BMCT News 54

Number 54

April 2023

NEWSLETTER OF THE BRITISH MOTORCYCLE CHARITABLE TRUST

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Welcome to our first newsletter of 2023. I’m pleased to report that the changes to our membership offering announced in the last issue have been generally well received by our members, and feedback from the museums is good, so we’re able to look forward to the scheme continuing sustainably into the future.

A big thank you to the members and trustees who have contributed to this newsletter. Editor Andy Bufton is always on the lookout for material to fill these pages, so if you have a story to tell, report of a museum or show visit, anything connected to British motorcycles and the industry, please do get in touch. Andy’s contact details are on page 8.

As you’ll see below, we’re having another BMCT Day at Sammy Miller’s superb museum in September. It was great to meet so many of our members at our first event last year, and I’m looking forward to getting acquainted with lots more of you next time. See you there!

Best wishes, Paul Barnes

BMCT British Bike Day While last year’s joint BMCT/Norton OC/VMCC Day at the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum last year was undoubtedly a success (thanks in no small part to the kind weather) we were very aware that the mid-week date wasn’t convenient for many BMCT members who had to be at work. So for 2023 we’ve arranged with Sammy to piggy-back with his annual British Bike Day, scheduled as usual for the first Sunday in September.

If arriving on a British bike you are invited to park up in the Museum courtyard from 10am, but please note, no vehicular exit from the courtyard before 1pm.

Anyone wishing to leave earlier, please park in the main car park.

No booking is required and everyone is welcome!

The museum will be open as usual, and we are looking forward to welcoming BMCT members past, present, and future.

SHOW YOUR CLASSIC BIKE AT A WARWICKSHIRE FÊTE Here’s an opportunity for classic bike owners to show their machines as part of a classic vehicle display at Ullenhall Fête.

The fête is outdoors on Saturday 10th June, from 12.00 noon until 4.00 pm, held at the village hall in Ullenhall, near Henley in Arden, Warwickshire, postcode B95 5NW. Parking of bikes for display will be on a clean tarmac surface.

The Organiser is Malcolm Aldridge, former BMCT Trustee and Vice-Chairman. He would need to know in advance who/how many are coming, and his phone number is 07767 354456.

Front cover: A newly built Egli Vincent owned by a BMCT member. More pictures and details about the build by BSK Speedworks on page 5. Photo: BSK Speedworks

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BMCT trustee Mike Penn recently delivered the final two machines, a Dayton Albatross and a Winn City Bike to the Isle of Man to complete the British Motor Scooter Collection display at the island’s superb Isle of Man Motor Museum. Both scooters have undergone long and painstaking restorations by volunteers at the Haynes Museum, and our photos (clockwise from above left) show the Albatross in all its glory, under restoration in a public area of the museum, and “as found” by Robin Spalding, who put the original collection of 42 motor scooters together. Mike is seen below on the left handing over the scooters to the Isle of Man Motor Museum’s Curatorial Director, Darren Cunningham.

Dayton scooters were made in Park Royal, London from 1956 to 1960, and our example has the 225 cc Villiers engine. The Winn City Bike, powered by a 12v battery, dates from 1966, and was designed to fit into a car boot so you could park on the outskirts of a busy city, unload your electric scooter, and enjoy a quiet non-polluting ride the rest of the way to the office. It didn’t catch on.

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Visit to the Royal Engineers Museum, Gillingham, Kent By trustee Nick Jeffery One of the recent additions to the list of museums supported by the BMCT is that of the Royal Engineers. Why the Royal Engineers Museum as it is not one that immediately comes to mind as being associated with the motorcycle-oriented objects of the charity? It is because the early World War 1 despatch riders were part of the Signals Division of the RE and the opportunity arose to purchase a Blackburne typical of machines owned by early volunteers who brought their own civilian machines when they enlisted. The museum was delighted to accept the bike and have prepared an excellent exhibit showing not only this but also, thanks to the formidable amount of research conducted by former owner Martin Shelley and his brother Nick, a collection of artefacts relating to the Burney brothers who were connected with Blackburne and their compatriots and activities

Or (above) a Trojan AVRE – Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers based on a Challenger 2 and first used in Afghanistan with a ‘Swiss Army Knife’ set of equipment to bulldoze, plough, bridge ditches and excavate. It also can fire the trailer-mounted Python – a rocketpropelled exploding hose used to clear minefields and of especial benefit to clear IEDs (improvised explosive devices) in Afghanistan.

