Ashton Valve company

[Ashton]

The Ashton Valve company was founded in 1871 by Henry G. Ashton after he invented a "lock up pop safety valve". The pop valve was a tremendous improvement over what was available at the time and proved to be an immediate success, helping to cut back on the huge amount of boiler explosions that were taking place at the time. I've been researching the company for the past 3 years and I have a good collection of historical stories and advertisements about the company and it's products. I hope you enjoy this bit of history and please contact me if you have any Ashton Valve stories to share.

 

file:///D:/Owner/Downloads/ASHTON%20VALVE%20PRESENTATIONS/Ashton%20Valve%20Railroad%20History.pdf

 

 

[Ashton]

Lets try the history again.

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=338041&d=1561734973

 

[Ashton]

One more time! History shouldn't be so difficult, should it?

http://www.railroad.net/download/file.php?id=20001

 

 

[Overmod]

Note that over on RyPN he's linked to a LARGE number of interesting historical files, catalogs, and other stuff in the process of researching the Ashton company itself...

[Ashton]

Thanks for that Overmod. I had the same idea in mind for here. I don't know how much overlap there is between all the different RR forums. I assumed different people posted on different forums, but I really don't know. People seem to be interested in the Ashton Valve story even though it's different than the usual subject matter found on Train forums.

I hope people find it interesting. 

[Miningman]

 

Ashton Ad 

https://ia802704.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/14/items/bub_gb_jCJMAAAAMAAJ/bub_gb_jCJMAAAAMAAJ_jp2.zip&file=bub_gb_jCJMAAAAMAAJ_jp2/bub_gb_jCJMAAAAMAAJ_0653.jp2&scale=2&rotate=0

 

https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_jCJMAAAAMAAJ/page/n653

 

 

Ashton Technical Data 

 

 

 

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/imgsrv/image?id=mdp.39015013053643;seq=116;size=300;rotation=0

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/imgsrv/image?id=mdp.39015013053643;seq=117;size=300;rotation=0

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/imgsrv/image?id=mdp.39015013053643;seq=118;size=300;rotation=0

 

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013053643&view=1up&seq=116

 

 

 

 

[Ashton]

Niely done miningman! Thank you. 

I see you use archive.org as well as hathitrust.org. Do you have a favorite between the two?

 

Here's some information about the pop safety valve that put the company on the map. It's dated 1872. I have one dated circa 1874,

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/showthread.php?t=187142

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/showthread.php?t=187142

 

 

https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/2a/8b/81/b5be4dcdbd30eb/US123546.pdf

 

 

 

[Ashton]

The company's first "home" was at 138 Pearls Street, Boston. In less than a year they were burned out by the Great Boston fire of 1872. The next few years they were at various locations in Boston. After another fire in 1879 they settled in at 271 Franklin Street, Boston where they remained for 27 years. 1907 saw the company outgrowing Franklin Street and building a much larger facility at 161 First Street, East Cambridge, where they were until 1948 when they moves to Wrentham ,Ma with the Crosby Valve Company. That was the final home of Ashton Valve.

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=347001&d=1571532981

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=347002&d=1571532981

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=347003&d=1571532966

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=347004&d=1571532966

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ashton]

In 1892, the company purchased the Boston Steam Gauge Company and entered the gauge business. Today, the Ashton gauges are remembered more than the safety valves. They are often very expensive on ebay.

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=342529&d=1567083532

 

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=342530&d=1567083532

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=342531&d=1567083532

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=342532&d=1567083532

[Ashton]

The Ashton Valve company and WWII

Many factories were purchased by the War Department during WWII and used to manufactures materials for the war effort. The Ashton Valve company was one of those. The continued to make gauges and safety valves, but now exclusively for Naval ships.

The Defense Plant Corporation was the branch of the government assigned to this task. Here's a link to more information about them and a couple of letters that show the Ashton Valve's involvement.

http://what-when-how.com/the-american-economy/defense-plant-corporation-dpc/

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=339727&d=1563896265

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=339728&d=1563896265

 

 

[Ashton]

A few key people in the Ashton Valve story.
Henry Ashton...founder
Albert Ashton....his son
Columbus Dill....salesman and complete character!
Fred Casey ......long time employee
J.R. Motherwell..another long term manager
Harry Ashton....also Henry's son

 

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=341705&d=1566164055

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=341706&d=1566164055

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=341707&d=1566164055

 

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=341708&d=1566164055

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=341709&d=1566164100

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=341710&d=1566164100

 

[Ashton]

A few patents the company had.

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=347256&d=1571754453

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=347254&d=1571754453

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=347253&d=1571754453

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=347248&d=1571754324

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=347249&d=1571754324

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=342971&d=1567538881

 

[Ashton]

A couple of years ago someone gave me a stock certificate from 1877.

 

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=346733&d=1571270364

 

[Ashton]

Some of the items in my collection.

