Hello, I’m just wondering if anyone has a list or partial list of frame number that might tally with contract numbers?
I’ve looked through old links on this brilliant site, but non of them seam to work anymore,
Is it possible to get a date & or a contract number from frame number XG10918.
Many thanks in advance.

Can you check the frame number again.(send me pictures if you want). The first WD frame number that I can see in 1940 is 11186.

Maybe the owners club or VMCC can help. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Many thanks Ron, I’ll email you over a picture.
Cheers Damon.

OK Damon, they were using the XG frame prefix since 1938. The W/NG had longer forks than the pre war civy models. Measure your forks from the centre of the top front spindle to the centre of the wheel spindle. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Hi Ron, I don’t actually have the forks, it’s just a frame that’s up for sale,
Basically I’ve got a nice freshly rebuilt NG engine/ wheels/ oil tank etc a nice collection of bits I’ve been saving for a while, I just need a frame, even though I can see evidence of military paint, I wasn’t sure, as I say there is no field stand lug either..

Just had a look in the Ariel ledgers. Well, actually the Ariel engine ledger, the engine numbers are sorted, but the frame numbers are spread all over the book. I've gone through the list 4 times now, but I can't find frame number 10918. If you would have had an engine number, it should have been easier to find... 😕

But I did find 10917, bike delivered to the MoS in June 1940, with a NH2 engine. There are several (around 100 I guess) MoS entries around that period, but they were all made in between civilian orders.

email (option): wd.register@gmail.com

That’s great guys,
Thanks very much for you input.

To add to Jan's information. O&M quote less than 60 NH and NG models ordered under WO contracts in 39-40, but the frame numbers are amongst over 1300 ranging between XG 9838 & 11178. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Thank you once again for all your info,
So considering that the amount of bike’s made in that time period is quite considerable & the relatively small number ordered by the W.O + the fact that this frame does not have the extra lug for the giant field stand, it might well be a civilian model with some old green paint.
I don’t suppose you happen to know if they ever made WNG frames without the extra field stand lug? From the pictures of the frame it’s difficult to see if the back part of the frame has the steeper angle for added ground clearance.

I suspect there is a fair chance that the M.O.S. (Ministry of Supply) entries for late May 1940 are the assorted machines grouped together under contract C7372 which were booked in at Chilwell on 1st June 1940. Some of the MoS entries have replaced a crossed-through "Stokvis" allocation. Stokvis was the Dutch importer and of course no deliveries had been possible there since 10th May.

C7372 was a "sister" contract to the mixed BSA contract C7370 and the Norton contract C7371 (which was for 16H, but "delivery already effected to Stirling").

Interestingly, most of the M.O.S. bikes are listed as "UP" which indicates "Upswept Exhaust".

There were spare engines and gearboxes supplied with the contract, but no mention of spare frames. It's quite likley though that some were ordered under separate demands.

The NG and NH were civilian specification models and I very much doubt they had a field stand fitted. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

This one made it to Stokvis before the German invasion in May 1940 (but was then captured by the Germans):



And this one was diverted to contract C/7372:

email (option): wd.register@gmail.com

Two civilian (W)NG's made it to the front cover of the 1940 Motor Cycling

You don't see many three legged benches Vincent, thank you for sharing.

Mark

email (option): pes.sales@btconnect.com

Designed to work on uneven ground like a milkmaids stool! Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Another three-legged fitter's bench. This time with a Triumph alongside.