-SG- Thanks to John who has recently sent me the print of a 1926 Model 18 attached ... he tells me: "this was owned by a friend of mine's great uncle, a chap call Dan Maloney and this was his first Motorbike! Very nice too! Dan went on to race at the Gatwick Speed Trials, Brooklands and Crystal Palace (but on a 350 Velocette)." We wonder if the Norton (YN3804) has survived!
-SG- David has just sent me this recent photo - and his message hereafter! "Thought you might like to see this very original unspoiled pair which recently appeared at the Marston Sunbeam Club’s event at Metal Bridge near Gretna. Trevor’s ’24 16H and Derek’s ’25 Model 18. They don’t come much better than this."
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-SG- What you may ask, has a 1928 photo of a chap on a Francis Barnett got to do with Nortons? The answer is simple - not really him but his dad!
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I knew John Newman back in the seventies, when he was running the local garage in Chobham, Surrey. He still had an early two-stroke (I think a Velocette) and was interested in my 1930 Norton - by then fitted with a 1929 engine, with of course exposed valve gear ... this led to his recollections of his father's early OHV Norton in the twenties which was fitted with the first inverted cup rockers - see scan. These of course did not retain any lubricant as originally supplied and John's dad used bits of rubber tube to try and remedy the situation!
Move on to November 1928 and Norton's had seemingly woken up to the needs of pushrod end lubrication and mentioned it in their publicity material! Again - see scan. None the less, they do not appear to have mentioned any seals in the 1929 Parts List. Meanwhile the Desmo Company had started selling 'Flexi -Lubricovers.' While Desmo did not mention any specific brand they considered to be in need of the Lubricovers, the engine outlined in their ad. is without doubt......a Model 18!! Thanks to John for the 1928 stuff!
-SG- Thanks to Alan for his message below and photos ! "Congratulations to Terry for his ‘Runner Up’ award in the face of some stiff competition in the ‘Best Vintage Machine’ class at the recent Bristol Classic Show. Terry acquired the bike as a stalled rebuild project only some six months ago and in rapid time has turned a frame with an engine, gearbox and forks installed into a very presentable and complete machine, as per the pictures attached. The bike originally rolled out of the factory in 1924 as one of the early OHV Model 18’s. Little is known of its pre 2000 history although it’s specification has been upgraded with the incorporation of some subsequent 1920’s improvements, including the later valve gear, 8 inch Enfield brakes, fully enclosed primary chain cover, magneto shield and later oil tank. The machine was originally supplied to Messrs D R O’Donovan and Hubert H Beach of Great Portland Street, W1 and Terry comments ‘It would be nice to think that perhaps one of these illustrious worthies might have sat astride - or maybe even ridden - the machine ... '
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-SG- Back in May '22 we had a brief posting about Hector Dobbs and his 1925 win in the Amateur. Included were a few words about his 1926 Amateur TT Norton - which seems to have been quite special - and I have recently managed to obtain a copy of a photo of it in action, before Dobbs came to grief in the poor weather. This is attached - pity it was not taken from the other side - it would have been nice to know if it was a dry-sump machine!
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-SG- I was recently sent this photo of one of the more lowly finishers - J. Robinson. But all credit to him - he persevered and did actually finish! Thanks to David who has checked then current editions of Motor Cycle and Motor Cycling for me and his comments follow:
"J. Robinson of Preston and Dist MCC certainly had an eventful race. He finished 14th after 3hrs 55mins and 36 seconds averaging 48mph. Troubles began between the depot and the start, then he stopped for ”lengthy adjustments” at Quarter Bridge on the first lap. He fell at Quarter Bridge on lap 2 landing on his head with his feet over the parapet and needing medical treatment but managed to convince the marshal he was fit to continue. Finally he carried Parkinson (AJS) on his pillion from at least Ramsey to the finish on the final lap. He received the well deserved York Trophy for the most meritorious performance. The photo appears in Motor Cycling of 16th September ’25 captioned “A nasty skid at Governor's Bridge .J Robinson (Norton) just saves himself”
-SG- Peter Thomson (Thomson's Motorcycle Museum, New Zealand) has kindly sent this full page advert from 1928. This lays great stress on SILENCE - and of course, the new for '28 double-barelled silencer is clearly depicted. Peter has also scanned the image itself, which shows good detail - including the frequent advertising department error of the time - the valve rockers shown are those used up to and including 1925!
-SG- Many thanks to Peter Thomson (Thomson's Motor Museum, Palmerston North, NZ) for these photos from the twenties of the Harford brothers. Ted and Ron Harford ran a motorcycle business in Feilding (Manawatu district) at the time and were active competitors in grass racing on their early Model 18s. As was the trend at the time, these were equipped with drop handlebars and by regulation, no brakes.
Transport to race meetings was by a mid-twenties Harley outfit.
As a matter of little importance, the unusual spelling order of Feilding stems from the founder's name in the 1870s - Colonel W H A Feilding.
-SG- James Robinson, editor of The Classic Motorcycle, is, I suspect, much more of a user than some of his predecessors. And recently added to his stable is Brian Johnson's Model 18, as Brian is unfortunately no longer able to ride. Here's a recent print of it in use in Ireland (Dun Urlann, Graigue).
