patrick Eggs Posted 27 March , 2015 Share Posted 27 March , 2015 Well done LF Keep it go'ing. Crimson Rambler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 27 March , 2015 Author Share Posted 27 March , 2015 Well done LF Keep it go'ing. Many thanks, Regards, LF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 27 March , 2015 Author Share Posted 27 March , 2015 A nicely coloured photograph of Clyno motorcycle combinations armed with Vickers machine guns, part of a Motorcycle Machine Gun Section, preparing to leave their camp at Dieval, a small farming village 18 miles North West of Arras, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of Northern France. The officer leading the section, is riding a Triumph Model-H 550 cc. motorcycle. The photograph is dated 22nd June, 1918. Note the spare drive-belt stowed on the carrier on the back of the officer's Triumph. LF This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 28 March , 2015 Author Share Posted 28 March , 2015 An interesting series of four photographs showing the method used to traverse a 13 Pdr. Anti-Aircraft Gun mounted on a Thornycroft J-Type Lorry across soft sand by continuously laying timber beams in front of the lorry to create a stable roadway. The photographs, captioned as being taken in either Palestine or Egypt, show local villagers being used to carry and lay the timbered roadway. These are the first and only photographs I have seen so far, showing this method of laying a temporary timbered road in a desert area. The first photograph, shows local villagers carrying the large timber beams to be used for the temporary roadway. LF This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 28 March , 2015 Author Share Posted 28 March , 2015 Troops laying the timbered roadway in front of the Thornycroft J-Type Lorry. LF This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 28 March , 2015 Author Share Posted 28 March , 2015 Interestingly, the long metal spars attached to the chassis which carry the stabilising jacks, and which are normally retracted and stowed during transit, have been deployed fully outward and are being used by the villagers to help push the Thornycroft Lorry forward. LF This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 28 March , 2015 Author Share Posted 28 March , 2015 The Thornycroft J-Type is now making it's way forward along the timbered roadway, and we can see a better view of the deployed jack spars. LF This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockdoc Posted 29 March , 2015 Share Posted 29 March , 2015 You're still finding some true gems in these photos, LF! Long may it continue. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 29 March , 2015 Author Share Posted 29 March , 2015 You're still finding some true gems in these photos, LF! Long may it continue. Keith Keith, Many thanks, and lots more to come. Regards, LF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 29 March , 2015 Author Share Posted 29 March , 2015 D. Napier & Son Ltd - WW1 ' Napier ' Motor Vehicle and Aero-Engine Manufacturer Montague Stanley Napier ( 1870-1931 ) the Grandson of the Company's founder, was responsible for developing D. Napier and Son Ltd., into a major motor vehicle, motorcar engine and aero-engine manufacturer. His Grandfather, David Napier ( 1785 - 1873 ) founded the Company in 1818 as a printing press repair business located in Lloyds Court, St. Giles, London, and later, David Napier manufactured his own steam-powered printing press. The Napier Company successfully developed and produced a wide range of products, and in 1837 David Napier's younger son James ( Montague's Father ) joined the family business and became head of the company in 1873 on the death of his Father. Due to the company being badly managed by James Napier, by 1895 the number of employees had fallen from 300 to just 7, and in 1895 James' son Montague Napier, then aged just 25 years, was able to purchase the family business D. Napier and Son from the executors on the death of his Father. Montague Napier, having previously worked for Marriott and Cooper, London bicycle manufacturers, used that previous work experience to expand D. Napier and Son into manufacturers of machine tools for the bicycle industry, and like so many others who began manufacturing for the bicycle industry, Montague Napier eventually became involved in the developing motorcar industry, with Napier eventually producing their own motorcar engines. By 1900, Napier were producing both motorcars and motorcar engines, in particular Napier developed a reputation for racing cars and racing car engines, with one of Napier's racing cars winning the prestigious 1902 Gordon Bennett Race. By 1903 Napier's annual motorcar production reached 250 cars, which necessitated a move from their Lambeth factory to a much larger premises at Acton, West London. Napier's racing successes continued and developed as did Napier's reputation for quality motorcars and motorcar engines, and as a result of a rapidly expanded business, by 1907 Napier were employing 1200 workers. In 1906 Napier developed a four-cylinder bus chassis, and by 1910 had fully expanded their business into commercial vehicle manufacturing offering a range of commercial vehicles from a 15 cwt., 1 Ton ( Short and Long bodied ), 1.1/2 Tons, 2 Tons and 3.1/2 Tons, and by 1912 Napier had formed a separate Commercial Vehicle Division based at Acton. It was Napier's 15 cwt., and 3.1/2 Tons commercial vehicles which were to be so successful as military vehicles during WW1. At the start of WW1, Napier switched their production to aid the war effort and were