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Villiers (motorcycles)
Villiers Engineering was a manufacturer of motorcycles and cycle parts, and an engineering company based in Villiers Street, Wolverhampton, England. Early history In the 1890s John Marston's Sunbeam had become extremely successful by relying on high quality of production and finish. But Marston was dissatisfied with the pedals on his machines, which he bought in. In 1890 he dispatched his son Charles to the US on a selling trip, but included in his instructions that Charles must discuss pedal engineering with Pratt and Whitney in Hartford, Connecticut and come back with a high-class pedal and the machinery for making it. Charles said that the Villiers Engineering Co. was "the ultimate fruit" of his trip to the US, being impressed by the production system and the labour saving devices. He pointed out that "it was not possible to develop these at Sunbeamland, which had long been working on another plan, but it was possible to start them in a new factory". As a result of the t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amherst Villiers
Amherst Villiers (1900–1991) was an English automotive, aeronautical and astronautic engineer and portrait painter. He designed a land speed record-breaking car for Malcolm Campbell, and developed the supercharged "Blower Bentley", driven by Henry Birkin and (in fiction) by James Bond. Early life Charles Amherst Villiers was born in London on 9 December 1900, the son of Ernest Amherst Villiers and the Hon. Elaine Augusta Guest. He was educated at Oundle School and at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. Career Villiers began his automotive career modifying Brescia Bugattis and supercharging a Vauxhall for racing driver Raymond Mays. He designed the Napier-Campbell Blue Bird which Malcolm Campbell used to break the land speed record in 1927 with an average speed of 174.88 mph. The 'Blower Bentley' was developed in ' Bentley Boy' Henry 'Tim' Birkin's workshop in 1929, using an Amherst Villiers supercharger bolted to the front of a Bentley 4½ Litre, to boost its ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Campion Cycle Company
The Campion Cycle Company was a British bicycle, cyclecar and motor cycle maker, active from 1893 to 1926 and based in Nottingham, England. In 1927 it was purchased by Currys. Motor cycles Campion motorcycles used a variety of proprietary engines including Minerva, MMC, Fafnir, Precision, Villiers, Blackburne and JAP. They also supplied frames to other companies. Campion Cyclecar The Cyclecar was made only in 1913 and was powered by a JAP V twin with a rating of 8 hp. It used a friction transmission system and drove the rear wheels by a belt. See also *List of bicycle manufacturing companies This page lists notable bicycle brands and manufacturing companies past and present. For bicycle parts, see List of bicycle part manufacturing companies. Many bicycle brands do not manufacture their own product, but rather import and re-brand ... * List of car manufacturers of the United Kingdom References Defunct motorcycle manufacturers of the United Kingdom De ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Science Museum (London)
The Science Museum is a major museum on Exhibition Road in South Kensington, London. It was founded in 1857 and is one of the city's major tourist attractions, attracting 3.3 million visitors annually in 2019. Like other publicly funded national museums in the United Kingdom, the Science Museum does not charge visitors for admission, although visitors are requested to make a donation if they are able. Temporary exhibitions may incur an admission fee. It is one of the five museums in the Science Museum Group. Founding and history The museum was founded in 1857 under Bennet Woodcroft from the collection of the Royal Society of Arts and surplus items from the Great Exhibition as part of the South Kensington Museum, together with what is now the Victoria and Albert Museum. It included a collection of machinery which became the ''Museum of Patents'' in 1858, and the ''Patent Office Museum'' in 1863. This collection contained many of the most famous exhibits of what is now t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
James Cycle Co
The James Cycle Co Ltd., Greet, Birmingham, England, was one of many British cycle and motorcycle makers based in the English Midlands, particularly Birmingham. Most of their light motorcycles, often with the characteristic maroon finish, used Villiers and, later, AMC two-stroke engines. James were prolific bicycle and motorcycle manufacturers from 1897 to 1966. The company was taken over by Associated Motor Cycles in 1951 and combined with Francis-Barnett in 1957. In 1966 the company became one of the many British motorcycle companies forced out of business by Japanese competition. Models James produced the 98 cc Autocycle, 125 cc Comet, Commodore, also 1954/55 Colonel 225cc Villiers single cylinder, several Captains as well as trials and scrambles bikes. In 1956 they produced the Captain 200 K7, Cotswold 200 K7C, and Commando 200 K7T, all 197 cc. See also List of James motorcycles This is a list of motorcycles produced by the James Cycle Co. 98cc * A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Welbike
The Welbike was a British single-seat folding motorcycle produced during World War II at the direction of Station IX — the "Inter Services Research Bureau" — based at Welwyn, UK, for use by Special Operations Executive (SOE). It has the distinction of being the smallest motorcycle ever used by the British Armed Forces. Between 1942 and 1943, 3,641 units (plus a prototype and some pilot models) were built and, although not much used by the SOE, some were issued to the British 1st and 6th Airborne Divisions and some were used at Arnhem during Operation Market Garden. The Italians, Germans and Americans also developed small motorcycles for their airborne forces during World War II. Development The original prototype was designed by SOE motor cycle enthusiast Harry Lester, from an idea developed by Lt. Colonel John Dolphin, the Commanding Officer of Station IX, the secret Inter-Services Military Research Establishment based in a mansion called The Frythe (latterly owned by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Abbott-Baynes Scud 3