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-SG- Back in 1995 Beaded Wheels (New Zealand) printed the above photo of an unknown rider, taken at an Otaki Beach sand racing event in the thirties. Thanks are due to Peter Thomson, who has provided material for several interesting postings about New Zealand speed events in the past. Peter has done some research for me in the Thomson Motor Museum archive and has come up with Dick Lawton (on the left of the photo below) as the probable rider of this 1926-ish Model 18.
To quote from Peter's message: "Richard 'Dick' Lawton worked for Tolley and Spence is his younger days and later owned a motorcycle business in partnership with Don Boyle - Lawton and Boyle. Dick was a tuner of quite some repute and in the 1970s got the attention of the Suzuki factory, when he really got their two-strokes going, ably ridden by Geoff Perry."
Peter has sent several other Norton related photos, mainly taken at Beach racing events is the late forties, and they will be the subject of a separate posting.
-JdK- Andrew in the UK recently bought himself a 1927/28 Model 18 Norton and spent the evening giving it a good clean with paraffin and it is coming up very well.
Simon had a look at the despatch book records and the situation is basically that the bike started off with engine number 33xxx and frame 26xxx. It was despatched in March 1927 to a dealer called Ingle in Ripley and he delivered it to his customer Mr E Lomas of Sheffield on 25/3/27. It was fitted with a magdyno and the throttle/air control were of the type which opens inwards - usual fitment for Nortons at the time was for these levers to open outwards. The engine now in it 39xxx was originally fitted to a 1928 Model 18 with frame number 32xxx. It was despatched in April 1928 but the dealer's/customer's names are illegible.
Andrew thinks it has been used in competition due to things he have found and parts he collected with it. Some examples below:-
The bike was purchased on 21 March 1966 by Harry William Swingler, Manor House, Stathern, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. It then passed to his son Julian in 2/10/2008 who never had it running and has now died. Andrew bought it from the estate.
It would be great if more information might be gained of its history, please contact us when you know this bike.
-SG- Recently heard from Gilbert in Belgium who bought Reece's 1927 Model 18 basket case back in 2013. Glad to say the restored bike looks in good order and a worthy stable companion for Gilbert's unrestored 1924 Big Four.
Gilbert also tells us that he has had some oil pipe banjo unions made as well as sets of pre-'26 pushrod fittings (tubes not included). These are illustrated and are priced at Euros 40 for the banjo sets and Euros 50 for the pushrod fittings. Anyone interested can contact Gilbert direct at motogg13@yahoo.fr
-JdK- An email from Martin in England, in his own words: "Good morning. With apologies for the poor photos here are a few snaps of my Model 18 I've owned for about 15 years. I got talking to an elderly gentleman, Malcolm, at a rummage sale who was selling a few Norton bits. After chatting for a while we exchanged telephone numbers and that was it for about a year. Then I got a surprise call off Malcolm who asked me if I would be interested in an old Norton. Not knowing what was in store I made the journey with trepidation expecting disappointment as is often the case. Upon arrival I was treated by the bike in the first picture which I would like to share with you. A deal was done and to this day it's my go to bike as it's a joy to ride. The despatch notes list it as a Model 18 of April 1928. The delivery address was 602 bombing squadron Renfrew Glasgow, the recipient being E. Poole. I've tried but can't find any details about this chap. I enclose a couple more outdoor snaps. Best regards, Martin from Walsall England."
-SG- Titch Allen testing a Model 18 Norton. The bike was supplied to Coventry Motor Mart in November 1927 and delivered to a customer on January the 7th 1928. This type of timing cover and oil pump are the 1926/27 set-up, still used for the early 1928 models. Read the full story via this link.
-SG- ... was not Norton's best year from the competition point of view. Must have been a disappointment to all concerned and reasons for the problems have been well discussed by various pundits over the years - most blaming Walter Moore for OHC engine changes which caused trouble. It was a milestone year none the less - with the last of Norton's flat-tank machines being produced and, of course, the introduction of saddle-tanks on the CS1 and ES2 models. Another change was to wired-on 19 inch tyres on all models.
Restoration of a 1928 Model 18 has been another of Reece's long term projects and he has just sent in some photos of it. It is virtually finished - all that remains being the fitting of a period electric lighting set - the Lucas magdyno (type MDB1) is already in place. Thanks for the photos!
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-SG- ... in New Zealand means Dunedin and Invercargill and back in 2016 we had a posting of Brian's 1926 Model 18 which is in the Dunedin area. When he acquired the machine in the seventies it had been updated with telescopic forks and a later tank and I attach a shot of its appearance then (above) - and now (below), although this latter shot is a repeat of the 5th Feb 2016 posting. Brian is now working on a 1930 Model 20 and is missing the tank gate change - see catalogue photo attached - so if anyone has any of these parts available, please let me know and I will pass on the good news!
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-SG- After forty years in pieces this 1927 Model 18 is back together and up and running. It seems the original engine had disappeared (perhaps irreparably damaged in a 'blow up') and for a while, a 1930 16H unit was pressed into service. This, in turn, was later modified by changes to the tappet guides etc. so that a pre-30 head and barrel could be fitted with, of course, open push rods and valve gear. I note from the short video I was sent that the rockers used are pre-25 but in cases of necessity, one uses what one can get!
Included are photos of unrestored/original features such as the front and rear brakes (no plating), the gearbox mounting with original nuts and adjuster, the engine timing side with modifications to make it OHV, and the Andre steering damper with much lightened anchor stay.