awarded various War Department contracts to supply some 2,000 Lorries and Ambulances, and also aircraft and aircraft engines, including their extremely successful Napier ' Lion ' aero-engine. During WW1 Napier built some 600 aircraft at the Acton factory including 50 R.E.7s, 400 R.E.8s and 150 Sopwith Snipes. Towards the end of WW1, and with his health declining, Montague Napier moved to the South of France, where he died in 1931. LF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 29 March , 2015 Author Share Posted 29 March , 2015 One of Napier's first motorcars, their 1900 16 hp. model. LF This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 29 March , 2015 Share Posted 29 March , 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 29 March , 2015 Author Share Posted 29 March , 2015 johnboy, Many thanks for the excellent ' Napier ' photograph. Selwyn Edge, shown in the photograph, was a close friend of Montague Napier, and an early backer of Napier's entry into motorcar manufacturing. Selwyn Edge, a motorcar enthusiast, owned an early Panhard motorcar, which Montague Napier, with his engineering expertise was able to work on and significantly improve the Panhard's performance. Selwyn Edge being very impressed, encouraged Montague Napier to start his own motorcar engine company, with Selwyn Edge agreeing to buy his entire production. Regards, LF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 29 March , 2015 Author Share Posted 29 March , 2015 Montague Napier had a passion for fast cars, and in 1902 entered 3 ' Napiers ' in the Gordon Bennet Race held in France, with one of the Napiers winning the prestigious race, which greatly improved Napier's reputation and resulted in a significant increase in business for Napier. This photograph, shows Napier's winning race car entered in the 1902 Gordon Bennett Race. LF This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyH Posted 29 March , 2015 Share Posted 29 March , 2015 #3386, I can add that the young man 'on the step', is St. John Cousins Nixon, who earlier, when 14 years old had ridden with S.F.Edge as his mechanic on the 1900 1000 Miles Trial on Napier A48. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 29 March , 2015 Author Share Posted 29 March , 2015 A photograph taken in London, of the 3 ' Napier ' race cars entered in the Gordon Bennett Race. LF This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 29 March , 2015 Author Share Posted 29 March , 2015 #3386, I can add that the young man 'on the step', is St. John Cousins Nixon, who earlier, when 14 years old had ridden with S.F.Edge as his mechanic on the 1900 1000 Miles Trial on Napier A48. Mike. Mike, Many thanks for the excellent information, and so important in filling in the blanks. Regards, LF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 29 March , 2015 Author Share Posted 29 March , 2015 A better photograph of one of the ' Napier ' race cars shown in post # 3390, driven by Mr. J. W. Stocks. LF This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 29 March , 2015 Author Share Posted 29 March , 2015 1904 ' Napier ' 6-cylinder racer. LF This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 29 March , 2015 Author Share Posted 29 March , 2015 The 1905 104+ mph ' Napier ' 6-cylinder race car. LF This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyH Posted 29 March , 2015 Share Posted 29 March , 2015 Lancs, #3394, it may interest you to know that Napier L48, known as 'Samson', still exists in Australia having been rebuilt in fairly recent times by Bob Chamberlain. The copper cooling tubes around the bonnet have a total length of around 74 metres. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 29 March , 2015 Author Share Posted 29 March , 2015 Lancs, #3394, it may interest you to know that Napier L48, known as 'Samson', still exists in Australia having been rebuilt in fairly recent times by Bob Chamberlain. The copper cooling tubes around the bonnet have a total length of around 74 metres. Mike. Mike, Again, many thanks for the information and for putting the ' Samson ' name to the Napier Race Car, from which I was able to confirm that the race car shown in post #3393, is the Napier ' Samson ' in it's original 1904 body design. Here is another photograph, probably taken in America, of Selwyn Edge at the wheel of a ' Napier ' race car, and perhaps he is again accompanied by St. John Cousins Nixon ' on the step ' ? Regards, LF This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyH Posted 29 March , 2015 Share Posted 29 March , 2015 Lancs, The car pictured in #3396 is one of the E61's built for the Gordon Bennet race in Ireland in 1903. The occupier of 'the step' is Henry Tryon. The photo possibly taken in Dublin. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 29 March , 2015 Author Share Posted 29 March , 2015 Lancs, The car pictured in #3396 is one of the E61's built for the Gordon Bennet race in Ireland in 1903. The occupier of 'the step' is Henry Tryon. The photo possibly taken in Dublin. Mike. Mike, Were those riding on ' the step ' there at the car's Mechanic, Co-driver, both or just as a general companion/assistant to the car's driver ? Regards, LF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 29 March , 2015 Author Share Posted 29 March , 2015 The stylish, sporty and very fast Napier ' Samson ' on the starting line, all a far cry from the 2000 or so utility military General Service Lorries and Ambulances Napier woud be producing for the war effort in the next decade. LF This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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