This machine possesses probably the most novel departures from standard practice, and it is sure to draw an interested crowd to Messrs. Nye and Co.'s stand No. 62. Unfortunately the machine is exhibited in an incomplete state. Power is derived from a horizontal two-stroke single-cylinder engine, which in itself is of entirely original design. An Amac carburetter is fitted at the rear of the crank case, the induction pipe being swept over the magneto, which latter is mounted on the crank case casting. After entering the interior of the crank case the gas is transferred via a horizontal pipe to the combustion chamber, being admitted by an automatic inlet valve of orthodox design. A variable pulley gear is fitted, operated by pedals protruding through the footboards, and the slackness of the belt on the low gears is taken up by swinging the driving pulley radially on a gear wheel driven from the main shaft. The petrol tank is of the streamline type (see illustrations), whilst still another novel feature is the system of springing both the front and rear of the frame. The axles are fitted between strong spiral springs, which latter are enclosed in vertical casings. The Wooler is, in short, the novelty of the Show, and well worthy of careful scrutiny. The finish calls for admiration.
Page 1277
The Olympia Show.–
BROWN. No 207.
Brown Bros., Ltd., Great Eastern Street. E.C. – This year the firm is displaying some fine examples of the standard lightweight and a 3½ h.p. machine fitted with Armstrong three-speed gear and sidecar...
Continued: Brown 1912 Models
ARIEL, No. 124.
Components, Ltd. (Ariel Dept.), Bournbrook, Birmingham. – The improvement in this year's 3½ h.p. model relate only to details. Amongst the most notable of these is the re-arrangement...
Continued: Ariel 1912
MACBETH, No. 101.
Colmore Depot, Colmore Row, Birmingham. This is a most sensibly designed machine....
Continued: Macbeth of Birmingham
ROVER, No. 113.
The Rover Co., Ltd., Meteor Works, Coventry. – The 3½ h.p. Rover is much the same as last year, but the 1912 model possesses a number of minor improvements. Amongst these may be mentioned the shortened frame, the new stand, exhaust cut-out, new pattern Druid front forks with extra large springs, U shape of up-turned handle-bar with brazed on control lugs, and internal Bowden cables. The engine lugs have been very much neatened, and the machine has been certainly improved by the fitting of a front stand...
Continued: Rover 1910-1912
NEW HUDSON, No. 75.
The New Hudson Cycle Co., Ltd., Summerhill Works, Birmingham, – The most interesting model on this stand is the Colonial machine fitted with a petrol tank to hold two gallons. It is shown fitted to a Montgomery sidecar. The combination, finished in French grey, is a particularly attractive one. The new type of New Hudson engine and a number of interesting detail improvements are incorporated in this model...
Continued: New Hudson 1912 Models
Page 1280
The Olympia Show. –
NOVEMBER 23rd, 1911.
GRANDEX, No. 57.
The Grandex Cycle Co., Gray's Inn Road. W.C. – An exceedingly neat-looking lightweight of thoroughly practical design...
Continued: Grandex 1912
KYNOCH, No. 74.
Kynoch, Ltd., Witton, Birmingham, show a motor bicycle for the first time...
Continued: Kynoch Motorcycles
WARRICK TRICAR, No. 86.
John Warrick and Co., St. Mary's Butts, Reading, and 402-6, Edgware Road, W. – The engine is carried under the rear seat and is provided with two outside flywheels, which drive aluminium fans, these are friction driven and kept close np against the flywheel by means of springs on the brackets which carry them. An oil reservoir is integrally cast with the crank chamber, and the oil is allowed to flow into the engine by depressing a pedal conveniently situated near the rider's heel. The steering is by tiller, which carries the carburetter control, and adjacent to it is the change-speed lever. The rear wheel is suspended on laminated springs. The front wheels are carried by semi-elliptical springs.
O.K., No. 289.
Humphries and Dawes, Lancaster Street, Birmingham. – This firm is manufacturing three quite new models, all fitted with Precision engines. They have large and well-equipped works capable of turning out 1,000 cycles a week, and are building motor cycles in no half-hearted way. They showed a 4½ h.p. model with spring forks, a very low saddle position, and side flaps to front mudguards. An Eisemann magneto is placed in front of the engine, and is well protected from mud by a large shield. The engine is lubricated by a sight drip feed, the oil being sucked through by crank case vacuum. The foot brake is fitted above the chain stay and operated by a pedal carried on a special bolt.
