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A Road Less TraveledRudge 1939 250cc Rapid The "250" with the "350" performance
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Grigg were motorcycles produced from 1920 to 1925 in Twickenham, Middlesex and
latterly in South Croydon, Surrey.
1920 The company entered the market with a basic scooter. It had a 145cc
two-stroke engine mounted to the right of the rear wheel, magneto ignition
and petroil lubrication. The fuel tank sat over the engine with the seat
on top of it. It had single speed, no clutch and the transmission was by
chain-cum-belt. The frame was open, with tubular with bicycle forks, a
calliper front brake, but no weather protection.
1921 The engine was enlarged to 162cc to produce a lightweight motorcycle
with a two speed gearbox in a duplex tubular frame, similar to the triangulated
Cotton
design.
1922 A three-speed version of the motorcycle was launched as they moved
away from the dying scooter market.
1923 A larger range was available with models fitted with 247cc and 343cc
Villiers,
195cc ohv Shaw and Blackburne
four-strokes in various capacities, including a 696cc V-twin. During that
year the company began offering machines with B
and H (Bacher and Hellow) patented engines comprising single and V-twin
designs, from 249cc to 998cc, all with detachable heads and some with water-cooling.
These, however, made little impact on the established trade. At the end
of that year the company moved to premises in South Croydon, Surrey, and
an arrangement was made to build Wooler
motorcycles.
1924 Public company formed Grigg (1924) Ltd [2] to take over and run the existing business; was the sole manufacturer of several motorcycles for which it had contracts including:
The George McKenzie - up to 50 per week
The Wooler - up to 50 per week
Metro-Tyler - up to 5 per week
Metro-Tyler Light car - up to 5 per week
The full range was continued for that year but the writing was on
the wall for the company. They attempted to keep going by providing general
machining facilities.
1925 By now the slump in the motorcycle market had taken hold and Grigg
failed to survive.
--- Despite the wide range on offer and an attractive design, not many
Griggs
were sold and the make was largely unknown outside the London area, the
works being at Twickenham.
By 1925 the firm closed - like most of the score or more small makers who could not survive the mid-twenties slump. Students of
vintage motorcycle design may see a likeness between the Grigg frame and that of the contemporary Cotton. Francis Willoughby Cotton had patented his distinctive design with straight tubes running from steering head to rear wheel spindle many years before. He had
considered taking action against Grigg but the firm folded first.
Wed Oct 26 2011
aeromusic<at>archive1.demon.co.uk
George Edward Bacher, B & H engines, Griggs Engineering
B & H aero engines
OFFER OF HELP.
Would you like more information on B & H/Griggs engines, in particular
the B & H aero engine used in the Avro 558 (1923)? If so, please ask.
Arthur W. J. G. Ord-Hume, Director & Senior Archivist: The Aviation
Archive, Guildford, Surrey
England, Surrey, Guildford
If you have further information or a query related to this page, please contact us
