It would have been decent of the seller to tell where he got his information from.

It is clearly "stolen" from my website but no trace of reference!!

I hate people earning money without recognising my elbow grease!

Its not the first time unfortunately.

Cheers,

Rob

email (option): wd16h@telfort.nl

Another one has turned up ebay item no 324401985817

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WW2-Ultrarare-Talboys-Talflow-vokes-air-cleaner-Norton-16H-big-4-BSA-WM20-M20/324401985817?hash=item4b87dd7919:g:3rwAAOSw7elfx-Ec

Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

I have a couple too, if anyone is interested.

Cheers, Lex

email (option): welbike@welbikXX.net

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk

Pakistan not Park. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Ah,

This time the seller at least tried to refer to my elbow grease.
Now its Ebay blocking the information!

The information stamped into the box is new to me.
Maybe nice if the present and future owners search for the same info and share it here.
1957 can only have been some restamping many years after production.



Cheers,

Rob

email (option): wd16h@telfort.nl

Mine don't have that stamping, at least I will have to check, but doesnt seem to be, nothing on the Vokes either.

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welb**e.net

1943 ad for the Talflow.

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk

The ad says 1943, but they where 'bombed out of existence' (do I have to pay copyright now??) early in the war.
That does not tie up or does it ?

Hello Vincent,

That does surprise me to. I have never seen this advert and it does make me wonder.
I will have to find again where my info came from.
Unfortunately I seemed to have thought years ago that I would "remember" it but I am "lost" at the moment where it came from.
Nowadays I write down where info comes from!

The Talboys company (later Tamco-Talboys)operated between 1930 and 1950 and was finally dissolved in 1994 (the oldcopper.org website)
I need to search again for certain but will amend the website for the time being.

Whenever you think to know it, something else pops up to the contrary!

Cheers,

Rob

email (option): wd16h@telfort.nl

Hey Rob, I'm with you mate. I've written over a dozen chapters on WD M20 parts, including fotos, Engineering drawings (I'm an ex aerospace design engineer with parts on the ISS), Pics of NOS and fitments. Not to mention gages to properly align the frame. Hours spent cleaning up stuff pixel by pixel.

I only charge $5.00 USD per chapter, yet people complain "I'm making money on their hobby" thereby justifing the theft. Try that schtich at the grocery store! Or Gas station....

I have spend decades researching this stuff, yet get about zip in return. BUT, they will gladly hand over good money for shoddy repop parts.

Best of luck in whatever you are doing.

email (option): britool51@hotmail.com

That is something of all times; moaning about having to pay for something that 'they' themselves are not willing or not able to do or make.
Just let it slide from your back, Germans have a nice saying for that : 'Rutsch mir den Buckel runter!'
I use that frase often !
Often it is in connection with the 'lesser' models from some brands (Ariel, BSA, Enfield, Norton etc) sorry!:sweat_smile:
There you find the most Ebenezer Scrooge like types, for whom ALL is to expensive, it probably has to do with that these brands where the 'workman bikes', they had to run on half a penny and for some reason 60-70-80 years on they are still expected to do and cost just that.
Many, many years ago I read a article in CB by a Nigel McKenzie (if I remember his name correctly) that was called something like : 'Are Classic Bikers to tight ?' Especially Ariel owners got his flak, and it still is true to some degree.
A while ago I made those small AVC covers that you find behind the AVC's on Ariels, a lot of work went in to making them.
Made a special steel Forming block to hammer the rounded corners and also reshaped the 'fingers' on my folding bench to get the correct radius in the folds. It's no problem to make 1 with your vice and a hammer, but making 50+ identical items is another thing. Anyway, a lot of work. I priced them at 20,- GBP .....
Well, you guessed it.. To Much !

I have mixed views on this subject..
There's no doubt that many owners are reluctant to spend money on the parts needed to keep their bikes running and expect everything provided for them to be very cheap. That can be annoying and I can never understand why they don't want to spend money on their chosen motorcycle and their hobby......
On the other hand, many owners have no concept or experience of the amount of work/investment that goes into manufacturing a part and they live in a world where they can buy a Chinese manufactured microwave for £35....At face value why wouldn't they expect everything to be cheap?....

