rewdco

Perfect repair Ron! Well done!

Indeed Ron. The WD/C had a cylindrical downtube. Due to the fact that lots of frames had broken just below the headstock, Enfield used a conical downtube for the (early) WD/CO (with a larger diameter at the weakest point). But the conical downtube didn't solve the problem, so they added an extra tube just below the headstock for the later WD/CO bikes.

Glad to hear that you're OK Ron! A bike's frame is easier to repair than your own framework! My WD/C is another example of this weak spot. This is how I bought it...

The origin of your frame (TL 16541) is shrouded in mystery though. Most likely it comes from contract C/5108, as frame numbers for this contract were (most likely) 14000 - 17299. We don't know for sure, as the factory records were destroyed during the Coventry Blitz. Deliveries started in September 1939, and several contract C/5108 bikes were sent to France with the BEF. Census numbers were a mess. According to the Chilwell list they were: 60788-61000; 62686-62885; 62916-63085; 63144-63585; 69586-70088; 70586-72365 But according to the Receipt Cards they were: 60638-60704; 60758-60842; 60938-61000; 62686-62885; 62916-63085; 63144-63585; 69586-70088; 70586-72365 Considering that your frame number (presumably) comes from the second half of this contract, it is likely that it had a census number from the C70586 - C72365 block. This would have been post-Dunkirk. Some pictures:

The 3HW engine number 3HW 56234 was originally fitted to frame number TL 46234. This bike was made under military contract S/2956 (frame numbers 41418 - 46417; census numbers C5423418 - C5428417). This means that the original census number would have been C5428234. Deliveries of this contract started on January 6th 1944, and were scheduled at 800 bikes per month. Which means that your bike (your engine) would have been delivered around late June - early July 1944. I've added a few pictures from the same contract, for your interest...

Sorry to hear this... Rest in peace...

Don’t know what it is, but it isn’t an FN…

And Scott machine gun outfits:

Fantastic job Guy! Love it!

I noticed a typo in your reply Lex: the census number should be C5255673. But as you say, frame number 48273 is listed in the KeyCards as C5257347, for an unknown reason. Something went wrong there... Some more pictures from the same contract:

Just discovered these photographs on Stilltime:

The 4 spring Acumen is post war…

Thanks Andy, it is indeed a New Imperial! I've just done some research... In the spring of 1917 New Imperial (together with several other British manufacturers) had a contract for a number of 8HP solo machines for the Russian Imperial Army: In September 1917 there was another Russian contract, for 8HP motorcycles with a military side car: The Russians did some serious testing of all the British motorcycles and combinations: In February 1918 the US Army also ordered New Imperial (solo) motorcycles: But due to the October revolution in Russia, lots of undelivered Russian contract motorcycles and combinations were diverted to other countries. And so it happened that the Russian contract New Imperial outfits ended up in the US Army...

Indeed, too many differences... But thanks for your input! 😊

Didn't think about that! But I have my doubts, when I look at the pictures of the WW1 V-twin Sunbeams that I have... 😕

It is a little-known fact that the American Army had ordered several British motorcycles and combinations contracts. Royal Enfield 6HP combinations, Matchless, Rover, Douglas just to name a few: But the other day I found the photograph below. Two French moustaches, but the driver of the outfit could be an American? There are US markings on the petrol tank, but the bike looks very British to me. Does anybody recognise the make / model?

The Middlesex C.C. registrations (RMH, JMK, RMK, PMK, ...) were all issued to the War Department, prior to early September 1939 (war declaration). After that date military vehicles no longer had civilian registrations. Unfortunately the Middlesex C.C. registration ledgers haven't survived. The Home Office did use civilian registration numbers for its vehicles during the war. I think GGU 519 is one of these.

As this lorry has gone through a "Class 1 rebuild" (H17xxxxx census number), you may find a data plate somewhere in the engine bay or in the cabin, giving more information about this rebuild. See also this thread, bottom of page 1:

Five years ago I’ve made a CAD drawing of the typical Royal Enfield style census numbers, so that Axholme could produce them as low tack stencils. (https://hmvf.co.uk/topic/41549-royal-enfield-census-numbers-low-tack-stencils-now-available-from-axholmesigns/). Since then I’ve seen many Royal Enfields with census numbers in the correct style, mission accomplished… 😊 But a couple of weeks ago I was talking to an Ariel W/NG owner who asked me if I could do the same thing with the typical Ariel stencil font (not to be confused with ARIAL.TTF, and also not to be confused with STENCIL.FNT which are both post war American fonts). So that’s exactly what I did. In the attached pictures you can see some war time examples, and a screenshot of all the numbers. Axholme sells them in 1" high or 1 1/4. In my opinion they should be 1”, about the same height as the Ariel logo just below the census number. (https://www.axholmesigns.co.uk/motor-bike). Hope these stencils will be useful!

If you want to clean that data plate without causing further damage, I would put it in vinegar for 24 hours. Rinse in water with a spoonful of washing soda to neutralise the acid, dry with a hair drier and preserve with some WD40. Any other treatment will cause further damage…

Enfield spare engines can easily be identified by the fact that they do have a "true engine number" (the V-number in case of a Flea, or the number just below the magneto on a WD/C or a WD/CO), but no "duplicated frame number". For as far as I know, "all" the Flea spare engines had this dataplate, "normal" engines never have. I've got several WD/C and WD/CO spare engines in my Register, all inspected by M211. Looks as if he was in charge of the surplus to contract spare parts department. WD/C: WD/CO: WD/RE:

THE ENFIELD CYCLE Co Ltd Art N° Series N°

Inspector 419 moved around a bit, as he's also checked some early WM20s and the late war Kitson Pease gearboxes (Albion gearboxes made under license by Kitson Pease in London, there had been a lot of quality problems so they got an official inspector).

This is the footage that Ron was talking about: On 1.55 you can see him putting his 419 stamp on the headstock.

As Ron says: this is a spare engine. Easy to recognise: engine number without a duplicated frame number, M211 is the typical inspector's number for the spare engines (WD/C, WD/CO and WD/RE), and the ID plate.