BSA M20

The BSA M20 was a British motorcycle made by Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) at their factory in Small Heath, Birmingham. Although initially viewed as a near failure by the War Office in 1936, the M20 evolved into one of the longest serving motorcycles in the history of British military motorcycling, as well as becoming the most numerous type produced for World War II with 126,000 in active service. Many are still in use around the world today.
Development.
At the outbreak of World War II BSA were Britain's largest motorcycle manufacturer with a long history of armaments supply to the armed forces. Designed by Val Page the BSA M20 started development in 1937 as a heavy-framed sidecar model with a simple 500 cc single cylinder side valve engine. It had low compression and plenty of low-end torque through a standard BSA gearbox.
Early K-M20 models from 1939 were made from standard civilian parts with the addition of military fittings, such as a large 8-inch Lucas DUl42 headlight (fitted with a black out mask), a timing-gear cover with a screw-in plug for access to the magneto drive-pinion nut and special filler caps for the petrol and oil tanks. These early military M20 models were also fitted with a long spiked prop stand on the rear nearside pivoted from a lug brazed on to the rear frame tube. Factory ledgers show that BSA exported K-M20 models to Sweden, South Africa and India, as well as civilian dealers and distributors.
M20 factory bombing.
BSA workers employed making the M20 were killed in an air raid on the BSA factory in Armoury Road, Small Heath, Birmingham on the night of Tuesday 19 November 1940. The factory was one of the main targets for the Luftwaffe and at 9.25pm a low flying aircraft dropped two bombs which destroyed the southern end of the BSA building in Armoury Road. Rescuers included BSA's own fire brigade who pumped the Birmingham and Warwick canal dry putting out the fire. As well as 53 workers killed, 89 were injured and it was six weeks before the last of the bodies could be recovered. Much of the factory and equipment was destroyed or damaged but BSA had 67 factories so work was transferred elsewhere and production of the BSA M20 continued.
Modifications.
From October 1939 the K-M20 was designated the W-M20 and modified to include girder-forks and removal of the valanced rear mudguard. During late 1940 some civil specification M20s were purchased by the War Office which were civil models with a military paint scheme. In 1941 front and rear number plates were removed and between 1941 and 1942 active service use in North Africa showed the need for easy adjustment of the fork dampers. Special damper knobs were made of bakelite (later replaced with pressed steel). The DU142 headlight was replaced with a smaller 6 in Lucas DU42, with a hooded, slotted black-out shield, and a universal L-WD-MCT1A tail light was fitted.
From 1942 there was a shortage of rubber so handlebar grips and foot pegs were replaced by canvas covered metal items and production was standardised, with only minor modifications until the end of World War II. By early 1942 a new large rear carrier was fitted to hold universal WD steel pannier-frames and bags. This meant repositioning the long prop stand to forward of the nearside rear wheel spindle nut. In 1943 further modifications were made including redesign of the crankcase sump shield and fitting of the Vokes high capacity air cleaner, which was a box shaped canister on top of the fuel tank and was intended to assist operations in dusty environments. In early 1945 a push-button switch was introduced for the headlight and the main lighting switch relocated to a bracket beneath the offside of the saddle.
Military service.
The M20 failed on its first submission to the War Office in 1936 due to 'unacceptable engine wear'. The prototype machine required a replacement piston and cylinder after approximately 6,000 miles. In 1937 three more M20s were submitted to the War Office for testing. Two of these machines only just passed the 10,000 mile suitability tests at Military Vehicles and Engineering Establishment, MVEE, Chertsey, while a third machine was used in service trials. In 1938 when a small batch was commissioned. Criticised for being heavy and slow, with poor ground clearance it was saved by its reliability and ease of maintenance. As the need for transport quickly gained pace orders were placed for larger quantities. Most BSA M20 motorcycles were used by the British Army but the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force also commissioned M20's from BSA. Designed as a general-purpose motorcycle for convoy escort and dispatch use, the M20 saw action in almost every theatre of war. After the war the BSA M20 model continued in military service throughout the national service of the 1950s and in smaller numbers until the end of the 1960s, partly due to the low cost and easy availability of spare parts but also as a result of six years of harsh conditions with no serious failures.
Civilian versions.
The BSA M20 was a reliable and affordable form of post war transport, so BSA repainted the khaki WD models black and they became particularly popular as a sidecar motorcycle. The Automobile Association placed a large order and their yellow and black M20 combinations became a familiar sight on British roads. The 1945 wartime cast iron engine continued in production until 1951, when an alloy cylinder head was introduced but otherwise it remained largely unchanged. Spares began to become harder to find in the 1950s, however, and the simple design was overtaken by modern twin cylinder motorcycles, so it was discontinued in 1956, but the 600cc M21 went on until 1963, when it was also discontinued.
112 MPH BSA M20.
As well as being painstakingly restored by enthusiasts to accurate wartime specification, the M20 has also been developed by specialists for speed trials. A 1938 BSA M20 ridden by Bill Jenkins from Dallas achieved a top speed of 108 mph at Bonneville Salt Flats making it the fastest M20 in the world. The original side-valve engine was extensively modified and fuelled with nitrous oxide. The intake port fed by the carburetor, originally horizontal, was re-drilled at a steep angle into the cylinder casting so it pointed up at the underside of the intake valve. The motorcycle did however retain the long BSA prop stand that hinged under the seat and clipped to the rear mudguard when not in use — so it looked like a stock M20. In October 1995 an M20 fitted with a BSA Gold Star crankshaft sprocket and running on a 95% methanol / 5% acetone mix ridden by Pat Jeal achieved a terminal speed of 112 mph at the disused airfield of RAF Elvington, Yorkshire.


Velocette KTT

The Velocette KTT is a racing British motorcycle made by Velocette. The most significant variant of the Model K series of overhead camshaft Velocette motorcycles, the "TT" designation indicated the machine was intended for racing, and was an early example of a 'production racer' (although KTTs could be ordered as road-legal machines). The Velocette KTT was notable for having the first positive-stop foot gear change on a motorcycle, and the first with a swingarm rear suspension using separate shock absorber units. The foot shift innovation significant improvement for racing, and quickly replaced the hand gear change lever, and became the standard for almost all motorcycles to this day. Veloce's swingarm suspension also had profound and lasting effects on the motorcycle industry, and remains the standard for motorcycle rear suspension to this day.
Development.
Based on the Velocette KSS, the KTT was developed as a production racer specifically for the challenging Isle of Man TT course, which was the most important road race in the world at the time. A racing version of the Model K was built by Percy and Eugene Goodman, sons of the Velocette founder Johannes Gutgemann, in 1925 and after twelve months of development secured Velocette their first TT win in 1926. Alec Bennett was the winner with Gus Kuhn and Fred Povey finishing in the first nine to give the factory the team prize. Further work on KTT led to the first positive-stop foot gear change on a motorcycle in 1928. Other makers had modified the hand change for foot operation but none had designed a mechanism which could change gears up or down with a single movement, and return the shift lever to its original position. As well as being significant improvement for racing, this quickly replaced the hand gear change lever and became the standard for almost all motorcycles to this day.
The Velocette KTT went on to become one of the most successful 350cc production racing motorcycles of all time, with a host of wins in international competition. The model was continually developed in a 'Mark' series, with the first year (1929) retroactively designated the 'Mark I', and each successive year given its own 'Mark' as changes to the engine, frame, forks, wheels, etc. continued. The first significant change came in late 1935, with the Mark V KTT, which had a new full-cradle frame (replacing the previous open-bottom frame which used the engine as a stressed member, from 1929-'35), which was identical to the KSS Mk2 frame. 1936 saw a break in KTT production, as only an estimated 6 Mark VI KTT's were built, for very select riders. The Mark VI used the cast aluminum cylinder head of the KSS Mk2, the first KTT with an aluminum cylinder head.
After contracting Stanley Woods to ride for the Veloce racing team, his feedback led to changes in the KTT chassis for 1937 and the Mark VII KTT, as the engine was moved forward approx. 1.5" to give better handling. The engine had been significantly redesigned with a new aluminum cylinder head and barrel of much larger proportions, to improve cooling. The new-look engine produced significantly more power, and while only 37 Mark VII KTTs were built, they are considered among the most beautiful of the series, as well as being very successful racers.
Following the introduction of swingarm rear suspension on the factory race team in 1937, Veloce introduced the Mark VIII KTT in 1938, which was the first production motorcycle to use a swinging-arm rear fork with enclosed suspension units ('shocks'), although these were 'oleo pneumatic' and used air as the springing medium, and not spring/oil shocks as adopted by the motorcycle (and car) industry postwar. The system was developed by Veloce designer Harold Willis, who flew a light plane with Oleo suspension legs; he contacted the Oleo company for a special pair of air shocks, which were used by Veloce for their factory racing motorcycles from 1937 onwards, and appeared on the production KTT Mark VIII in 1938.
Production of the Velocette Mark VIII KTT ended in 1949, with around 238 models built. Around 1000 KTTs were produced in total from 1929 - 1950.


Royal Enfield Classic

Royal Enfield Classic 350 and Classic 500 are models of Royal Enfield motorcycles which have been in production since 2009.
Both the Classic 350 and the Classic 500 feature the new unit construction engine in their 350cc and 500cc variants respectively. However the Classic 350 uses a carburettor for fuel delivery and the Classic 500 has EFI. The Classic 350 has an ammeter while the Classic 500 has a low fuel indicator light and engine check light instead of the ammeter. The ammeter on the Classic 350 is more of a vestigial remain as the modern Classic 350 has no practical use for it. In the older models with CB points, when the piston was in the top dead centre (CB points closed) then the ammeter would stay in the middle. This feature allowed the rider to use the decompression lever to move the piston to top dead center and kick starter with relative ease. Both of these models are more expensive and targeted at a market segment above the Royal Enfield Bullet 350 and the Bullet 500.
Both the Classic 350 and the Classic 500 come in a variety of color options, including; Stealth Black, Chrome, Battle Green, and Gunmetal Grey.
In 2017 Royal Enfield equipped Classic 500 models with Euro 4 compliance which included ABS brakes for front and rear and better emission control system.
In 2018 Royal Enfield released Classic 350 models with ABS in some markets. In 2019 classic 500 production is stopped and company launches new bs6 engines and dual channel abs<br>
A final "end of build" production run of 1000 units is launched, Classic 500 Tribute Black.
Royal Enfield Classic 350 specification:
Engine
Chassis & suspension
Dimensions
Brakes & tyres
Electricals
Royal Enfield Classic 500 specification:
Engine
Chassis & suspension
Dimensions
Brakes & tyres
Electricals
Best selling model


A493 road

The A493 is a road located on the west coast of mid Wales and connects Dolgellau to Machynlleth via the coast, avoiding Corris and Cross Foxes.
Route.
The road passes through Pennal, Aberdyfi, Tywyn, Bryncrug, Llanfendigaid, Rhoslefain, Llangelynin, Llwyngwril, Friog, Fairbourne, Arthog and Penmaenpool. The road is approximately 32 miles long. Because of the location of the road which is next to the coast for the majority of the journey, road surveying is essential to prevent landslips into the sea. Retaining walls are often used and stone walls are used instead of safety rails to help conservation efforts in Snowdonia National Park.
Transport for Wales Rail runs trains from Machynlleth to Barmouth which run adjacent to the road for much of the route; the trains join and leave the road at Barmouth Bridge and Dovey Junction.


Triumph Tiger 900 (T400)

The original Tiger 900, manufactured by Triumph Motorcycles Ltd was introduced in 1993 and remained in production with minor improvements until 1998. Known to its fans as the 'Steamer', a nickname identifying it as a Hinckley Tiger, not a Meriden Tiger, and also distinguishing it as a carburettor, not fuel injected engine, this 885 cc dual sport motorcycle sold in comparatively small numbers in its native UK, but with some relative success in the USA and continental Europe, particularly Germany.
The 'steamer' has proved a durable and tough motorcycle as befits its Dakar Rally type image, but it does suffer from several minor design flaws that hamper routine maintenance and give rise to some recurrent mechanical problems. These disadvantages tend to imply that most long term owners are at least mechanically competent and moreover somewhat idiosyncratic in their determination to keep this type of machine running.
Other notable characteristics of the 'steamer' include the strong 885 cc three cylinder engine and the seat height, both of which conspire to give a dominant riding position with the ability to see over other traffic.
It was replaced in 1999 by a heavily revised model known as the T709 – using a fuel injected version of the 885 cc engine - which albeit a more road orientated bike, sold well. In 2001 the T709 model was replaced with the model T709EN, 955 cc engine and fuel injected, commonly known as the Triumph Tiger 955i.


National Express

National Express Group is a British multinational public transport company headquartered in Birmingham, England. It operates bus, coach, train and tram services in the United Kingdom, Ireland (National Express operates Eurolines in conjunction with Bus Éireann), United States, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Malta, Germany, Bahrain, and Morocco and long-distance coach services across Europe. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.
History.
In 1972 the state-owned National Bus Company decided to bring together the scheduled coach services operated by its bus operating companies in the United Kingdom under one brand. Sir Frederick Wood, a prominent businessman and industrialist, was asked to oversee the creation of this new business model and led the group as its chairman from 1972 to 1978. Initially branded as "National", the "National Express" brand was first used in 1974.
With the privatisation of the National Bus Company in the 1980s, National Express was subject to a management buyout in March 1988. The management team began to diversify, and in 1989 they purchased Crosville Wales but its financial performance began to deteriorate from early 1990. A new management team took over the company in July 1991, with the backing of mid-market private equity firm, ECI Partners. The new team refocused the group on its core activities and sold Crosville Wales to British Bus. In October 1991, it purchased Speedlink, an operator of coach services between Gatwick and Heathrow Airports. In December 1992, National Express Group plc was floated on the London Stock Exchange.
Acquisitions and disposals.
In 1993 Scottish Citylink, Eurolines and East Midlands Airport were acquired. In April 1995 National Express purchased West Midlands Travel, the formerly council owned bus network of Birmingham and the West Midlands and rebranded it Travel West Midlands in September 1996. This began the brand family of "Travel ..." local bus operations. Bournemouth Airport was acquired in April 1995.
In April 1996 National Express commenced operating its first UK rail franchises, Gatwick Express and Midland Mainline. Other franchises won in 1997 were Silverlink, Central Trains and ScotRail. To comply with a Monopolies & Mergers Commission ruling on it winning the ScotRail franchise, National Express sold the Scottish Citylink operation to Metroline in August 1998.
In February 1997 Taybus Public Transport was acquired and rebranded Travel Dundee.
In September 1998 Crabtree-Harmon, the seventh-largest student transportation bus company in the United States was acquired, with 82 school bus contracts mainly in Missouri, but also in other Midwest states including Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma and Utah. In February 1999 Robinson Bus Service was purchased followed in August 1999 by Durham Transportation. These acquisitions placed National Express as one of the top three United States school bus operators.
In May 1999 National Express purchased Australia's largest private bus operator, National Bus Company. National Bus Company had bus operations in Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth, and also held a 57% shareholding in Westbus, Sydney's largest bus operator. Westbus also had a London coach operation. In August 1999 National Express won the M>Train, M>Tram and V/Line Passenger rail franchises in the Australian state of Victoria.
In January 2000, National Express expanded into the American market by acquiring ATC, a public transportation operator. In July 2000 Prism Rail was purchased adding the c2c, Wales & Borders, Wessex Trains and West Anglia Great Northern franchises to National Express' portfolio.
In December 2002 National Express handed in its Victorian rail franchises having been unable to renegotiate financial terms with the State Government.
In February 2004 the London bus operations of Connex were purchased and rebranded Travel London. In April 2004 National Express East Anglia commenced operating the Greater Anglia rail franchise. In September 2004 National Express sold its Melbourne bus operations to Ventura Bus Lines, and Brisbane and Perth bus operations to Connex. After being placed in administration in January 2005, Westbus was sold to ComfortDelGro Cabcharge in August 2005.
In June 2005 the London bus arm of Tellings-Golden Miller was purchased and also rebranded Travel London. In July 2005, National Express sold ATC to Connex. In October 2005 National Express agreed to buy most of the operations of privately owned Spanish transport operator ALSA, which operates bus and coach services in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, and long-distance coach services to other parts of Europe. Alsa's operations in South America and China were retained by the previous owners.
In April 2007 National Express acquired Continental Auto, the second-largest bus and coach operator in Spain.
In November 2007 South East England coach operator The Kings Ferry was purchased and an airport to hotel shuttle service in London branded Dot2Dot was launched. It was not successful and ceased in November 2008.
In November 2007 National Express announced plans to re-brand all of their operations under a new unified National Express identity. It was intended to achieve greater recognition for all the group companies, to coincide with recent acquisitions and after current rail operations had improved in reliability to warrant association with the established express coach image. It coincided with the appointment of a group director for all UK operations and relocation of the head office from London to Birmingham, bringing all operations under a single strategic management structure. Day-to-day management remains within individual companies.
In December 2007 National Express East Coast commenced operating the InterCity East Coast franchise. In May 2009 National Express sold Travel London and Travel Surrey to Abellio.
In February 2013 National Express Germany was awarded two regional rail contracts by the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr, Zweckverband Nahverkehr Rheinland and Zweckverband Nahverkehr Westfalen-Lippe authorities that commenced in December 2015.
In January 2015 the Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft announced that National Express had been selected to operate the Nuremberg S-Bahn system from December 2018. It was to have been the first Deutsche Bahn S-Bahn network to be taken over by a private operator. However, in October 2016, National Express elected to pull out, citing a delay in the ability to order new rolling stock while a challenge brought on by Deutsche Bahn was resolved, would make its bid unviable.
In June 2015 it was announced that the parts 2 and 3 of the Rhein-Ruhr-Express which will be introduced in 2018 will be operated by National Express. This includes Regional-Express services RE4, RE5 and RE6 in Northrhine-Westphalia.
In December 2016, coach operator Clarkes of London was purchased with 56 vehicles. In March 2020, Lucketts Travel was purchased.
Default on East Coast rail franchise.
In July 2009, the Department for Transport announced that it would take the National Express East Coast franchise into public ownership at the end of the year after National Express announced it would not invest any further funds into the franchise, effectively declaring it planned on defaulting. Directly Operated Railways took over the East Coast franchise on 14 November 2009. Also in November 2009 the government announced that National Express East Anglia would not be granted a three-year extension that it had otherwise qualified for, because of the East Coast default.
Operational safety concerns.
On 3 January 2007 a speeding National Express coach overturned on the M4/M25 slip road, leaving three passengers dead. The driver was jailed for five years.
In July 2009, a junior transport minister, the Gillingham MP Paul Clark, spelt out a series of concerns to National Express in a letter following a meeting with an employee of National Express East Coast who lives in his constituency. The worker claimed that due to reduced maintenance checks, some trains were in use with defective brakes, an allegation strongly denied by the company, which said it would "never compromise on safety". He wrote: "As a result of reduced maintenance checks, 'some long-haul sets [trains] are in use with brake defects'. Increasing cuts in staff combined with an increasing pressure to ensure that trains run safely has resulted in fears among staff that a major accident is 'just around the corner'." Passengers, he added, "have been 'poisoned' as a result of coffee machines not being cleaned correctly, with cleaning fluids left in situ". The minister said he was "shocked and appalled at the information with which I've been provided. You will understand that these allegations are exceptionally serious".
School bus drivers in the US have raised concerns about the safety of the buses run by Durham, a subsidiary of National Express, and the second-largest operator of school bus services in North America. According to representatives of Durham bus drivers, fluid leaks, tires that need to be replaced, black mold and non-functional emergency equipment are regular concerns, whilst workers continued to operate buses while sick because they cannot afford to miss a day of work and drivers are not paid for all the time they work.
Offers for the company.
With the company's finances under stress largely as a result of having overbid for the National Express East Coast rail franchise, National Express became a takeover target in 2009. In June 2009 a takeover offer from fellow transport operator FirstGroup was rejected. On 3 September 2009 National Express' largest shareholder, Spain's Cosmen family with 18.5%, and CVC Capital Partners made a takeover offer of £765 million for the company. The Takeover Panel set a deadline of 11 September 2009 for all prospective bids.
National Express agreed to allow the Cosmen/CVC consortium to undertake due diligence in September 2009. The Cosmen/CVC consortium had reached an agreement to sell the UK bus and rail operations to Stagecoach Group if its offer was successful. The deadline for offers was subsequently extended to 16 October 2009.
On 16 October 2009 the Cosmen/CVC consortium withdrew their offer. with Stagecoach submitting a new all-share bid later the same day. This too did not proceed and in November 2009 National Express announced it would raise the necessary capital through a share issue.
Operations.
National Express' operations are summarised below:
Europe.
Bus and coach.
The bus and coach services operated by the group are:
Railway.
National Express Germany operates a number of train services in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Middle East.
Bus.
In February 2015, the Bahrain Public Transport Company in which National Express holds a 50% shareholding commenced operating a 10-year concession in Bahrain.
Former operations.
Europe.
Bus and coach.
Bus.
In May 2009 National Express sold some of its bus operations to Abellio:
In December 2020 National Express sold its Xplore Dundee business to McGill's Bus Services.
Railway and Tram.
Railway.
Rail franchises formerly operated:
London & Continental Railways.
National Express had a 17.5% shareholding in London & Continental Railways (L&CR) from its formation in September 1994 until it was nationalised by the Government of the United Kingdom in 2009. L&CR was responsible for building the High Speed 1 project. National Express also held a 40% stake in the Inter-Capital and Regional Rail consortium which held the management contract for the UK arm of the Eurostar operation, L&CR's subsidiary Eurostar International from 1998 to 2010.
Airports.
In the 1990s National Express moved into the privatisation of airports, purchasing East Midlands, Bournemouth, and Humberside Airports. In a move to concentrate on bus and rail provision, Humberside was sold to Manchester Airports Group in 1999 followed by Bournemouth and East Midlands in February 2001.
Until November 2007 the group also operated Stewart International Airport in New Windsor, New York. However, the lease was sold to the public Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Australian operations.
Bus and coach.
Australian bus companies previously operated:
Railway and tram.
In 1999 the Group gained the Australian franchises M>Train, M>Tram and V/Line Passenger, following the privatisation of rail and tram services by the Government of Victoria. After incurring large losses and being unable to renegotiate the franchise contracts, the operations were handed back to the State Government. M>Train was re-let to Connex and M>Tram to Transdev. V/Line became a government-owned corporation.


