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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BSA Bantam Motorcycle 1949

BSA Bantam 1949

What is your favourite motorcycle of all time?

BSA's, and indeed the British industry's all-time best selling motor cycle the Bantam, started life as a three-speed 123cc two-stroke in 1949 and instantly caught the public's attention, for petrol was still rationed and these early bikes could top 50mph and yet return up to 125mpg. The enlarged D3 Bantam Major arrived in 1950 with plunger rear suspension and 1958 brought the 175cc engined models with swinging-arm frames. Production continued in volume to 1971 when the top of the range model was the four-speed D175.

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BSA A7 Star Twin Motorcycle 1946

BSA A7 Star Twin

What is your favourite motorcycle of all time?

Resembling the Val Page 650cc Triumph twin of the early 1930s in employing a single camshaft at the rear and with the gearbox bolted to the crankcase in semi-unit-construction style, the original 495cc Model A7 BSA was intended for 1940. Very quiet and distinctively BSA, it appeared among the second wave of BSA offerings in late 1946 and quickly established a good reputation.

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Foden DG 1947

What is your favourite lorry of all time?

The classic early rigid eight-wheeler is epitomised by the DG6/15. The Foden DG was introduced in 1947 and quickly established Fodens as a builder of quality diesel-engined commercial vehicles. Available in four, six and eight-wheeled form, with Gardner three- four, five and six-cylinder LW engines as options, it remained in production until 1947/48, when it was replaced by the FG range. As late as the mid-sixties the Foden DG could be seen with its terrifying load of timber along Britain's roads before the compulsory vehicle plating in 1968 removed most of the older breed of lorry to the scrap heap.

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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 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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Norton 500T Motorcycle 1949

Norton 500T 1949

What is your favourite motorcycle of all time?

Norton's post-war trials motor cycle, the 500T was introduced in 1949. At first, little more than a model 18 with extra ground clearance, the 500T was soon developed into a competent trials machine aided by an all-aluminium engine, small tank and improved steering geometry. The weight was reduced to around 300lbs. During its six year production life the 500T was ridden with distinction in numerous trials, both as a sidecar move and solo.

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Harley Davidson Hydra-Glide Motor Cycle 1949

Harley Davidson Hydra-Glide

What is your favourite motor cycle of all time?

Harley's big FL-series bikes received numerous updates through the years. Most notable was the replacement of the venerable Knucklehead engine with the Panhead in 1948, the adoption of telescopic front forks on the Hydra Glide of 1949 and the addition of rear suspension on the Duo-Glide in 1958. The big Indians had used plunger-type rear suspension since the early 1940s.

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Vincent Comet Motorcycle 1935-1955

Vincent Comet

What is your favourite motorcycle of all time?

Named after the model originally introduced at Olympia in 1934, the single-cylinder Comet was destined forever to be the poor relation of the Vincent big-twins. Virtually half of the vee-twin, with engine inclined, the Comet was assembled to Black Shadow tune, with a softer model called the Meteor also available. Despite pleasing performance and near vibratin-free running, the Comet was not a big seller. By comparision to the good-looking vee-twin, the machine looked unbalanced and potential buyers turned away to conventional singles from the bigger factories.

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Vincent Grey Flash Motorcycle 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952

Vincent Grey Flash

What is your favourite motorcycle of all time?

Based generally on the Comet model, the Vincent Grey Flash racer was built to Black Lightning standards. It employed a specially enlarged and steamlined cylinder head with polished ports. Triple valve springs were used with lightened and polished rockers and cam followers and a special camshaft was also fitted. The series C Grey Flash could also be supplied as a fast touring model with lights, horn etc or the same completely equipped touring model with extra bits and pieces necessary for converting the model to racing tim.

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Vincent Black Lightning Motorcycle 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952

Vincent Black Lightning

What is your favourite motorcycle of all time?

