Hitchcocks Forum

My old dad died last year (93) and I've just got round to sorting some old photos.
These would be sometime in the early 50s. