Hi,

Is there any key card info for my bike.
frame num.WM 2034003

Thanks Roel

email (option): roel3@hetnet.nl

Hi Roel

Not that I can see.

Where in the world do you live?

Regards Rob

email (option): robmiller11@yahoo.co.uk

Hi Rob,
I live in the Netherlands.

Regards Roel

email (option): roel3@hetnet.nl

The problem with the key cards Roel, is that they reflect the situation as it was in 1948 so any machines already disposed of, such as taken over by the Netherlands government prior to that date will not appear as they had already been 'struck off' under the old system, for which no records are believed to survive.

With the exception of a few far-flung outposts, they will only show bikes which were in the UK or with the BAOR in Germany after 1948.

I guess a lot of WD bikes in the Netherlands could have come from the Canadian Army who left all their transport at Deelen Airfield before shipping home.

But as Rik says there are no known records.

email (option): robmiller11@yahoo.co.uk

Rob and Rik thanks for looking.

Regards Roel.

email (option): roel3@hetnet.nl

Rob, I don't know if there would have been many ex-Canadian WM20s as there is correspondence in the Canadian archives showing that BSA complained to the Canadian ministries that they hadn't taken any.

This is a fairly early bike and would certainly not have been supplied via official channels to Canada.

The British of course didn't demobilise in The Netherlands but they did supply the government with military material.

Wasn't there an article / letter in one of the classic magazines years ago where an ex-Dutch serviceman was quoted as saying that they were authorised to drive down to the big British depots in France and fill up trucks with as many bikes as they could get in ?

Just in case you haven't researched it yet Roel, your bike was made under contract C7287. This was the large (17000 machines) contract issued to replenish the Dunkirk losses. Delivery started at WM20 25000 on 24/8/1940 and by mid-November they had despatched just under 5000 so WM20 34003 / C4350595 was probably delivered in Feb / March 1941.

It would have been delivered to RAOC Chilwell and then distributed to a unit almost certainly in the UK - probably British but possibly one of the allies.

Have another BSA M20 in the USA that I was hoping could be looked up.

The frame number is WM20 50722 and the engine number is WM20 55069. If I did the math correctly, the census number should be C4560231 but I'd very much appreciate someone confirming this.

The cycle runs but needs work and will end up being a winter tear down project since it needs a complete overhaul along with a proper paint job.

Thanks in advance,

David

email (option): dgordon4@austin.rr.com

David, I cannot find any of your numbers in the Key cards, Maybe Rob Miller, will find any?? (he's looked more into the spelling mistakes etc.)

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbike.net

Hi,
Any key card info of engine numb.WM20 55181 or WM20 55187 last number not readable.And spare engine WM20 22881.

Thanks Roel

email (option): roel3@hetnet.nl

Could you please look up frame & motor # 101461 ?
Thank you,
Rick

Sorry David, I can't see your bike in the keycards.

Rob

email (option): robmiller11@yahoo.co.uk

Sorry Roel, none of those three numbers show up in the keycards, but I'm not really sure of any value in postwar information attached to a machine that was once fitted with your engine?

Rob.

email (option): robmiller11@yahoo.co.uk

Hi Rick

Your bike is in the keycards and it says:-

Postwar registration No. 26ZC16
Frame. 101461
Serial. 5212161 (matches the frame)
Contract. S2603 (right again)

"BAOR 16 BVD B41" = British Army On the Rhine, 16 Base Vehicle Depot, B41?.

There was something written underneath this which has been rubbed out, but I guess only a forensic scientist would be able to recover it from the original card?

Hope this helps

Rob

email (option): robmiller11@yahoo.co.uk

Rick, Drop me a line, for a scan of the original KC.
But I think all the rubbed out info is from a previous use of the cards.

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbike.net

Rob thanks for looking.

Roel

email (option): roel3@hetnet.nl

Appreciate your checking all the same. Always nice to try and learn about the vehicle history if it's available.

Still being in early war configuration, even though someone put a later horrible paint scheme on it, I had figured it didn't stay in British service after the war. Otherwise it likely would have had FTR type standard upgrades so it would be functional with other current cycles of the time.

email (option): dgordon4@austin.rr.com

Wow,
Thanks for looking this up!
I didn`t really expect any results thats why I put off an inquiry for so long. I will be in contact.

Thanks again.

email (option): okdenfeddas@yahoo.com