JUNE Update

Its June already and recently we have been busy signing off pages of the new website. The new Fenland Classic Motorcycles.co.uk site will be the place to visit for Bikes, Parts, News and information. We are even building a virtual museum where you can discover Images and information about pre-war bikes. In addition we will introduce “The Shed” where you can get hints and tips on that hard to finish restoration, as well as keeping up with the Street Custom scene. Clearly, such a venture is quite time-consuming, so we will be rolling it out over the next 12 months. Watch this space or follow us on twitter @fenlandclassics

Draft of the new Landing Page

Southern Classic Bike Show Diary

The May Bank Holiday was a busy Motorcycle weekend with the Bike Shed Event, and Pendine. However, EP Enterprises Show and Auto-jumble at Kempton Park was a must do event. On Friday afternoon I caught up with organiser Eric Patterson for a quick chat as Exhibitors, and Stallholders were arriving. The ever youthful Eric was proudly sharing his experiences of Elvington Airfield the week before when he achieved a record breaking 132.494 MPH over a mile on his 1000cc Vincent. Eric has built the event from humble beginnings in a Village Hall, before moving to Ascot and then to its current location at Kempton Park. Eric has retained a very hands on approach, which many feel is what gives the Jumble and two annual shows a unique atmosphere. One knock on effect is that Eric does not have long to chat as he is called away. I also had to make way for other vehicles so with the help of one of the Brooklands Volunteers we unloaded the Museum’s Francis Barnett and set up the stand.

Zoë Cano with her Bonneville

On the Day of the show I just managed to slip in the back door as the main gates were opening. Understandably most people wanted to grab a bargain over in the Jumble, so there was time for a quick chat with Zoë Cano about her trip across America on a Triumph Bonneville. She was soon swamped with customers  keen to grab a signed copy of her book so I moved on to the Marston Sunbeam and London Motorcycle Museum stands to try and grab a few more WW1 vintage bikes for the Brooklands Great War 100 Event on 27 Sept. 

An early visitor learns more about Brooklands Museum 

Once back at the Brooklands Stand, people were keen to know about the Tommy Meeten Record Breaking bike, and one Guy from the Two-stroke Club even brought over a picture of Meeten at Brooklands on what we believe was an earlier bike of the same type.

I met Classic Bike Editor Gary Pinchin, fresh back from the London Bike Shed Event the night before. He was busy gathering bikes for a photo shoot and it was time for me to make my excuses and sneak off to grab some brake cleaner and a few bits from the Jumble.

Brooklands Volunteers study picture provided by the 2-stroke Club

All too soon it was time to pack up. I had missed the lunchtime engine run and the prize giving! If I was covering this for a magazine I would have been sacked. However, I did a lot of networking and had a great day out. If you have never been to a Kempton Show I recommend you pay a visit to the Southern Off Road Show on 5 December 2015. If you can’t wait that long the next Kempton Park Jumbles are on 25 July, 19 Sept and 24 Oct. More details at: egp-enerprises.co.uk

Zoë Cano’s book ‘Bonneville or Bust’ is available on Amazon and details of signings and future events can be found at: http://www.bonnevilleadventure.blogspot.co.uk/ 

If you have a 1910-1920 motorcycle and would like to be part of the 1915 Service Events commemorations please email: warbike@fenlandclassics.co.uk and we will send you details. Bikes manufactured during the above period will be free to register.

Triumph volunteer reports for duty in 1912

The Ethanol Debate

I meet a lot of Classic/Vintage bike owners and read a lot of magazines. Over the last few years there has been a growing an obsession with ethanol. I can’t seem to have a conversation without the “E” word popping into the discussion somewhere along the line. Magazines and Club Newsletters are filled with the latest thoughts on the dreaded ethanol. At least one publication even refuses to print letters, preferring to summarise the continuing deliberations at the end of each year. One thing is for sure; whilst there are some very real issues, there are also a lot of urban myths out there.  

Over the last few weeks I have heard various stories about the level of ethanol in various branded pump fuel and one DIY ethanol removal method doing the rounds. However, so far I have seen one cracked fibre glass tank, several leaking taps and two ruined paint-jobs caused by petrol.

