NEWSLETTER OF THE BRITISH MOTORCYCLE CHARITABLE TRUST
Number 51
May 2022
P A G E
A
2
FROM THE CHAIR
B M C T
N E W S
warm welcome to all our members. At long last we seem to be returning to some semblance of normality, and it’s really good to see that visitor numbers to our affiliated museums are rising quickly as we are able to get out and about with more freedom. Some places like the Internal Fire Museum in West Wales are finally re-opening after a difficult two years, and it’s also pleasing to report a massive increase in support for the BMCT, which now has over 2,100 members! Now the roads are dry I’m happy to report that we’ve been putting some miles on the Norton Rotary we acquired last year, and it’s certainly living up to expectations. We’ll be taking the bike down to Sammy Miller’s for his Norton Owners Club Day on Wednesday May 18th, and we hope that some of the many BMCT members in that neck of the woods will be able to come along and have a chat and a close look at the bike. We’re also due to parade it at the Bromyard Speed Festival on 29th May, so let’s start praying for some decent weather! Thank you all for your support, and stay safe. Paul.
TWO WORLD WAR I BIKES JOIN BMCT COLLECTION
T
he latest additions to the BMCT Collection are these two fine examples of First World War dispatch riders’ motorcycles. On the left is a 1916 550 cc Triumph Model H, alongside a 1916 350 cc Douglas WD Model. We have acquired them from Chris Roberts in Gloucestershire, a Great War Society member and military vehicle enthusiast who previously owned and restored the 1917 Matchless/ Vickers machine gun outfit we currently have on display at the Tank Museum at Bovington. The Model H was a popular machine among dispatch riders and due to its reliability in the field it became known as the “Trusty” Triumph. It had advanced features for the time, including a three-speed Sturmey - Archer gearbox with a clutch and kickstart, in contrast to the clutchless and kickstart-less two-speed Douglas. The one weak point was the front fork springing which resulted in peculiar handling, so the DRs used to wrap a belt round them to give some degree of damping,
clearly visible in the photo. Some 30,000 of these machines were sold to the British Army between 1914 and 1918. In contrast to the Triumph, the Douglas WD (based on the Bristol firm’s civilian 2¾ hp model) was more basic with its two-speed transmission, but nevertheless it was a pleasant bike to ride with its smooth and willing little fore-and-aft flat twin-engine. Douglas supplied more than 14,000 of the WD model to the Army, second only in numbers to the Triumph Model H. Chris Roberts has restored both machines to their present superb condition, using archive material and period photographs to return them to the configuration they were in back in 1916. These two rare and significant World War I machines will be on display in the BMCT area of the Sammy Miller Museum from the middle of May onwards.
Front cover: The BMCT’s superb 1955 Wooler Flat Four is usually on show at the Sammy Miller Museum, but on Sunday 31st July 2022 this and other examples of the Wooler marque will be special guests, along with John Wooler Jr., at the Ardingly Classic Motorcycle Show near Gatwick, RH17 6TL. Info: https://www.elkpromotions.co.uk/
N U M B E R
5 1
P A G E
3
T R E VOR F. W E L L I N GS 1 9 2 9 - 2 0 2 2
TFW and the BMCT’s Triumph Bandit 350 Twin
W
e are sad to advise you of the passing of our Life President, Trevor Frederick Wellings (TFW), who died on 16th January 2022 at the age of 92 following a short illness. He was the driving force in the creation of the BMCT and gave dedicated service to the Trust for many years, culminating in his appointment as Life President in 2017 following his retirement from the board of Trustees. Trevor engaged in a wide range of interests throughout his life, always giving the best of his professional experience and support. After leaving school he qualified as a Registered Accountant and subsequently established and successfully built up his own accountancy practice. The practice flourished eventually taking on two partners, a staff of twenty and over a thousand clients. This inevitably led to some very interesting opportunities, one in particular leading him to hand over the practice in order to help build what eventually became the largest plant and crane hire company in Europe, which subsequently floated on the stock market. This was the company founded by one of the country’s leading motorcycle collectors, William “Roy” Richards, whose brainchild was the building of the National Motorcycle Museum at Bickenhill, Solihull, to house his personal collection of some 700 motorbikes, most of them having been fully restored. The Museum was established as one of the early Registered Charities in 1984, with a large proportion of its funding coming from charitable donations made by the general public, and of course continues to thrive in the hands of the Hartland family who inherited control following Roy’s death in 2008. Although Trevor had followed his own business route by taking over a local plumbers merchants company following the collapse of the crane company in 1981, he fully supported and assisted Roy with the establishment of the museum. His skills then came back to the fore some years later when in 1995 the museum charity, and the commercial conference and banqueting activities, needed to be separately determined and split apart. This saw the birth of the BMCT, as a totally independent Charitable