Motorway service area

Motorway service areas in the United Kingdom and Ireland, also known as 'service stations' or 'services', are places where drivers can leave a motorway to refuel/recharge, rest, eat and drink, shop or stay in an on-site overnight hotel. The vast majority of motorway services in the UK are owned by one of three companies: Moto, Welcome Break and Roadchef. Smaller operators include Extra, Westmorland and EuroGarages.
History.
The first two service areas in the UK - Watford Gap and Newport Pagnell, opened with temporary facilities when the M1 motorway was opened, on 2 November 1959. It is a common misconception that Watford Gap was the first service area to fully open, when in fact Newport Pagnell was first, on 15 August 1960, a month before Watford Gap. Initially, most service areas were designed to be bold and attractive, with many opening viewing platforms and featuring fancy restaurants. The most famous example of a service area from this era is Lancaster, which features a 65ft tower which previously contained the main restaurant. However, it became apparent in the late 1960s that the costs of running a service area with such fancy amenities was unprofitable, so service areas began offering an increasingly basic service. High street brands were introduced to service areas in the 1990s, with most facilities eventually becoming franchises of well known brands.
As more service stations opened, the number of operating companies increased, with sites ran by the Rank Organisation, Granada, Pavilion, Take a Break and Esso, among others. Through acquisitions and mergers, there are now only three major operators. In an attempt to break this oligopoly, in 2001, the government proposed allowing "mobile fast food vans" to operate at the areas, though this idea never came to fruition.
Originally, service areas were government owned and leased to the operating companies. From 1992 onwards, new sites were planned and owned by private operators, and existing sites sold to them.
In 2007 an AA survey concluded that service areas had improved in the previous three years, but cleanliness and pricing were still major issues.
Opposition towards service areas has grown, with some planning applications being refused: some notable examples are Catherine-de-Barnes on the M42 and Kirby Hill on the A1(M), both of which have had applications contested against. Despite concerns of local residents, Beaconsfield on the M40 opened on 17 March 2009, and Cobham services opened in September 2012. Kirby Hill would eventually get approved for construction in April 2021.
In 2017, Transport Focus began an annual review of service areas, with each site ranked on a league table. Reviews have taken place every year since.
The latest UK motorway service area to open is Rugby Services, operated by Moto Hospitality which opened on 30th April 2021.
UK MSA Operators.
By Number of Locations:
Locations.
Current government policy is that the interval between core motorway service areas should be no more than 28 miles or 30 minutes travelling time, whichever is the lesser. A previous minimum separation of 12 miles was removed in 2013. The current 28 miles is derived from 30 minutes driving time for an HGV limited to 56 mph and replaced the previous 30 miles in 2008.
Initially service areas were located between junctions ("on-line sites"), having their own entry and exit slip roads. On-line sites usually have a separate site for each direction of travel, but e.g. Cobham services has a single site, accessed directly from the clockwise carriageway and via a tunnel from the anticlockwise carriageway of the M25.
In 1992, the system was changed so that the developer became responsible for choosing the site of a motorway service area, and consequently junction sites became the preferred option as they are cheaper to construct, as well as being accessible to traffic travelling in several directions. Following a public consultation in 2007/8, the Department for Transport/Highways Agency announced that new services should be located at "on-line" sites, unless a junction site is the only possibility.
Two of the most recent openings, Wetherby (2008) and Beaconsfield (2009), are examples of junction sites: they are located at A1(M) junction 46, and M40 junction 2 respectively. However, more recently still, Cobham (2012) and Gloucester (2014) are on-line.
The siting of motorway service areas can be contentious, leading to protracted public inquiries, and often vociferous local campaigns against proposed schemes.
Pricing.
The operating company must pay the full cost of constructing the entry and exit slip roads, signage, and all other features required for safe access to motorway services, as well as the motorway services facility itself. In other countries, the authority responsible for the highway tends to subsidise these costs on the grounds that these areas are partly a public service to drivers. The leases provide that motorway services must operate 24 hours a day, and the costs of providing utilities and services are high. With very few customers in the early morning, they need to earn the money in other ways.
Facilities and requirements.
Government policy for motorway services has been set out in a succession of Department for Transport Circulars, the current version being 2013. This sets out various facilities that must be provided in a new service station. Existing services that do not comply, because the requirements have changed, must achieve compliance as part of any significant refurbishment. These are enforced on operators either by the terms of their lease or by the need for the Highways Agency to agree to provide access to the motorway, and planning permission should be granted only for facilities that comply. The requirements include 24-hour, 365-day provision of:
A picnic area with a minimum of 10 tables each seating 6 people was required up to 2013, and is still required in order for a picnic area to be advertised on signage.
The following restrictions also apply:
Lodges for accommodation are permitted. Conference facilities or business centres and retail space are permitted; the size of each of these was limited, basically to 200 m2 and 500 m2 respectively, until 2013, but are now left to the planning system.
Originally, service areas were allowed to sell alcohol with food. Sale of alcohol was outlawed on service areas on government-owned land from 1961, permitted from 1998, banned for new sites from 2008, and permitted again from 2013.
The government policy distinguishes "service areas" and "rest areas". There are 3 rest areas (Todhills, Leeming Bar, and Scotch Corner). All were existing facilities on trunk roads that were upgraded to motorways, and now, in fact, meet the requirements for service areas. There is a further category of Truck Stop, serving HGVs only.
Ireland.
Ireland has four motorway service areas – initially the National Roads Authority opposed them on the grounds that it preferred to see traffic using existing businesses in bypassed towns, and that the motorway network was not large enough for them anyway. However, in 2006 it changed its mind, and the "Roads Act 2007" makes provision for a "Motorway Service Area Scheme" to be made for proposed motorway service areas. The NRA held a competition to determine an operator for the first round of service areas to be opened. Superstop, a consortium consisting of Petrogas (Applegreen) and Tedcastles Oil Products (TOP), won the contract. The first service area, Lusk services, opened on the M1 on 8 September 2010. Castlebellingham services (also on the M1) opened on 29 September 2010, with Enfield services on the M4 opening shortly after in late 2010. The fourth service area, Wicklow services station (J14, M11) opened on 29 May 2014. While other locations for service areas were planned by the NRA, they are unlikely to proceed in the short term due to the economic recession. "No services on motorway" signs have been erected on the M7, M8, and M9. The NRA has stated that it now intends to erect signs to petrol stations off the motorway instead.


South East Hampshire Bus Rapid Transit

The South East Hampshire Bus Rapid Transit is a unguided busway between Gosport and Fareham in the county of Hampshire.
Overview.
The busway scheme is sponsored by Hampshire County Council using the route of the former Fareham to Gosport Line to reduce congestion on the parallel A32 between the towns. The scheme was proposed following the collapse of the light rail scheme using the same route and funding was approved in July 2009 for the £20m scheme. The route opened on 22 April 2012 with services provided by First Hampshire & Dorset using branded "Eclipse" buses with custom specification on its own network of routes that uses the BRT.
Route.
The busway follows the route of the disused railway from Redlands Lane to Tichborne Way. It has 14 stops on the line with two connections in the middle of the line, being Palmerston drive and Wych Lane. It runs under four bridges and passes through three towns. The maximum speed on the road is 40 mph (64 km/h) for all vehicles and has a restricted time between 05:45 and 23:15 where outside those times the busway is closed.
Services.
Two existing bus routes were replaced by the new Eclipse Bus Rapid Transit network and one was modified to use part of it. All routes are commercially operated by First Hampshire and Dorset.
Route E1/E2.
Buses on routes 86 and 82 became Eclipse routes E1 and E2 and at peak times route 88 (as the X88 service) was diverted to use part of the busway between Wych Lane and Redlands Lane.
The E1 starts at Fareham Bus Station and travels westwards to Fareham station before heading south past Fareham College and joins onto the busway at Redlands Lane. It then continues down the busway until Hutfield Link where it continues down Tichborne way and goes to Elson, Forton and Newton before meeting up at Alverstoke with the E2 and ends at Gosport Bus Station.
The E2 continues a similar path with the E1, starting at Fareham Bus Station however it splits at Tichborne way, heading to Holbrook to continue down the A32, passing Brockhurst, Camdentown and Privett and meets up with the E1 at Alverstoke where it heads to its terminus at Gosport Bus Station.
Both of these routes run a 10 minute frequency, or a 5 minute frequency combined between peak times. When the busway is closed during morning and evening times, both routes use the A32 instead until Tichborne Way.
Route 9/9A.
On 18 November 2012 service 88 was replaced by the new 9/9A, which was modified to use the busway. This route isn't part of the Eclipse network, hence it doesn't have the custom specification buses put onto the E1/E2 routes.
Both services start at Fareham Bus Station and travels westwards to Fareham station before heading south past Fareham College and joins onto the busway at Redlands Lane. It then continues down the busway until Wych Lane, where it continues down Tukes Avenue going past Bridgemary and Holbrook. The routes split up at Rowner Road with the 9 running along St Nicholas Avenue and Grange Lane and 9A running along Rowner Road and turning into Grange Road. Both routes meet up at Howe Road where they serve the areas of Browndown, Privett and Alverstoke before terminating at Gosport Bus Station.
Both of these routes run a 40 minute frequency, or a 20 minute frequency combined between peak times. When the busway is closed during morning and evening times, both routes use the A32 instead until Wych Lane.
History.
In 1998 Hampshire County Council and Portsmouth City Council proposed a Light Rail System to link Fareham and Portsmouth via Gosport. Funding of £170m was approved in 2001 but withdrawn in 2004, a decision that was confirmed in 2006. Following this decision, a cheaper, shorter BRT scheme was proposed which led to the creation of the South East Hampshire Bus Rapid Transit.
Future Proposals.
In 2017, the Hampshire County Council announced plans to extend the busway further south. £1.4m was secured in partnership with Portsmouth City Council in March 2019 and later the same year, planning permission was granted to start work. The proposed extension would continue on from Tichborne way and Hutfield Link to Rowner Road (B3334) in Gosport, following the old disused railway. A ramp would be made to link the busway to the Rowner Road bridge.
Once the extension is complete, the busway operator would be expected to create a route to Daedalus, Hampshire and renew its fleet with new high specification, low emission buses.