So what else is in the museum? Well firstly on arrival some serious hardware is displayed in the grounds outside the former Electrical School of the Royal Corps of Engineers. For example, a Centurion ARK - an Armoured Ramp Carrier ‘portable bridge’ based on a Centurion Mark V tank. This has expanding ramps that can be deployed either end to give a span of 75 feet and is able to carry loads up to 80 tons with the Centurion acting as the middle support in up to 2 metres of water.

Then inside a huge variety of exhibits from a V2 A4 rocket mock-up and ‘how-it-works’ to bomb disposal techniques. An excellent display on how Camp Bastion in Afghanistan was constructed – an area 4 miles by 2 miles with all the facilities of a fortified small town including airfield and hospital. Barricade clearance in Northern Ireland with an armoured wheeled tractor. (Cont. on p.5)

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How a Caterpillar D4C tractor can be air-dropped on a ‘Heavy Stress But the story goes much earlier with World War 1 mining and trench Platform’ from a Blackburn Beverley. 14 tons including 1 ton for the construction techniques.shown and famous characters like Herbert parachutes alone!

Kitchener (of ‘Your Country Needs You’ fame) and Gordon of Khartoum both being commissioned into the Royal Engineers and whose stories are well told. And even earlier with Wellington’s map of Waterloo. The engineers were there in the forefront of operations world-wide – Cyprus, Kuwait, Canada, Egypt, Borneo, Malaya, Gulf War, Falklands and many more countries. And don’t miss the magnificent Medal Room where medals won by the Corps are displayed.

So a whole host of things to see, easy bike and car parking on site, a nice café and of especial interest to those of an engineering mindset.

As Field Marshal Montgomery said: ‘The more science intervenes in warfare, the more will be the need for engineers in the field armies.’

Royal Engineers Museum Prince Arthur Road Gillingham ME7 1UR https://www.re-museum.co.uk/

More on the Egli Vincent

The seat had been in a plastic bag for many years and was used as it was, with a bit of oil and polish. The tank was badly corroded, luckily externally only (having never seen fuel) and was polished to a mirror finish.

The bike is built as closely as possible to the original specification of the Slater Shadow 70.

At the rear, Girling shocks are fitted with a Vincent hub and brake with sprocket carrier laced to an 18” alloy rim. The front brake is a Seeley as fitted to G50s laced to a 19” alloy rim.

BSK Speedworks can build you a bike, based on the Egli, or supply new Vincent engines and Egli Vincent parts. Contact Ben Kingham, info@bskspeedworks.co.uk Website: www.bskspeedworks.co.uk

Built by BSK Speedworks of Leighton Buzzard for a customer who had purchased an original Shadow 70 kit from Roger Slater back in the 1960s and had a 1949 Vincent HRD Rapide engine to go in it.

The kit comprised of British made (under licence) frame, swingarm, Metal Profile forks, Girling rear shocks, alloy tank and seat. All were unused/never fitted but in poor condition having sat in storage for the best part of 60 years.

The frame, although being nickel plated originally, was showing signs of rust and was generally dull so was blasted with a view to powder coating. As it turned out the blasting process brought it up to a nice finish so it was lacquered and left it original.

The forks were in poor condition, with pitted stanchions and corroded alloy legs, these were re-plated, fitted with new seals, and then the legs and top yoke were polished. The springs were fine, having been in oil and never used.

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Museum visit report from Mike Ricketts As the BMCT’s “Man in France”, for this visit I have traversed the Pyrenees into Catalonia. The Museu Nacional de la Ciència i la Tècnica de Catalunya (National Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia, or MNACTEC), is located in Terrassa, 25 km north of Barcelona, and is very well worth a visit.

The Transport section includes a large collection of Montesa motorcycles. Amongst them are a rare (and much sought after) Crono 350cc, road going bike. Powered by a variant of the Enduro 360 H6, single-cylinder, air-cooled, two-stroke, it was first presented in 1980.

It was sold between 1981 and 1984 with 700 units produced but it was against stiff opposition, in particular the Yamaha RD350 and its variants.

Also on display is the Villalbi (above) which, despite isolated cases of bicycles with an auxiliary engine, is generally accepted to be the first motorcycle manufactured in Spain.

