Southern Classic Bike Show 2017

www.london-motorcycle-museum.org

Southern Classic Bike Show

2017

After getting back from Bristol and at the Museum on Monday and picking up more fliers for later. Tuesday saw me meeting up with Chris for him to borrow my trailer so he could get his Police LE to the Show on the Friday. Nothing happened on the renovation front with the LE engine and gearbox but I did check over my LE in preparation for the ride to Kempton Park. Friday we set up the LE Club stand with Chris, Phil with his Valiant, George and myself getting the banner up and drawings and photos attached to the false wall. 

Chris, me, Steve and George. Phil is taking the picture.

I used safety pins for the wire brackets to hook into and support the banner, Wire coat hangers and masking tape held the drawing in place and just masking tape for the smaller pictures. Everything stayed in place this year. Last year things just kept falling down. Perhaps its because I had new tape that had some sticky stuff on. George arrived on his KSS and me on my LE Special to complete the display on the Saturday morning. Great fun talking to people and handing out fliers for the LMM. Phil had brought several boxes of old Bike magazines and was giving them away. They all disappeared before end of the show. My usual mission is to get oil for the next year and photo some of the more interesting machines on display and around the auto jumble. 

There was a remarkable AJS  M10 500cc ohc single and an even more pristine Zennith Gradua for sale. 

I usually go for Morris oil but this year I was too late in getting out and around because of the heavy showers that sent people scurrying inside to stay dry. No 20/50 anywhere except one stand selling Heritage oils. I was surprised that a gallon was only £14!! Too cheap to be good you might ask. When I had tested it out I’ll report back. Apparently Heritage blend the oil themselves and have a range of oils to suit everyone including fork oil SAE 5,10,15,20,25 and 30!! You can find them on-line www.heritageoils.co.uk

Back in the display hall I went in search of the New Imperial stand to ask a question. New Imperial made a 250cc inclined single and I had a thought that may be one of the engines that had no identification on it in the Museum was a New Imperial. The inclination and shape of the barrel and ports looked a possibility. On the stand Mike was very helpful but he didn’t know of a New Imperial that had a surface cam engine. I showed him some pictures of the engine that I had on my phone. He offered to go in search of information. The picture on the phone were not that good and I said I would get some better ones when I went to the Museum on the Monday. I e-mailed what I had to him on Sunday.

I had recently read about the involvement of Bill Hayward who rode his Baughan in his local motoball or as it was called then motorcycle football. Football played by riding around on a motorcycle and trying to kick a ball as well started off in World War One by despatch riders having a bit of fun. This proved very popular during the twenties and thirties drawing thousands to every match. In the sixties the game had all-but disappeared and is now having a revival, our local club is the Hayes and Southall MCC Motoball Club.

Zoe was on the next stand with her Triumph that has done a few adventures in America with books Bonneville Go or Bust and Southern Escapades that I have yet to read. This time she sold out of books! I commented that she would have enough money to eat today!

Steve, from the LE club helped us out on the stand and Peter, from the Museum was around handing out fliers. He had been on the main gate and had dropped around to the club stand so say he was on his way so I gave him more fliers to hand out. He had distributed them by lunch tome and was on his way home before it started to rain again. I was a great day talking bikes, although we started to pack up at 3pm it was 4pm by the time we had loaded Phil and Chris’s bikes on to trailers. After tidying up our display area it was 4:30pm when George and I and geared up and headed for home on our bikes. We’d had a dry runs this year.

At the Museum on Monday I was on a mission to take some better photos and do some research of my own about this odd engine. I found what I thought was the answer in the British Motorcycle Directory and then in British Motorcycles of the 1930’s. 

The motorcycle was a Dunelt model T that had used a 250cc Sturmey Archer face cam engine. The one in the picture was a single port model but the rest of it looks so similar it has to be. Mike sent me an email late that evening to confirm it was a Dunelt that had used this type of engine.

Kingswood Heritage Museum

www.london-motorcycle-museum.org

Kingswood Heritage Museum

www.kingswoodmuseum.org.uk

Being busy is one thing, but adding to it is just too much. I was in Chepstow a few days ago and visiting their local museum that had a special exhibition on antiquities from Assam. Also Gita was dancing at the cultural show that was organised along with the exhibition. Needless to say I was in the dance troop too! No motorcycles to see at that museum but not too far away from where I used to live is the Kingswood Heritage Museum. It is a small museum that traces the industrial development of that area of Bristol. Kingswood is where Douglas Motorcycles were made and the purpose of my visit there. The site of the Museum is an old brass foundry with remnants of the kilns and the slag heap that was turned into sculptured grottos. At the museum are 5 Douglas motorcycles and an interesting Vespa scooter with a big box sidecar on it. 

The Douglas Bantam is a lovely example of an everyman bike with panels to enclose the engine. In the course of production some were fitted with Villiers engines instead of Douglas’s own design two stroke. There was a very nice MK IV and a couple of Dragon Flys. 

I had never seen a Bartrun Fairee but there is a 1908 example of it and it was full of innovation with a clutch and coupled front and rear brakes. The brake lever is exceedingly long! Reading some of the information about Les Bailey who teamed up with, of all people, Granville Bradshaw  and in 1912 who helped build a 350cc racing Douglas.

Over the end of May Bank Holiday the Douglas Motorcycle Club along with the Vintage Motorcycle Club have an annual ride out that starts from the Museum so if you are around that weekend it would be worth paying a visit. The Museum is open Wednesday to Sunday each week from 2pm to 5pm. I found another book to buy, this time on Douglas motorcycles by Peter Carrick. I have read histories of the Mark from Jeff Clew, a view from when the people were still around to talk to and some of his personal recollections and that from Mick Walker a much less coloured transcript as it was written much later. I have yet to get started on the new book that contains a great number of interesting photos. I have an affinity with Douglas Motorcycles as my Father worked there in the machine shop for a few years and, because he had a driving license, would be pulled out to test the 80 pluses and 90 pluses when they were short of test riders. While at the Museum I had a good look at the Dragon Flys and made an observation of how long the induction tract was with that single carburetor. It was not surprising they were not very responsive. Velocette had a similar problem when they tried a single carb on the Valiant. Velocette had to use twin carbs, perhaps that is what was needed on the Dragon Fly?

Getting back to the London Motorcycle Museum on Monday the 1946 Triumph GP racer had returned from the Classic Race Bike meeting at Donnington as was in the Minter Cafe to get up close and personal with. I’m not sure how it got on but it didn’t look as thought it had been thrashed around a race track. No oil leaks!! I managed to take a few close ups before it gets back on its display position.

Magnificent!!!!

Rebuilding a Velocette LE

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Velocette LE

It has been quiet for me over the last month with not much being done for the Museum. I have been plagued with cars with problems including MOT’s. All needed work being done on them either by me or a garage so I’ve had little time to get out and about and when I did the Buell broke a muffler strap and I didn’t ride it for a couple of weeks until it was replaced. 

Riding it with the front strap broken would eventually fracture the down pipes as happened to me in 2011. Over Easter the Calthorpe and the Raleigh were fired up for the first time in ages. Great news for our enthusiasts. I’ve been reading and finally finished the book on Harry Baughan. Being in Gloucestershire and not far from from the place where Frank Whittles’ jet engine was first made it is not surprising that Harry Baughan’s company were involved in making parts for this engine. In much secrecy and everyone being kept in the dark, bits were made and no one new what for. Harry Baughan was enthusiastic about trials and much of the book is devoted to his efforts in making difficult courses that tested man and machine and very much part of the success of the Cotswold trial. He made light cars and motorcycles, all being hand built and his sidecar wheel drive a real special. There is some conjecture that Norton’s version was a rebadged Baughan set up as one was made for one of the Norton trials team on the hush-hush and a version of that was produced by Norton for the military in World War 2. This ended up on the market after the war with the sidecar wheel drive disabled as it was deemed unsafe for public use.

Being the resident LE expert I was asked if I would put the Museum LE back together again. After a long time I have got around to collecting the engine, gearbox and final drive from the Museum with a view on getting this ex-Greenford Police LE back together again. It is in a bit of a sorry state as the place where it was stored was not very dry and has caused a good deal of corrosion. I’ll update on the progress as it happens. 

In the box of bits I discovered a large envelope in which there was an article called “On the Speedway” published in The Oxford Annual for Boys 22^nd Year by Oxford University Press 1929. This describes Speedway at its start in 1928 the stars of the day and the bikes and gear that went with it. Nothing about Greenford in it, other than just being mentioned, but still an interesting read. No thoughts about it being possibly a little “Dangerous” it was just “Thrilling”. Perhaps we should now replace every reference to motorcycling that mentions dangerous to be thrilling?

Zublee Foundation

www.london-motorcycle-museum.org

Zublee Foundation

At the Museum on Monday and another international experience with visitors from California and Philadelphia the rest of the week was quite quiet with preparations for a ride on the Buell with the ROG’s (Retired Old Gits) and Saturday at a fund raising event for organ donation in Assam. Sunday was due to be Classic British Bike day at the Ace Cafe but not wanting to get me or the LE wet I have stayed at home to get my adventures for the week written down. We have a new Norton on display a late fifties Dominator looking in show room condition and must be seen. 

 The week was a blurr of DIY and avoiding rain, getting another posting done and some planning for a bike ride that would visit Hive Beach and Sammy Millers in Dorset. Thursday arrived with a fine warm day meeting at Ryka’s then a short trip of only 50 miles to Finchdean and the George pub for lunch. I had an all day breakfast and couldn’t finish it neither did another fella. Mega sized sandwiches were just too deep to get your mouth around but someone tried.

 

I’ve got that pub on my list to revisit and they have a good selection of real ales too! Ending the day at Billy’s, a biker cafe on the A29 with a nice mug of tea before setting off home completing 176 miles for the day. A good start to my biking season.

You may ask what the Zublee foundation is all about and where does it fit in with biking then read on. The foundation was set up to get an organ donation established in India. There are a lot of people in India and you would have thought there would have been a surfit of spare organs, more than enough to go around. Not the case, it seems even in death, the owners want to hang on to them and the relatives want to keep them too! It is all about education. At the launching of this Charity a bike rally was organised in Guwahati in Assam, North East India. 

A ride around the city promoting the Foundation. This was in 2014 and, as in most cases, bikers will do almost anything to ride their bikes. India is no different and I have included some pictures of that event. As to the fund raising event two of the most famous Assamese pop artists were there to entertain us Zubeen and Zublee. Singing for hours popular songs from many eras. Last year Zubeen had a massive hit from a song that was used in a Bollywood movie. Zublee, also a successful singer, started the foundation for organ donation and gave an address at the end of the show to gather more support. 

The web site is www.zubleefoundation.com

I am already a registered organ donor but as I am planning a ride in India next year I may as well join the other Indian bikers in support of a good cause.

From saving lives to a sadder occasion with the passing away of one of our Great British Motorcycling Legends, John Surtees, who won both 350cc and 500cc World Championships before moving on to motor racing and becoming F1 Champion. He was an ambassador for motorcycling and we remember him in a video that we run everyday “The Power and the Glory” as he presents some of the iconic British motorcycles of the fifties.

Harrry Baughan

www.london-motorcycle-museum.org

The Baughan.

Harry Baughan was an interesting man. He first made a light car 1919 in Pinner in Middlesex then, in 1921 moved to Stroud. In 1923 he gave up making cars and went over to making motorcycles and sidecars using Blackburn engines. The company made over 50 motorcycles and 3 with sidecar wheel driving. As there was no differential the set up had a straight on complex when driving. The shaft drive to the sidecar wheel was engaged via a dog clutch. 

To get around this Harry patented a differential but that never went into production. I know of a few manufacturers who did this, in World War 11 it was BMW and Zundapp, Norton also had a design and more recently the Russian Ural.

You can just see the bulge on on the casing  for the shaft drive to the rear wheel on this BMW.

The Ural has a 30/70 split on the differential to even out the drive for better cornering abilities. out the drive for better cornering abilities. design was very successful in sidecar trials winning many competitions going where no outfit has gone before but also excluded from many others. The company moved to larger premises in 1937 and made aircraft parts during World War 11. Harry kept his interest in motorcycles becoming a prominent trials organiser. The sole surviving example of a Baughan is to be found at the Museum in the Park in Stroud in Gloucestershire. Museum web site www.museuminthepark.org.uk It is a Heritage Museum that shows the history of Stroud from the Jurassic to the present day with lots of interesting bits in it including examples of the first lawn mowers! Cutting the grass was changed forever and we now have the legacy of this most Sundays during the summer months.

Doing my bit to support the NHS to stop more cuts in services I attended a march on Saturday. It was so underplayed by the BBC with only seconds of air time. I was very disappointed with this as I had spent most of the day at this rally and some 200,000 people had kept me company. If you know Shaftsbury Avenue the column of people filled the road as far as the eye could see. I could not see the beginning of the march nor the end. It took more than an hour and a half for the crowd to assemble in front of the Houses of Parliament. The BBC only reported tens of thousands taking part not tens of tens of thousands! 

However I did encounter a very nasty animal in Tavistock square where the march assembled. Spotted here, camouflaged, and tripping everyone up were a complete family of trained orcas ready to catch unsuspecting pedestrians sending them sprawling. Beware of Tavistock square and its’ cycle lane marking!

Back at the Museum more fun on the Monday bringing my Velocette LE out for its’ first spin of 2017 it was a delight to have 27 children from the local Primary School visiting us. They were challenged by looking for the motorcycle that has a dog on the tank. Their final request was to hear a motorcycle running. Nothing noisey was available only the LE. 

My LE didn't look like this originally!

As people may know it was used by the Police and many a person has been caught by the quiet approach. It is one of the quietest motorcycles around. Nothing to scare the kids who kept requesting more as I blipped the throttle. How can you say no to that?

London Motorcycle Show 2017

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London Motorcycle Show 2017

Over the last week I’ve been to a Motorcycle Action Group meeting at the ACE cafe on Thursday evening instead of being at the Wey Valley Bike Club night. I had a choice of talking politics or listening to a presentation about blue tooth ear plugs. I decided politics and to meet up with the new London Rep Tim Fawthrop and as MAG had a stand at the show went along on the Sunday. In between I had been to the Science Museum to pass on my knowledge of the steam revolution in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to some friends and their children. I’m not sure what was most tiring, PR at the Museum or the Show. As usual I was loaded with fliers to hand out , cheekily, at the MAG stand. Tim had taken some on Thursday and the rest of the gang on the stand handed out more over the weekend. They supported me very well in my efforts for the London Motorcycle Museum. Talking MAG, Advanced Motorcycling and Museum filled the day and I did take the opportunity to talk to the people on the Enfield stand about the Enfield shrine and Greg Staves Arctic-Antarctic trip on his Enfield that we have at the LMM. Also to the guys on the BMW stand about our prototype R80 that was used to test out the gear required for the Police and Ambulance Services after Norton stopped production. I left fliers with all the insurance company stands for details that may help them in their promotions and lastly, at the end of the day I was at the National Motorcycle Museum stand passing over the last of the LMM fliers and receiving some very good complements on how good the LMM is. I also got some half price vouchers to visit the National Motorcycle Museum. Another visit in the offing.

I thought the show needed a few more dealer stands, however what was there was very interesting. Triumph had come up with a snow special, studded rear tyre for grip and a ski on the front to steer. I have driven snow mobiles with ski steering and they do have a mind of their own. Best not to go too close to trees and rocks I guess. 

The Indian stand looked a bit Lora Ashley with pastel shades and tassels from a full dresser. I was looking at a Honda MSX as something to chuck in the back of a car for fun but the new model has those silly ridges on the side of the tank that is supposed to assist comfort however they get me just behind my knee and is quite uncomfortable. I had the same issue with the Deauville. On the other hand a new idea from Honda with an Adventure Scooter!! 750cc and an open frame. 

Automatic transmission with manual control. I had not been impressed with automatic transmission as it selects the gear it thinks and not what you need. With this one you are able to select whatever gear you want to run in and change when you want to change. You are able to select the right gear for the job in hand. Much, much better when you can go around a bend in the right gear or tough terrain off road. Mark Upham was on the Brough stand helping sell his wares. The record breaking machine that Eric Patterson rode at Bonneville was looking as magnificent as usual. 

What caught my eye was a very lean and mean CCM. A limited edition of 150 and only 4 left by the end of play. I thought the the manufacturers were starting to become a little more adventurous and a bit more Bike Shed in their approach.

And last but not least a name from the past has re-emerged there was a Hesketh stand with new models on display. Those who had bought them in the past found they were very good. So good that most still have them and still running!

Coventry Transport Museum 2017

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Coventry Transport Museum

I was up in Barnsley the other week and passing by Coventry I made a little detour to visit the Transport Museum there. The journey was hampered by fog and traffic jams and it seemed to take forever to get anywhere. It was worth the effort as the museum has done an excellent job with their new displays. Just walking in was different from before with a Triumph Trident in a display case and on the wall next to it were all the names of the manufacturers that had been in and around the city.

 The displays were in order of eras with the early bicycles, cars and motorcycles put together by manufacturer. Rover, Singer, and Humber being the earliest. Each decade was represented as you moved through the displays. I did like the one of bicycles that seemed to curve around you and go on for ages.

As usual I took lots of photos to record what was there and how the displays looked. Although the Triumph factory was located by the Cathedral and was bomb damaged during World War causing, not only the factory to go up in flames but the Cathedral next door I felt that such an important marque would have more representation it did appear to be a little light weight with a feature display on the Hinkley Triumphs. Towards the end of the tour there was, as before Ted Simon’s Triumph noted in his book Jupiters Travels and also the  BMW that he used on his second trip noted from his book Dreaming of Jupiter. 

Both I have read and doing long trips is not impossible only yourself is the limiting factor. Doing them on your own is your best adventure. The more you have around you the less you interact with the locals. What was also on display, next to Ted’s bikes  was the outfit of Stanley Glanfield on a Rudge Witworth  all British World Tour 1927/8. Something to look up I think. It was a1927 Rudge Combination On the 2nd of July 1928, Stanley Glanfield embarked on a world tour, on his Coventry-built 499cc Rudge motorcycle combination. The journey was to take him just 8 months - covering 18,000 miles, passing through some 16 countries and crossing 4 continents to peak your interest. 

Remember the epic journey of Richard and Mopsa English that took their Triumph 650cc Thunderbird around the world in just over 4 years covering over 90,000 miles in this amazing adventure that they started in 1983. Since my last visit the number of motorcycles on display has been reduced but what they have on display is easier to see and understand what the manufacturers were achieving at the time. Something to bear in mind that in this  case “less is more”

Back at the Museum more interesting visitors the other Monday with a prospective around the world tripper coming along to see what we had and later in the day a couple of Scott enthusiasts commenting on whether our 1925 Flying Squirrel was really a Super Squirrel. A question to be asked of the BMCT as it is their bike and restoration. We had some interesting discussions about the Science Museum and the Scott aeroengine they have on display there. My biggest complaint about the aircraft and engine displays are that they are poorly lit and it is difficult to see much in any detail. I know there are austerity measures going on but reducing the lighting level helps no-one.

Last Sunday I was at the Wey Valley Advanced Motorcycle Club monthly meeting and out on the Buell for the first in many weeks. I had a good run out and back but it was a little too cold to spend much time on the bike. Crisp enough to freeze the cobwebs.