Over the next few months we will be doing a bid of digging to see if we can discover more about the real issues and find out if there are any solutions. For once we don’t want to hear your stories, as we have a mountain of magazines filled with horror stories and solutions to keep us very busy.

Fenland ClassicsTV

Our monthly trawl of the web Including Bike World Series 9 Episode 4 & 5:

Old Timer

MAY Update

<Some images are missing from this update>
The weather has now changed for the better, but it seems that the very best days are reserved for the times when I have to remain inside.

Warbike Project

The Project is progressing well, but I am having to do a lot of work on the pre WW1 period. Lots of parallel developments that have to be taken into account. The images too are looking very good and thanks again to Mortons Media, IOM Avation Museum and Brooklands Museum for those.

Montlhéry

Later this month the Brooklands Motorcycle volunteers will be off to the Vintage Revival. We were on hand to help out in April as the Six chosen bikes were given a final once over. The 1927 Sunbeam was run before gearbox and sump were drained and oil ways checked for obstructions. I had already given the Best and Lloyd pump a strip and full service last year, so no dramas were expected. It is much easier to over oil this particular model as they have direct feed as well as manual feed. It is all too easy to give the auxiliary pump one for luck which inevitably causes the gearbox to leak or a lot of smoke.

The Zenith lubrication system had a repaired crack near the adjuster but this would have been ok for the trip to France. The problem was the Mousetrap Carburettor and Electrics. The Carb was temporarily replaced and the bike ran well. However an intermittent fault caused an occasional loss of spark. It seems that this was picked up on a previous occasion and could not be fixed permanently. The Project Manager decided that it was not worth the risk, particularly as there are more riders than bikes. And so the bike was pulled and replaced with the ever faithful Tommy Meeten Francis Barnett. 

This bike is a distance record holder in period. It had an outing to the Sammy Miller Museum in November 13 and drew a lot of interest at the Southern Classic Off Road Show in Dec 2014. Henry Cole's Mate Sam Lovegrove took time off Filming Channel 4's Shed and Buried to take a look. The bike was given a complete rebuild a couple of years ago and was fitted with a pacemaker in the form of electronic ignition to strengthen the spark This has recently been removed for the sake of authenticity. Needles to say that despite being a small 2 Stroke it runs very well and should be very popular at the Event.

Sam Lovegrove takes time out to discuss the Francis Barnett

The Third bike on the list is an early 1900's Kerry Abingdon. It is a lovely example and after a bit of persuasion runs very well. As with all motor Bicycles of this period it is a bit of a handful, but I am sure it will find its legs round the French Oval.

Fourth is a Velocette which was modified by its previous owner resulting in a cascade of oil after starting. This bike like the Kerry is privately owned and the current owner is confident that it will perform well with a bit of fettling in the pits.

Fifth on the list is a Triumph . Currently on short-term display at the Museum.This bike is a wonderfully prepared machine and featured in a clip from a short film we have been working on the The VMCC.I look forward to some great images of this bike in action.

Last and by no means least is the recreation of Wal Handley's Empire Star.This bike was running at the 2014 Goodwood festival of Speed before going back to the West Country to have some work done on it for the trip to France. It now takes pride of place in the Museum's Motorcycle Display were it was briefly displayed with a Gold Star Telling the story of Handley's Gold Star Win and the development of the iconic BSA motorcycle which bore its name.

The Empire Star on test at Dunsfold Airfield in 2013

As for the 500cc ABC twin. This bike had to be pulled at an early stage because of a bad knocking sound. Having looked at the power unit there is nothing yet which shouts out the problem. It is likely to be a combination of a lot of bearing wear throughout the gearbox/drive. There are some marks on the crankcase which seem to tell a story. However there are some excellent people on the job and they are assisted by a marque specialist via email.

ABC & Brooklands

Sticking with the ABC Story I carried out a bit of Warbike spin-off research on ABC at Brooklands and its subsequent home in Hersham. This will be put into print later, but below are some images of the ABC works in Hersham as it is now, before the site is redeveloped.

