rewdco

Love this picture...

According to the ledgers, frame and engine belong together! 👍

Reminds me of the fallen madonna with the big boobies by van Clomp…👨🏼‍🎨 🤣

Engine 81409 was delivered to Lucien Psalty on November 3rd 1937. Jan

Hello Juan Carlos,I was wondering, was this information useful?Hola Juan Carlos,Me preguntaba, ¿fue útil esta información? Jan

Sorry, should have been "The governments of France, Great Britain and other democratic European powers looked the other way… " 🇬🇧=🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿+🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿+🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 😊

Please don't trust the information about the Republican Army bikes on the Spanish websites. They all copy each other, but none of them ever did some serious research. Most of what they say is absolute nonsense... Jan

On July 18th 1936, the Civil War erupts in Spain. At that time Spain was a republic, with a socialist – communist government (the “republicans”). The “conservatives” (or “nationalists”) under the leadership of general Franco started this Civil War with a military coup, in an attempt to take over the leadership of the country. They were helped by the Axis powers (Nazi Germany’s Condor Legion and Fascist Italy), while the republicans got some help from the Soviets. The governments of France, England and other democratic European powers looked the other way… The Republican Army was not well prepared and suddenly needed all kinds of mechanized transport. Most (if not all) of the British motorcycles for the Republican Army were “smuggled” into Spain, often through France. - Birmingham dealer "Baker, Fay & Baker” ordered 50 Royal Enfields of which at least one turned up in Spain. Probably all 50 (25 model J2’s plus 25 model G2 motorcycles) went to Spain. The 25 model J2’s were despatched from the factory on September 5th 1936, and the 25 G2’s were despatched on September 9th 1936. - Also in September 1936 there are two orders for 'Goss, London' - who bought 124 MSS, 25 KSS and 50 KTS models - and for 'Bassovitch, London' who bought 25 MSS and 21 KSS models. These purchasers' names do not appear elsewhere in the Velocette ledgers and seem not to have previously bought anything, or bought any other models. Some bikes from this batch have been discovered in Spain, so they probably all went there. - There were 89 Nortons (with Vokes Air Cleaner) to Baker, Fay, Baker in September 1936. Some bikes from this batch have been discovered in Spain... - Pierre Psalty (the Paris Royal Enfield importer) “smuggled” 1000 Model J Royal Enfields from France to the Republican Army in Spain from May to September 1937. - During the same period (summer 1937) Norton delivered 500 Model 18s to Lucien Psalty in Paris (the Norton importer). Final destination: Spain. - There was also a batch of 80 identical Royal Enfield model H machines (to the same standard civilian specification “with electric horn”) sent to "Depot / London" on the 23rd July 1937. One of these motorcycles was recently discovered in Spain, so it is reasonable to assume that this batch was also destined for the Republican Army. - The mysterious “Captain Ball” (no destination address given in most cases, which is very unusual, but in a few cases the destination is “Paris” or sometimes “London”) ordered 760 BSA M22’s and 40 BSA M23’s between May 1937 and February 1938. I have found a document in Spain that proves that the Captain Ball bikes went to Spain as well. - “Massardy” (address “Paris”) orders 43 BSA M22’s in November - December 1937. Destination “Spain”…??? I’m quite sure… “Massardy" never appeared neither before nor after this batch… Have googled this name but couldn’t find anything useful... - And the French BSA importer (Cox, from Paris of course…) also ordered 200 M22’s / M23’s between September 1936 and January 1938. These may have included a few bikes for the French market, but I’m convinced that he also knew the way to Spain… I have a 1937 Royal Enfield Model J, sold to Pierre Psalty in May 1937. My bike was discovered in Spain, with a Madrid registration number. Through the Madrid police I have found all the owners during its stay in Spain. Please send us some pictures, plus frame / engine number. This will help us to find out more about the history of your Norton! Jan

Only used on RAOC Enfields Lex. This means that only very few WD/Cs were using this "style".

This is a difficult one. Officially contract C/6125 was a contract for 2000 motorcycles for the RASC. With the early RASC contracts it is impossible to calculate the census number based on the frame number. The census numbers were applied more or less "at random". According to the Chilwell list, census numbers C75558 until C77567 would have been used, but these are 2010 numbers and there were only 2000 frames...? On top of that, 44 of these RASC bikes were transferred to the RAOC, where they were issued with new (RAOC) census numbers (C4328354 - C4328392 and C4328394 - C4328398). But we don't know which bikes were involved in this transfer. The RASC census numbers were applied in an inconsistent and sometimes rather unprofessional way, see examples below.