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=336399&d=1559704868

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=336398&d=1559704868

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=336400&d=1559704868

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=338860&d=1562769681

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=338960&d=1562973762

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=341615&d=1566053709

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=343495&d=1567956452

 

[Miningman]

From Mike:

Ashton Valve's New York office was run by Charles H. Buckelew, who probably commuted on the Jersey Central.

https://thumbs.worthpoint.com/zoom/images1/1/1115/22/orig-neg-jersey-central-rr-crr-nj_1_c4cbb250417c87b990dc0172c2802a6e.jpg  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Street_Ferry_Terminal

 

https://ia800904.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/29/items/newyork1894illus00unse/newyork1894illus00unse_jp2.zip&file=newyork1894illus00unse_jp2/newyork1894illus00unse_0150.jp2&scale=2&rotate=0

 

https://archive.org/details/newyork1894illus00unse/page/164

"A Prominent Marine Engineer"

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/imgsrv/image?id=chi.103308610;seq=279;size=200;rotation=0

 

 

 

Buckelew's Ferry

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/orig-neg-jersey-central-rr-crr-nj-1792281585

[Ashton]

Mike, Once again I'm in your debt. I didn't have the nice Buckelew bio you posted. Great information and I thank you. 

[Ashton]

Mark,

Here's the closest thing I have to a picture of Mr Buckelew. The American Marine Engineer journal, 1910. That journal used to have a page of caricatures regularly.

 

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=347393&d=1571874643

 

[Ashton]

Many of the executive and sales people belonged to various industry groups.

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=347481&d=1571971331

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=347482&d=1571971331

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=347483&d=1571971331

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=347484&d=1571971331

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=347486&d=1571971394

 

[Ashton]

Unlike today's throw-a-way products, items were built to last years ago. You could replace almost everything on an old safety valve or gauge. I have an Ashton Valve that's over 100 years old and still works.

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=341370&d=1565732759

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=341371&d=1565732759

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=341372&d=1565732759

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=341373&d=1565732759

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=341374&d=1565732786

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=341375&d=1565732786

 

 

[Ashton]

They also offered testing kits for gauges and boilers. Here are a few.

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=347934&d=1572478170

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=347935&d=1572478170

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=347936&d=1572478170

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=347920&d=1572471112

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=347919&d=1572471112

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=347917&d=1572471112

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=335908&d=1559225709

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=335908&d=1559225709

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=336398&d=1559704868

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=345210&d=1569619810

 

[Ashton]

The company also offered engine room clocks. They made the clock bodies and the clock works were made by Chelsea, Howard, or Seth Thomas.

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=344538&d=1569034778

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=344539&d=1569034778

 

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348164&d=1572747624

 

[Ashton]

In the 1896 catalog there are a few items that were not produced by Ashton Valve but are related to the industry. Here are pages of a few of them

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348396&d=1572925810

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348397&d=1572925810

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348398&d=1572925810

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348399&d=1572925810

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348399&d=1572925810

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348401&d=1572925843

http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/index.php?attachments/img_20191030_130535-jpg.91082/

 

 

 

[Ashton]

In the 1896 catalog there are a few items that were not produced by Ashton Valve but are related to the industry. Here are pages of a few of them.

https://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?attachments/img_20191030_130257-jpg.208477/

https://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?attachments/img_20191030_130309-jpg.208478/

https://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?attachments/img_20191030_130333-jpg.208479/

https://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?attachments/img_20191030_130353-jpg.208480/

https://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?attachments/img_20191030_130459-jpg.208481/

https://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?attachments/img_20191030_130505-jpg.208482/

https://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?attachments/img_20191030_130535-jpg.208483/

 

 

 

 

 

[Ashton]

Ashton pop safety valve circular C2

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348489&d=1573096379

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348490&d=1573096379

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348500&d=1573096513

 

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348491&d=1573096379

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348492&d=1573096379

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348493&d=1573096399

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348494&d=1573096399

 

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348495&d=1573096491

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348496&d=1573096491

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348497&d=1573096491

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348498&d=1573096491

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348499&d=1573096513

[Ashton]

Ashton safety valve circular #56A

 

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348470&d=1573056010

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348471&d=1573056010

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348472&d=1573056010

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348473&d=1573056010

[Ashton]

In the 1896 catalog there are a few items that were not produced by Ashton Valve but are related to the industry. Here are pages of a few of them.

 

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348396&d=1572925810

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348397&d=1572925810

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348398&d=1572925810

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348399&d=1572925810

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348400&d=1572925824

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348401&d=1572925843

 

[Ashton]

Ashton safety valve circular #56A

 

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348470&d=1573056010

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348471&d=1573056010

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348472&d=1573056010

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/showthread.php?t=187142&page=3

 

[Ashton]

Train Shed Encyclopedia #40. A reprint from 1927.

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348501&d=1573097525

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348502&d=1573097525

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348503&d=1573097525

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348504&d=1573097525

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=348505&d=1573097535

[BigJim]

Did Ashton also make boiler check valves? In particular a top mount double check valve.

[Ashton]

I went through a 1920's catalog of their products and I don't see any type of check valve at all. Only lots of safety valves and a few water relief valves.