BSA Gold Star Motorcycle 1938–1963

BSA Gold Star

What is your favourite motorcycle of all time?

Few clubman racers have enjoyed the success or reputation of the "Goldie". The range was produced in trial, scramble, touring and racing versions. The 500cc engine developed up to 40bhp at just over 7000rpm through a close ration gearbox. Top speed was around 110mph in full clubman trim. Most coveted of all the "Goldies" was the 499cc model DBD 34.

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Norton ES2 Motorcycle 1927 - 1964

Norton ES2

What is your favourite motorcycle of all time?

A deluxe version of the Model 18, the ES2 was part of Norton's post-war programme for 17 years. In 1949 the 370lb ES2 was good for around 80mph and would return around 75mpg at a steady 45mph. Years later, despite numerous changes that included substituting aluminium for cast iron as cylinder-head material and raising the compression ratio, the top speed had not improved noticeably.

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Norton International Motorcycles 1931–1939 (Model 30) 1955 (Model 40)

Norton International

What is your favourite motorcycle of all time?

The overhead cam single-cylinder International Nortons were rarely referred to by their catalogue titles of 40 (350) and 30 (500). When the motorbike entered the post-war arena it was little different from the 1939 model. What differences there were concerned the front fork, tank, mudguards and gearbox end cover. Other than switching to light-alloy for the cylinder and head there were no changes and head there were no changes to the long-stroke motors. These retained shaft-and-bevel drive for the single ohc, exposed hairpin valve-springs and a modest compression ratio. Featherbed frames from 1953.

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Norton 16H Motorcycle 1911-1954

Norton 16H

What is your favourite motorcycle of all time?

As late as 1947 the Norton 16H, although garnished with "teles", still looked much like its pre-war ancestor. The following year its old fashioned cast-iron block was exchanged for a large-finned, light-alloy casting, with new flat-base tappets and other modifications, which raised the power output to 15bhp. In 1954 the AMC takeover was established and time had run out for this old fashioned but good looking and ultra-reliable "slogger". Nevertheless, 43 years hadn't been a bad innings!

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Leyland Titan PD2 and PD3 Manchester Corporation Transport Department Bus 1934

Leyland Titan PD2-PD3

What is your favourite bus of all time?

Buses were introduced in Manchester in 1906 as tramway feeders but didn not become numerous until after WW1. Local manufacturer Crossley supplied a significant proportion of Mancehster's buses until 1951, though the Leyland product was used increasingly from 1934. The classic Manchester Corporation Transport Department Leyland Titan PD2/3 model was introduced in 1951 fitted with a Metro-Cammell body. The PD2 model was available from Leyland for around 20 years in various guises and until 1954 could be obtained as a complete vehicle with Leyland's own competently styled body.

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Daimler CVA6 Coventry Corporation Transport Bus 1933

Daimler CVA6 1933

What is your favourite bus of all time?

The first Daimler buses in the Coventry fleet were purchased in 1933, and finding these to be very satisfactory, the Corporation supported the local product almost exclusively. By the early 1960s around 95% of the fleet were Daimlers and Metro-Cammell, another Midlands manufacturer, supplied a similar proportion of the bus bodies. One of the classic models was the Daimler CVA6 with a 60-seat Metro-Cammell body. From 1952 deliveries of this bus carried the Birmingham style tin front (with same body) and later Metro-Cammells, the lightweight Orion design. The maroon and cream Coventry livery hailed from 1933, with an increase in cream on some vehicles from the mid-sixties.

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Leyland Titan PD2 PD3 PD4 PD5 Blackpool Corporation Transport Bus 1932

Leyland Titan PD2-PD5

What is your favourite bus of all time?

Blackpool's buses have always played second fiddle to the towns famous trams but they were by normal municipal standards, fascinating vehicles. Motor bus operation started in 1921 but it was not until 1932 that substantial numbers of buses were purchased by the Corporation. The mainstay of the early postwar fleet were 100 Burlingham-bodied centre-entrance Leyland PD2/5 Titans. Of distinctive appearance with tehir ornamental full-fronts, they matched the railcoaches in service and gave the town a distinctive public transport image.