Motor Cycle News

MCN or Motor Cycle News is a UK weekly motorcycling newspaper published by Bauer Consumer Media, based in Peterborough, United Kingdom. It claims to be "the world’s biggest weekly motorcycle newspaper".
The title was founded in late 1955 as Motorcycle News by Cyril Quantrill, a former employee of Motor Cycling, and was sold to EMAP in 1956. Bauer bought Emap's consumer media division in 2008.
The brand has expanded to include the MCN website, MCN Mobile, iPhone app, the 'MCN Compare' Insurance Comparison service, MCN London and Scottish Motorcycle Show and the MCN Live! at Skegness party weekend.
In 2009, average weekly circulation was 114,304 copies according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations,
and 2010 it was 106,446 copies.
The figure for 2018 was 56,839.
Early years.
Cyril Quantrill was an employee of "Motor Cycling" under famous editor Graham Walker, learning his trade both pre and post-war. The British motorcycle media was traditionally dominated by two rival publishing houses - Temple Press with Motor Cycling and Iliffe with The Motor Cycle. Both were weekly magazine-format Thursday publications.
Using his growing skill-set, Quantrill recognised an opening for a Wednesday newspaper-format venture which could better-showcase sport — an area largely not covered by his employer Motor Cycling or The Motor Cycle
With his friend Peter Baldwin — whose father owned a print-works at Tunbridge Wells — Quantrill established his own publication Motorcycle News from a small office off Fleet Street and, in conjunction with Baldwin Press, produced the first issue dated 30 November 1955.
Limited by a 3,000 issue print-run capability and underfunding, Quantrill arranged to sell to EMAP in 1956. Under new ownership the issues were still priced at fourpence, but the title had changed to non-italic upper case MOTORCYCLE NEWS.
Quantrill stayed on as editor and with EMAP's backing the brand flourished. By the time of Quantrill's resignation in 1961 circulation was at 67,000.
Quantrill continued working as a journalist, including as editor of "Motor Cyclist Illustrated", published by City Magazines Ltd of London. Continuing Quantrill's earlier motivation of sports reporting, it had the strapline "the sporting monthly".
Middle years.
Motorcycle News as a sporting newspaper was pitched to beat the rivals to the newsstands by one day. Both of the rivals were still magazine-format and remained traditionally producing practical and informative general coverage.
By 1962, the front page had been restyled by replacing the centred-title with a left-corner masthead box. Changing the Title text to three stacked short words with larger initial letters released more space for headlines and larger images whilst creating the M C N which in the public mind became the common name and gave rise to the acronym 'MCN'.
In March 1966 MCN produced a colour ten-year anniversary supplement with various contributors including sporting notables Mike Hailwood, Bill Ivy, Jeff Smith, Dave Bickers, Alf Hagon and Charlie Rous summarising the developments and highlights of the past ten years' reporting, together with representatives of the major bike manufacturers stating their aspirations for future trading.
In 1962, rival "Motor Cycling" had gone to newspaper format having more sporting coverage and with larger pages allowing for large action images. Another rival publication Motor Cycle (as it was by then known, having dropped 'The' from its title in 1962) continued as a magazine until August 1967 when it joined with elements of Motor Cycling to produce a newspaper format on Wednesdays as "Motor Cycle Incorporating Motor Cycling".
Later years.
The two publications continued as rival 'papers. From the late 1960s, the MCN corner-masthead became blue, turning to the familiar red for the 1970s, gradually introducing more colour into the pages. Rival 'Motor Cycle' became "Motor Cycle Weekly", which reverted to a glossy-magazine format in 1983 in an effort to boost sales figures by then-publisher IPC before eventual closure in late 1983. MCN continued from strength to strength.
MCN awards.
MCN have been presenting an annual awards ceremony almost since they were founded in 1955. These included the popularity poll 'Man of the Year' and the overall 'MCN Machine of the Year' award:


Smart motorway

A smart motorway (formerly managed motorway and active traffic management), also known in Scotland as an intelligent transport system, is a section of motorway in the United Kingdom (primarily in England) that employs active traffic management (ATM) techniques to increase capacity through the use of MIDAS technology including variable speed limits and occasionally hard shoulder running and ramp metering at busy times. They were developed at the turn of the 21st century as a cost-effective alternative to traditional carriageway widening, with intended benefits ranging from more reliable journey times to lower vehicle emissions. However, despite the risk of a collision occurring between two moving vehicles being found to be decreased, there has been an acknowledged rise in the incidence of collisions involving vehicles where at least one was stationary in the first few years following the widespread removal of the hard shoulder on the country's busiest sections of motorway. Smart motorways garnered intense criticism from politicians, police representatives and motoring organisations, particularly from 2020 onwards, after a surge in near miss incidents and dozens of fatalities were revealed.
The term controlled motorway is sometimes used for schemes that use variable speed limits without hard-shoulder running (for example, the M25 London Orbital between junction 27 and junction 30).
History.
The traffic management technique, including hard shoulder running, was first used in its full specification in the UK on the M42 motorway in the West Midlands in 2006. A higher speed limit of was trialled on the southbound carriageway between junctions 4 and 3A from 2008 (a increase on the previous maximum permissible speed).
In 2007 plans were announced by the then secretary of state for transport, Ruth Kelly, to extend the scheme to two sections of the M6 motorway near Birmingham (4-5 and 8a-10) by 2011 at a cost of £150 million. The emergency refuges were to be extended to every on the roll out. A study into the use of ATM on the M1, M4, M20 and M25 motorways was also announced, however the Department for Transport had decided to proceed with a scheme to widen sections of the M25.
A £2 billion contract was announced to extend the scheme to sections of the M1, M4, M5, M6, M60 and M62 in February 2010 with a further announcement by the new government in October 2010. The contract was awarded to four delivery partners Balfour Beatty, Carillion and joint ventures BAM Nuttall/Morgan Sindall Group and Costain Group/Serco. In January 2012, Carillion won the contract for M6 junctions 5 - 8 near Birmingham for £126 million.
From 2013 the current term "smart motorway" was used by the Highways Agency (now Highways England) to promote the technology to road users.
In January 2018, the contracts previously awarded to Carillion were taken on by Kier, following its entry into compulsory liquidation.
In April 2021, the government announced that new smart motorways would include radar, to detect vehicles which had stopped, and additional cameras to aid the detection (and subsequent prosecution) of motorists using lanes which are marked as being closed. The government stated that existing smart motorways would have these additional safety features installed by September 2022.
Map.
The map to the right visually represents the operational and under construction elements of the UK's smart motorway system as of June 2017.
Effectiveness.
In 2007 it was estimated that ATM could be introduced within two years at a cost of around £5-15 million per mile as opposed to 10 years and £79 million per mile for widening.
The M42 scheme was initially run as an experiment and a Highways Agency report into the first six months of the scheme showed a reduction in variability of journey times of up to 27%. The journey time statistics can be broken down to show that northbound journey times were reduced by 26%, equating to an average reduction of 4 minutes as compared to the period when the variable speed limits were on, but the hard shoulder was not being used, and 9% southbound (equating to 1 minute) during the afternoon rush hour. The report also indicated a fall in the number of accidents from over 5 a month to 1.5 per month on average. The Agency did state that normally accident statistics should be compared over a 3-year period, so the initial results should be treated with caution. They also stated that no accidents had been caused by hard shoulder use as a normal lane. The report also stated that there had been a 10% fall in pollution and 4% fall in fuel consumption. The report also indicated a compliance rate of 98% to the indicated speed limits when using the hard shoulder. For comparison, before the introduction of mandatory speed limits at road works, the compliance rate was 10% as opposed to 89% afterwards, showing a similar effect.
Criticisms.
The Campaign for Better Transport argued that whilst it would reduce the need for widening schemes, it did nothing to reduce traffic and CO2 emissions. Friends of the Earth criticised the scheme as "widening on the cheap" and also pointed to a possible increase in vehicle emissions. Highways England argue that ATM reduces the environmental impact in regards to widening as it is carried out within the existing boundaries of the motorway as well as a possible improvement in local air quality due to smoother traffic flow.
The RAC cited a study in the Netherlands that showed drivers using the hard shoulder when they were not permitted, increasing the risk of a collision for vehicles stopped. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents also expressed concern that emergency services would take longer to reach an incident. The Highways Agency rejected this concern based on the of dual carriageway that does not have a hard shoulder. Disability groups were concerned that some drivers would not be able to access the emergency phones or even exit their vehicles, leaving them at increased risk. Ruth Kelly, former Secretary of State for Transport stated that these schemes were useful, but that motorway widening would still be considered where it was appropriate.
The scheme has attracted criticism from motoring organisations such as the AA, who in 2018 reported that many members were concerned that speed limits were being imposed without good cause in situations where traffic was light. In response, Highways England stated that they had "started a comprehensive review of how variable speed limits are set, including the amount of time they are visible to drivers".
A campaign "Smart Motorways Kill" was set up in 2019 after the death of Jason Mercer and Alexandru Murgeanu on the M1 northbound near junction 34. They were killed when a heavy goods vehicle collided with their stationary vehicles, after they had pulled over following a minor accident. The lane they were in was not closed until after they were killed. The campaign is bringing a judicial review against Highways England to have smart motorways banned and they have also reported H.E to the police for criminal manslaughter. They are also looking at bringing a disability discrimination complaint and class action.
In January 2020, it was announced that a review was planned after freedom of information requests showed that near misses had increased up to 20-fold, and that 38 people had died. The emergency refuge areas (ERA) were placed apart on the M42 pilot scheme, but can be apart on stretches of the M25. Only 9% of drivers feel safe while using smart motorways. Some of the extra capacity is negated by drivers terrified to drive on the inside lane and not using them.
A BBC "Panorama" aired on 27 January 2020 alleged that smart motorways had caused multiple deaths in the UK, and that the conversion of part of the M25 to "all-lane running" yielded a 2000% increase in hazardous "near misses".
On 28 January 2020 Police Federation of England and Wales chief, reported "The Times" newspaper, John Apter said he "did not like the term 'smart motorways'" because it infers that they are a good idea. "They’re anything but" and "a recipe for disaster. It’s a death trap. It’s inherently dangerous and putting lives at risk."
In January 2020, all "Smart Motorways" were put under review to address safety concerns and determine an action plan. No new such motorways would open until this review was published. On 12 March 2020, the review and action plan was published. It stated changes to the standards for new smart motorways (ones which had not started construction) such as a reduction from upto 1.5 miles to 1 mile between Emergency refuge areas (or other qualifying areas) and Stranded vehicle detection radars to be installed as part of the project. Other actions it required to be taken is for all Dynamic Hard Shoulder Motorways to be converted into All-Lane-Running by March 2025, Stranded Vehicle Detection radars to be installed on all Smart Motorways within 36 months & a potential national programme to install more ERAs on current smart motorways.
In 2021, Labour Police and Crime Commissioner from South Yorkshire Alan Billings criticised smart motorways. The same year, the government announced the retrofitting of the entire network with radar and improved cameras, and paused the construction of any more smart motorways until this was implemented.
Specifications.
Early systems used dot matrix signs on gantries to display short text messages, with smaller variable signs above each lane and to the sides of the carriageway. Current smart motorway systems often use the "MS4" sign type which can include pictograms from the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions.
In 2017, Highways England trialled a new type of emergency area on the M3 that would be more visibly obvious to motorists. A new sign accompanied the trial which is similar in design to European emergency area signs. These changes have subsequently been trialled on the M5 and M25 with the signs being authorised by the Department for Transport for further use.
Operation and variants.
Highways England, the South Wales Trunk Road Agent (there are no motorways in North Wales), Transport NI (Northern Ireland) and Transport Scotland are responsible for the construction and maintenance of smart motorways in their respective countries.
Controlled motorway.
Variable speed limits with the hard shoulder operating as it would on a conventional motorway. They have most often been installed where a motorway has previously been widened but with a discontinuous hard shoulder to incorporate existing bridges, therefore using the hard shoulder as a running lane is ruled out. Existing gantries are upgraded to support signals capable of displaying a mandatory speed limit and speed cameras.
Dynamic hard shoulder running.
Variable speed limits with the hard shoulder selectively opened as a running lane during periods when traffic levels are too high for only three lanes of running traffic. When activated, vehicles can use the hard shoulder as a running lane. All lanes are limited to a maximum of 60 mph, but these can be lowered further.
In October 2019, the chief executive of Highways England told MPs that the company has no plans to introduce the configuration to any further section of motorway, after admitting that motorists found the setup 'too confusing' to use. A study conducted in the previous month found that more than half of motorists surveyed would not drive on a hard shoulder even if it was open.
A stocktake taken in March 2021 confirmed that all DHSR smart motorways will end the use of them by March 2025 by converting all current DHSR to ALR.
All lane running.
Variable speed limits with the hard shoulder removed and converted to a permanent running lane.
Through-junction running.
Isolated stretches on a smart motorway where the hard shoulder becomes a permanent running lane through a junction and immediately surrounding the slip roads.
Under construction.
The following schemes are under construction:
Withdrawn schemes.
The above sections of motorway were included in the first five-year road investment strategy published in December 2014, however they have been removed from the second and current strategy. Sections of the M1 in Leicestershire and Yorkshire are billed to receive undescribed 'capacity improvements' in the third road period beginning in 2025.
The M4 between junctions 24 and 28 near Newport in south Wales had its variable speed limit replaced with a permanent average speed camera-enforced 50mph limit in early 2021. The Welsh Government believed that changing to a fixed limit would better reduce congestion and improve the quality of the air in the town.
Fatalities.
In September 2018, 22 minutes elapsed before warnings of a car breakdown were communicated to following traffic. In the meantime, a fatality occurred. Total fatalities in the UK number at least 38.