Hi, Great Britain declared war against Germany on September 3rd 1939, after the invasion of Poland. But it was only on May 10th that Germany invaded the Low Countries and France. The period between September 3rd 1939 and May 10th 1940 is called "the phony war", and this period was used by both camps to buy weapons and material. The Australian Army also started to search for military material, including hundreds of motorcycles. It looks as if production in the English motorcycle factories was strictly reserved for the British Army, because it wasn't until the end of 1940 that they were able to order an official contract for 1000 WD/Cs from the Royal Enfield factory. Before that contract they needed to be "inventive". They somehow arranged to buy two batches (20 bikes plus 75 bikes) of factory stock Royal Enfield Model L40 motorcycles from Brown Bros, a motorcycle dealer in London: * The Australian Gazette for February 22nd 1940 mentions a contract for Royal Enfield motorcycles, for an amount of £1,763. This must have been the batch of 20 Model L40s that was sold through Brown Bros, all these bikes have early AMF numbers (AMF 5000 numbers). * This was followed by a batch of 75 Military Spec Model L bikes (these aren't WD/Ls), also bought from Brown Bros. in August 1940. This batch was initially delivered to the AIF, but later during the war most bikes were transferred to the “standardised” AMF system. * In 1941 - '42 there were ads in the newspapers asking owners of recent large capacity motorcycles of certain makes to sell their bike to the Government. Approximately 90 civilian Model L and Model H bikes (1936-37-38-39 spec) were impressed by the Australian Forces in late 1941 - early 1942. Your engine comes from one of the 75 bikes from the second Brown Bros batch. This means that your motorcycle started life as a civilian 1940 spec Model L, that was kept in stock in the Enfield factory in Redditch. The bike was then sold in "Military Spec." (most probably this was only a quick respray with a coat of khaki paint) to Brown Bros in London on August 30th 1940. Brown Bros. arranged the export of this batch to Australia. When it was received by the Australian Forces, it was registered with AIF census number AIF-11058. Later it was transferred to the AMF, where it was registered with census number AMF-36662. Hope this helps... 😃 Would it be possible to post some pictures here of (the numbers that have been stamped on) this engine? I'd like to add it to my Register... Jan

Yes, I can. But you haven't replied yet to all the research I did for you on the WD Motorcycles forum...

Contract C13948 is one of these b****y mixed RASC - RAOC contracts. Nobody knows if the RASC bikes were delivered before the RAOC, or vice versa, or if they were simply mixed up. So it could have been any census number between 886687 - 890052 and 4852001 - 4854129. I'm not going to argue with Ron's other observations though... 😄 Jan

Just found another WW1 era truck on an auction site. Thought you'd like it...

Yes indeed. They also had slant front wings. Made under license in Belgium. Mainly used by the Belgian Army. Here's another picture.

Just found this nice picture of a row of (almost brand new) Minervas. Thought you'd like it... 😊

Lucas used a "month plus year" code during these years. Example: 3 40 means March 1940.

Nice to see an RAF motorcycle and a Royal Navy motorcycle in the correct colour, with correct markings (RAF roundel, white tipped mudguards on the RN bike), correct transfers, correct font for the census numbers, ... Love it Ron!

It's all in the Saddle Thread Ron! 😉

Hi Sean, That's a very nice reproduction of a Lycett saddle. Lycett were never used on a Royal Enfield... Jan

You were calling me Ron? 😄 Mac's bike was delivered to the War Department on 02/04/1943, so strictly speaking it is too early for a "Universal" saddle. The Universals only came out at the end of 1943. Originally this bike will have been fitted with the Royal Enfield model of a Terry saddle, so if you're going for a "factory fresh" finish this is the one that you're looking for. The original saddle may of course have been replaced by a Universal, later during the war... But as Ron says, these springs have to be replaced! 😊 see also this thread:

Hi Sean, Your bike is in the Royal Enfield WD Models Register. If you send me an email I can send you some extra information. Regards, Jan

Nice story, but unfortunately nonsense. It’s already been debunked a long time ago. But people keep on thinking that this is Lilibeth, and very often the bike is called a BSA… Errare human est. The picture was first published in April 1942. She would have been only 16 then and not eligible for duty...not even for propaganda. Princess Elisabeth served with the ATS in 1945 only. Here are some very nice pictures showing her with the ATS. Rest in peace, queen Elisabeth.

Aliquando et insanire iucundum est. 😊

FYI, the "Wrights saddle: BSA version" and the "Terry saddle: Ariel version" have been amended.