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Vincent Rapide Motorcycle 1936-1955

Vincent Rapide

What is your favourite motorcycle of all time?

The 1950 Rapide motorbike is unique in that it is the last machine to carry the Vincent HRD tank transfer, making it a series B model. It is fitted with the light-alloy bladed Girdraulic front forkwhich was introduced in 1950 when the initials HRD were dropped. All subsequent Rapides, Black Shadows, Lightnings, Knights and Princes bore only the name "Vincent". All these machines had 998cc engines, four speeds, dual carburettors and two brakes on each axle. The price of the Rapide in 1949 was £323 17s. It weighed approximately 460lbs, could top 110mph and had a consumption figure of around 65mpg.

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AJS Model 20 Motorcycle 1938

AJS Model 20

What is your favourite motorcycle of all time?

Once Edward Turner had come up with the Speed Twin for Triumph in 1938, other major British factories were forced to respond with their own versions of the vertical twin engine. The last manufacturer to unveil such a design in the export-or-die post-war years was Associated Motor Cycles, joining the fray in 1949 with a 500cc model in the two AMC marque liveries. The AJS version was known as the Model 20 and was a docile and comfortable machine, with useful torque for accelerating.

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AJS Model 16MS Motorcycle 1935

AJS Model 16MS

What is your favourite motorcycle of all time?

The basis of the AJS Model 16 MS was a long-stroke single overhead valve engine of 1935, the same as used in the wartime Matchless GL3. The orthodox but very tough push rod engine featured dry sump lubrication with an external oil tank. Flywheels were cast iron but were lightened for 1954. An all-alloy version of the engine appeared for competition models in 1950 with an alloy head for roadsters following in 1951. Further improvements to the model were made and despite the presence of the AMC "lightweight" single by 1960, sales of the old G3/Model 16 had actually increased by 1961 giving evidence of the loyalty to the long stroke formula.

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Red London Trolleybus 1935-1962

London Trolleybus 1930s-60s

What is your favourite bus of all time?

When the London Passenger Transport Board was formed in July 1933 it absorbed the tram and trolleybus system of London United, among others, and decided soon afterwards to replace the trams with trolleybuses, due to their greater flexibility and lower renewal costs. Conversion of tramways to trolleybus operation started in 1935 and over the next few years a vast network emerged of over 1800 vehicles that for many years formed the largest system in the world. After the war,it was decided that the future lie entirely with oil-engined buses and in the short space of three years (1959-1962) this vast system was dismantled.

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T Type Vintage London Bus 1929

T Type Bus

What is your favourite bus of all time?

A total of 801 vehicles carried the classification T over thirty-three years, this label used to group many of the single-deck fleet of London's buses and coaches,whether petrol or diesel-engined. In this manner the T class could lay claim to be the longest running class in service, although later examples bore little resemblance to the original types. Based on the Regal chassis type 662, or, if oil-engined, 0662 the first vehicles in the class were fifty rear-entrance 30-seat buses bought new in 1929.

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AEC Q Type London Red Bus 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936

AEC Q Type

What is your favourite bus of all time?

The revolutionary Q type design was produced in 1932 for service in London. The AEC Q type design featured a diesel engine mounted slightly inclined on the offside chassis. The positioning of the engine in this manner enabled the whole of the body floor to be utilised for passengers so that as many as 37 could be seated within the width of 2.29 metres (7 1/2 ft) and 8.38 metres (27 1/2 ft) length. The production models of this type were all single deckers with all-metal bodywork constructed by Park Royal Vehicles Limited. Probably too far ahead of its time, the Q type didn't find favour with many operators and sadly production ceased in 1936.

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AEC ST Type Old London Bus 1930

AEC ST Type

What is your favourite London Red Bus of all time?

