systems.

The New Street wireless factory in 2007.

By 2007, Marconis has been taken over by Ericsson and goes under the name of Telent. The New Street works holds what used to be the Military Communications Division, now Selex, a branch of the Italian firm Finmeccannica. With the exception of Eastwood House that belongs to BAE Systems, the remainder of the original Marconi site has been sold to developers. The original building in New Street has a preservation order, this will be preserved, together with the water tower and power generator buildings. The rest is up for development, and the place where Dame Nellie Melba and Lauritz Melchior made their historic broadcasts will follow in the footsteps of the Marconi Building in the Strand, that housed 2LO, and the Writtle site, where 2MT (Two Emma Toc) was located.