Brough Motorcycles

Brough Motorcycles were made by William E. Brough in Nottingham, England, from 1902 to 1926 , after some earlier experimentation with motorised tricycles. The Brough Superior company was a separate company created by his son, George Brough.
Models up to end of WWI (up to 1918).
The first Brough motorcycle was built in 1902, and had a single cylinder engine hung from the downtube. By 1908 there were a range of models with 2.5 hp and 3.5 hp single cylinder and 5 hp V-twin engines (all made by Brough). By 1912 there was a 6 hp V-twin, and an 8 hp engine was also made intended for use in the Brough Monocar.
In 1913 William Brough developed a flat-twin engine in-line with the frame. This 497cc engine had overhead valves, 70mm bore and 64.5mm stroke, and had a magneto fitted above and a 2-speed gearbox below. By the end of 1914 it had replaced all other engines in the Brough range, and using it only 3-models were planned for 1915. The three models were the HS - which was fitted with a two-speed countershaft gear operated by dog clutches, with chain drive to the gearbox, and John Bull rubber belt drive to the rear wheel over an adjustable pulley allowing the top gear range to be varied. No clutch or kick-start was provided. The second model was the HB, which was fitted with a Sturmey-Archer 3-speed hub gearbox and handle starter. The third model was the HTT, which was very similar to the HS but fitted with a specially tuned engine with high-compression, lightweight steel pistons, different camshafts, and special front cylinder lubrication.
During the war Brough introduced a larger flat-twin of 6 hp rating, with 70mm bore and 90mm stroke (692cc), it shared a lot in common with the earlier 6 hp V-twin.
Post-War.
At the end of 1918, Brough announced they would be initially concentrating production on their 3.5 hp (489cc) flat-twin motorcycle. This was bench tested at 14 bhp at 4200rpm, and it would go to 5600rpm, which was quite high but was guaranteed by George Brough 'to the extent of £100'. The engine had detachable heads with the valve seats integral and the rockers 'enclosed in neat aluminium cases'. Light aluminium pistons, roller bearing crankshaft, and two ball bearing mounted camshafts, are further indications of development work during the war.
Originally William Brough's son, George Brough, was a partner in his father's company, but he split from it in 1919 and started his own factory, also in Nottingham. He named his motorcycles "Brough Superior". Upon hearing the name of the new motorcycle company, his father made the comment, "I suppose that makes mine the Brough Inferior".
The two sizes of Brough flat-twin engine were still in production in 1922 when Brough announced a modified version with roller cam followers, light aluminium pistons, removable valve seats, and the engine base extended to mount the three-speed Sturmey-Archer gearbox. William Brough continued to produce motorcycles under the original "Brough" marque until 1926.


Norton Big 4

The Model 1, or more commonly known as Big 4 was a Norton motorcycle made between 1907 and 1954 in various forms. With , it was the largest and most powerful side valve engine, with plenty of low end torque in the model range, and was mostly used to haul sidecars. Approximately 4700 of the nearly 100,000 military bikes made by Norton during WW2 were Big 4 sidecar outfits. Designed to carry two or three men plus their fighting equipment over very rough terrain, the Big 4 was used for reconnaissance and carrying loads of ammunition to the front line troops. It was called Big 4 due to its power rating of 4 hp, calculated as tax horsepower. Calculated using current methods the horsepower rating would be 14 brake horsepower.
Civilian Norton Big 4.
The first Big 4 machines were civilian versions starting in 1907 with a bore and stroke of 82 x 120 mm. The model was produced for nine years after the end of World War II when Norton ended the manufacture of side valve singles to concentrate on twins. In 1948 the bore and stroke changed to 82 x 113 mm to give 596cc capacity.
Military Norton WD Big 4.
The WD Big 4 was a development of pre-war trials outfit with a sidecar wheel coupled to the motorcycle rear wheel through a dog clutch and drive shaft. Initial trials were carried out at Studland in Dorset and it coped well with challenging terrain. The simple design also meant it was easy to maintain in the field. All three 18" X 4.00 wheels were interchangeable with various makes of tyres for off road use.
The sidecar was unarmoured, with thin sheetmetal on the front of the sidecar and there was no suspension in the rear of the heavy duty frame. The sidecar was mounted on four leaf springs, and had two friction disc shock absorbers at the back. The Big Four was eventually replaced by the Ford GP or the Willys Jeep in 1941.
The Big 4 could be equipped with a Bren gun or a 3 inch mortar, bombs could be fitted to a platform in place of a sidecar, but this seems to have been a one off model, same with the Thompson equipped Big 4.