<Images to be added>

Fenlandclassics TV

Our Pick of the bunch for May and Series 9 Episode 3 of Bike World.

APRIL Update

Warbike Project

Research is a funny old game. You can spend months, sometimes years searching for information on a particular subject, then up it pops right in front of you. This has happened on a few occasions, but just recently I was looking at some references to the early testing of military motorcycles by the Army. The trail led to HCL Holden, who was the designer of the Brooklands Circuit and a member of the Army's Mechanical Transport Committee. A random Holden reference led me indirectly to the 1914 Red Cross Field Day at Brooklands.

About two years ago I had been looking at the event and had concluded this was likely to be a closed exercise open only to members of the Red Cross, Military and other interested parties. There was one intriguing report that hinted at advertising posters, but this was not directly concerned with my Sidecar Ambulance research so I left it.

This latest gem pointed me to the Welcome Collection and here I found a treasure trove of information including two Red Cross Field Day programmes and a flyer advertising the event to members of the public. Still nothing further on Ambulance Sidecars, but some fascinating insight into the scenarios played out on the day.

It transpires that the Event was in fact a full scale Red Cross exercise run with the military which included a two pronged invasion from the South and East including locating and retrieving casualties from miles beyond the Brooklands track, as was previously thought. So lots more to write up and place in the Brooklands Library.

Historians, unlike archaeologists have the luxury of being able to focus on a single subject without being bogged down by other things they discover. However I often feel obligated to explore the side shoots which is just a long way of explaining that the final stage of editing the Book is a slow process.

I recently spent some time at the Royal Logistics Corps Museum in Surrey. Here I found some excellent documents that tell the early story of military motorcycling. I am now able to tell the real story of how Triumph and Douglas became the most successful of the WW1 manufacturers and how Douglas's bid nearly foundered at the bottom of the Brooklands Test Hill. And, as they say on the TV news; more on that later!

Vintage Revival

The biannual Vintage Revival takes place on 9/10 May 2015. The event is an eclectic mix of old vehicles which can be seen on the oval banked xx circuit. The track is still in very good condition and the Brooklands Museum Railton 4D Experience production team used the French circuit to recreate the feel of the Surrey track in period.

The Brooklands Motorcycle Volunteers are currently preparing bikes for their third outing to the event. This year they plan to take some of the oldest machines which has its challenges. The Zenith is not run very often as its mousetrap carb makes this bike a bit of a handful. However this has been temporarily replaced; new grips and footrest rubbers have been fitted and the pillion carrier removed. The loose bits have been wired up and it ran like it was just out of the factory.

The Zenith gets a test

Less successful was the 1921 ABC 500cc twin. This bike was built in Hersham after the company was forced to move from Brooklands when the Royal Flying Corps took over. The bike has a few issues, but these were rectified over the last few months and the bike was test run on the banked circuit. Unfortunately the engine still had a nasty knocking which was traced to the main shaft bearing. Fine for running round the temporary track at Brooklands, but this Bradshaw designed machine is too precious to be risked on the big French oval. Work has already begun and the engine will be removed during the next few weeks.

Meanwhile the hunt is on for a replacement. The Museum's 1920's Sunbeam was test run a couple of time and is looking good for a place on the trip.

More news on the preparation next month.

The Bike Shed Events 2015

The Bike Shed Motorcycle Club is a group passionate about the street custom scene. This year they have spread their wings across the channel to Paris where they will be holding their first French event at Carreau de Temple on 11/12 April 15 which promises to be an awesome weekend showcasing all that is current in the Cafe racer/custom world. Don't worry if you can’t make it to Paris, because they will be doing it all again at Tobacco Dock in London on 23/24 May 15. Click Here for Tickets and more information on both Events.

Shed Finds: Triumph Model H and Tyler JAP

Triumph Mod H

A few months ago we were privileged to be present when a collection of bikes were discovered in a shed in West London. Among the mountain of spares and various post War bikes was a Model H Triumph and a JAP powered Tyler. Both bikes were in very original condition. Whilst the Tyler was a bit on the poorly side the Model H looked as if it had been placed in a shed the day after it was purchased. Both are due to be auctioned at Stafford later this month and we will have more about these machines in the next update.

