the "Indian Papoose" and not sold in the UK until early 1948, with some 27,050 being manufactured. The single-speed two-stroke engine proved too slow, and despite the high post war demand for transport, lack of power and reliability problems meant it was discontinued in October 1954. Corgi scooters were sometimes painted a military green but were not much used by the British armed forces. A few were used by the Royal Navy. The concept continued to be developed by other manufacturers and led to the folding Honda Monkey bike of the 1960s. Survivors There are surviving Welbikes in countries around the world including the UK, US (where many were sold surplus after World War II) Canada, Australia, South Africa, India, the Netherlands, France and Belgium. Welbikes are quite rare and very few survive with the original War Department number intact as it was painted on. Many restorations have added a typical or estimated War Department number when the original was missing. The only permanent identity of a Welbike is the frame serial number which is stamped on the front of the frame, above the fork. Examples include: RAF Harrington Aviation Museum, Harrington, Northampton, UK: WD Number C5152111 South African National Museum of Military History, Johannesburg, South Africa: WD Number C4659131 Imperial War Museum Musée de l'Armée National Motor Museum, Beaulieu Two of the Prototype/Pilot models have been preserved: Serial number 2 found in Oregon, restored and sold to a collector in the Netherlands, and another with an unknown number in the UK. Colin MacGregor Stevens' (MVPA Member 954 since 1977) private collection in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, had three complete Welbikes Mark II: Frame Serial number 1253; Frame Serial number 3839, found in original condition in Ohio, USA; and Frame Serial number 2348, found in Australia, apparently one of the 302 Welbikes boxed for export and delivered on 16 March 1943. Some Mk. II Welbikes had a contract dataplate on the frame, below the seat. See also List of motorcycles of the 1940s List of motorcycles of the 1950s References External links Welbike SOE Welbike D-Day Paratroopers Historical Center Saint-Côme-du-Mont, France (Archived) Motorcycles of the United Kingdom Military motorcycles World War II vehicles of the United Kingdom Special Operations Executive Minibikes Motorcycles introduced in the 1940s Two-stroke motorcycles