Trust, funded from the original donations made by the general public, with its own board of Trustees, overseen by the Charity Commission. As the instigator and driving force behind the Trust, Trevor applied his full energy into its activities, establishing the principle of supporting museums with an interest in the history of British motorcycles. At its inception this was a simple system whereby regular grants were given to affiliated museums in exchange for free admission for BMCT members and was recognised as of great benefit all round, with museums not only receiving financial and practical support, but also increased footfall from their affiliation. Since then significant grants, and assistance with purchases and displays, have been made to many of the affiliated museums, and continue to be available to all of them. Sadly in 2015 the Hartland family gave notice to terminate their long standing association and the BMCT and NMM now have no links at all, although the BMCT is always willing to explore every opportunity to preserve the heritage of the British Motorcycle Industry, which consumed so much of Roy Richards’ life. Whilst by no means having had anywhere near the same passion as Roy for British motorcycles, Trevor was a great collector himself, building what was probably the most extensive collection of Goss Crested China in the world. His other collections of note were the complete works of Winston Churchill’s “History of the English Speaking Peoples”. He also collected rare pieces of Capo de Monte, rare prints, water colours, snuff boxes and glass paperweights. He was curious and had to know how things worked. He wanted to touch objects, feel their quality and fix the image in his memory, always appreciating the skills of the Artisan. Travel, and in particular cruising the high seas, was another of his passions, with a particular liking for the P&O brand due to the very British standards of service and comfort that particular brand offers. But unlike the majority who enjoy the relaxation of a cruise, Trevor’s energy again came to the fore. Not being one for lounging on the decks or playing quoits, following embarkation he would quickly be knocking on the door of the Purser or Cruise Director to organise an informal social gathering in the form of a cocktail party, inviting all fellow freemasons, or widows of freemasons to come along and meet each other (and invariably the Captain) over a drink and a chinwag. And of course, the hat would be passed round for the support of charities, usually divided between maritime and masonic, the generosity demonstrated becoming legendary. Trevor was very pleased with the continuing progress made by the BMCT after his retirement, and will be remembered by all who knew him as a treasured friend o, whose warmth, friendship, generosity and kindness knew no bounds. Long may those memories continue.
Trevor was a frequent visitor to the Sammy Miller Museum. Here he is astride our Wooler Flat Four with Bob Stanley, Andy Bufton, and Sammy.
P A G E
4
B M C T
N E W S
T H E C R O S S R O TA RY VA LV E John Kidson on the rotary valve racing motorcycle that never was.
I
A diagram from 1930s Cross publicity material
started road racing in 1958/59, and by 1960 had purchased a 250cc ohc Moto Guzzi. I had always been fascinated by rotary valves and had read articles about them by Roland Cross who owned Cross Manufacturing, Combe Down, Bath. I contacted Roland in 1960 and he asked me to meet him at his factory, and after discussion to my absolute amazement he agreed to produce a rotary valve cylinder and head, together with the drive arrangements, to fit on to the magnesium crankcase assembly of the Moto Guzzi 250, which had a sound crankshaft assembly and timing side drive arrangements for its original ohc cylinder head. I had several meetings with Roland discussing the proposed set up, and it was evident that he still had an enormous enthusiasm for his rotary valve designs which had largely been frustrated. He had designed and manufactured many types and sizes of these engines in the 1920's/1930's without ever getting them accepted for commercial use by vehicle manufacturers, and in 1939 when war came, he had to turn over the factory to the manufacture of products for military use and became involved in the production of piston rings and wire thread inserts and many other products made from steel wire, continuing with this profitable work after the war. Roland told me in his early days he could use the writs he had received to paper his office walls! Anyhow, going back to the proposed conversion of the Moto Guzzi engine to a rotary valve unit. Roland had asked me to supply him with accurate dimensions of the Moto Guzzi crankcase and because I lacked the necessary accurate measuring instruments at the time, through a pal I delegated this task to the inspection department of the local Hoffman Bearing factory. They were taking their time in producing the dimension information required and Roland Cross was pressing me for the information so that he could produce the drawings for the job. I eventually got the crankcase back with a rough drawing from Hoffmans showing the required dimensional information and stupidly sent it to Roland Cross without checking it myself with the limited tools that I had. The drawing and blueprint were produced and sent to me whereupon I checked it, only to find to my horror that an exactly one-inch error had occurred in the dimension from the centre of the crank shaft to the centre of the ohc drive mechanism on the timing side. I immediately told Roland of the mistake and the correct new dimension. [Editor’s note: Sadly the blueprints are too large to reproduce, but below is the drawing John refers to.]