The first 4-wheeled AEC Regent chassis entered the LGOC fleet early in 1930 when ST1 was placed in service although the original ST vehicle in the fleet of London Transport's predecessors was built in 1929 and entered service in July of that year with Autocar Services Ltd. of Tunbridge Wells, before being transferred to East Surrey Traction. This bus did not receive its London Transport fleet number, ST1139, until after 1933 when the East Surrey Company (by then London General Country Services) ceased to exist and became part of London Transport. A total of 1139 ST type chassis were built, the class becoming a standard for London.

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Triumph Tiger 100 Motorcycle 1939-1940 1946-1973

Triumph Tiger 100

What is your favourite motorcycle of all time?

The high performance version of the Speed Twin, the Tiger 100 returned post-war in 1946. Changes were light, and mainly concerned the position of the dynamo, now at the front of the block and a reduction in the level of external oil piping. As before it had an eight-stud fixing for the cylinder block and polished flywheels and connecting rods. Considered as one of the handsomest Triumphs of all, the T100 had a top speed well in excess of 90mph. With the exception of the Vincent Rapide, which had twice the capacity, it represented the fastest standard tourer available.

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Triumph Speed Twin 1938-1940 1947-1959

Triumph Speed Twin

What is your favourite motorcycle of all time?

The Triumph Speed Twin was probably the best known motor cycle of the immediate post-war period. Strikingly good looking and built to a high standard, it was chosen as the mount for the London Police. A vertical-twin layout, it featured an all-iron block and head. Light and simple, the engine was virtually a single with two pistons travelling in unison to give even firing intervals and impelled by a 360 degree crankshaft. over output was approximately 25bhp at 5500rpm, which was enough to power the bike at up to 85mph.

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WW2 Matilda Infantry Tank 1938, 1939

Matilda Infantry Tank

What is your favourite car of all time?

The A12 appeared in 1938 and became known as the Matilda 2, the earlier model being now the Matilda 1. Matilda Two was a much better design, with heavy armour, a 2-pdr gun as the main armament and a well-protected and much better suspension. Both Matilda I and Matilda II went to war in 1939 and their thick armour proved invulnerable to all German anti-tank weapons. Of the 136 Matilda Is built, those which returned from France were retained for training purposes, due to their lack of effective armament. The Matilda 2s though served well in the Western Desert until eventually replaced by M3 Grants and M4 Shermans.

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Ariel Red Hunter 1932-1959

Ariel Red Hunter

Based on a 1933 Val Page design, the Red Hunter was sold in 348cc and 500cc form throughout the 1930s, scoring many successes in trials and scrambles. Resurrected after the war virtually unchanged save for telescopic forks, it became renowned as a straight-forward and dependable machine capable of a surprising amount of unstressed power. The 500 with its more "square" dimensioned engine than the 350 and a frame that was no heavier, was proportionally the better performer.

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Ariel Square Four 1931-1959

Ariel Square Four

The Ariel Square Four motorbike was a legend in its own lifetime and continues to be so. First marketed as a 500cc in 1930, the 1000cc model was launched in 1936. It remained in production in various roadster forms until the late 1950s by which time it boasted four individual exhaust pipe ports and an all-aluminium engine. The "Squariel" appealed to the middle-aged man, who having a motor bike in his youth, wanted to return to the fold with something that would distinguish him from the crowd.

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SS Jaguar 100 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939

SS Jaguar 100

What is your favourite car of all time?

William Lyons and William Walmsley set up the Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922 to manufacture sidecars for motorcycles. However, Lyons' flair as a body-stylist soon found expression in the Swallow-bodied Austin 7 and this was followed by a succession of motorcars based upon mechanical components made by Standard. SS Cars, as it became known in 1935, never looked back and was renamed Jaguar Cars Limited in 1945. Produced between 1935 and 1939, the SS Jaguar 100 has become one of the world's most classic sports cards. Capable of 100mph (hence "100") the model was fitted with a 2.7 litre six-cylinder engine (3.5 from Autumn '37). It represented a beautiful and reliable touring two-seater with graceful lines. An important car for Jaguar, the SS 100 is now legendary.

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