If they don't trouble themselves to consider why that situation exists then they will have a distorted view of value for money...However, if they were to at least consider what they themselves are paid per hour in the job they have then it would soon become apparent that parts manufactured in small quantities at todays labour rates are not actually expensive at all...Quite the reverse in many cases...

I have manufactured or commissioned the manufacture of multiple parts over the years and have found that potential buyers fall into different categories...Some just want the part, are glad to be able to source it and just pay the money without question...
Some realise the time and effort that has gone into it, understand that a living has to be made, don't resent someone making a profit and buy the part...Some do resent profit, don't understand and don't consider the work that has gone into making the part available and will only buy it if it's cheap...I like dealing with the first two groups...

Personally, I've found these varying attitudes whatever the make or model involved...It's more about the person in my estimation, not what bike they own. One certainty though, is that the chap who thinks it's all too expensive won't think like that when he comes to pricing his bike to sell it...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Hello Robb,

That is funny,
I have been a Materials & Process engineer for 38+ years at Fokker Aircraft/Fokker Aerostructures until December last year.
Apart having been part in the development of the Fokker F50 and F70/F100, I have a fair amount of work on the upper shells of the A380 (Glare) and wing leading edges of the A340 and A380 (Thermoplastics) by qualifying and certifying the Glare prepreg materials and welding of thermoplastic parts. Added to that lots of work for NH-90 helicopter, Cessna, Gulfstream, Boeing, Dassault aircraft as part of the design built function that we had on those projects. Ariane interstage and some JSF work as well. Before 1996 basically composites work, after 1996, previous work expanded with primary responsible for all types of standard parts and semi-manufactured articles, qualifications and certifications. It has been a very demanding but also satisfying work, meeting many nice aerospace and materials and standard parts manufacturing people from all over the world.

From this background comes my way of making the www.wdnorton.nl website including change notices and issue control.

I am a bit pissed off myself that I took somebodies word for the bombing of Talboys. Should have investigated it better then.
It appears that they were not bombed and were actually the manufaturers for petrol tanks and possibly oil tanks for Nortons, at least in the 20ties and I expect upto 1978 when sheet metal work of Talboys was taken over by the Speedwell Gear Company.
I also found more technical details of the Talflow itself but have still no clue why the surfacing amount appears to be relatively low compared to Vokes tanktop versions.

Cheers,

Rob

email (option): wd

Gents

I have completely rewritten the website page on the Air Cleaners after the 1943 Talflow advert was shown by Steve S on Dec 5th.
Initial statement that the Talboys Manufacturing Company Ltd was bombed out of existence appeared incorrect.
Bombs fell a few 100 yards further NW on the Witton tram remise according the bomb census listing.
I did not corroborate the information when I had to.
This is now solved but as usual more questions have arisen but the present status gives me more confidence.

I also added the history of the development by Norton Motors of the Universal Air Cleaners, often described as "Vokes" filters.

Have a look;

https://www.wdnorton.nl/Air_Cleaners.htm

Added a remark on Henk stopping with hosting as well

https://www.wdnorton.nl/index.htm

Cheers,

Rob

email (option): wd16h@telfort.nl

I have been watching this with some interest,
My late father in law rode an m20 in Burma during 44 and 45.
I have a photo of him sat on the bike with the tank number showing its a 1944 bike and it is fitted with a Talflow filter.

Took me a good while to find one, but i did manage to find a really good original which will adorn my project if it ever gets finished. 😁
I had assumed that there was stocks that just needed using up but it perhaps makes more sense now.


Darren

I also have a Talflows Darren, but nothing really that I know I can fit it on. Any chance of seeing your Dad's bike please. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Gents,

Talfows in Birma are very likely, maybe more likely than Universal cleaners/Vokes.
Contract information states India as ordering entity and that included basically the entire far east.

It may also indicate why the Talfows were not very well known in Europe.

Cheers,

Rob

email (option): wd16h@telfort.nl

This photo was on ebay, not so long ago. I believe the Talflow is fitted to a Triumph 3HW.

Bastiaan

I have some very nice original Talflows for sale, if someone is looking for one.

email (option): wdmotorcycles@gmail.com

Ah Thanks Bastiaan. That's an option for my dessert colour 3HW which already has a Vokes on it.....Something different. :relaxed: Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

You are welcome Ron. I must say that the photo looks very 'oriental' to me, not some type of desert location.:wink:

Bastiaan

email (option): wdmotorcycles@gmail.com