The MNACTEC is housed in a beautiful former textile industry building that was constructed in 1907/08, and it was known locally as the “Vapor” (the name given because of the steam engines that provided its power). MNACTEC covers a total surface area of 22,200 m², around half of which corresponds to the former rectangular shopfloor section, where the Museum’s main exhibitions are now set up. The roof contains 161 vaults made from flat bricks, supported by 300 cast iron pillars, which also served as the downspouts for the drainage and the support for the driveshafts from the steam engine to all the machines in the factory.

The prototype was ready in 1905. after two years of work but, there being no support industry to turn to, Miguel Villalbi abandoned the manufacture of this motorcycle after making a small series of five units. It was a single-cylinder, four-stroke cycle with opposed valves (the automatic intake) and long stroke (78 mm x 90 mm equivalent to 429.83 cc), ignition by battery and coil, V-belt transmission without gear change and with pedals to help on steep slopes, while in the upper part of the fuel tank there were three little levers, one to regulate the advance of the spark, another for fuel and another for air, the decompressor control being located on the handlebar.

Another eye catcher is a Montesa 125cc Sprint. The bike was designed by Paco Bulto for racing and it took part in the Lightweight TT in 1954 and 1956. The version in the museum dates from 1956 and has the 6-speed gearbox. A 125cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled, twostroke, producing 14cv at 10,500 rpm.

A final point. MNACTEC is a full-blown Science and Technology Museum with exhibits to keep most people happy and interested.

There are cars, trucks and experimental vehicles in the Transport section plus steam traction and agricultural equipment. If you are on holiday in the area, it is easily reached by public transport.

The Museum is open Tuesday - Sunday (times vary according to season) and has a comprehensive website (available in English) at https://mnactec.cat/

The BMCT’s two World War 1 Despatch Riders’ motorcycles are now on display at the Sammy Miller Museum. The Triumph Model H and Douglas WD were expertly restored by BMCT member Chris Roberts, who spent many hours tracking down rare parts and accessories to ensure they are as accurate as possible. Chris was also responsible for the restoration of the 1917 Matchless Vickers machine gun outfit currently on display at the Tank Museum at Bovington.

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Book review by Nick Jeffery

‘Joe Craig: Making Norton Famous’. Photographs from the Craig family collection Mick Duckworth 195 x 220 mm 217 pages Hardback ISBN 978-1-3999-4371-0 Published by Mick Duckworth and available from www.joecraignorton.com - RRP £35 Neither Joe Craig nor journalist author Mick Duckworth should need an introduction to students of motorcycle history - Joe of course for successfully running the Norton race team from 1929 to 1955 and Mick for enjoying a reputation for quality reportage and 'getting things right'. Mick was in the fortunate position of gaining access to a collection of photographs preserved by the Craig family which he has now published in a quality hardback with an expansive biographical commentary which includes reference to the abortive BRM and Nougier four-cylinder projects..

So, what’s in the collection? Firstly, never-before-seen and wellcaptioned photos at home and abroad of a galaxy of Norton riders, starting with Joe in his early Irish racing days via Jimmy Shaw, Stanley Woods, Jimmie Guthrie, Tim Hunt, Jimmy Simpson, Walter Handley, J H ‘Crasher’ White, Walter Rusk, Freddie Frith, Harold Daniell, Ernie Lyons, Artie Bell, Ken Bills, Jack Brett, Ken Kavanagh, and Geoff Duke – and many others. Plus shots of recordbreaking attempts and Continental teams like Gilera and BMW. Senior Norton management of Bill and Dennis Mansell and Gilbert Smith feature as do race team members Bill Mewis and Frank Sharratt. Rex and Cromie McCandless and a rare shot of Leo Kuzmicki, all of whose engineering expertise helped keep the Manx competitive in the post-war era, are shown too.

Although Joe is often considered to have been a Norton lifer this book also traces his career progression from being offered a works Norton in 1925, joining the team in 1926 and then becoming assistant to Walter Moore at Bracebridge Street in 1927. He subsequently departed back home when his offer to resolve problems with the early ohc models was rejected. Returning in 1929 after Walter Moore’s departure to NSU (‘Norton Spares Used’), he became race team manager and worked with Arthur Carroll in developing the ohc singles to keep them competitive for the following decades. His sometimesdoubted brief employment at BSA, proven by a copy of a letter to his son, is established as fact followed by a stay at Associated Motor Cycles (before they acquired Norton) with Joe shown sitting on a Sunbeam..

