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to the Archive indexA beautiful Sunday in May was chosen by Stan Greenway for the revival of the first Cyclemotor Social Run since the series of Motor-assisted Cycle Demonstration Trials organised by the ACU and the British Two-Stroke Club in the 1950s.
Local Warwickshire members provided a 31cc belt-drive Cyclaid, 32cc Cyclemasters, and a Scott Cyc-Auto. Tony Twycross of Leicester was running his highly unconventional 18cc German Lohmann two-stroke compression ignition cyclemotor. Dispensing with sparking plug, magneto and carburettor, Tony fuels the Lohmann on a mixture of TVO, diesel and two-stroke oil; and there was my front wheel drive 29cc Tailwind prototype, brought down from Hartlepool, Cleveland. Designed by the late Mr. John Latta of Berkhamsted, a two-speed gear, ingenious in its simplicity, is a feature of the Tailwind. The friction roller has two diameters, a lead in between the two being cone-shaped. Movement of a modified cycle derailleur gear trigger shifts the entire unit from left to right or vice versa, thereby bringing the smaller or larger roller into play.
A 21-mile run around the Warwickshire lanes had been arranged in easy five-mile stages, from the start at Abbey Fields Car Park in Kenilworth, where we met Club members who were taking a longer route with their Vintage machines. The first five miles were trouble-free, although it was soon apparent that the Lohmann and Tailwind would not be able to keep up with the Cyclemasters, which were capable of short bursts of up to 30mph. Tony Twycross was concerned that the Lohmann had used a pint of fuel in five miles, which does not support the maker's claim of 350 miles to the gallon!
Stan Greenway was first away on the second section, on the Lohmann, which was going well and achieving a cruising speed of 20mph. The Cyclemasters were delayed owing to a malady with Bob Pearce's machine. The Tailwind ran reliably throughout, a single involuntary stop being caused by the carburettor stub working loose. With low gear engaged, and some pedal assistance, the Tailwind surmounted the only steep hill on the run, and it would have pleased Mr Latta to see his machine overtake the other riders who had been forced to dismount and reach the summit on foot. Alas, some four miles out, we came upon a dismayed Stan Greenway with the Lohmann siezed and immovable. Member Dave Paget's home and workshop was only a mile away at Moreton Morrell, and Stan suggested that the Lohmann be taken there for investigation after partaking of a light lunch and liquid refreshment at the village local.
The combined efforts of Stan Greenway and Tony Twycross were unable to get the Lohmann running under power again, and the machine was carried to the finish at Hatton Fête in Dave Paget's pick-up truck. The final 11 miles were uneventful, apart frcm the Tailwind blotting its copybook with a whiskered plug. At Hatton, we rejoined the other Club members, and it was nice to see that John Cyster had travelled up from Berkhamsted with his Cyclemaster, Mini-Motor and Excelsior autocycle.
A grand day out, which we all agreed should be repeated next year.
First published in the journal of the Vintage Motor Cycle Club, August 1976