WD Motorcycle forum

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Feb 14, 2011 - 7:35PM

Who's a lucky boy then?

Eric Stevens was. He was issued with this commandeered gold star after the authorities "found" it hidden in a barn covered in straw. The owner had reported it lost. After Eric left for India it seems the bike was returned to the owner, as it was deemed "a bit too hairy for the average DR"
Cheers, Mick.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

Alex

Feb 14, 2011 - 8:38PM

Re: Who's a lucky boy then?

Nice picture Mick!!

Could you email me a good scan of it direct? sorry, more interested in the G3 behind it!!

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbike.net

roger

Feb 14, 2011 - 8:41PM

Re: Who's a lucky boy then?

is it still in the barn under the straw

John Tinley

Feb 14, 2011 - 9:44PM

Re: Who's a lucky boy then?

If you are doing a high resalution scan for Lex may I please request a copy as well.Like Lex I am also interested in the G3 behind. Cheers John

email (option): tinley@btinternet.com

Ian Wright

Feb 14, 2011 - 10:33PM

Re: Who's a lucky boy then?

The owner of the bike must have been really happy when they took away his brand new 1939 Gold Star, slapped a load of drab paint over it, gave it a good thrashing and then returned it to him a few months later... ...Ian

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

Rik

Feb 14, 2011 - 10:34PM

Re: Who's a lucky boy then?

I'm a little surprised by the story of the machine being confiscated after being hidden by the owner as, as far as I'm aware, there was no scheme for the compulsory purchase of vehicles in the UK.

Impressed motorcycles were generally from dealer or manufacturer stocks.

This one has a proper census number so it doesn't seem to have been one that was just borrowed and once on the census, it could only have been disposed of via official channels.

This bike seems to have belonged to a Divisional Transport Company RASC (the diagonal colour split can be seen on the G3).Is the formation sign visible at higher resolution ?

There were a small number of late KM24s sent direct from BSA to the War Office in late 1939.

Jimmy Simpson had one :-

He wasn't the average despatch rider of course.

Ian Wright

Feb 14, 2011 - 10:47PM

Re: Who's a lucky boy then?

Also not forgetting the dozen or so supplied in 38 and 39 for the Army ISDT teams...Ian

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

Steve M

Feb 15, 2011 - 9:02PM

Re: Who's a lucky boy then?

We also shouldn't overlook the "Triumph Twins" supplied from the factory and dealers in '39-40.....these were mainly Speed Twins and Tiger 100's....Roy Bacon's book "Military Motorcycles of WW2" (Osprey) shows a line up of drab-finished Tiger's.....

It would seem that sufficient quantities of Trumpet's were supplied to the military to justify inclusion in that wartime publication "Hints & Tips for Riders of WD Motorcycles", published by the press of the day.....

These articles include a feature on the engine and gearbox of the WD B30 too....!!!

Photographic evidence proves that many Triumph's were sent out to the BEF pre-Dunkirk....with a fair few ending up back in the UK afterwards....and it would seem that the type remained in (limited) WD service until at least 1941-42....

Let's face it....if you were issued with a pre-war Triumph twin, you'd make boat-space for it....!!!!!

Ian Wright

Feb 15, 2011 - 9:11PM

Re: Who's a lucky boy then?

Also on page 65 of Bacons book a DR on an International Norton..I wonder who got a Rough Inferior?....Ian

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

Steve M

Feb 15, 2011 - 9:17PM

Re: Who's a lucky boy then?

Not in khaki though !!!

Ian Wright

Feb 15, 2011 - 9:22PM

Re: Who's a lucky boy then?

I doubt he was TOO worried about that! ...The Triumph would have been a real luxury mount with performance to match though...Ian

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

rob van Meel

Feb 16, 2011 - 7:10AM

Re: Who's a lucky boy then?

I have seen warrime photographs of as Norton plunjer ES2 in home guard use, and in a group-photograph of several T100's a very nice Rudge 500 cc. in its army khaki green livery (the model is not recognised by me, but the centre stand hand handle is the dead give-away for the make).

In the rough I wouldn't know, but on a decent road it would be Rudge above the BSA anytime.

Rob

email (option): rvanmeel@wanadoo.nl

Ian Wright

Feb 16, 2011 - 2:13PM

Re: Who's a lucky boy then?

Don't believe those old wives tales Rob..people bought BSAs, not Rudges ...I'll take the M24 and give you a good thrashing! ...Ian

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

Horror

Feb 16, 2011 - 2:33PM

Re: Who's a lucky boy then?

The plunger Norton came out in 1947 so must be a post war picture.

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

roger

Feb 16, 2011 - 2:44PM

Re: Who's a lucky boy then?

with birch twigs ian

Ron Pier

Feb 16, 2011 - 4:41PM

Re: Who's a lucky boy then?

Ian always uses a Hazel twig when he's thrashing his women.....Must be a Devon thing Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Rik

Feb 16, 2011 - 6:38PM

Re: Who's a lucky boy then?

Although not a standard catalogue machine, the Norton 'Spring Frame' (i.e. plunger), developed on the competition models was available as an option on the International models for 1938 and also on the ES2 for the 1939 season (effectively September 1938 -on).

A quick view of the 1939 production records suggests that perhaps the majority of ES2 buyers chose the spring frame option.

rob van Meel

Feb 16, 2011 - 8:46PM

Re: Who's a lucky boy then?

Ian wrote: Don't believe those old wives tales Rob..people bought BSAs, not Rudges ...I'll take the M24 and give you a good thrashing! ...Ian

If that were true, I'll better scrap my 250 TT-rep-rep or rapid Rudge. Or I must get to doing that up as a Home Guard bike; little 250 four valve Rudge.

email (option): rvanmeel@wanadoo.nl