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Royal Enfield WD Model "L.....?


jenkinov

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Whilst browsing for military bikes for sale bumped into the following advert ...

 

 

This bike is a rare WD Model "L" one of only 250 produced for the War department under contract number 294/C/8620,

It is in essence a pre war civilian model that was militarised and after its demob from service was returned to civilian colours.

This bike is in un restored condition and does not have any lighting/electrics apart from ignition mag.

The engine /gearbox have been removed (Engine stripped for rebuild) (all boxed and present)the rest is a rolling chassis.

The bike has a v5

 

If you want the link go to my thread under for sale ...British and American bikes spotted ...

 

 

Can anyone verify or comment the above ...any photos of military Royal Enfields Model Ls ,,or were these bikes effectively pressed civilian bikes and used in Civilian colours ..

 

Jenkinov

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Ron ..Thank you for the photos ..a ww2 british bike I did not know existed ,,so I assume they are a rarity ..

 

Are parts easy to find ..i typed Royal enfield WD L into e bay and did not get a single hit or do they have common parts with a pre war enfield

 

I hope someone snaps it up quickly ,,,

 

Jenkinov

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According to Orchard and Madden. Only 350 were produced for the WO, and one civilian type Model L. The basic machine looks a lot like my WD/C. So some parts wouldn't be any harder to find than a C. But engine parts might have to be adapted. Ron

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Basically, a larger (and quicker) version of the Model C, with the beefier CO gearbox.........the WD/Ls were essentially an "emergency" purchase under WD contract following the loss of equipment during the battle of France.....

 

I'm pretty certain that many parts will be interchangeable with other stuff in the Enfield range of the time, but bear in mind that this is a militarised pre-war civvy model, and a real rarity on the scale of things.....

 

Most of these served only in the UK amongst ATS and similar units...........

 

No doubt Jan can substantially add to this....!

 

Steve Madden

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Excellent news that it might be going to a member of the MVT ..I must admit I did discuss it seriously with my son as a restoration project but I havent finished the Triumph 3SW yet so I have decided not to pursue it but It would be a great bike and a curiosity on the circuit ..

 

 

Fingers crossed that you can secure it

 

Jenkinov

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The Bike appears to have sold ..link leads to following text

 

................................................................................

This advert has now been removed through sale or otherwise

 

 

................................................................................

 

does any one know who got it ..?

 

 

Jenkinov

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Yes. I bought it! I have to make arrangements to collect it from Cambridgeshire.(I'm in Poole) I'm quite excited about it. It's from the second contract of 250, so a proper military bike. I think the first contract of 100 were more or less just khaki painted civy bikes, although with a lack of pictures it's difficult to know the differences. There is only one other example on Jan's WD register. I've emailed the owner and hoping he'll respond. I'll post some pictures in the future, as I proceed.

 

Ron

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Thanks for posting those You Tubes.

However I have been informed by the definitive expert, that it's not a WD/L. It is in fact a pre war bitsa. The South American owner has had several attempts at selling it as a WD/L.......So far without success I believe.

 

Ron

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Must admit that I am constantly suprised at the number of faked ww2 bikes and vehicles that appear in adverts ..I can fully understand not being able to afford a bike and making one up from parts ..but i would like to see the bike or vehicle sold as a copy or replica ;;I appreciate it gets complicated when you have an original engine in a say post war frame but in that case all we need is honesty ..

 

But as always in life its a case of buyer beware ...............

 

 

So if that one is a copy ....its still just 2 certified originals of the Royal Enfield WD L...

 

Has it arrived yet .....& if so do you need to change your list of owned vehicles to 20 bikes

 

Jenkinov

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J, It's all very well having a rare vehicle. (My Morris is one of only two known) But sometimes it's nicer to have something in common with other guys to share things with.

I haven't got the bike home yet. I have a mate with a van who has offered to take me the 8 hour round trip to collect it. Which wont happen for a couple of weeks. The thing is, I love vehicles! It's just that I hate bloody driving these days!!

 

However it's my turn to drive today, to the VMCC jumble at Shepton Mallet. Ron

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Even if a genuine WD-marked engine in a civvy pre-war frame, it is still a worthy project.......

