Really sorry guys, but;

I know someone has sent me an estimated 'C' number and possibale date for my Triumph 3HW but cannot find it in previous forum threads (my what a load i've written...).

Frame number is TL 51552
Engine number is 3HW 58725

I would appreciate if someone could tell me, also there is someone who can provide 'stencils' for them ... somewhere near me in North Lincs/Humbersde - again i cannot find who ?

PLEASE CANCEL THIS REQUEST - I HAVE FOUND THE 'C' NUMBER DATA.

I found the easy way to remember it is to paint it on your petrol tank.

Nige, you'll have to forgive Ferg.......He's from the other side of Hadrian's Wall

Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Been looking @ font options, some don't look very 'stencil', may just get my stika machine working.

Nig, the only way to do it properly is to look at the style used on other machines from the same contract. I don't have a big 3HW photo-file unfortunately. What is your serial number ?

Did the earlier thread refer you to Tony Pearson at Axholme Signs ? He's very good and has a lot of experience in what others have used. Most of us who have worked from originals have given him the OK to adapt for others.

He always sends a nice scan before proceeding and is happy to adjust.

RIk - i've been looking for a good period pic to see what they are like, without success. I'm off down london in near future lokking up dads army record, i'll see what i can find.

AXHOLME SIGNS is just round corner from my cuz, did'nt know he was a name-sake?
I was intending to call in to discuss, and yes i know you guys seem to use him.

I do have a couple of vinyl cutters (thrown out from a school cos of software problems) and print all our 'gangs' Tee shirts, etc.
Its just that i've got XP, W7 and W10 or various computors and non have an RS232 port, to link with the 'cutters - and the various 232-USB 'adapters' don't work anymore ????
I thought i'd finished f*****g about with computers and was enjoying metal bashing.
We shall see.

Its just that at moment am rushing ahead with 3hw - ALL now painted (even pannier frames), wiring/electrics is currently happening and hope to get a registration in near future.

Original 3HW pictures seem few and far between. Here's one at Meriden in 1943. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

I've also checked my photographs and have to agree with Ron that 3HW pictures are scarce... But I did find a couple more that clearly show a distinctive style that was only used on these Triumphs: through the contracts we can clearly see that the C prefix is always slightly larger than the numbers. The position on the tank is also similar in all the photographs.

On the other hand, one of these numbers appears to have been stencilled (the census number in the C4856535 photograph), whereas the later numbers appear to have been sign written...

I also tried to calculate your census number(s), based on the engine and frame numbers that you've given in an earlier post:

51552 is a contract C/8886 frame number. This was a contract for 3000 motorcycles, with census numbers from C4854180 to C4857179. However, Triumph first delivered a batch of 14 bikes, followed by another batch of 2979. Not enough frames for 3000 census numbers... If we assume that the very last frame used the very last census number, the census number for your frame would have been C4855314.

3HW58725 is a contract S/5340 engine number. This one is quite straightforward to calculate, the census number for your engine would have been C5569225.

Jan

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

JAN than you for this + more 3HW pix.

I suppose my real query was 'stencil' type figures or not - both seem appropriate?
I do have a better idea of size and font now.

P/Tank is now drying so need to decide on any Regiment colors as well ......

I think i'll go and finish the wiring and sort the Dynamo .........

Here's another one, with the same typical stencilled numbers:



Jan

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

Thanks for this one Jan.

As far as I can tell, it was only 3HW's and Velo MAF's that were supplied from the factories with a black exhaust. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

The photo of the Triumph 3HW's in the meriden factory is one of a set taken in October 1943. I have a 10x8 inch copy and if you look closer at the silencer the welds are left untouched,l found a silencer like this years ago at a jumble at first I thought it was a factory reject until I studied this photo,also my own 3HW could be in the line up somewhere frame no is TL 39674 T.E.C.10 .43 under saddle C number is 5272724,with steel contract plate,which replaced the earlier brass ones,I think some of the other WD bikes also had black exhaust systems on the different contracts.

From THE MOTORCYCLE Italy 1944,dont know what the markings on the tank stand for.

Steve, Thanks for posting another image with the characteristic Meriden numbering style.

The Arm of Service serial with the diagonal bar running top left to bottom right indicates GHQ or Area Troops. It's all quite dusty so it's difficult to see any background to the marking.

By 1944, the same serials should have been in use in all theatres. Unfortunately there are only snippets available to provide clues but 21st Army Group used 1446 for HQ Lines of Communication Traffic Control and 'TC' was incorporated in the serial marking - I can see a 'T' above the census number. Background would have been black but it is so dusty that it's difficult to see - and we'd probably be looking at matt black on an SCC No.2 brown background so not all that much contrast.

Bearing in mind the scene and the type of photos that they liked sending back to the 'weeklies', I'd say that there is a good chance that the photo shows a Lines of Communication Provost. I can't identify the double-coloured armband. It's not the blue/ white of signals anyway. I wonder if it may be Polish.

It may well be that an original rests in Morton's Archive but I haven't yet come to terms with the idea of paying £100 for a day, just to look. I'll probably end up doing it at some point though but I'll make sure that I've done my homework first.

Not a very high quality screen grab from an over-protected site but it shows another 3HW in Italy (apparently ridden by Italian forces after the surrender of Italy).