BMCT News Winter 2007

Members Newsletter Winter 2007 MARTINSYDE RETURNS TO BROOKLANDS We are delighted to have been instrumental in returning a rare 1920 Martinsyde-Newman to Brooklands, where it was built over 85 years ago.

The trust managed to fight off stiff competition to buy the bike at the October Bonhams Stafford auction (see report on page 2) where it had been offered for sale by its Dutch owner. Needless to say we were keen to see the bike back in Britain, and John Pulford, Curator of the Brooklands Museum, was equally excited about displaying it back at its birthplace.

Martinsyde turned to motorcycle production in 1919 when demand for its aircraft tailed off in the aftermath of World War I. They enlisted the help of Howard Newman, who brought with him the designs for a machine powered by a an extremely neat 680 cc exhaust over inlet vee-twin driving through a three speed AJS gearbox.

TT CELEBRATION The organisers of this year’s Isle of Man TT Races have included a very special event to celebrate one hundred years of the TT. To commemorate the exact 100th anniversary, on 28th May 2007, machines from

1

A slightly smoky Martinsyde with (l to r) John Kidson, Neil Sinclair and Andy Bufton

Sadly, production was hardly established before a disastrous fire ripped through the factory, sending Martinsyde into liquidation. The name and remaining stock were bought by BAT, who made a few more machines before production ended in 1923.

Our machine is the earliest known survivor of the marque. The team of volunteers at Brooklands, led by John Bottomley, have wasted no time restoring it to running order and it was demonstratthat era will ride one lap around the original St Johns Course. The event will see a rolling road closure in place around the circuit, followed by a concours display and other activities on the closed road in St Johns.

BMCT member Sammy Miller has announced he will be tak-

ed (somewhat smokily) by Neil Sinclair to BMCT representatives John Kidson and Andy Bufton when they visited the museum in December.

There remains some work to be done on the cycle parts, and it is hoped to parade the bike at some of the many interesting events planned for this season by the Brooklands Museum - which is now affiliated to the BMCT. For further details log on to their website:– www.brooklandsmuseum.com.

Contents Martinsyde Returns page 1

ing part in the re-enactment, riding the 1911 340cc Humber raced to victory by P J Evans in the Junior TT of that year. Sam will also ride his four cylinder Gilera in the parade laps later in the TT fortnight. The Black Country Museum will also be in attendance with some TT bikes from their collection.

TT Celebration page 1 New Trustee page 2 AGM Report page 2 Cash for Gaydon page 2 Sunbeam for Dudley page 2

NEW TRUSTEE

B M C T www.bmct.org

At the recent AGM of the trust, Paul Barnes (below) was elected to the board of trustees. Paul, an Independent Financial Adviser with premises in Stratford upon Avon, lives in east Worcestershire with his wife and two children. A keen motorcyclist, Paul’s current mount is a Hinckley built Triumph ThunA glorious Brough Superior SS100 owned by a BMCT member derbird Sport. His other interests include riding, food and re-elected unanimously. Paul fine wines, and he is looking NEWS FROM THE AGM Barnes was elected to the forward to contributing to the board on a motion proposed by The Annual General Meeting marketing of the BMCT as Sammy Miller, seconded by of the BMCT took place at the we try to increase awareness Graham Oxenbury. John KidBlack Country Living Museum of our work. on 18th October . The financial son, Chairman of the trust, statements for the year ended summed up the activities of the BMCT in 2005, including the 31 Dec 2005 were discussed award of major grants to the and approved, and trustees retiring by rotation, Barry Little- Coventry, Haynes and Sammy wood and Peter Wellings, were Miller Museums.

CASH FOR GAYDON A Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £997,681 has enabled the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust (BMIHT) based at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, Warwickshire, to launch a major redevelopment of its museum displays. The £1.1 million 'Road Ahead' project will include the construction of a

new mezzanine floor within the museum's exhibition hall and the creation of two new exhibitions.

The new displays will feature archive and museum exhibits not previously on display and will concentrate on the development of the motor industry in the West Midlands. As part of the project the museum's

SUNBEAM FOR DUDLEY One of the hidden gems at the Stafford Show auction was a lovely 1930 Model 10 Sunbeam which now resides at the Black Country Museum, courtesy of the BMCT. Introduced in the autumn of that year, the Model 10 featured a 344cc ohv twin port engine incorporating an insump oil reservoir, whilst retaining a dry-sump lubrication system. The frame was of

Winter 2007 2

lighter construction than in preceding models, and featured a saddle tank for an up-to-date appearance.

education facilities will also be updated and extended. It is hoped that work on the project will start in January 2007, with the new exhibitions due to open at the end of May 2007. To allow this work to be carried out, the museum will be closed to the public from the 20th December. The conference facilities remain open as normal.

Our machine has engine number SS1001, the first of the new series, and is one of only three surviving examples known to the VMCC. It was sold originally to a customer from Wolverhampton

by Copes, the nearest dealer to Sunbeamland. It was sympathetically restored in the late nineties, and now makes a fitting addition to the motorcycle display at the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley.

BMCT Newsletter Published by Matchless Management Services, Tel. 07754 880116