A handcrafted motorcycle which has an oil-cooled OHC four-cylinder engine with a novel two-speed transmission using two different transmissions per chain to the rear wheel. The second of only two built is on exhibition at the Sammy Miller Museum. It was constructed by John Haythorn, born in Cathcart, Glasgow in 1904. His family was in the engineering trade.
When still at school he built a miniscule 0.67cc engine, along with sparkplug to fire it. Later he built a 180cc flat twin engine with which he initially powered a bicycle before fitting it to a light motorcycle chassis. By 1933 he had developed a 288cc OHC four cylinder engine which he fitted to his own chassis, and this engine was used to power the Lawson Ner-a-Car by Sackville.
At the time Haythorn was employed as an automotive engineer with Centric Superchargers in Preston, later known as Shorrocks. Development of his engine ended when he was transferred to support the war effort in 1940, but it was already a usable machine that had been presented to the motorcycling press.
John Haythorn died in Gourock, Scotland, in 1964.
Sources: Sergio Scalerandi; Colin Ferguson via bikeweb.com.
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