 

After all, the 570cc side valve Model L was essentially a pre-war civvy model acquired very much under the post-Dunkirk emergency demands for anything remotely suitable......and it is thought that the WD/L's were manufactured from stocks of parts awaiting assembly at the Enfield factory alongside Model G's, (civvy) CO's, D's, J's, J2's, etc. Engines so fitted were marked with the relevant WD stampings but very little else was different from the civvy spec apart from the paint.....

 

Good luck with this one Ron......

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I fully expect that Rons new Royal Enfield WD L is the genuine article ....And as such is the second on the UKs register of machines .

 

My comments on faked machines was driven by a current advert on E bay where a vehicle is advertised as a 1942 Willys MB when infact it is a post war M38 ....not sure on current vehicle values but a Willys MB is likely to be worth substantially more than an M38 and I am always angered by such blatant mis representation. ...

 

I am a petrol head at heart and am happy with any military machine being restored and composites being built ....I just prefer honesty when they are sold

 

 

Jenkinov

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Even if a genuine WD-marked engine in a civvy pre-war frame, it is still a worthy project.......

 

After all, the 570cc side valve Model L was essentially a pre-war civvy model acquired very much under the post-Dunkirk emergency demands for anything remotely suitable......and it is thought that the WD/L's were manufactured from stocks of parts awaiting assembly at the Enfield factory alongside Model G's, (civvy) CO's, D's, J's, J2's, etc. Engines so fitted were marked with the relevant WD stampings but very little else was different from the civvy spec apart from the paint.....

 

Good luck with this one Ron......

 

I agree Steve... But this one (the YouTube bike) is a bitza! It has been advertised on the internet several times, and although I asked the seller for extra pictures and the frame and engine numbers of this motorcycle, all I ever got was a ridiculously high price (9000 Dollar), no pictures, no numbers...

 

If rebuilt in civvy trim this could be a very nice pre war motorcycle, but it is by no means a WD/L. The front hub is different, the gearbox is different, and if I would have better pictures I'm sure I would find a lot more non WD parts!

 

Jan

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I agree Steve... But this one (the YouTube bike) is a bitza! It has been advertised on the internet several times, and although I asked the seller for extra pictures and the frame and engine numbers of this motorcycle, all I ever got was a ridiculously high price (9000 Dollar), no pictures, no numbers...

 

If rebuilt in civvy trim this could be a very nice pre war motorcycle, but it is by no means a WD/L. The front hub is different, the gearbox is different, and if I would have better pictures I'm sure I would find a lot more non WD parts!

 

Jan

 

Hi Jan, I haven't seen the bike advertised and agree with you that there are always a number a detail differences between models depending very much upon the intended usage.......some of the early wartime non-standard Enfields are a study in their own right, and compared to other manufacturers they offered a fairly wide range of models to the War Office, perhaps matched only by BSA with AMC a close second.....

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  • 10 years later...

Ouch! I thought it was rare.

I was Told It's a 1936 model, I knew it wasn't because it has a vertical and not a sloper cylinder and because the oil filter under the oil pump incorporated in the timing cover.

Graham Scarth informed me the engine number which is L11409 is a 570cc SV WD Model L was dispatched from Reddich in August 1940.

Sadly all I have is the motor, complete with carby and MagDyn and only needing minor repairs to get running 

I wonder how this lovely old thumper ended up an orphan in Australia.

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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).
36182300_Schermafbeelding2016-12-17om09_31_56.png.6353f1346120689bbd075f18a259dce4.png
   * 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. 
862552861_Schermafbeelding2015-10-20om21_27_50.png.62f83d48988a65b6e204fa80198ca44b.png

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.

525727457_Schermafbeelding2022-11-23om17_23_46.thumb.png.c0a54afefec65390f2bda31f86f13bb4.png

629336771_Schermafbeelding2022-11-23om17_24_43.thumb.png.661309e32bdcc24e259bb7faf378ae25.png

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

Edited by rewdco
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Here it is before I acquired it. The previous owner even used it on the Arbuthnot Trial. The next picture is the only other one That we know about, The owner at the time didn't respond to emails from Jan or me....It must be still out there somewhere. Ron

bike 002.jpg

Richard McLeish.jpg

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