The above remarks apply also in the case of the 3½ h.p. model, but the 2½ h.p. lightweight differs in several respects. The engine is slung in a loop frame, and the magneto is placed high up behind the engine. All three models are fitted with two important features. Firstly, the carrier and mudguard can be detached from the back stays by means of finger nuts, and, secondly, the pedalling gear can be removed from the bottom bracket by undoing one nut. This is a particularly praiseworthy device, as it allows a counter-shaft gear to be fitted with ease should a customer desire it.
DOT, No. 129.
The Service Co., High Holborn, W.C, show, among others, the Dot motor cycle, made by H. Reed, of Deansgate, Manchester...
Continued: Dot Motorcycles for 1912
November 23rd, 1911.
The Olympia Show. –
MATCHLESS, No. 35.
H. COLLIER AND SONS, LTD., Plumstead, S.W. – Messrs. Collier and Sons are exhibiting a very complete range of models...
Continued: 1912 Models
EXCELSIOR, No. 71a.
Bayliss, Thomas and Co., Excelsior Works, Coventry. – Quite an interesting point about this machine is the lubrication system. A Best and Lloyd drip feed lubricator is supplied which allows the oil to enter a hole in the cylinder...
Continued: Excelsior 1912 Models
CHARLES EDMUND, No. 100.
Charles Edmund and Co., Chester. – The chief feature about this machine is the spring frame. This consists of a separate top tube hinged at its forward end, while at its after end there is a shackle...
Continued: Edmund 1912
Page 1282
The Olympia Show.–
LINCOLN ELK, No. 84.
James Kirby, Broadgate, Lincoln. – This machine follows standard lines throughout. The frame is dropped at the rear...
Continued: Lincoln Elk 1912 Models
KERRY-ABINGDON, No. 16.
The East London Rubber Co., Great Eastern Street, E.C.– This model is sub-divided into four types...
Continued: Kerry-Abingdon 1912
IVY-PRECISION, No. 99.
S. A. Newman, Lichfield Road, Birmingham. – This is quite an interesting machine. The handle-bars are wide, with crossbar to aid rigidity, and for the purpose of carrying accessories. The front forks are novel in that they provide a direct up and down movement, and also a buffer to allow a slight rocking motion. The forks are best described by saying that they combine the advantages of the Druid with those of the Triumph forks. A front wheel stand is fitted, serving as an additional stay for the front mudguard, which, by the way, has side wings,
A twin Ivy-Precision is a new introduction. It is a very taking looking mount on standard lines.
Other details as above, except that the spring fork is not provided with the buffer referred to in the description of the preceding machine. Also a 3½ h.p. model with ordinary type of handlebars and spring forks.
This machine is designed specially for sidecar work. The Albion two-speed gear with handle starting to the rear hub is controlled by a pedal. Wide rubber-covered footboards are provided.
GLORIA, No. 37.
The Gloria Cycle Co., Ltd., Much Park Street, Coventry. – The Gloria Co. are exhibiting two Triumph motor cycles fitted with their sidecars, also two sidecars, one with a coach-built body and the other with a basket body. There are several special fittings which are worthy of notice on these sidecars. The springing of the bodies is much on usual lines, but a particularly neat wheel springing system is employed. The wheel spindle is carried on a U tube which is pivoted to the frame at the front end. the rear end being supported by a very neat enclosed spring. The method of fixing this sidecar to the motor cycle is particularly ingenious, as instead of clipping it direct to a single tube the fixings are 80 arranged that they grip at least two tubes at once, thereby distributing the strain over a larger area; that is to say, the front fixing grips the top tube and the front down tube, and the back fixing grips the chain stays and back stays. In the latter case a distance piece is fitted between the stays, so preventing the tubes being drawn together. The stay from the wheel side of the sidecar is carried across the back of the machine and bent round the cycle saddle pin.
This allows of a particularly low position and at the same time gives ample clearance on rough roads. The fittings throughout are strongly designed, and the mudguards are carried on tubular stays.
Continued: Gloria Sidecars
Page 1283
November 23rd, 1911.
The Olympia Show.–
MIGHTY ATOM, No. 34.
Auto Carriers (1911), Ltd., Thames Ditton, Surrey. – Auto Carriers, Ltd., are exhibiting their 1912 model three-wheelers with two and three-seater bodies...
Continued: A.C. Models for 1912
MIDGET BICAR, No. 87.
J. T. Brown and Sons, Oxford Road, Reading. – The main feature of this machine consists in the sheet steel frame strengthened by ash...