Triumph Sprint ST

The Triumph Sprint ST is a sport touring motorcycle manufactured in the United Kingdom by Triumph between 1999 and 2010. Sporting a 1050cc 4-stroke three-cylinder engine, an alloy-beam frame and a single-sided swingarm, the Sprint ST competed effectively in the market against the Honda VFR800. In 2010 the Sprint ST was succeeded by the Triumph Sprint GT.
Design and development.
955 cc (T695).
The Sprint ST was first introduced in 1999 as a complete redesign of the earlier Sprint 900 (1993–1998) styled by Rod Scivyer. It used the 955 cc straight-three engine similar to those found in the contemporaneous Speed Triple and Daytona models, only slightly detuned for smoother power delivery. Claimed power was , later increased to .
The model's appearance remained mostly unchanged from its introduction in 1999. An engine revamp with the assistance of Lotus in 2002 increased output to at 9100rpm and of torque at 5100rpm from a lighter engine—the bike is dry.
1,050 cc.
In 2005, Triumph introduced a redesigned Sprint ST based around the same inline triple, increased in stroke to yield a displacement of and with a new fuel injection system. Power output increased to (123 hp / 90 Kw @ 9250 rpm), with torque of (104 Nm / 77 ft-lb @ 5000 rpm). The 1050 ST redesigned chassis had a shorter wheelbase, the instrument cluster was modernised with miles-per-gallon and miles-to-empty displays, triple exhaust pipes were tucked under the seat, the headlights were completely redesigned and LED tail-lights added. Also, a range of options including pannier mounts and anti-lock brakes (ABS 2006 onwards) became available.
In 2007 some changes were made to the standard trim of the Sprint ST, including colour-matched panniers, handlebar risers and an improved windscreen. In 2008 the original composite fuel tank was replaced by a steel item of the same size and shape to enable the use of magnetic tank bags. Other 2008 changes included a new headlamp design and new footrests with more durable rubber. The Sprint ST continued in production until 2010 , when it was replaced by the Sprint GT.
Triumph Sprint GT.
In 2010, the Triumph Sprint GT (Grand Tourer) was launched with a change of emphasis. Compared to the class-leading ST (Sports Tourer), the GT was more focused on two-up touring, with a longer wheelbase, more weight and a better pillion provision.
The engine was a revised version of the 1050 triple with more power (128 hp / 96 kW @ 9200 rpm) and torque (108 Nm / 80 ft-lb @ 6300 rpm) though the peak torque was produced at significantly higher revs than before. The power changes were as a result of use of an uprated ECU, the elimination of the 1050 ST's signature triple under seat exhaust in favour of a side-mounted 3-into-1 exhaust, and a revised throttle body intake. The highest gear was made seven percent taller than the ST to allowing for more relaxed highway cruising, giving an engine speed at a steady 110 km/h (68 MPH) of just over 4,000 rpm. The GT chassis was nearly 6 inches longer than the ST, with an overall length of 2260mm (89.0 inches) compared to the ST with 2114mm (83.2 inches); and the GT's wheelbase is 1537mm (60.5 inches) compared to the ST's 1457mm (57.4 inches).
The GT's front and rear suspension were Showa units. The front forks had stiffer springs to cope with the extra weight, while the rear suspension featured spring preload and rebound damping adjustability. These modifications added to the weight of the bike, which now had a hefty kerb weight of . The GT retained the 2008 ST headlamp design, and had the anti-lock brakes (ABS) that had been optional on the ST 1050. The longer chassis allowed pillion footpegs to be repositioned to be more accommodating for a passenger. Removing the ST's under-seat silencers to a conventional position allowed the reshaped pillion seat to be lower. Uprated hard panniers were a standard fitting, with a 55 litre top box available as a factory option. These panniers were more robust and much larger than the ST's: (31 litres each vs. 22 litres).
The GT has changed little since its introduction in 2010, although a new SE Special Edition included as standard previously optional accessories such as a gel "Comfort Seat". After 2014 the GT was no longer available outside the UK , but as of 2017, the Triumph Sprint GT SE is still in production for the home Market.
Reception.
Motor Cycle News called the pre-2005 Sprint a "superb British all rounder which pipped Honda’s VFR800 simply by using a straight bat when the VFR tried all kinds of trick but ultimately unnecessary technology". Of the 2005 model, MCN wrote, "the Triumph Sprint ST is the best sports-touring motorcycle of its generation by some margin. It’s smooth, long-legged, comfortable and handsome, with effortless power to shrink distances with delightful ease."


Darracq Motor Engineering Company

Darracq Motor Engineering Company Limited was a London importer, retailer and wholesaler of French-made Darracq and Talbot automobiles, a coachbuilder making regular production runs of bodies for S T D group products and a property holding company on behalf of its parent S T D Motors Limited.
In 1935 its assets were sold following the financial collapse of S T D Motors in 1934. The coachbuilding business was bought by the Rootes brothers and lost its separate identity.
Purpose.
In 1916 the board of A Darracq and Company (1905) Limited (later S T D Motors) elected to rearrange ownership of its Suresnes, Paris plant and the Darracq distribution system in London. Darracq Motor Engineering was incorporated to take over their assets located in Britain: 150 Bond Street showrooms, warehouses, service garages etc., including their Fulham, London Works, at that time making munitions, aircraft and components such as propellors and under the wartime control of the Royal Aircraft Factory.
After incorporation Darracq Motor Engineering Company added to its British assets ownership of the Darracq land in France on which their Suresnes plant was situated. Darracq Motor Engineering then leased it to a new French company, Société Anonyme Darracq, incorporated to hold all the other French assets formerly held directly by A Darracq and Company (1905) Limited.
A Darracq and Company (1905) (soon to be renamed S T D Motors) was then reduced to a non-trading company holding ownership of the various French and British businesses.
Activities.
After the 1918 Armistice the Fulham Works once again made motor car bodies for Darracqs and continued to assemble French-sourced components.
After 1920 offices and showrooms in The Vale, Acton at the intersection with Warple Way were shared with W & G Du Cros another group member.
In the expanded combine Darracq Motor Engineering also made bodies for Sunbeam of Wolverhampton and Talbot London. In spite of the manufacturer's name change Darracq Motor Engineering continued to import and sell SA Talbot cars sent from France for sale in Britain and brand them Darracq.
Rootes.
The Rootes brothers folded the coachbuilding portion of this business into Clément-Talbot's In January 1935 and it lost its separate identity.
New cars remained available (and service and spares) from D.A.R.A. Co Limited at 1a Kilburn High Road, Maida Vale NW6. Rebadging of SA Talbot cars sent from Suresnes to Britain continued after the dissolution of Darracq Motor Engineering because Clément-Talbot's British business remained active. In 1938 Clément-Talbot's name was changed to Sunbeam-Talbot. After twenty years its products dropped Talbot from their badges in 1954.


