Vickers Armstrong Onions reduction gearbox

[Kilmaine]

Does anyone recognise this reduction gearbox? The plate refers to Vickers Armstrong Onions, the box is very substantially built with 2:1 and 1:1 ratios controlled by an air shifter. Further clues as to its age: the air shifter piping was plastic. It also has a speedo drive. I am planning to use it on a vintage road car project but concerned that it might be too noisy. 
As an alternative I would be interested in any gearbox that could be used to provide a 1:2 step up and could cope with 250 BHP and 600 ft lbs torque, maybe an epicyclic unit? Thanks 

[Sean N]

What is the project, and when you say 'cope with 250 bhp / 600 lb ft torque', in what sort of use? That might significantly affect what components are suitable.

[radiomike7]

That's a heavy duty box from a motorised scraper and with straight cut gears would make quite a din.  What are you trying to achieve?

[Kilmaine]

Thanks for the swift identification and interest in my project. The only reference to Vickers  Armstrong Onions I could find did relate to scrapers but the presence of a speedo drive and vacuum control persuaded me that this was unlikely!

The project is a 1925 Rolls Royce Phantom 1 fitted with a 13.5 litre Hall Scott aero engine of the same period. The difficulty is how to gear it up by around 1:2 as the Hall Scott only revs to 1800 rpm. 
The intention is to use it as a road touring car not in competition so refinement and lack of gear noise are of importance.
As the drive arrangement is by torque tube the neatest arrangement for a step up box is to replace the forward section of the torque tube ( it is split 1/3-2/3) with a suitable gearbox arrangement. 
Any thoughts appreciated!

[john1950]

V.A.Onions seems to have been a specialist division customising machines. Turning that box around to use it as a speed multiplier you would need to look at the oil feed arrangements for the bearings. Volvo used a splitter unit on the front of their 10 and 16 speed truck gearboxes that would take the power.I think an oil cooler will need to be installed also. Ford Sussex 6x4 trucks had a similar reduction box.