oiltreader:
Thanks to ERF-NGC-European for the link VALKYRIE for the great detail and Buzzer for the photos the motorbike photo l to r Velocette, Norton(obvious) and a Sunbeam. The Velocette was water cooled and some police forces favoured them allegedly because they were quiet running providing a bit of stealth when on patrol. Note the chap in the doorway with the War Surplus army tunic, I’d one of them in my youth.
Oily
Hi Eddie, This motor cycle dealer, Victor Horseman, was one of the main motor cycle dealers in Liverpool.
The other two big dealers were Cundles and Bob Sergeant. Cheers, Ray.
Thanks Buzzer,
Slingshot Haulage based in Katherine [Spardo country] I remember them in the early 90s transporting bulk salt from the Port Hedland WA salt works in triples of tipper trailers back to the NT.
They have quite a large fleet nowadays and have ventured into the Heavy Haulage game.
oiltreader:
Thanks to ERF-NGC-European for the link VALKYRIE for the great detail and Buzzer for the photos the motorbike photo l to r Velocette, Norton(obvious) and a Sunbeam. The Velocette was water cooled and some police forces favoured them allegedly because they were quiet running providing a bit of stealth when on patrol. Note the chap in the doorway with the War Surplus army tunic, I’d one of them in my youth.
Oily
Wasn’t the Sunbeam shaft driven, Oily? Or am I thinking of the Douglas Dragonfly? Or both? That Velo may have been water cooled but it wasn’t considered considered ‘cool’ by my circle of friends. It even had girlie leg guards too. Now, a proper Velo, that was something to be proud of though one of my mates sectioned his by glancing off a lamp post which left the innards on one side in full view. Didn’t do him much good either, many weeks in hospital, ironically in the next bed to my other best mate who, within days, rammed a stationary coal lorry head on in the fog with his Bantam.
Yes Spardo I had a faint recollection of shaft drive Sunbeams and with a google found this classicglory.co.uk
you also mention Douglas motorbikes I remember them having models with horizontally opposed pistons set up. I think there was also a motorbike and sidecar with a reverse gear, Brough Superior comes to mind.
Oily
oiltreader:
Thanks to ERF-NGC-European for the link VALKYRIE for the great detail and Buzzer for the photos the motorbike photo l to r Velocette, Norton(obvious) and a Sunbeam. The Velocette was water cooled and some police forces favoured them allegedly because they were quiet running providing a bit of stealth when on patrol. Note the chap in the doorway with the War Surplus army tunic, I’d one of them in my youth.
Oily
Wasn’t the Sunbeam shaft driven, Oily? Or am I thinking of the Douglas Dragonfly? Or both? That Velo may have been water cooled but it wasn’t considered considered ‘cool’ by my circle of friends. It even had girlie leg guards too. Now, a proper Velo, that was something to be proud of though one of my mates sectioned his by glancing off a lamp post which left the innards on one side in full view. Didn’t do him much good either, many weeks in hospital, ironically in the next bed to my other best mate who, within days, rammed a stationary coal lorry head on in the fog with his Bantam.
Yes Spardo I had a faint recollection of shaft drive Sunbeams and with a google found this classicglory.co.uk
you also mention Douglas motorbikes I remember them having models with horizontally opposed pistons set up. I think there was also a motorbike and sidecar with a reverse gear, Brough Superior comes to mind.
Oily
Thought so, something from the dark mysterious regions of my mind. I only ever owned one motorbike, a BSA C12 250 which I bought for 50 quid at a quid a week, but always had a keen interest as all my mates were like, and more, minded.
Brough Superior, now you’re talking. Made at Basford, Nottingham and once on my way home from work, on said Beezer, and at the end of the street where their factory was, there was a bang from the engine department and everything stopped. I wheeled it down to the factory to ask what they thought had happened. I don’t know what it was, but it can’t have been serious, because an hour later after dedicated attention from 2 of the mechanics, I was on my way again. In answer to my question ‘how much do I owe you?’, the answer was 'nothing, we make motorbikes here, we don’t mend ‘em’.
Maybe that is why they went out of business.
Not so, and bafflingly, Google tells me that production ceased in 1940, but then I saw this:-
‘George Brough was known for his dedication to his vehicles and customers. He, and later Albert Wallis, continued to service Brough Superiors after production ceased, making parts until 1969. To all intents and purposes production of bikes never resumed after WWII’.
So who knows, maybe I met the man himself that day.
VALKYRIE for the great detail
It even had girlie leg guards too. 
Now, a proper Velo, that was something to be proud of though one of my mates sectioned his by glancing off a lamp post which left the innards on one side in full view. Didn’t do him much good either, many weeks in hospital, ironically in the next bed to my other best mate who, within days, rammed a stationary coal lorry head on in the fog with his Bantam.