Website

We are currently working on a new website, which will include articles, films and information as well as a virtual Museum and Shop. Watch out for more announcements on Twitter @Fenlandclassics over the next few months.

Fenland ClassicsTV

This month we have unearthed some more great shorts:

• The Build By EXIF
• Harley Iron Head from the slightly strange but Brilliant Cafe Racer TV
• Cafe Racer Themes: Music collection by Kevin Sparrow
• And the latest Bike World Episode 9 Episode 2

Old Timer

MARCH Update

The sun is shining and the birds are singing, but all the bikes are still in bits. Need to get a move on if I am going to get out before the roads get to busy. Only time for a short update this month as we are developing a new website and online shop more news on that during April.

Vintage Memories

I was thinking the other day that I seem to have always been into vintage stuff. Some of it was driven by a passion for days when things were a lot more uncomplicated, but some like hand down bicycles with sit up and beg handle bars and rod brakes was thrust upon me. This was the sixties for goodness sake. Luckily by the time I got my first moped I was more in vogue with my little Garelli Concorde with pillion for the ladies (not that I had passed my test!). I felt like the leader of the gang, but only just; I was surrounded by a mixture of rather dated mobylettes, a couple of Dandy’s and a Raleigh Wisp.

Garelli owners I thought were something special. How important I felt as I sat at home for weeks on end waiting for the factory in Italy to be making yet another piece especially for me. Returning to the shop on another occasion I was told that the new electrics were stuck on a train in Turin. I was so impressed; surely this was tracking, far advanced for its time!

Bored with sitting at the side of the road and unable to afford a New British Bike I was drawn like a Hamelin child to the Land of the Rising Sun and there I remained for several years. So this confessional is now over and I feel a lot better. The benefit of a diverse history of ownership means that I have not become locked in any particular era. I can now enjoy a Triumph Model H as much as an ex-80’s Street Tracker fresh out of the Shed.

If you have an old Moped rotting away at the back of your shed that you want to get going there are still a lot of parts out there. See more at Classic Moped Spares, and their blog Here.

Warbike Project

The history of British Military Motorcycles is continuing to develop. Still a few gaps to fill and so it was off to more Museums and Libraries during February. I would like to extend my personal thanks to James Hewing and the team at the National Motorcycle Museum for letting me get up and personal with the Vickers Clyno Machine Gun Carrier.

We have just published the second part of Brooklands during WW1 which tells the story of military motorcycle testing and Service events. This is currently only available to readers of the Brooklands Trust Magazine, but a full version will be available more widely later in the year.

AJS Model 22

We managed to start our second model 22 in February. There is however a bit of a question mark over the lubrication so we will be giving that a bit more attention over the next few weeks.

Electric Motorcycles

Caterham ebike launched 2014. Where is it now?

As I spend a lot of time with my head buried in Papers and Magazines of the last century I discover that many things we consider ground breaking have often been done before. Only the other day I discovered an electrically driven motorcycle had been unveiled in Norway during 1918. Norway has remained one of the leading countries in the development and promotion of electric vehicles. Even during the 70s I found myself dodging tram lines and the battery powered mini buggies whilst riding through Oslo.

There is now a renewed interest in electric vehicles and it is interesting to consider the similarities with the development of the petrol engine 100 years ago. Batteries remain one of the stumbling blocks, but innovators are quickly finding ways around the problems. More Cars and Motorcycles are being developed, but we see fewer motorcycles in this country as the UK Government is unwilling to match the subsidies seen in other countries. Zero Motorcycles one of the world leaders in ebike production recently shut up shop in the UK and there don’t seem to be many others out there. Is this just another example of the stranglehold being placed on motorcyclists? We will be investigating ebikes further later in the year.   

Fenland Classics TV

More short films from the web, plus News and action from Suzy and the Bike World Team.

FEBRUARY Update

War Bike Project

The history of the military motorcycle is fascinating and it is often difficult to stay focused on the key facts. For example many of the pioneer motorcyclists of WW1, not content with risking life and limb on the roads of France and Belgium, were drawn to the excitement of flying and joined the RFC. Sadly many of those who did not get shot down fell out of the sky in aircraft that were essentially still under continuous development.
During the early part of 1915 the Motorcycle magazine was advertising for men to join the newly formed Motor Machine Gun Service. The concept was highly mobile units able to move quickly to where they were required. However, the concept behind this new service was soon overtaken by events on the Western front as both sides dug in bringing to what had been a mobile war. Many of those who signed up to the MMGS subsequently found themselves attached to units in the trenches.
Below is a short film which shows this mobile force during WW1.



Still on the subject of Combinations, I was privileged to view the ledgers of Westerdick & Sons who manufactured sidecar bodies for Phelon and Moore.  A member of the family had read my article on Brooklands during WW1. 

Originally a firm of cabinet makers, they branched out into manufacturing after one of the sons designed and manufactured a sidecar body. The Father was not keen on the new departure, but the son proved that it was more than just an extension of his love of motorcycles by obtaining contracts to supply many manufacturers with Sidecar bodies.

The long and boring final stages of the book are going well and I must thank Mortons Media who have tracked down some wonderful images which will help bring the words to life.

Click here to see more of the Mortons Archive

AJS Model 22

We have recently rescued a 1938 250cc AJS Model 22. The bike is in reasonable condition having been dry stored for many years. The engine still has compression and everything looks complete. The 250 is a twin port which has had one of the ports closed off. This was apparently not uncommon for trials riders or those who just wanted to save a few bob on Exhausts. The priority was to check out the fuel tank, which whilst damaged was not leaking. The gloppy liquid mess inside was drained, and seems to be old petrol rather than a degraded tank liner. Next on the list will be to clean out the tank then remove the carburettor for cleaning. Watch out for further updates over the coming month.

John Surtees

BBC's excellent series Racing Legends included (at last) the living legend which is John Surtees. John Surtees really is a living legend and an old school gentleman. These days he devotes his time to building up a collection of Cars and Bikes which are paraded and displayed to raise money for the Henry Surtees Foundation founded after the tragic death of his son. If you missed the programme or don't live in the UK click below (NO LONGER AVAILABLE).

[ link removed ]

Cafe Racer of the Year 2014

This is your chance to vote on the top ten Cafe Racers featured on Cafe Racer TV

Fenland Classics TV

This month we have trawled the Internet to find what we think are the best bike related films online.

• Cafe Racer (BMW R90 S by Sebastien Beaupere) A Short from Cafe Racer TV Slightly Spooky computer assisted narration but excellent images.
• WINGS - a film about the retro motorcycle. A moody short by Stephanie Meffait
• The Way of the Desert Sled A short from Cycle world showcasing Triumph Trail Bikes
• Chelsea Bridge Boys- Rockers  An insightful period documentary film by Peter Davis and Staffan Lamm
• Kott Motorcycles 1971 Honda CB750 Custom Cafe Racer. Street footage from the Moto Channel.
• Bike World Series 8 Episode 7 More from Suzi and the gang at Bike World

Old Timer

JANUARY Update

A very cold start to the New Year, but there are still some brave classic bikers braving the salt for some good riding in the crisp winter sunshine. In December we caught up with two more classic motorcycle record breakers that have been braving the salt.

WarBike Project

The book is beginning to look like a finished work, but there are still some editing and images to work on. During the research we discovered more about the part played by Brooklands Race Track during WW1. This included testing motorcycles for the War Office, and a previously un-discovered scratch meeting held in September 1914 by a group of workers from the Royal Aircraft Factory. This has resulted in a spin off publication for Brooklands Museum, part one of which has just been published in the Museum Trust’s Magazine with a further piece planned for later in the year.

A summary of the early history of military motorcycling has already been published in the October edition of the Classic Motorcycle and we hope to be commemorating the three 1915 Brooklands motorcycle events later in the year in conjunction with the Brooklands Museum. At this stage I would also like to thank the Manx Aviation & Military Museum for providing some stunning images of Dispatch Riders which are to be included in the book.

Southern Classic Off Road Show

WW1 BSA Bicycle

Period WW1 Combination

Kempton Park Race Course was the location of EGP Enterprises second show of the year and crowds flocked to the ever-popular event which was bolted on to the December motorcycle jumble. Organiser Eric Patterson took time out from his busy schedule of Record Breaking and events management to explain that the Jumble is one of the few that is organised by bikers for bikers. He recalled the first events in a Village Hall which had to be closed down because of overcrowding. He then moved to Ascot Racecourse before arriving at the current venue. If you have never been, you need to get down there as it is a unique experience. There are some who say that a Jumble is a Jumble, but somehow Eric manages to retain that Village Hall vibe on a large scale. In the relaxed atmosphere it seems that you will always run into old mates for a chat; and twice a year there is the bonus of a bike show for an extra quid on the ticket price.

On a 15 minute look round the December Jumble we found a very original (Knackered!) WW1 vintage combination, a restored BSA WW1 military Bicycle, a twin engined French Barn find and custom Cafe Racer seats.

This neat Norton won Best in Show & Sounded great too!

It was back to the Grandstand for a bit of an impromptu Engine run by some of the Bikes. We had transported the Brooklands Museum Exhibits and rather ironicly spent what seemed like hours the night before draining the tank of The Tommy Meeten Francis Barnett, there was no way we were going to go through that again, so it stayed on the stand. A beast of a grass track combination finally roared into life together with a selection of other track and field machines.

Back in the hall the Brooklands Tommy Meeten Francis Barnett had a visit from Sam Lovegrove, builder of the 2013 Alan Cathcart/Henry Cole record Breaking Brough Superior featured on The Travel Channel’s Greatest Motorcycle Journeys . 

Sam Lovegrove Chats about the Francis Barnett

Sam took time out to chat with the volunteers about the rebuild of the Francis Barnett which itself holds an endurance record. In 1927 this plucky little 172 cc 2-stroke was able to fend off the big boys by staying out on the track with its three petrol tanks averaging  50 MPH over a six hour period. 

Tommy Meeten on the 172cc Fanny B

The Rebuilt 1927 EW Douglas

Meanwhile, other visitors to the stand were learning about how a Cement Mixer engine, an old frame and collection of bits were born again as the 1927 EW Douglas featured in April 2014’s Classic Bike Guide. Incidentally the Brooklands Volunteers are currently working on a re-creation of an outer circuit racer which should be ready later in 2015.

It was soon time for prize giving and Peter Allan won the prize for the best Record-Breaker with his bike “Epsom Salt” built by Baron’s Speed Shop. 

Prize-winner Peter Allan with "Epsom Salt"

The prize was a small consolation for a challenging year. Peter explained that he was all set to do some more runs at Bonneville in August but was thwarted by appalling weather after which the lake bed returned to being a Lake! The event was called off and he returned empty handed.

The next Kempton Jumble is on 24 January 2015 and the next show at Kempton is the Southern Classic (Road) bike Show on 23 May 2015.  See the EGP Enterprises website for more about the Motorcycle Jumbles and Eric Patterson’s Record breaking machines.

Tax Discs

The excitement regarding tax discs has died down a bit, but don’t forget that you still need to SORN or “Tax” your classic even if there is no fee to pay. It seems a bit daft but the DVLA still need to record “Tax” or SORN against the vehicle for it to remain legal.  It seems to us that it is better to “Tax” than SORN as this provides the greatest flexibility for bikes that are nil rate tax.

For those who miss the experience of a soaked ink run disc on the bike Greg Powell can provide you with a reproduction disc for your empty holder from 1921 to 1986. You can even get the date stamp of your choice. See more at poplargreg.com. 

Old Timer

DECEMBER Update

Richard "Dick" Standing

Dick's Silver TT Replica from 1967 complete with entry pack

Late October brought sad news of the death of Brooklands Motorcycle Volunteer Richard Standing. “Dick” was a wonderful character who always had a tale to tell about his career as an engineer at Hawker Sidley and British Airways, flying model Aircraft, sailing and bike racing. He was very modest about his own achievements on the track and it was not until his funeral on 17 November that many of us knew of the two Bronze and one Silver TT replicas that he had won on the island. The Silver was won in the Diamond Jubilee year of 1967, in a race that featured the period greats of Agostini and Hailwood. Over 87mph not bad for a part-timer! Many members of the VMCC Brooklands Section, where he served as a Committee Member, accompanied him on his last ride out, and 150 family and friends squeezed into the chapel to hear tributes from his close family and friends. You can read a full tribute to Dick on the Old Bike Mart website.

