Issue 39
April 2018
NEWSL ETTER O F THE BRITISH MO TORCYCLE CHARITABLE TRUST
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n February HRH the Duke of Cambridge officially opened the Triumph Factory Visitor Experience in Hinckley, Leicestershire. The prince unveiled a commemorative fuel tank emblazoned with a Union Jack design to mark his visit, which visitors can now see on display in the foyer. The Experience Centre houses a museum, the 1902 coffee bar, and is the starting point for tours of the factory itself. The museum is on two floors. The ground floor displays concentrate on the history of the Triumph marque, with many of the exhibits on loan from other museums and private collectors,
HRH the Duke of Cambridge officially opens the facility.
The 1952 Triumph ridden by Steve McQueen in the film ‘The Great Escape’
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while upstairs the emphasis is on the manufacturing side, with fascinating insights into how the new Triumphs are prototyped, tested, and finally put into production. Entry to the museum and 1902 café is free, and no appointment is necessary, while the 1½ hour factory tour costs £15 and must be booked in advance. Current lead time for bookings is several weeks. The museum can be found at Triumph Factory Visitor Experience, Normandy Way, Hinckley, Leics. LE10 3BZ.
The ground floor display is dimly lit, so people of a certain age bring a torch.
The Ernie Lyons 1946 Senior Manx Grand Prix-winning 500 Triumph
The 1956 Motorcycle Land Speed Record setting streamliner of Johnny Allen features in its own display.
Part of the interesting upstairs exhibition
Front Cover: BMCT trustees John Kidson and Nick Jeffery give our Jones 250 Twin a final wipe-over with the duster before judging at the Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance held at Blenheim Palace last September. More photos on page 5.
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For 2018 the Dover Transport Museum are raffling not one, but two bikes in their prize draw. First Prize is a 1947 BSA C11 and a 1953 FrancisBarnett Falcon goes to the runner-up. Tickets are available at the museum, where the draw will be held on Sunday 9th September.
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Some of you may recall at item we ran in BMCT News 26 regarding the uncertain future of “Sunbeamland”, the old Sunbeam factory in Wolverhampton which had lain empty since 1997 and had been subject to several failed development proposals. At the time, we r eported that a planning application had been submitted to convert the building into 116 flats at a cost of £11.6m, and clearly approval was given as the project is now complete. The developers have been reasonably sympathetic in their treatment of a historic site, as the photos show, with nods here and there to its heritage. Most prominent is a motorcycle suspended from the lobby ceiling, although it’s disappointing to note it’s a Redditch-made Sunbeam S8 from the period when BSA owned the name.
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uch has been happening at the Brooklands Museum recently. The new Flight Shed and Aircraft Factory have opened, a reenactment of England’s first motor race has been staged, the museum’s motorcycle volunteer team have been cracking on with our Martinsyde Newman, and one of the volunteers has published a book covering all the incredibly varied activities pursued at the Abingdon Works and under the ‘King Dick’ trade name, including of course Abingdon King Dick motorcycles. The UK’s extraordinary history in aviation design and manufacture was celebrated, with the opening on Monday 13th November by HRH Prince Michael of Kent, GCVO CD of the next stage of Brooklands Museum’s Re-Engineering Brooklands project. The Brooklands Aircraft Factory, housed in the restored Bellman Hangar, and the new Flight Shed combine to show the ingenuity and skill of the men and women who designed, built and flew aircraft at Brooklands from the early pioneering days in 1908 through to the development of supersonic flight. The Bellman Hangar was originally built in 1940 on the Finishing Straight of the Race Track and has been restored and re-erected in its new position with the innovative Brooklands Aircraft Factory exhibition inside. The new exhibition tells the story of 80 years of aircraft manufacture and innovation at Brooklands and nearby Surrey, where nearly 18,900 aeroplanes were built or assembled and first flown – more than anywhere else in Europe to this day. It will enable visitors to “clock in” and immerse themselves in appreciating the skills involved in aircraft manufacture and trying them for themselves in various ‘workshops’. The Hangar remains the home of the Vickers Wellington Bomber ‘R’ for ‘Robert’ that was rescued from Loch Ness and is the only one left that saw active service in the Second World War. It and other aircraft and their major components are displayed in various stages of completion on “assembly lines” running through the factory. England’s first motor race took place on the oval cycle racing track at Sheen House in Richmond Park, Surrey in 1897. To celebrate the 120th anniversary of the event, some twenty motorised tricycles took part in what was essentially the first race to be held at Brooklands since 1939. As Sheen House was demolished many years ago, the De Dion Bouton Club chose the recently reopened finishing straight at Brooklands as the perfect location to mark the anniversary. The format of the day was the same as in 1897 - practice and fettling in the morning, lunch in the Napier Room in the clubhouse, followed by the race programme in the afternoon. The motorcycle team are busy readying our Martinsyde for the Banbury Run. Ted and Gordon are seen here after removing the tyre from the bike’s rear wheel before it went off for some truing up. And team member Bill Whiteley has had his book “The Quest for King Dick” published. Copies are available from the Brooklands Museum shop, or from online book retailers.