The Carden-Baynes Auxiliary was the first motor glider with a retractable engine and propeller; it is known as the Abbott-Baynes Scud 3 when engineless. Both aircraft, built in the mid-1930s, were still flying in 2010 as pure sailplanes. Development Edward Abbott and Leslie Baynes had already separately designed and built sailplanes when they joined forces in 1931 as Abbott-Baynes Sailplanes to produce Baynes' Scud I and II designs. The idea of adding an engine to a sailplane to make it self-launching, but mounted in such a way that propeller and engine could be retracted at altitude to produce an aerodynamically clean glider came from Sir John Carden, who had already collaborated with Abbott and Baynes on other projects. Baynes' Scud 3 was designed specifically to include such a launching aid but was also capable of high performance engineless flight. Without an engine it was known as the Abbott-Baynes Scud 3; with the engine, as the Carden-Baynes Auxiliary. Since the engin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carden-Baynes Auxiliary
The Carden-Baynes Auxiliary was the first motor glider with a retractable engine and propeller; it is known as the Abbott-Baynes Scud 3 when engineless. Both aircraft, built in the mid-1930s, were still flying in 2010 as pure sailplanes. Development Edward Dixon Abbott, Edward Abbott and Leslie Baynes had already separately designed and built sailplanes when they joined forces in 1931 as Abbott-Baynes Sailplanes to produce Baynes' Scud I and II designs. The idea of adding an engine to a sailplane to make it self-launching, but mounted in such a way that propeller and engine could be retracted at altitude to produce an aerodynamically clean glider came from Sir John Carden, who had already collaborated with Abbott and Baynes on other projects. Baynes' Scud 3 was designed specifically to include such a launching aid but was also capable of high performance engineless flight. Without an engine it was known as the Abbott-Baynes Scud 3; with the engine, as the Carden-Baynes Auxilia ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Heston Aerodrome
Heston Aerodrome was an airfield located to the west of London, England, operational between 1929 and 1947. It was situated on the border of the Heston and Cranford areas of Hounslow, Middlesex. In September 1938, the British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, flew from Heston to Germany three times in two weeks for talks with Adolf Hitler, and returned to Heston from the Munich Conference with the paper referred to in his later "Peace for our time" speech from 10 Downing Street. History Private flying Heston Air Park was conceived by fellow pilots and aircraft co-owners Nigel Norman and Alan Muntz in 1928, and it was constructed by their new company, Airwork Ltd. It was officially opened on 5 July 1929, to coincide with hosting the two-day King's Cup air race. By then, the Airwork Flying School had become well established, many privately owned aircraft had moved in, and the Household Brigade Flying Club, also known as the Guards flying club, had moved from Brooklands. Freq ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sir John Carden
Sir John Valentine Carden, 6th Baronet MBE (6 February 1892 – 10 December 1935) was an English tank and vehicle designer. He was the sixth baronet of Templemore, County Tipperary, from 1931. Work Born in London, Carden was a talented, self-taught engineer, with an ability to put his ideas to practical use. From 1914 to 1916, he ran a company that manufactured light passenger-cars under the brand '' Carden''. The company's first model was a cyclecar, with seating only for the driver. During the First World War, Carden served in the Army Service Corps and gained the rank of captain, acquiring experience with vehicles such as tracked Holt tractors. After the war, he returned to car manufacturing but sold his original design and factory to Ward and Avey who renamed it the AV. He then designed a new cyclecar and started manufacture at Ascot but at the end of 1919 sold the design to E. A. Tamplin who continued manufacture as the Tamplin car. A further design followed with a t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Marston (businessman)
John Marston (1836–1918) was a successful Victorian bicycle, motorcycle and car manufacturer and founder of the Sunbeam company of Wolverhampton. His company was also one of the country's largest manufacturers of japanware and he was responsible for building 'Seagull' outboard engines for marine use and also for starting the Villiers engineering company. He was Mayor of Wolverhampton for two consecutive years and died in 1918 aged 82. Early life Born in Ludlow on 6 May 1836, in a landowning family. His father Richard Marston had been a Justice of the Peace and Mayor of Ludlow. John was educated at Ludlow Grammar School, and afterwards at Christ's Hospital, London. In 1851 at age 15, however, John was sent to Wolverhampton to be apprenticed to Richard Perry, Son & Co., tinsmiths and japanners, at the Jeddo Works of Wolverhampton as a japanner (metal lacquerer). Jeddo is an old name for Tokyo. Business In 1859, at the age of 23, John Marston's apprenticeship was completed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
British Seagull
The British Seagull was a British manufacturer of two-stroke outboard engines in Poole, Dorset from the late 1930s until the mid-1990s. Although their "Classic" engines were for decades an exemplar of rugged simplicity and reliability, the company eventually failed when customer tastes changed and as tighter emissions regulations took effect. Production of complete engines stopped in 1996, and another company bought the rights to the brand in 1999. Spare parts continue to be produced for existing engines. History British Seagull outboards were first sold under the name Marston Seagull. They were developed at John Marston Ltd's "Sunbeamland" factory in Wolverhampton by development engineers John Way-Hope and Bill Pinninger. This pair later bought the manufacturing rights in 1937 and marketed outboards as Bristol Seagull, later moving to Poole and settling for the name British Seagull. There are several different British Seagull outboard motor models, usually with a single cyli ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Atco (British Mower Company)
Atco (Atlas Chain Company) Limited was a British mower company which traded as "Atco Ltd" from 1981 to 1990, making lawn mowers and garden tools. It sold a range of lawn mowers including lawn and garden tractors. History Atco is the trade name for lawn mowers derived from the Atlas Chain Company, founded by Charles Henry Pugh in 1865, which made chains for ships. Mowing machines (replacing scythes) were drawn by horses but, after a horse died while pulling a mower around his company's facility, Pugh created a petrol lawnmower, which became the first of its kind to be mass-produced anywhere in the world. Charles H Pugh Ltd started making motor mowers with a -wide cut. The Atco motor mower was an immediate success. 900 of them were made in 1921, each costing £75. Within five years, annual production had accelerated to tens of thousands. Prices were cut and a range of sizes was available, making the Standard the first truly mass-produced motor mower. In the early hours of 5 Nove ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