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Warbike Project

The book is (still) nearing completion and it seems that the last bit is never ending. The pictures are looking great and it should not be long until we can get the first full draft off the press. Meanwhile this is an ongoing project; so if you have any WW1 military motorcycle information to contribute please write to warbike@fenlandclassics.co.uk or check out the warbike project facebook page.  We are still looking for a 1914-20 Phelon and Moore bike to photograph at the Brooklands circuit to commemorate the many bikes tested at the Weybridge track before and during WW1. If you have or know of a P&M bike please contact us at warbike@fenlandclassics.co.uk  

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The Southern Off Road and Racing Show

Brooklands Stand at Last years Kempton Show

The Southern Off Road and Racing Show will be held at Kempton park Race course on 6 December 2014. The ever popular Bike jumble will be supplemented by the show all for the price of just £6 with reductions for pensioners. The Brooklands Volunteers will be promoting the Museum with two bikes from the collection. 

Sammy Miller Prepares for a ride at his museum in 2013

The first is a 1927 Tommy Meeten Francis Barnett. This is the Record Breaking minnow that went up against the big boys in 1927 winning the 6 hour endurance race at an average speed of 50 mph. The high average speed was maintained with the addition of two auxiliary tanks mounted to the rear on each side. The pocket rocket was fully restored a few years ago by the volunteers and still runs regularly.



At present the bike is at present being prepared for a trip to the Montlhéry vintage meeting in May 2015. 

Ian Prepares for a run during the 2014 photo shoot

The second bike on the stand will be a 600cc EW Douglas which was built from a collection of bits that were donated to the museum. Volunteers Ian and Carl spent many hours converting the diverse collection into this this stunning bike. The Douglas that was featured in The April 2014 edition of The Classic Bike Guide Magazine is also regularly run on the test track at Brooklands.   

The dangerously low ground clearance is a challenge

The motorcycle makes its second appearance at the Kempton Venue having previously featured at the Southern Classic Bike Show. A full review of the December show will appear in the January Blog.

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Brooklands Military Vehicle Day

Whilst on the subject of Brooklands there was the usual big turn out for the Brooklands Museum Military Vehicles Day on 16 November. Bikes were represented by a WW2 RAF BSA and a GI Indian. 

These solos were heavily outnumbered by several Zundapp and BMW combinations. They relished the challenges of the Mercedes World 4x4 test track in the morning and most were out again for a rumble up Test Hill. 

Barnes Wallis was turning in his grave, but Churchill and Monty were also on hand to save the editorial balance of this piece.

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Road Improvement Programme

The PM visits a single carriageway section of the A1. Without any Traffic!

Transport Secretary Patrick Mcloughlin announced today (1/12) what he called “the biggest, boldest and most far reaching roads programme for decades” We don’t want to get into politics in this space other than to say that governments come and governments go. Every few years they propose a tunnel under Stonehenge and other major projects before retreating again. For bikers the priority must be repairing what is already there, particularly on the twisty B roads and country lanes we love so much. To be fair there has been improvement in some areas since a recent injection of cash, but the poor weather over the winter is bound to compound many roads already in dire need of a make-over.  

For those interested the key improvements announced are A1 to become a dual carriageway from end to end, A303 & A358 to be improved including a Stonehenge Tunnel! Meaning dual carriageway from London to within 15 mile of Lands End. (I hope the car-park is being increased) Improvements in the midlands include the M62 becoming a “smart” motorway and further work on the M42 so that in years to come we can get to the NEC Motorcycle Live more easily.  

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Fenland Classics TV

Another collection of our favorite motorcycle films from the web including Series 8 Episode 2 of Bike World. Select Playlist to skip a film.

by
Old Timer