DECEMBER Update

Where did 2015 go? Once again we crammed a lot into a short time and it seemed that everything was happening in September. We did skip a blog in August and are still struggling to edit the footage from the Brooklands Great War 100, but we should catch up over the next few weeks. Here is a brief summary of our world.

Warbike Project

The book is now available via the link above or Amazon etc. The project is however more than just a book, and work continues to ensure that the full story of War Office Procurement, the motorcycles and their riders continues to be captured. The book is now lodged with the Research Libraries of the Royal Logistics Corps, The Tank Museum, Brooklands Museum, the Manx Aviation & Military Museum and the Imperial War Museum.

Brooklands Great War 100.

The commemoration of the 1915 Military Motorcycle events was well received and the early indications from Brooklands Museum suggest that it will be possible to have a similar WW1 period motorcycle event either as part of the 2016 Great War 100 or as part of a separate event earlier in the year. 

Brooklands Great War 100 2015

I think that it is important that we give both owners and the public every opportunity to see these motorcycles running.

Kempton Southern Off Road Show.

Once again we will be supporting Brooklands Museum at the event which is being held at the Kemptom Park Racecourse on 5 December 2015. We will be transporting a couple of racing bikes for the stand.

Norton OC at  Kempton Show

Kempton Off Road Show

 In search of ABC Motors

Brooklands ABC

I have recently been documenting the rebuild of Brooklands Museum's ABC. The motorcycle is a 1921 398cc ABC designed by Granville Bradshaw. It is somewhat unique in its design having front and rear leaf springs and horizontally opposed cylinders, reputedly later copied by BMW.

ABC Rear Leaf Springs

 Whilst the engine was on the bench several people remarked that it looked like an early aero engine; and they are not far wrong as ABC/Bradshaw were making aircraft engines for Sopwith during WW1. This engine owes much to its aero cousins in the form of lightweight castings and relative simplicity.

ABC Front Leaf Springs

I had already crossed paths with Bradshaw during the Warbike research. ABC were originally based at Brooklands where Bradshaw came into contact with motorcycle racers and manufactures of the day. It is easy to imagine how the ever active engineering brain of Bradshaw was soon developing unsolicited ideas and suggestions for faster motorcycles. This was no doubt the seed that launched a lifelong friendship with Freddie Barnes of local manufacturer Zenith.  At the outbreak of war Bradshaw was forced to move from Brooklands which was being taken over by the Royal Flying Corps. ABC moved to nearby Hersham where they changed the name of the company to ABC Motors Ltd. Here they manufactured stationary engines for the military and a few bikes including a consignment for Egypt which ended up at the bottom of the Mediterranean.

After a bit of digging I discovered that the old ABC works still exists. However, just as I was preparing to take a visit, I was informed that the site was about to be demolished to make way for a supermarket. Wasting no time I took the next opportunity to photograph the site. It was an overcast day, but I managed to get all of the buildings documented before the bulldozers arrive.

Site of ABC Works Molesey Road Hersham

I am now on the trail of Bradshaw's close friend, Freddie Barnes of Zenith. More on this during 2016.

Barry M Jones has just published an excellent revised edition of “Granville Bradshaw a flawed Genius?” ISBN:9870956497574 published by Panther. This book written with access to the Bradshaw Family archives is well worth a read. Barry says that he became interested in Bradshaw whilst researching Phelon & Moore. Bradshaw really did have connections with so many developments. As a postscript I even saw a Bradshaw oil cooled engine advertised on ebay last week. If you are interested in what connects ABC to Suzuki, VW Beetles, 3D TV and Wankel rotary engines, you need to get the book on your Chirstmas List. 

Website

Work on the website continues, but it is all too easy to be presented with a great looking site with little or no content. So; there is a bit more work to be done before it passes the content test. However, it will still have to continue to grow after launch. The shop is slowly being stocked and we also expect to have a regular stall at Kempton Park Bike Jumble during 2016.

1930's Projects

The AJS came out for a photo-shoot in October (more on that in 2016). It is a bike with a special back story and we should have it back on the road in time for the 2016 Shere Hill Climb.

250cc AJS Project

The Sunbeam is now owed a bit of workshop time. I do love an oily rag machine, but too many bits have been breaking lately! The silencer needs to be replaced, and the valve-lifter let go at Shere. The Engine and gearbox will come out early next year and everything will be inspected and the motley assortment of non period fixings and electrics from its 1980s rebuild will be replaced.

The 1935 Sunbeam waits to burst into life at the 2015 Shere Hill Climb

We would always recommend that bikes which no longer require MOTs are regularly inspected and receive a full independent check every two to three years. This will ensure that the bikes remain in a condition to be enjoyed by us and future generations to come.

The second AJS Project is a sound bike, but needs to be registered and a lot more work before it can be put back on the road.

Fenland ClassicsTV

Click below for this month's selection of Bike related Films:





Old Timer

WARBIKE: British Military Motorcycling 1899-1919

 Still at the launch price.

NOVEMBER Update

WARBIKE Launch

Warbike: British Military Motorcycling 1899-1919
Launch Price £8.50 + p&p

                                            

The book was launched on 1 October and has been well received. The aim was always to fill the gaps in current publications and not to cut across other excellent books. The book looks at the development of the military motorcycle which was in fact driven initially more by manufacturers and riders than by the War Office itself. It is interesting that 100 years ago motorcycle manufacture initially continued as normal before more facilities and resources were required for the war effort. The book ends in 1919 as Douglas and Triumphs were piled up at Kempton Park Race Course waiting to be “re-manufactured” by their original makers. 

It was perhaps fitting I run into Chris Orchard co-Author of British Forces Motorcycles 1925-45 at the October Kempton Pk Bike Jumble. Chris explained that he was currently working on a revised copy of the book which is currently out of print. For those who own (or think they own) a military motorcycle BFM is an essential reference book dealing with individual machines and technical specification. It sounds as if the new book will widen its timescale, although as we both agreed pre 1925 is a challenge because of a lack of records and post WW2 presents a similar problem due to many records still being classified.

The Warbike Project continues as a virtual archive of military motorcycling information and we will begin to piece together the development of military motorcycles from 1920 to 1945. We are therefore keen to know about the people who rode, made and repaired military motorcycles. And; because none of us is getting any younger we are also keen to gather experiences of those who have been involved with military motorcycles since WW2. So far we have information about some experimental development following WW1 and snippets post WW2. 

If you have any information from Brothers Fathers Uncles etc please get in touch at Warbike@fenlandclassics.co.uk One other piece of unfinished business concerns commemoration of Phelon and Moore testing at Brooklands. We need a P&M machine to photograph on the Brooklands track as a reminder of the part played by these machines in the service of the Royal Flying Corps. Please get in touch via the email above if you have access to a P&M we could borrow for a half day shoot.

Brooklands Great War 100 Event

Page from 1914 Red Cross Day Guide 

Research projects have a habit of throwing up new information about other areas of history, such as testing at Brooklands and the three motorcycle events held in 1915. There was not room in the book to cover the Brooklands WW1 story, so we are currently working on a separate publication covering Brooklands motorcycling 1914-18. 

This period is currently covered in print, and is quite rightly dominated by the development and manufacture of Aircraft. However, the Red Cross Field day, testing, military meetings and Royal Aircraft Factory meeting and continued record breaking provide more than enough for a reference book that will be available sometime during 2016.

Despatch Rider Peter Birket signs up

Whilst the existence of the military events was know about and is even featured in film on one of the Brooklands Museum DVDs it was a revelation to piece together the names of the people involved and identify them in photos of the event by their race number. It really bought the events to life; and this was taken a step further when I was asked by Brooklands Museum to commemorate the events at the Great War 100 event on 27 September. 

Douglas negotiates the serpentine course

I am indebted to the twenty or so owners who brought their period bikes and took part in a re-run of the Serpentine event and race starts. We even had a bicycle take part! As for the future; if it is up to me there will be another event.

Cameraman Perry Barwick checks non-period cameras
 on Rick Parkington's bike

A new imperial bicycle takes to the course

A period onlooker waits for motorcycles to return from the track 

Aspen Ethanol Free Petrol Test

 In early September we were let loose at the Shere Hill Climb as part of the Brooklands Trust Team. The story began sometime in July as I decided to use the event to test Aspen Ethanol Free Petrol. This was never going to be a scientific test, but we just wanted to see how it would work in a 1930's engine.

As we all know Ethanol attacks many of the parts that we rely on such as fuel tank liners, carbs and even some petcock corks.

I have recently seen firsthand damage caused through exposure to Petrol including this tank liner which has been attacked by Ethanol. 

Carb after a clean up

We have also recently been working on an AJS which had a stodgy mess in the bottom of its tank. This muck extended down into the carburettor, which lead to a lot of work before it was fit to be used again. Whilst the AJS problem was one of evaporation rather than ethanol my research has shown that Aspen also has an extended life, keeping fresh for 5 years meaning that it could also make a good storage fuel.

So back to the Hill climb preparation. The 250cc Sunbeam was drained (no liner) and the carburetor cleaned. The first fill of the tank with Aspen was cut short after one of the petcocks leaked. This is when, with the aid of the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubswebsite I discovered that cork also could be attacked by ethanol.

The second attempt with the fuel, sold primarily for Horticultural machinery, was much better and the bike started immediately. It ran for about 15 minutes including a few runs on the Brooklands Banking. 

First Test Run at Brooklands

The bike felt normal and the acceleration was good. Other than a slightly different exhaust smell all was the same as normal.

During the week before the event I took the bike out for a full test run and apart from wet sumping all went very well.

A quick check before the start

Come the day of the Hill Climb I was having a few continuing oil issues, but as far as fuel was concerned the Aspen performed well under load up the climb and on the return which involved running on public roads. I was also conscious that the bike was starting better than normal.

A rest between runs

So, a non-scientific test which will continue as I see what happens to the components over time. One of the main benefits for me personally was the lack of smell. When working on bikes I find that pump fuel hangs around on my hands and cloths etc. Whilst the background aroma of petrol and oil makes for a proper shed ambiance, the strong smell of pump fuel gives me a headache. Aspen has hardly any smell and no noticeable lasting aroma meaning that I was not experiencing the usual petrol smell as I drove the bike away in the van.

It seems that this is one of the reasons that the product was first developed; so I met up with Eddie Bocquillon of Aspen to find out more. Eddie explained that the fuel was developed in 1988 by Roland Elmang, a Swedish chemist to help deal with the affects of normal petrol on forest workers working with chainsaws for long period. Bending down, they were breathing in the exhaust fumes leading to headaches and potential long-term health issues. I was shown two of Eddie’s party pieces. First he presented me with a jar of Aspen with a piece of expanded polystyrene floating on top, which he tells me has been in the jar for three months. I was given a jar of pump fuel and invited to float another piece of polystyrene. I placed the polystyrene in the pump fuel which immediately consumed it within about 15 seconds leaving no trace. I was given the test kit to take away and now after seven months in the Aspen the polystyrene is beginning to absorb the fuel but it is still holding its shape even down to the moulding marks. The second demonstration had to be done in pictures as we were standing opposite the Goodwood Pits, but Eddie likes to set fire to a plate of pump fuel followed by a plate of Aspen. This demonstrates the clean burn of Aspen compared with pump fuel and can be seen below.   

Eddie went on to describe where Aspen, more properly known as Alkylate petrol fits into the crude oil to fuel refining process. It all seems quite complex, but essentially Alkylate petrol could be described in layman’s terms as gases from crude oil distillation resulting in clean burning and exceptional antiknock properties. As a result Akylate petrol contains less of the harmful ingredients of pump fuel, no ethanol and has a storage life of five years! This link provides more technical information and the table below provides a comparison with pump fuel.

So, is Alkylate Petrol the answer to all our ethanol woes? Not quite. The fuel is only currently available from horticulture outlets and is more expensive than pump fuel. However, it does make a viable alternative to flush out the pump fuel on the last runs of the season if your bike is being stored for the winter. As ethanol free pump fuel becomes harder to locate accurately and ethanol levels are increased it could become the only real alternative. I was very impressed and we will certainly continue to use it in the Sunbeam as part of an ongoing trial. 

ALKYLATE PETROL (Aspen 2 stroke and Aspen 4 stroke)	UNLEADED PUMP FUEL
Chemically stable/long storage life	Deteriorates rapidly/short storage life
Designed for machinery with small engines	Designed for car engines
95 RON, 92 MON	95 RON, 85 MON
Labelled as harmful	Labelled as toxic
Less than 10 hydrocarbons	Over 100 harmful hydrocarbons
25% less hydrocarbon emissions than pump fuel	25% more hydrocarbon emissions than Aspen
Less than 0.01% aromatic hydrocarbons	Up to 35% aromatic hydrocarbons
Less than 0.01% Benzene content	Up to 1% Benzene content (volume)
No Toluene content	Contains Toluene
Only 2 ppm sulphur	10 ppm sulphur
25% more hydrogen/burns cleaner/less soot production = cleaner engines	n/a
Ethanol content Nil	Ethanol content 5-10%

New Web Site

We have put the new website on hold until next year and continue to source interesting original and re-manufactured items. Warbike: British Military Motorcycling 1899-1919 will however be available via a temporary page at www.fenlandclassics.com shortly. 

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WARBIKE: British Military Motorcycling 1899-1919 Is available at the special launch price of £8.50

Old Timer

OCTOBER_Update

Warbike Project

After a busy two months. The waiting is over and Warbike: British Military Motorcycling 1899 - 1919 has been published. The book is the culmination of a three year research project exploring the development and procurement of military motorcycles from the pioneering days of the late 1900's until the end of the First World War where the motorcycle saw action for the first time.

This is a book that deals with "motorcycling" rather than concentrating just on the machinery. It has become clear during the research that the development of the military machine was driven by the riders rather than the Army. It was entrepreneurs and pioneers of military cycling who first brought the motor-bicycle to the attention of the authorities. However, in 1908 the War Office were embroiled in a race to develop a replacement for Horses and Mules as the logistical driving force behind the Army and were not interested in motorcycles.

Access to original War Office documents has provided a fascinating insight into how the motorcycle first found its way into the Army Service Corps, Royal Engineers and the Royal Flying Corps. The documents also reveal how Douglas, the second most successful manufacture in WW1 struggled to make the grade.

Access to contemporary letters, interviews and military records has uncovered the story of the individual men and women who took their motorcycles to War for the first time.

The book is available now at a launch price of just £8.50

Warbike: British Military Motorcycling 1899 - 1919

ISBN: 978-1-326-40667

116 Pages

70 Photos & Illustrations

Click on the Sales Page Button Below to Buy:

Francis Barnett Owners Club

In August we joined the Francis Barnett owners club on their AGM at Brooklands Museum. Members met to discuss club business and take their bikes up Test Hill.

Whilst the owners were engaged in official business we took time out to meet Andrew Longfield the owner of the Francis Barnett brand. It turns out that Andrew is just an ordinary bloke from Coventry who is driven by a passion for Fanny B's. He was at Brooklands to give his latest bike "The Falcon" its first outing.  Andrew explained that he was up until the early hours preparing the bike, which has only recently been delivered. Asked about the official launch he replied modestly "well I suppose this is it"

We also discussed another mutual interest: Electric Bikes, and for those new to the blog we support electric vehicles on the basis that it means more petrol for vintage vehicles!

Andrew says that he has been playing around with the idea of launching a range of Francis Barnett bicycles and power assisted bicycles; saying “I plan to do what Francis Barnett never did”.  A reference to the fact that many motorcycle brands grew out of bicycle manufacture, whilst Andrew plans the reverse; and we wish him every success.

Shere Hill Climb

On 6 September we adjourned to the picturesque village of Shere in Surrey where we were invited as part of the Brooklands Trust entry. The hill climb is a non-competitive, mainly car based event held on Staple Lane off the A246, a location more used to hosting Cyclists on the Tour of Britain and London/Surrey 100 than Motorcycles.

We were privileged to be the first Motorcycles to be invited since the event held in aid of local charities was started three years ago. Co-incidentally the event was being held exactly 100 years after an Army & Navy hill climb at nearby Newlands Corner on the A25.

For the last few weeks we had been preparing the 1935 250cc Model 16 Sunbeam for the event, and whilst doing so flushed out the tank and carburetor to try out Aspen, Ethanol free fuel. Keep a look out for the full review of Aspen in the November Blog.

We arrived just before 8am as the early morning mist was clearing to reveal a wonderful autumnal day. Accompanying our bike was a Model 9 Sunbeam, a 1930s Velocette Street Sprint Special and a 250cc 1930s Triumph. Sadly a further 250cc 1930s Velocette had to stay in the paddock suffering oil circulation issues.

As we formed up for the first run the model 16 was smoking a bit, but amused the crowds as we gently left the line at a sedate pace. Also joining us for the run were the guys from Guildford Harley Davidson providing the visitors with a moving Motor Show. I was joined at the top of the hill by the Triumph and Model 9 Sunbeam and we had an enjoyable run back over Newlands Corner before returning to the Start.

On the third run I managed to dislodge an oil line resulting in an unwanted conversion to 2-stroke fuel as the spray got sucked into the carb. However, the run was completed and it was a big thumbs up to Aspen fuel, not least because there appears to be no residual smell, although in my case the overalls over my leathers did smell of burnt oil!

Brooklands Great War 100

On 27 September Brooklands Held its second Great War 100 event commemorating the First World War. This year’s event was overshadowed by the cancellation of the Air Display. However, it gave the motorcycles an opportunity to take centre stage as the volunteers commemorated the Centenary of the Brooklands Services Meetings held in August and September of 1915.

23 period motorcycles took their place in the hallowed ground of the Brooklands Race Bays before taking part in a re-run of the 1915 Serpentine Race. Riders negotiated a series of “gates” as slow as possible without putting a foot down. The majority made it look very easy masking the real skill needed to manage these 100 year old bikes. There was a variety of bikes from Rick Parkington’s VERY original Blackburne TT Sports, to a concourse, museum quality Douglas that had been ridden 15 miles from Camberley. This was incidentally this was the same journey made by the Army entrants based near Aldershot in 1915. 

For the afternoon session the riders moved to the start/finish straight were they took part in “Race Starts” before disappearing onto the banking under the Members Bridge. The Castrol “R” began to drift from the air as the bikes re-appeared to the waiting crowd.

Also on static display was the Vickers Matchless Gun carriage which was kindly loaned by the British Motorcycle Charitable Trust. The Matchless together with WW1 re-enactment groups, period military Lorries and four period aircraft added to the occasion.

There was a moment of unplanned reflection when the crowd fell silent as the military vehicles lined up for publicity shots during the afternoon. It was an opportunity to remember all those affected by WW1 and in particular 2^nd Lt Frank Houghton; the Architect of the 1915 Motorcycle Services Events who went on to become a pilot, and was killed just six months before the end of the War whilst testing aircraft to aircraft radio.

More images and Video of the event will appear on the Brooklands Museum Motorcycle Volunteer’s Facebook page  and FenlandClassicsTV over the next couple of weeks.

Next Time:

More from Great War 100 and the Aspen Petrol Review

Old Timer

AUGUST Update

Ton-up Day

It was back down to Brooklands on 7 July for the annual Ton-up day organised by Brooklands Museum in association with the London Ace Cafe. Once again hundreds of riders mingled and sharing stories of bike builds and days gone by. There were also two Test Hill sessions which included a diverse range of bikes from Bantams to Tritons. We were privileged to get cameras onto the hill and will soon be putting together a short film of the event for the Brooklands Motorcycle Volunteers facebook page and Fenland Classics TV.

A Diverse Range of Bikes for Ton-up Day at Brooklands

Shere Hill Climb

On 6 September petrolheads will be heading down to Staples Lane in Surrey for the Shere Hill Climb. This is a non-competitive event in aid of local charities that has attracted some interesting vehicles over the last few years. For the first time this year, the organisers have invited motorcycles to take part. We will be there with our 1935 Sunbeam. Following our research into ethanol, we will also be using the event to test the bike on ethanol free fuel from Aspen. Watch out for more new on twitter @fenlandclassics


September also happens to be the centenary of a motorcycle hill climb at nearby Newlands Corner (A25) run by by the Streatham & District Motorcycle Club in 1915. In those days the road was not much more than a dusty track. Nevertheless motorcyclist gathered on 25 September 



to compete on the road that remained open to traffic! It is thought that the marshals held back any passing traffic as the riders launched themselves leaving a trail of dust and burning oil behind them. Contemporary reports of the event explained that the location on the north side of Newlands Corner was not particularly challenging with the steepest portion being 1 in 8.


Contemporary reports of the event explained that the location on the north side of Newlands Corner was not particularly challenging with the steepest portion being 1 in 8. After the field of 80 entries had ascended the hill they adjourned to the nearby Onslow arms for prize giving.  


This event was a welcome interlude from events across the channel. It was not long before all competitive events came to an end as petrol was becoming scarce and conscription began in 1916. 

Brooklands Great War 100

Serpentine Race "The Motor Cycle" 1915

We are currently working on a project to recreate some of the "Services" motorcycle events put together by Lt Frank Houghton at Brooklands in 1915. These demonstration runs will be part of the Brooklands Great War 100 commemorations to be held at the Museum on 27 September 2015.

So far we have a few period motorcycles, and we are working out the size of the course required for the Serpentine Race.

This event is essentially a motorised version of the slow bicycle race and involves the rider completing a zig-zag course without putting a foot down. Quite easy on a modern trials bike, not so easy on a 100 year old bike. We have yet to test if any of the bike would be capable of getting up Test Hill.  Although do know from reports of the original meetings that only one bike failed to make it first time!


Our picture show Brooklands Motorcycle Volunteer Tony Baxter contemplating the tuning sheds that were used as part of the Serpentine course in 1915.

Fenland ClassicsTV

This month: Jay Leno's Brough; to episodes of Bike world a run up Brooklands Test Hill and more....