Triumph 3HW with folding sidecar,probably experimental for the Airborne forces glider troops,handle bars are also folded and have rubber grips which would make it an early Meriden built machine,also has the brass contract plate which would be from contract C13948 as all later contracts had a different design made from steel.

Steve,

The second picture with the contract number plate is from my 3HW!!!

Kostas

email (option): Ferrarakias@hotmail.com

A photo showing a parachute drop container on the same bike,they were probably experimenting with a light weight bike that could be landed by glider then collect the scattered parachute containers,I dont think it went any further than an experiment.

Hi Kostas,yes your photos were on the forum about ten years ago,frame number TL 31410 is a very early bike fitted with aluminium chain cases.






below,I also have a spare engine which was probably from a bike made a week earlier than the Kostas engine.

below,they also changed to steel chain cases on this contract,"frame TL 35399 fitted with steel chain in substitute for aluminium"

Kostas' bike has been very important for understanding the census numbers of Triumph 3HW contract C/13948. This was a "double" contract, for 3.366 RASC bikes (census numbers C886687 - 890052), and 2.129 RAOC bikes (census numbers C4852001 - 4854129).

RASC census numbers can never be calculated based on the frame number, as the census numbers weren't allotted "in sequence" with the frame numbers. RAOC census numbers on the other hand can be calculated based on the frame number, as they were allotted "in sequence" with the frame numbers. (Only a few RAOC contracts are the proverbial exception to this rule...) The problem with contract C/13948 was that we didn't know which batch had been delivered first: the 3.366 RASC bikes or the 2.129 RAOC bikes...? So even for the RAOC bikes we couldn't calculate anything at all...

Until Kostas' bike was discovered. This bike still has matching engine and frame numbers (3HW-41410 and TL31410 respectively), and must be one of the most original ones still around. The (authentic) census number on Kostas’ bike is C88717x (unfortunately the last number is no longer visible). Definitely a number from the RASC block (C886687 - 890052), and to be more precise: approximately the 500th number from this series. The engine / frame numbers on the other hand are the 487th from the C/13948 sequence (3HW-40923 - 3HW-46417 and TL30923 - TL36417 respectively).

Kostas’ bike proves that Triumph first built the 3.366 RASC bikes, followed by the 2.129 RAOC bikes. This means that we can now calculate the contract C/13948 RAOC census numbers precisely, and the RASC numbers with a margin of give or take 100...

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

Kostas' bike has been very important for understanding the census numbers of Triumph 3HW contract C/13948. This was a "double" contract, for 3.366 RASC bikes (census numbers C886687 - 890052), and 2.129 RAOC bikes (census numbers C4852001 - 4854129).

RASC census numbers can never be calculated based on the frame number, as the census numbers weren't allotted "in sequence" with the frame numbers. RAOC census numbers on the other hand can be calculated based on the frame number, as they were allotted "in sequence" with the frame numbers. (Only a few RAOC contracts are the proverbial exception to this rule...) The problem with contract C/13948 was that we didn't know which batch had been delivered first: the 3.366 RASC bikes or the 2.129 RAOC bikes...? So even for the RAOC bikes we couldn't calculate anything at all...

Until Kostas' bike was discovered. This bike still has matching engine and frame numbers (3HW-41410 and TL31410 respectively), and must be one of the most original ones still around. The (authentic) census number on Kostas’ bike is C88717x (unfortunately the last number is no longer visible). Definitely a number from the RASC block (C886687 - 890052), and to be more precise: approximately the 500th number from this series. The engine / frame numbers on the other hand are the 487th from the C/13948 sequence (3HW-40923 - 3HW-46417 and TL30923 - TL36417 respectively).

Kostas’ bike proves that Triumph first built the 3.366 RASC bikes, followed by the 2.129 RAOC bikes. This means that we can now calculate the contract C/13948 RAOC census numbers precisely, and the RASC numbers with a margin of give or take 100...[/quote]Jan,

This information is fascinating, thank you so much for sharing it here!

Kostas

email (option): Ferrarakias@hotmail.com