Bert Hopwood in his autobiography ‘Whatever Happened to the British Motorcycle Industry’ says of his dealings with Joe during his first short post-war period at Norton after Joe had returned as Engineering Director in 1947 'Joe was a dour Irishman who strongly believed that, unless silence can be improved, it should most certainly not be broken.' The pictures and background story told by this book belie that image with many showing a more human and intimate side, especially the section showing his family and sons’ motorcycling activities.

With an excellent index and both Joe’s own race results and those of the Norton race team 1929-1955 listed this book should not be missed

by Norton and road-racing enthusiasts of the classic period.

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Book review by Jonathan Hill

“Royal Enfield – A Complete History” Author: Greg Pullen 176 pages, 190 photographs and illustrations.

Publisher: Crowood Press Ltd, Ramsbury, Marlborough SN8 2HR www.crowood.com E-mail: enquiries@crowood.com Hardback, 260 x 215mm. ISBN 978-1-78500-852-8 RRP - £25 Royal Enfield’s famous motto – “made like a gun” – hints at the factory’s gun-making origins, but few appreciate that it is the (allegedly) oldest motorcycle manufacturer in existence, that can boast of continuous production from 1909.

From its origins in mid-Victorian times, manufacturing needles in Redditch, Royal Enfield expanded into bicycle manufacture around the turn of the century under the guise of the Enfield Cycle Company and soon after developed its first powered vehicle. By 1904 the firm was concentrating on motor cars, resuming motorcycle manufacture from 1909 and launched the famous JAPengined V-twin sidecar outfit in 1912.

After developing its own engine, the company achieved racing success at Brooklands and the Isle of Man TT. Enfield was by now recognised as a technically advanced factory, adopting multi-speed transmission, chain drive, automatic dry-sump lubrication and a patented cush-drive rear hub that would remain a feature of all future models, as well as being supplied to other manufacturers.

The Bullet – which decades after its launch, when made in India, became known as a “sensible” machine for classic enthusiasts – was the first RE machine to carry this name – started its life in 1932 as a flashy sporting job and by the early 60s when production finished at Redditch, was one of the fastest 350s available. In addition, the Bullet can claim the longest motorcycle production run of all time.

Author Greg Pullen charts the rise, fall and rise again of Royal Enfield, from the company’s pre-motorcycle beginnings in Redditch, through the impact of two world wars, the importance of exports to India and subsequent establishment of factories there, to changes in ownership, recently launched models and new concept bikes for the future.

With 176 pages and 190 photographs, this book includes: The Vtwins, from the 1930s K and KX range to a glimpse of the concept V-twin shown in 2018; the singles, from two-strokes to side-valve four-strokes and the o.h.v. versions that first used the Bullet name, through to the new singles built in India; the British Bullet – its redesign in 1948 with swinging-arm rear suspension and production in the UK, the original orders from India and subsequent setting up of production there; the new twins – the 650cc Royal Enfield Interceptor and Continental GT and the Bobber concept bike; competition success, with notable one-day and ISDT achievements, production racing the big twins and Geoff Duke with the 250cc GP5 road racer; remembering the British factories and new opportunities with the Indian factories.

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T HE BR I T I S H MOTOR CYCL E C HA RI TABL E TRUS T A Charitable Incorporated Organisation Registered Charity No. 509420 Life President: John Kidson Trustees: Paul Barnes (Chairman) Ian Walden OBE Peter Wellings John Handley Mike Jackson Nick Jeffery Mike Penn Secretariat: Holly Cottage Main Street Bishampton Pershore WR10 2NH United Kingdom 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 m u se um s th roug hou t th e cou n try.

Associate Membership is open to all, and allows entry concessions at all 18 of the museums in our affiliation scheme (listed right). Our funding comes from membership subscriptions, bequests, donations, and income from our investments. Please direct any enquiries to the secretary, at the Secretariat address on the left.

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 Motor Museum Internal Fire Museum of Power, Tanygroes Isle of Man Motor Museum, Jurby Jet Age Museum, Gloucester Manx Museum, Douglas, Isle of Man Museum in the Park, Stroud National Motor Museum, Beaulieu Royal Engineers Museum, Gillingham, Kent Sammy Miller Museum, New Milton Silk Mill Museum of Making, Derby

www.bmct.org

Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset The Norton Collection Museum, Bromsgrove

Photo by Cecil Bailey Pit stop for the Lawton & Wilson entered “works” Triumph Thruxton Bonneville of Chris Conn (on the bike) and Percy Tait (with fuel hose) at the 1965 Castle Combe 500 Mile International Grand Prix d’Endurance. Arthur Jakeman wields the oil can.

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.