Is this list for sale Steve

Br
Job

email (option): Jonnyob1atgooglemail.com

Copies of this book and the very similar GPO list have circulated for several years, I think thanks to Ian Wright?

Rob

Has anyone had a look at the WB30 ledger at the VMCC since it became know that the Post Office machines were numbered 501 -600 and the Admiralty 601 - 700 ?

The ledger cover states "WB30 101 - 4819" but the group of us who were there in 2010 didn't find any entries higher than 300, with only 101 - 150 fully completed. Did we not look far enough (that would surprise me) or was there a missing second book ?

Rik those 50 (plus one with a Matchless engine) were the "ultra" lightweight bikes with an alternator and no battery from contract C8330. It seems that the authorities realised the foolishness of such a model, which were then modified for the GPO and RN contracts.

O&M must have seen the follow on ledgers as they state that the GPO bikes may not have been delivered "If the ledgers are correct" Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Cheers Ron. I believe that O&M would have had access to the microfilm copies of the ledgers when they were in the Science Museum. I didn't think we'd missed anything. Pretty sure we'd have flicked through all the pages, esecially with BSA as the M20 / M21 numbering system meant blank pages were common.

The RN bikes were delivered though, which beggars the question of where BSA listed 'em.

Hi Rik, no disputing that at least some of the 100 RN WB30's were produced, could you please share your evidence that they "were delivered" and who to? Is that to the Royal Navy, or that they were sent to other users instead?
I also havn't found anything in the BSA despatch books relating to the GPO or RN WB30 machines. The only oddity I've found is one machine which possibly suggests that the B30 was intitialy intended to be the 1941 civilian follow-on to the B29, before it was tailored to interest the military.

The GPO received 250cc & 350cc machines in 1941-2 according to the Post Office Vehicle Club, the registrations were

GLP 633-729 BSA 350cc Solo M/Cycles (97)
GLP 730-732 BSA 350cc Combination (3)

GLP 806-811 BSA 250cc Solo M/Cycle (6)
GLP 812-826 BSA 250cc Solo M/Cycle (15)
GLP 827 BSA 250cc Solo M/Cycle (1)
GLP 828 BSA 350cc Combination (1)
GLP 829-831 BSA 350cc Solo M/Cycles (3)
GLP 832-835 BSA 250cc Solo M/Cycle (4)

Notes
GLP 828 was probably a conversion from a solo
GLP 806-835 were all ex WD ???

The first two batches add up to 100 but its hard to see a B30 as a sidecar puller, but perhaps more likely than a C range machine.

We can be pretty sure that ex WD C10s made there way to the Post Office, is it possible that B30s did too, but which ones, early lightweights or admiralty machines?

Rob

If you haven't seen it? Jan has been conducting a survey on RAF and RN serial numbers over on HMVS, which he's collating from post war sales catalogues:-
https://hmvf.co.uk/topic/47125-raf-and-rn-census-numbers-research-post-war-auction-catalogues-wanted/

So far "3" WB30's for the RN have come to light (although no frame numbers were included in the catalogues and one was erroneously listed as a SV) So at lest we have some sort of idea of a census number to pick. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

FYI... A couple of years ago I summarised all the WB30 information that I have in this HMVF thread.

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

Hi Jan, did you put these 12 motor-cycles on the HMVF thread.

Hi Steve,
No... Do we know anything more about these 12 motorcycles?

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

S1047 is in the MoS Ledgers.

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I obtained copies of both parts lists seen in this thread - I scanned these into a pdf format if anyone wants a copy - please ask
I have however got a 3rd list - this is slightly different in some dices but regretfully the front cover is missing so I cannot identify what it relates to but - I think it might be the pist office version
I must dig it out when in the shop later

Again / I would like to obtain any original wb30 literature if it was available for sale

Br
Jo’b

email (option): Jonnyob1atgooglemail.com

I keep saying to myself that this model appears to have been some sort of a rolling project at bsa as it creates at times many questions in terms of spec & what if’s

So - tonight I had all 3 parts lists I have here & decided to browse through them & check some specs

The cover of the parts list which includes contract S1047 - calls the model the WB30 - the spec included pannier frames, carriers, canvas bags, a rear MCT 1 convoy light

The 2nd list which is raised against the Admiralty RN contract is described as the B30, the spec included a rear carrier, a rear number plate & an MT110 Rear light

The 3rd list which is unfortunately missing its cover - contract or number sequence therefore unknown - has a rear carrier as per the RN but also has listed a first aid box support plate & fittings, a rear number plate & an MT110 rear light

All 3 parts lists see the bike equipped with the 7” front brake - indicating later production models

My WB goes onto the bench this week after a few years of gathering parts to complete it but with differences in spec like this - I am a little uncertain on which route to take on it - perhaps making it a practical bike to have on the road with bags is the easiest & best solution -
Job

email (option): Jonnyob1atgooglemail.com

Hi John

The first aid kit is a GPO item

Somthing like this one thats probably D1 Bantam

Rob

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/306407476565?_skw=gpo+first+aid&itmmeta=01K81RAKDZ1Q1N2RZWSM1S3YQ0&hash=item47574f0d55:g:5CAAAeSwzLpofiia&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA8FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1fs5qNOhWD8OMXnvDzapRNmOIW8SJvnSCj7jn3ov05zZAO%2F5OJUJTwDe5t3PZqB2MdpXkwBF2KTtzv8v7uuceiZv2y3gkQXv2jvQRJ5ema%2BkKWJ%2BjCtyNWHzgE1h3QuqtOnC7ZqIRZUc7hJ7bCNm1P9ciY8ydvBKbR%2BShZRnYhb8%2FnKuFjpxPDedjQEIqoNccvqHZkYXkfbrWQY2K7HepA0bQn32gsi7e%2Brsk8PNUuQkuCjh%2FLejhRUMYwUyXdfl2gV33r4g0Pwa7djR4lMjktHelz5XD8JF1pwZJF5XaMUOw%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR7i3qrjAZg

Thanks for that Rob
Pity the front cover is missing on it - but with what you have come up with - I’m happy to know this points to the post office spec model
Br
Job

email (option): Jonnyob1atgooglemail.com

This front number plate was on ebay a couple of months ago,FOM is from a series issued in Birmingham after July 1940,might it be just a civilian issued reg no (if some civilian bikes were still being made),or could it be off a wartime BSA as one of the WB30s was issued an FOM series reg no.

Hi Steve
The single most documented bike was registered with FOM 719
This was bike featured & tested by both big motorcycle magazines in war time - May 1941

The next bike was FOM 785 which has long been considered to be the RN contract bike although the spec seen on the photo does not relate to RN spec

This bike & its background continues to raise questions for some of us

Br
Jo’b

email (option): Jonnyob1atgooglemail.com