Continued: Midget Bicar
Page 1284
NOVEMBER 23rd, 1911.
The Olympia Show. –
LEVIS. No. 131.
Mahler Bros., Station Street, Birmingham. – Several of the interesting Levis lightweights are shown on the stand of Mahler Bros.
Continued: Levis 1912-1913
MONTGOMERY, No. 60.
W. Montgomery and Co., Much Park Street, Coventry. – Numerous types of sidecars, the manufacture of which is a speciality of the firm. These are made in three types – castor wheel, spring wheel, and rigid. The castor wheel has been strengthened for high-powered machines...
Continued: Montgomery Sidecars 1912
V.S., No. 166.
Martin Geiger and Co.. 44, Clipstone Street, Great Portland Street, W.– On the Hanover Rubber Co.'s stand, Mr. M. Geiger, well known to many as a consistent performer in A.C.U. trials a year or two ago, will be pleased to demonstrate the improvements made to the V.S. machines. The J.A.P. engines have been adopted as standard, an extra large tank is fitted, and among other improvements are large filler caps and 1 1/8 in. belts. The V.S. hub gear is a well-tried pattern, and is one of the few hub gears which enables the engine to be started by a thrust down of the pedals while the wheel rests on the ground. The V.S. 6 or 8 h.p. twin is an excellent sidecar machine.
VICTORIA, No. 211.
The Victoria Motor Cycle Co., Glasgow. – This is a well designed lightweight following standard lines, fitted with the increasingly popular Precision engine. The machine is sold properly equipped for the road. The 3½ h.p. mount has also Precision engine of 85 x 88 mm. and N.S.U. two-speed gear. Pannier toolbags are attached to each side of the substantial luggage carrier, and, like the smaller model, this machine follows standard lines throughout. The design remains unaltered, as its excellence has been thoroughly proved in the past.
TYSELEY TRICAR, No. 290.
The Bowden Brake Co., Ltd., Tyseley, Birmingham. – This machine is driven by an 8 h.p. engine, with V-type cylinders set at 60°. It has mechanically operated valves. The magneto is accessibly placed in front and driven by a short shaft off the timing gear. Gas is supplied by a Zenith carburetter. The engine and gear box are of the unit system. The gears work on the sliding principle, giving two speeds and reverse. The clutch is of the multiple disc type. Behind the gear box is a short cardan-shaft universally jointed at each end, and behind this is a bevel drive, whence power is transmitted to the wheel by means of a single chain. The control is arranged on car lines; an accelerator pedal is provided with two notches, the first allowing the throttle to be opened enough for starting and slow running. The body is coach-built and provided with high side door. The radiator is in front, following car lines. A runabout is also manufactured with four wheels and worm transmission.
The Motor Cycle, November 23rd, 1911.
Tyseley The fact that the Tyseley runabout is manufactured by the Bowden Brake Co. Ltd. (Tyseley, near Birmingham) is a good augury for its practicability. It was perhaps the most car-like of all its class. Indeed, a balanced geared back axle was shown for use in a similar vehicle but running on four wheels, and no one would think of calling this anything but a motor-car. A two-cylinder V type water-cooled engine of 8.4 h.p., according to the R.A.C. rating, was mounted under a bonnet and behind the radiator. The Bosch magneto and forced lubrication were quite on carlines. A plate clutch conveyed the motion at either of two speeds to a short cardan shaft and thence by bevel gearing to a chain running to the rear wheel. The frame was of pressed steel mounted on laminated springs fore and aft. The wheels were wire-spoked and the front ones were set well forward, so as to get extra weight on the rear one for driving. The control was effected by a three-notch accelerator pedal. A comfortable high-sided, two-seater body was carried amidships, and the steering was, of course, by wheel, The brakes were both expanding bands on the rear wheel. [We] understand good business was done with the Tyseley, the price being distinctly moderate.
C.T.C. Gazette, January 1912.
LADIES' QUADRANT, Nos. 93 and 94.
On Monday morning a lady's model Quadrant (70 x 76 mm.) arrived. It has mechanically operated valves side by side. This is quite a practical open frame machine. The tank is carried at the top of the loop frame, and from its lower extremity to the saddle tube extends a flap which protects the skirt from the engine, and, since the latter is exposed to the air all round the cooling draught is not interfered with in any way. An Armstrong three-speed gear is fitted, also handle-bar control to the magneto.
Continued: Quadrant for 1912
The Motor Cycle, Nov 23rd 1911. Pages 1277-1286.