Shortly after he (Roland) asked me to go and see him at the factory. He told me that his son Michael Cross, who had made the drawing and done all the design work with the help of his father, was so annoyed by the mistake that despite having already spent a lot of drawing office time on the project he persuaded Roland to cancel the project forthwith. I made my plea to continue and tried hard to persuade Roland to go on with the project and alter the design to fit the new dimensions, but in spite of my best efforts that was the end, except amazingly at the end of that meeting Roland opened his desk drawer and took out a cheque for £100 which he gave to me saying "There
you are my boy, get on with your racing". But it was for me a very sad moment and the end of my dream of having a rotary valve road-racing engine. It is quite likely that it would have had some problems and would have needed some development as we used it, but at least I would almost certainly have had the support of Roland Cross and his full engineering facility. He was a very nice gentleman who drank his tea out of a cup about half the size of a chamber pot and I think he still hankered after his first love, rotary valve engines. In 2013 I was invited by Bob Smith, now Chairman of the Cotton Enthusiasts Club to visit Rodney Cross, who I think was Roland's grandson, at the factory and reminisce about rotary valves and hear about current work that they do. I took my drawings with me and we had a tour of the factory, still on the same site at Combe Down, Bath, plus a long look in the small museum in the corrugated iron workshop in which Roland Cross first used various rotary valve engines manufactured before the ‘39 to ‘45 War, followed by an excellent lunch. For me it was a wonderful day out. I have deposited all the drawings, and Cross prints and information that Roland Cross gave me at the time when I was meeting him, with the BMCT archive and you can see some of the diagrams from the file showing the Cross rotaryvalve setup accompanying this article. Undoubtedly the principle of the rotary-valve four stroke internal combustion engine had so much to offer compared with what Roland Cross considered was an abortion of engineering, the poppet valve engine, and on the sectioned motorcycle rotary valve engine that used to sit in his office reception area he had cast into the valve drive cover a pair of poppet valves in a crossed formation. After the war there were a few rotary valve car engines made, notably for the Gordano racing car project which came to a sad end when the driver and financier of the scheme was killed in a hill climb accident. The main work of the company was centred on production of the many wire products made from alloy steel wire although quite a lot of work was carried out on further development of the liner-less alloy cylinder with Cross special pistons and rings which had considerable success in competition use, but that's another story.
P A G E
5
B M C T
N E W S
M E E T T H E B M C T AT T H E S A M M Y M I L L E R M U S E U M
B
MCT members will be able to meet and chat to our Chairman, Paul Barnes, and our Secretary, Andy Bufton, on Wednesday 18th May, when they will be in attendance at the Sammy Miller Museum’s Norton Day. Paul and Andy will be bringing along the Trust’s recently acquired water cooled Norton P53C Rotary, (below) the only one in existence, which will surely spark some interest among the Norton enthusiasts present. There have been lots of changes at the Museum over the winter, and Sammy is very proud of his new Trials Hall. We’ll be there from 10.00 am till 4.00 pm, and hope that many of you will be able to come and say hello, and also check out the newly relocated BMCT display area within the museum. So get the date in your diary - Wednesday 18th May.
W H AT I S T H I S U N K N O W N B I K E ?