BSA B44

The BSA B44 was a series of unit construction single-cylinder OHV four-stroke motorcycles made by the Birmingham Small Arms Company between 1966 and 1970. The machines were developed from the BSA World Championship Motocross machines, which were themselves based on the C15/B40.
Background.
In 1963 BSA began competing a C15T fitted with the 343 cc B40 engine in various disciplines. Works rider Jeff Smith won the Scottish Six Days 350 cc cup that year and finished 3rd in the 500 cc Motocross World Championship.
Brian Martin, head of BSA's competition department, started a feasibility study to enlarge the B40 engine. The engine was enlarged to 421 cc, which was considered the maximum reliable size. For the 1964 Motocross season, the engine was fitted in a lightweight frame that carried the oil in the top tube. The machine weighed 228 lbs. Smith took this machine to 3 victories in the championship and, with 3 rounds to go, the displacement was increased to 441 cc. Smith won the final three round a beat the winner of the two previous championships, Swede Rolf Tibblin, to the title by a narrow margin.
Smith was dominant in the 1965 season on the 441 and had the title sown up half-way through the season. In the final race, the East German GP, Smith used a pre-production model of the soon to be announced Victor GP and finished sixth.
Technical Details.
The 441 cc engine, developed by the BSA Competitions Department, was based on the B40. The extra capacity was obtained by increasing the B40's 70 mm stroke to 90 mm, the 79 mm bore was retained. To strengthen the bottom-end, the timing side main bearing was changed from a plain bush to a roller bearing. The cast iron barrel of the B40 was changed to an alloy item for the 441. Compression ratio of the GP model was 11.4:1 and was reduced to 9.5:1 on the Enduro by means of a plate below the barrel.
In 1967, the Victor Roadster was introduced which had a square finned barrel and head and a compression ration of 9.4:1. The Enduro was fitted with this configuration in 1968. Power output was 34 bhp (25 kW) for the GP models and 28 - 30 bhp (21 - 22 kW) for the other models.
The GP featured a frame derived from the works racers, other models used a frame developed from the C15 Trials bikes.
Models.
B44 Victor GP.
On the strength of Jeff Smith's two World Championship, BSA introduced a replica at the 1965 Earls Court Motorcycle Show, the B44 Victor GP.
The model was discontinued in 1967 and around 500 GPs were produced in total.
B44VE Victor Enduro/B44VS Victor Special.
A road legal on-off road version with lights was introduced in 1966 as the B44VE Victor Enduro in the UK and the B44VS Victor Special in the US. From 1967 the Victor Special name was used in all markets. The fuel and oil tanks were made in alloy. Production continued until the model was replaced by the B50 Victor Trail in 1971.
B44VR Victor Roadster/B44SS Shooting Star.
A roadster version, designated B44VR Victor Roadster in the UK and B44SS Shooting Star in the US was introduced in 1967. The model used fibreglass fuel and oil tanks and was fitted with a 7″ half-width front brake. From 1968 the model was known as the Shooting Star in all markets, the tanks were changed to steel and a larger 8" front brake was fitted. A 7" full width twin leading shoe front brake was fitted from 1969. The model was discontinued when the 500 cc B50 models were introduced in 1971.


Harbilt Electric Trucks

Harbilt Electrics Trucks was a British manufacturer of milk floats, other battery electric road vehicles and a variety of battery electric vehicles designed for industrial use rather than on the public roads. The company was formed in 1935 in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, and diversified into electric vehicles after the end of the Second World War. They had a good record at exporting their products, with notable successes in Switzerland and California. There were several changes of ownership during the 1970s and 1980s, and the company ceased to exist in 1989.
History.
In 1935, the Market Harborough Construction Company was formed, and established itself as a manufacturer of aircraft components. They expanded rapidly, as the Second World War created a demand for their products, and when the hostilities ceased, they diversified into other areas. This included sub-contract machining and fabrication, and the production of electric vehicles. Batteries for the vehicles were obtained from D P Batteries, who were part of the Chloride Group and were based in Bakewell, while most of the chargers came from Partridge Wilson of Leicester, who were making their own range of Wilson battery vehicles. Chargers were re-badged with the Harbilt name. The first vehicle produced was the 551 pedestrian controlled vehicle (PCV), which they sold to brick yards, where they replaced wheelbarrows, and to the dairy industry. Both types of user tended to overload the vehicles, and the axle size had to be increased, to reduce the number of breakages.
The 551 had two wheels at the front, which were at the outside edges of the vehicle, and a short axle holding the two rear wheels. Other early PCVs had the wheels arranged more conventionally. The 727 was fitted with a differential and gearbox made by P R Motors, who were based in Coventry and came with a mechanical braking system. The 720 was similar, but the brakes were operated hydraulically. A large number of 551 vehicles were sold to Switzerland, where the lack of a differential gave better grip when there was snow and ice on the ground, and some 2000 vehicles were supplied for use by the Post Office and by hotels.
The range was expanded by the addition of the model 685 low loader, a 3-wheeled truck for moving goods around factories, the model 790 tow truck, which was a ride-on 3-wheeler, and various models of forklift truck. Most of these were not road vehicles. A number of 790 tow trucks were supplied to the airline Pan Am for use at Heathrow Airport, while customers for the 685 power units included Leyland Motors and the Scottish company TPS. The company suffered a downturn in its profitability in 1957, but recovered soon afterwards, helped by an order for sanitation trucks from Pan Am. Another part of the recovery was sales of ride-on milk floats. Their first design, the 735, had been built in 1956, and one of the earliest examples was bought back from the dairy who ran it, and is now part of the Leicestershire County Collection. It was displayed at Snibston Discovery Museum until that closed in 2015. Harbilt offered three other designs, the 750, 760 and 850. The 750 had a 72-volt battery and a wide body, whereas the 760 was narrower and had a 36-volt battery. The 850 was a development of the 750. All featured cabs with rounded body panels made from fibreglass, which were bought in from a third party ready for attaching to the chassis. The 750 had a range of 25–30 miles, and could travel at speeds up to 18 mph with a payload of 25 cwt. Harbilt showcased the 750 and 760 models at the 1959 Diary Show, and also displayed a 20 cwt pedestrian controlled model on their stand.
The 900 range was the next to be introduced, beginning with the 916 and the 924, and later the 936. The final two digits referred to the number of 2-volt cells that formed the battery. The vehicle was similar to the 760, but was somewhat wider. A model 808 was also added at some point.
The Dairyliner range was announced in September 1970 and showcased at the Royal International Dairy Show held at Olympia in October. It was initially available in two models, with 24 and 36 cell batteries. The smaller battery size gave a top speed of while the bigger battery increased the top speed to . The vehicle was designed for a payload of 30 cwt, and much of it was made from reinforced and ABS plastics. The front wheels were at the extreme front of the vehicle, with entrance and exit from the cab through angled openings behind the wheels. Options for bi-fold doors or roller blinds to seal the exits were available, as were produce cupboards, for the storage of other products besides milk. The Dairyliner range expanded to include eight variations of vehicle.
Harbilt also built the HSV (higher speed vehicle), which was a general delivery truck. The payload was reduced to allow it to travel at faster speeds in urban traffic, and 30 were supplied to the United States Post Office for mail deliveries in Cupertino, California. The vehicles were supplied in March 1974 as right-hand drive chassis, with the bodywork assembled in Scotts Valley, California and this model was officially the HSV3. The main issue encountered was that the battery liquid dried up rapidly in the hotter conditions of California. Initially, each cell had to be topped up individually, but Chloride batteries developed a reservoir system, which allowed all the cells to be topped up from a single fill, significantly reducing the time spent on maintenance.
In June 1972, Harbilt bought the Douglas company, a manufacturer of electric trucks and tractors, moving production of these vehicles to Market Harborough.
At some point in the early 1970s, prior to 1974, Harbilt and Morrison-Electricar reached an agreement for a product exchange and rationalisation. Morrisons had moved from Leicester to Tredegar in 1968, as part of a government plan to replace jobs lost in the coal mining industry. Under the agreement, production of milk floats would transfer from Market Harborough to Tredegar, and Morrison trucks would be handed over to Harbilt. This included some Manulectric trolley trucks, but details of the deal and the precise dates are a little sketchy, as a copy of the agreement has not been found.
Acquisition.
The Crosby Valve and Engineering Co Ltd took over the Market Harborough Construction Company in 1959. Crosby was a European offshoot of an American company, which was based in Wembley, north west London. They were particularly interested in the industrial machining capacity which Harbilt had. Although they had administrative offices in the West End of London, enqiries about electric vehicles were still channelled to Market Harborough, and the Harbilt trade mark was retained. British Steel Piling (BSP), who were based in Claydon near Ipswich announced in December 1971 that they would be buying the Crosby Valve group for £1.8 million. T F Croxall was appointed as the new Chief Executive of the Crosby Valves and Harborough Construction part of the business in 1973. BSP changed their name to Edward Le Pas in the same year.
By late 1974, Crosby Valves and Edward Le Pas had decided that they wanted to concentrate on other products besides electric trucks. The local management team, headed by Mike Warrington, decided to attempt a management buyout. There was considerable support from within the existing company, and with some outside financial backing, the company transferred to its new ownership in 1975. They moved to a factory on Rockingham Road, and traded briefly as McGibbon, as one of the backers was the former Northamptonshire cricketer Lewis McGibbon, until the registration of Harbilt Electric Trucks Ltd was completed.
The new company won accreditation to British Standard 5750, which enabled them to produce vehicles for the Ministry of Defence (MoD). In late 1987, Fred W Davies, a Canadian who owned the Davies Magnet Group and York Trailers, was also trying to break into the MoD market, and saw the acquisition of Harbilt as a way to obtain their good reputation and their BS5750 accreditation quickly. Harbilt shares were trading at about £6, and he offered £11. The offer was accepted, and production moved to Corby, but Davies failed to win any MoD contracts, and lost interest in building electric vehicles. The business was put up for sale in 1989, and although John Bradshaw of Peterborough was keen to buy it, it was M&M Electric Vehicles of Atherstone who were successful.