1917 Vickers-Clyno – 5/6hp machine gun outfit
Clyno built large numbers of motorcycles for the British Army throughout the First World War. The majority were side car outfits designed to carry a Vickers machine gun. Each carried ammunition, cooling water and spares for the gun together with petrol and spares for the motorbike.
An outfit like this would have been accompanied by two others; one carried extra ammunition and the other was a spare gun carrier, brought into use if the first bike broke down.*
1942 Norton 16H
Norton supplied 100,000 motorcycles for military use during World War Two, mostly the 16H model. Following successful performance in War Office tests during 1935, orders were placed for 16Hs every year from 1936 to 1945. It was used by all British armed services and was also issued to Canadian forces. Although a dated design, the 16H’s mechanical simplicity and rugged construction meant it was well suited to military use. A few remained in service until the late 1950s.*
*From an information plaque next to the car.
THose are some bikes. My grandfather loved bikes.
I still have an unspent petrol ration book of his from the war. I was looking at it the other day and noticed it did not have any marking to indicate it came from Britain which goes to show how global we have become.
That is a nice family history memorabilia to have in your possession.
Those are some fabulous machines!!
I agree
My dad would so love to visit this!
-Jennifer
It is an excellent museum