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From BMCT Member Bob Smith: Here are a couple of photos from previous Cotton Rallies held at the Gloucester Folk Museum (now Gloucester Life Museum). Typically we will get forty plus Cottons ranging in age from 1922 to late ‘70s. With the exception of the two Cottons that are on permanent display at the museum; a very early belt drive Cotton and the BMCT Telstar #5, the rest of the Cottons are displayed by Cotton enthusiasts with many of the machines ridden to the event. The event runs from 9.30 am till mid-afternoon and last year attracted 400 visitors.
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Cotton Vulcan Works where Cottons were manufactured for forty eight years from 1923 until the factory was demolished for redevelopment in 1971. A Blue Plaque commemorating the location of Cotton Motorcycle production is located on the back wall of the Folk Museum in Quay Street.
With the future of the of the Folk Museum currently under review this year’s Rally on Saturday 23 June could be the last one in Quay Street and the Cotton Owners Club is hoping for a super turn out of machines and enthusiasts to The venue is the yard at the back of the Gloucester Folk celebrate this famous motorcycle marque; a unique and Museum in Quay Street just 200 yards from the site of the important chapter in Gloucester’s industrial heritage.
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The Trustees of Brooklands Museum are delighted to announce the appointment of Tamalie Newbery as successor to Brooklands Museum Director & CEO Allan Winn on his retirement in early 2018. Welcoming Tamalie’s appointment, the Chairman of Trustees of Brooklands Museum, Sir Gerald Acher, says: “Under Allan Winn’s leadership in the last 15 years and with the imminent completion of the Aircraft Factory and Racetrack Revival project Brooklands has established itself as a unique museum in this country and indeed in the world. Tamalie, with her wealth of experience of the UK independent museum sector and her proven track record is ideally placed to take Brooklands to its next stages of development and to realise fully the benefits of recent developments”.
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The BMCT’s recently acquired Jones 250 Twin was one of the star motorcycle attractions at Salon Privé 2017, the prestigious motoring event. Held in the splendid surroundings of Blenheim Palace, the event drew entries from around the globe for the Concours d’Elégance competition. The motorcycle judges Steve Parrish, Henry Cole, and motocross legend Jeff Smith are seen here discussing the finer points of the Jones with BMCT trustees John Kidson and Nick Jeffery.
Sadly victory was not ours on this occasion, the 1940-1976 class going to this 1975 Rickman Suzuki.
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To the sound of cheers and applause in a packed ballroom at the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Bonhams - led by auctioneer Malcolm Barber - sold the rare, original condition, British-made, Australian speed record-setting, 1951 Vincent Black Lightning motorcycle for $929,000, making it the most valuable motorcycle ever sold at auction.
this motorcycle and Ehret's acclaim," says Ben Walker, Bonhams Head of Motorcycling. "After the 'Bathing Suit Bike' ridden by Free, the Ehret bike is likely the most important Black Lightning in existence and is one of the world's most desirable machines." In original, unrestored and running condition – recommissioned by none other than Vincent master Patrick Godet, Built by special order and imported new this tremendously important and rare into Australia by Tony McAlpine, the Black Lightning was in Ehret's Vincent Black Lightning – number 7305 ownership for nearly 50 years. – is one of just approximately 30 Black Lightning models ever built by the Stevenage factory.
