Crompton made electrical systems and standards work at scale

Crompton's relevance reached far beyond cross-country traction. His work included the National Grid and standards for voltage, frequency, current, and circuit-diagram symbols. He helped establish the Institution of Electrical Engineers and drafted the constitution of the International Electrotechnical Commission. Crompton also worked on roads and heavy vehicles, helped found the Royal Automobile Club, and was deeply involved in electric lighting. One company he founded became an early large-scale manufacturer of electrical equipment. His Faraday Medal recognized a career spent turning other people's discoveries into systems that worked at practical scale. That applied systems ability suited a project that had to integrate tracks, armour, power, and weapons into one machine.