I
found this photo in my Great Aunt’s possessions after she passed away, this was in 2018. On the back it was written, 'Mum, 4th September 1929' (the day of the Wall Street Crash!). Having initially put it aside as a 'to-do', by the end of 2019 I decided I was going to identify ‘Who, What and Where’. With correspondence to some (v) elderly relatives, living in Oz it was quite easy to identify the lady as my Great-Great-Aunt Gladys Dobell, (later Thornton). I was then going to ride around the Kent / Sussex Coast roads in the Spring of 2020, as I was convinced that this was most likely be where the picture was taken and that it would be recognisable.... of course we all know what happened next and these ride-outs never happened! However a (Kentish) friend quite recently instigated a Facebook (something I don't use) campaign and within hours and it is quite easily verified by using Google Maps/Street View, identified as being in Herne Bay, Kent. So all that remains now is - what is the bike? Facebook sadly was not so productive. I have in the last two years contacted several very credible sources and still not come up with an absolute; in all fairness although an inspiring picture the bike positioning just does not give much away. However, there is no doubt at this moment that the engine is a JAP Twin-Port of 350/500cc, and this means the bike could be one of many possible marques that made use of this engine. I have also confirmed that the Reg YV-7710 does indeed relate to 1929 and was registered in Central London. Sadly the official records for this office and that period I have been advised, have been destroyed by fire, no doubt during the Blitz! However, recently I was contacted by a gentleman who had seen my appeal in the VMCC magazine, and he reckons he has positively identified the machine as a Birmingham-made New Henley. Ultimately for me now I would like: 1. To see that elusive Tank insignia that might at last be seen as a match for my picture. 2. Actually see a modern colour picture of a ‘restored’ bike so comparisons can be made. 3. And really optimistically see for real a New Henley Twin Port JAP ‘in the flesh’, should one exist somewhere! Any help from BMCT members would be very much appreciated.
- Steve Rose (Member no. A3198)
.
PS - I now have had opportunity to visit said location on my own (modern German) bike, Sorry! Here is a photo that has been framed to near enough replicate the original. The location is quite unchanged and highly recognisable.
P A G E
6
B M C T
N E W S
UPCOMING MUSEUM EVENTS
us as we celebrate a staggering legacy of motorcycling at J oin Brooklands matched with the best of today’s bikes and supermachines. Motorcycle enthusiasts, no matter what they ride or from what era, all are welcome to come and enjoy the spectacle. The event will showcase some of the historic bikes in the Museum collection, including bikes featured on Yesterday channel's Secrets of the Transport Museum, many of which will be demonstrated by the Brooklands Motorcycle Team. Alongside them, latest models will be on display. The notorious Test Hill will provide a unique opportunity to see how the pre-War race bikes fare against today’s super-machines. Always a crowd-pleaser, the Hill was constructed in 1909 to test acceleration and power and has been in use for events since the Museum opened. Bookings will be open on the day to allow people to take their own bikes up Test Hill during the session. Save the date - Sunday 3rd July 2022, 10.00 am till 5.00 pm Details: https://www.brooklandsmuseum.com/whats-on/motorcycle-day
T
he annual Graham Walker Memorial Run returns for its 60th vintage and veteran motorcycle gathering at Beaulieu on the 14th August. In tribute to the late Graham Walker, veteran, vintage and postvintage machines of all makes built before 31 December 1940, will be displayed in the grounds of the National Motor Museum before roaring into life and setting off on a run around the New Forest. Graham Walker was one of the founders of the Sunbeam Motor Cycle Club in 1924 and was also club president for many years. After he retired from racing, he became the editor of Motorcycling magazine and went on to become the first curator of the Montagu Motor Museum, forerunner to The National Motor Museum. For information about taking part in this event please contact the event organiser at the Sunbeam Motor Cycle Club or contact the Beaulieu Events team. T: 01590 614614 E: events@beaulieu.co.uk
MORE ON ETHANOL Hi Andy, Re. Chris Robinson's excellent article on the alleged and real pitfalls of Ethanol, I would like to point out a couple of things that I think he missed. One an observation and the other a more important fact that members should be aware of. America has been using Ethanol in their fuels for many years, up to 40% being used. And so they have allowed for the effects of fuel on "rubber" components and Chris's comments on ensuring that Ethanol compatible parts are fitted is very valid. Ethanol can "clog" jets and other pathways in carbs and a tip is to turn the tank tap off and run the engine dry before any long term storage. The important fact that I think Chris missed out is that Ethanol LOVES fibreglass tanks. Do not put any fuel containing Ethanol in a fibreglass component, even if you immediately wash it out with clean fuel. The damage will be done. You have to coat the inside of the tank with a suitable sealant and even then you have to make certain that the neck around the filler cap is fully sealed as well as the fuel tap areas. It is an expensive mistake to make. On a bike like the old Royal Enfield 250 Continental GT (left) that had a fibre glass tank fitted a replacement aluminium one is in excess of £600 whereas a tin of sealant is around £40! I would recommend that an American produced and developed sealant be used only because, as I said earlier, they have had longer experience dealing with Ethanol. Regards David G.P. Morse
Any excuse to use a photo of the RE Continental GT - my first bike! - Ed.
N U M B E R
P A G E
5 1
7
J ON AT H A N H I L L R E V I E W S . . . . .
“Granville Bradshaw: a flawed genius?” 2nd Edition Author: Barry M. Jones Published by Barry M. Jones, Unit 2, Rustic Crafts Workshop, Bixley Lane, Beckley, Rye, East Sussex TN3 6TH (First published by Panther Publishing Ltd.) E-mail: bjrustic@aol.com www.brenelltape.co.uk Softback,190 x 250mm, 300 pages, approx. 200 photographs ISBN 978-0-9556595-4-6
G
ranville Bradshaw was an engineer and inventor of extraordinary vision. His now legendary and often revolutionary designs for early aeroplanes and aero engines such as the Dragonfly, pioneering cars and motorcycles, including the ABC, and his interesting oil-cooled engines, quickly brought him fame and success. His designs for gambling machines made him a fortune which he then managed to lose as a victim of a shares swindle! His life spanned the entire development of the aviation and motor industries from the very early days right up until the classic era of the1950s. Lancashire-born in 1886, Bradshaw was apprenticed to a large engineering company where he progressed through the various departments to the drawing office where he trained as a draughtsman. His elder brother Ewart had a profitable sideline buying and selling bicycles and motorcycles, fostering in Granville an interest in powered vehicles which he learnt to repair. He began riding motorcycles in 1900 at the age of 14 – as you were allowed to in those days. Disillusioned by heavy engineering and interested in the new-fangled aeroplanes, he joined the Star Engineering Company, helping to design the Star Monoplane and learned to fly at Brooklands in 1909. His innovative flair for design produced some outstanding results with radial aero engines during WW1, for which he was awarded the OBE. Whilst at Sopwith’s in 1918, Bradshaw designed and built the then very advanced ABC flat-twin motorcycle with its four -speed unit construction o.h.v. engine, hub brakes and rear suspension - allegedly (but very unlikely) built in 11 days! In 1923 he designed the new o.h.v. “Panther” engine for Phelon and Moore (P & M), followed later by the radical, but flawed, Panthette 250c.c. o.h.v. transverse V-twin, and in 1939 the 500c.c. vertical in-line twin Panther machine. This is a really detailed, carefully researched and absorbing book that places Bradshaw’s engineering genius into the context of his time. Following further research this second edition adds to the first and includes a new 10-page chapter on Walter Lawson Adams – a pioneering multi-talented aircraft and mechanical engineer with whom Bradshaw sometimes collaborated. Some 40 new photos and illustrations have also been included.