Photos: Bonhams
At the time of its build, another wellknown Vincent nicknamed "Gunga Din" was undergoing work in the factory. Upon completion of both, the two machines were contested at an airfield where it was said that McAlpine's bike was a clear 30 yards ahead of Gunga Din, and factory records later indicated speeds in excess of 130mph in third gear. Most important, however, was that in 1953 the McAlpine-ordered motorcycle smashed the existing Australian speed record when Jack Ehret achieved an average speed of 141.5mph. Under the ownership of Ehret, the Black Lightning would also clinch numerous race victories throughout Australia and become renowned around the globe. "Rollie Free and Marty Dickerson, both legends in the Vincent universe, knew of
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S H O W - S T O P P E R IT was a weekend to remember at the 38th Carole Nash Bristol Classic MotorCycle Show, with the Best in the West event drawing huge crowds to admire the hundreds of classic machines on display. The February 3-4 show enjoyed a high number of visitors all eager to witness the delights that the show had to offer, including fascinating classic motorcycles, bargain buys on autojumble stands and a nail-biting auction to boot. Tony Pashley took home the coveted Best in Show prize with his award-winning 1934 Model 95 Sunbeam. It was once on display at the National Motorcycle Museum where it was a casualty of a devastating blaze in 2003, but was then passed into the hands of top restorer John Phizacklea, who lovingly rebuilt it to its current condition. Since being restored the bike has been showcased at numerous shows and has quite a few awards under its metaphorical belt, such as Best Road Racing Bike and Best Pre-War Bike.
Photo: Mortons Media
This show is renowned for the efforts from the motorcycle clubs, whose members again proved their commitment to creativity. Wells Classic Motorcycle Club won Best Club Stand in Show with its inventive shop front theme, which attracted the eyes of judges and visitors alike. New Imperial and Gold Star Owners clubs came in a close second and third
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n my travels again, I had gone to Mulhouse in the far East of France, very close to the German and Swiss borders. Whilst there primarily to visit the French Railway Museum, I was aware that there was a Bike Museum at Bantzenheim but I had also read that its opening hours were seasonal and I was there in December. Undeterred, I sent a speculative email and got a reply from the Secretariat that the Museum was closed but, as she had work to do in the building, she was prepared to open the exhibits and allow me to visit.
The Museum is housed in a converted Barn that has been very cleverly divided into distinct areas, including a small auditorium where they show videos and provide talks to school groups etc. The Museum is very community orientated and it was this involvement that led to my hostess being at work, organizing educational material.The Museum came about when Monsieur Raymond LEMOINE donated to the town over 90 old machines from his collection! He had been gathering machines for some time and had amassed a huge collection of Ravat variants. The Museum is normally open from April to October and can offer guided tours on request. La Grange à Bécanes 8 rue du Général de Gaulle 68490 Bantzenheim France www.lagrangeabecanes.com
Tel. +33 3 89 26 23 36
The main gallery area above, with the workshops on the left. Many the bikes displayed are from the French manufacturer Ravat who were active between 1923 to 1958 (the exact dates vary in different reference sources). The Museum could almost be called the Ravat Collection as I am certain that it is the biggest collection of this marque.
N E W Denniss Hussey LEAMINGTON SPA Rosalind Howes CHRISTCHURCH Shulah Tindle CHRISTCHURCH Charles Tindle CHRISTCHURCH Ian Marsay COVENTRY Ernest Foot BOURNEMOUTH Christine Foot BOURNEMOUTH Michael Torah NEW MILTON Brian Martin CARSHALTON Rebecca Crouch NEW MILTON James Crouch NEW MILTON Allan Law ANDOVER Eric Wareham ASHTEAD Vivienne Wareham ASHTEAD Douglas Burcham LEAMINGTON SPA Helen Marsay COVENTRY Paul Taylor-Searle CHICHESTER Susan Taylor-Searle CHICHESTER Michael Titchen LOUGHTON Susan Andrews LOUGHTON Brian Richardson SHEFFIELD Paul Harris EPSOM Tom Lee-Snape I N SOUTHAMPTON S I D E S T Emma Fleat SOUTHAMPTON Carole Bailey ASHFORD Shelagh Hunt WIMBORNE Graham Webster SALISBURY Allan Jannaway STANFORD-LE-HOPE Janet Jannaway STANFORD-LE-HOPE Raymond Delasalle LONDON Trevor Frampton WIMBORNE Elizabeth Frampton WIMBORNE Diane Oliver PETWORTH Roger Newman SOUTHAMPTON Annette Newman SOUTHAMPTON