The Black Lightning was highly modified version of the Shadow built for racing. Its engine was tuned with TT carburettors and straight-through exhaust pipes. It had a rev-counter, but no kickstart, lighting eqipment or stands. Both wheels had alloy rims and magnesium alloy brake backplates, while the tyre sizes were 3.00 x 21 in. front and 3.5 x 20in rear. There were short alloy mudguards and a racing seat, which used the standard mountings. Only 27 are believed to have been made.

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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 7R Motorcycle 1948

AJS Model 7R

What is your favourite motorcycle of all time?

Announced for the 1948 season, the handsome 348cc AJS Model 7R had little in common with the pre-war road-racing R7 AJS. A sleek black and gold beauty, it was similar to the rival Velocette Mk7 racer, which shared the same bore and stroke dimensions but it was lighter than the Velo, using magnesium-alloy crankcases, timing gear casing and conical wheel hubs and aluminium fuel and oil tanks. Nicknamed the "Boys Racer" the model was of course raced by the original factory team but was primarily intended as an over-the-counter racer for the ordinary club rider.

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Crossley DD42 Lancaster City Transport Bus 1940s, 1950s

Crossley DD42

What is your favourite bus of all time?

The Manchester based firm of Crossley Motors Limited developed their DD42 double-decker during WW2, which was to be the mainstay model of the postwar years. A largely conventional half-cab design, the most notable feature of the DD42 was its very low bonnet line giving excellent visibility for the driver. The standard power unit for the model was the Crossley oil engine, the HOE7, coupled to a Brockhouse Turbo Transmitter torque-converter transmission rather than a conventional gearbox.

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Bristol K Aberdare UDCTD Bus 1947

Bristol K

What is your favourite bus of all time?

The Bristol K series was placed in production towards the end of the Second World War, K5G being the designation of vehicles equipped with a Gardner engine, while those having an AEC unit were referred to as K6A types. Aberdare Urban Council added a Bristol K6A to their fleet in 1947. Aberdare ran services in and around the Cynon valley, Glamorganshire, and was one of only eight postwar urban district council undertakings.

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Leyland Olympic King Alfred Bus 1949

Leyland Olympic Bus

What is your favourite bus of all time?

The Leyland Olympic single-decker was introduced in 1949 in conjunction with MCW as an integral underfloor engined alternative to the Tiger. designated the HR40 Olympic (40 denoting the seating capacity) it used a horizontal version of the 0.600 engine. In 1951, when length regulations were relaxed to allow 30ft single-deckers on two axles it became the HR44, a 44 seater.The Leyland Olympic HR40 formed part of the fleet of the well known Winchester independent, King Alfred Motors.

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Leyland Titan PD1 and PD2 Southdown Motor Services Buses 1945, 1947

Titan PD1 & PD2

What is your favourite bus of all time?

The legendary Titan is probably the bus for which Leyland is best known. Introduced in 1927 it was produced continuously (apart from a two-year wartime break) until 1969. The Titan PD2 was first seen in1947 (the PD1 model had been introduced in 1945) and these were sold in large numbers to a wide variety of operators. 80 Leyland LD2/1 were employed by Southdown Motor Services in 1948/49. It lasted in service until 1969.

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AEC Regal 1 Bus Alexander-Northern 1946

AEC Regal 1 Bus

What is your favourite bus of all time?

The Associated Equipment Company had its beginnings in the London General Omnibus Company, but since 1912 had been a separate commercial business. Although AEC was still the main supplier of bus chassis to London Transport, it built up a substantial business building trucks and buses for customers in the UK and overseas before it merged with Leyland in 1962. The classic AEC Regal 1 was introduced in 1946 with a 7.7-litre engine and crash gearbox.

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Jaguar XK120 FHC Car 1948

Jaguar XK120 FHC

What is your favourite car of all time?

In the drab, post-war, car-starved world of 1948, this beautifully styled XK120 caused a sensation, and although Jaguar intended to produce only limited numbers, those plans were soon expanded. Since style carries all, buyers accepted the cramped cockpit, small luggage space, inadequate headlights and poor brakes. In return they got the most beautiful and the fastest production car in the world.

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