“British 250cc Racing Motorcycles 1946 to 1959: an era of ingenious innovation” Author: Chris Pereira Published by Veloce Publishing Ltd., Veloce House, Parkway Farm Business Park, Poundbury, Dorchester DT1 3AR E-mail: sales@veloce.co.uk Hardback, 250 x 207mm; 80 pages, with 96 illustrations. ISBN 978-1-787113-29-9
W
hen competing in the lightweight class, pre-war riders had, surprisingly, a much larger choice of machinery than they did post-war. Ranging from purpose-built racers (Rudge T.T. Replica, Excelsior Manxman, New Imperial, O.K. Supreme and Sunbeam’s Little 95), to sporting roadsters with tuning potential. With the resumption of peace and the lack of new 250cc racing motorcycles from Britain’s “head in the sand” manufacturers, it really was a case of “necessity being the mother of invention.” Depending on skills and resources, this new breed of “specials” ranged from pre-war models with newly-available telescopic forks; some a clever mix and match of parts from various manufacturers and “garden gate” Nortons with Excelsior Manxman engines through to specially made featherbed-type duplex frames with leading-link forks. Australia’s Les Diener converted his roadster 250cc Velocette MOV to gear-driven double overhead camshaft, housed in his own duplex frame, whilst Croydon’s Bob Geeson went the whole hog and built his own machine, complete with a twin-cylinder, double overhead camshaft engine housed in his own lightweight Norton featherbed-style frame. One can but wonder what might have been achieved had some of these designs receive the benefit of industry backing and development. The use of reduced capacity o.h.c. Norton and Velocette racing engines was also popular – Doug Beasley and Ray Petty to name just two (but, strangely, not so the AJS 7R). Geoff Monty built and raced his lightweight GMS powered by an ex-works Roland Pikedeveloped BSA Gold Star engine on which Tommy Robb was also very successful. Working for racing dealer Arthur Taylor in the early 1950s and later riding in the Classic Manx GP and other classic events, author Chris Pereira is to be congratulated on his well researched choice of subject, one of great historical importance that has, until now, been completely ignored, resulting in a permanent record of the fascinating – and amazingly competitive – machines they built against the odds. Highly recommended. Editor’s note: As members will know, the BMCT owns a Jones 250 Twin racer from the era. Sadly the bike fails to get a mention, and the author refers to Dennis Jones only as builder of the engine for the ill-fated JEL (Jones Earles Lomas) project of 1955.
P A G E
B M C T
8
N E W S
T HE B R I T I S H M OTOR C Y CL E C HA R I TABL E T RUS T A Charitable Incorporated Organisation Registered Charity No. 509420 Secretariat: Holly Cottage Main Street Bishampton Pershore WR10 2NH United Kingdom Trustees: Paul Barnes (Chairman) Ian Walden OBE Peter Wellings John Handley Mike Jackson Nick Jeffery John Kidson Mike Penn Secretary & Editor Andy Bufton Mob: 07754 880116 Email: editor@bmct.org
The British Motorcycle Charitable Trust (BMCT) was originally formed in 1979 to facilitate the building of the National Motorcycle Museum at Bickenhill, near Solihull in the West Midlands. Since 1995, however, the BMCT has been an entirely separate organisation, a grant-making Charity dedicated to the promotion of British motor cycle engineering heritage through a network of affiliated transport and local interest museums throughout the country.
Our affiliated museums are: Black Country Living Museum, Dudley Brooklands Museum, Weybridge Coventry Transport Museum Dover Transport Museum Gloucester Life Museum Grampian Transport Museum, Aberdeen Haynes International Motor Museum Internal Fire Museum of Power, Tanygroes Isle of Man Motor Museum, Jurby
Associate Membership is open to all, and allows free entry to all the museums in our affiliation scheme. Our funding comes from membership fees, bequests, donations, and income from our investments. Please direct any enquiries to the secretary, at the Secretariat address on the left.
Jet Age Museum, Gloucester Manx Museum, Douglas, Isle of Man Museum in the Park, Stroud
National Motor Museum, Beaulieu Sammy Miller Museum, New Milton Silk Mill Museum of Making, Derby Tank Museum, Bovington The Norton Collection Museum, Bromsgrove
www.bmct.org
Preserving the past...for the future B S A G O L D S TA R R E - B O R N The first model from Mahindra’s Classic Legends, new owners of BSA, was revealed at Motorcycle Live in the Autumn. The new Gold Star is a fuelinjected 652cc liquid cooled dohc single producing a claimed 45 bhp at 6,000 rpm and weighing in at 470 lbs. By comparison a 1961 DBD34 Goldie produced about 38 bhp at 7,000 rpm with a quoted dry weight of 385 lbs. Initially made in India, it’s intended to eventually bring production to the UK.
BMCT News is published by Matchless Management Services, Holly Cottage, Main Street, Bishampton, Pershore WR10 2NH. Any opinions therein are not necessarily the views of the publisher or of The British Motorcycle Charitable Trust.