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Jim Hamish-Wilson Tina Hamish-Wilson Michael Lodge Mike Bowley Ferek Baker Leslie Withers Hazel Withers John Jenkins Francis Senior Robert Sturgeon Gordon White Robert Haydock Robert Hoy Thomas Noyce Ian Clue Stephen Cox Susan Cox Martin Hirst Jonathan Kagel David Bell Amy Tullett Andrew Hoy RSteve Y Sturgeon H E A Mike Smith Lorraine Smith Darren Humphrys Brian Cobb Darren Jones Martin Gegg Rodney Nicholson Victoria Dunne James Hooper Lorna Hooper David Lidbury Barbara Lidbury
M E M B E R S BRIDGWATER BRIDGWATER GILLINGHAM PETERSFIELD BOURNEMOUTH CALNE CALNE WATERLOOVILLE WIMBORNE CATERHAM WATERLOOVILLE WARE BISHOP'S STORTFORD SOUTHAMPTON WATERLOOVILLE WATERLOOVILLE WATERLOOVILLE CORSHAM ABINGDON HAMPTON PETWORTH BISHOP'S STORTFORD D HORLEY L I N E YEOVIL YEOVIL BOURNEMOUTH GOSPORT LEATHERHEAD WATERLOOVILLE ANDOVER STOURBRIDGE YEOVIL YEOVIL BANSTEAD BANSTEAD
Arnold Phillips EGHAM Peter Doherty AYLESFORD Edwin Levett NEW MILTON Nigel Burch SOUTHAMPTON Derek Downham STOKE-ON-TRENT Rita Downham STOKE-ON-TRENT Roberta Fowler YEOVIL Matthew Warren YEOVIL David Ralph CRAWLEY Colin Appleby YEOVIL Paul Lewis STOURBRIDGE Leslie Lewis STOURBRIDGE George Houghton STOKE-ON-TRENT Lesley Houghton STOKE-ON-TRENT Stephen Venn GLOUCESTER Adam Myhill GOSPORT Anthony Daughtry WATERLOOVILLE Debbie Ansell COBHAM James Spence WANTAGE Derek Malcolm ADDLESTONE Michael Axe YEOVIL Daniel Larkham CHRISTCHURCH Martin Dixon FAVERSHAM Martin Gillard AXMINSTER Ken McAtamney BALLYCLARE Wendy Charlesworth WATERLOOVILLE Daniel Charlesworth WATERLOOVILLE Harold White WATERLOOVILLE Peter Lawrence LONDON Vanessa Duke CHICHESTER John Carter LONDON Christopher Nicolaides CARSHALTON Anthony Mavrogordato SALISBURY Paul Thirlwell SOUTHAMPTON Ms. J. Keil SOUTHAMPTON
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April 21st - 22nd
38th Carole Nash International Classic MotorCycle Show Stafford County Showground, Weston Road, Stafford ST18 0BD
May 13th
Dover Transport Museum Classic Motorcycle Show Willingdon Road, Dover CT16 2JX
May 16th - 28th
Christchurch Arts Guild Summer Exhibition Sammy Miller Museum, Bashley Cross Road, New Milton BH25 5SZ
June 17th
70th VMCC Banbury Run and Autojumble British Motor Museum, Gaydon, Warwick CV35 0BJ
June 23rd
Cotton Owners and Enthusiasts Club Annual Rally Gloucester Folk Museum, Westgate Street, Gloucester GL1 2PG
June 24th
Downside Abbey Classic Car and Motorcycle Carnival Stratton-on-the-Fosse, Radstock, Somerset, BA3 4RJ (Entries are invited - to register a bike email skerr@downside co.uk or pass the enclosed flyer on to a friend)
June 24th
Bike Life Classics Day Sammy Miller Museum, Bashley Cross Road, New Milton BH25 5SZ
July 6th - 8th
VMCC Festival of 1,000 Bikes Mallory Park Circuit, Kirkby Mallory, Leicestershire LE9 7QE
T H E B R I T I S H M OTO R C Y C L E C H A R I TA B L E T RU S T Registered in England No. 01445196 Registered Charity No. 509420
Registered Office: Holly Cottage Main Street Bishampton Pershore WR10 2NH UK Life President Trevor F. Wellings Trustees: Ian Walden OBE (Chairman) Peter Wellings Paul Barnes John Handley Mike Jackson Nick Jeffery John Kidson Mike Penn Secretary: Andy Bufton Tel: 01386 462524 Mob: 07754 880116 Email: info@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, but since 1995 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 museums throughout the country.
Our affiliated museums are: Black Country Living Museum, Dudley British Motor Museum, Gaydon Brooklands Museum, Weybridge Coventry Transport Museum Dover Transport Museum Gloucester Life Museum Haynes International Motor Museum
Jet Age Museum, Gloucester 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 Registered Office address on the left.
London Motorcycle Museum Manx Museum, Isle of Man National Motor Museum, Beaulieu Sammy Miller Museum, New Milton Stroud Museum in the Park The Tank Museum, Bovington
Thanks to Stuart McDowell for this shot of the Best in Show winner from this years www.bmct.org Northants Vintage and Classic Bike Show
Preserving the past...for the future Published by Matchless Management Services, Holly Cottage, Main Street, Bishampton, Pershore WR10 2NH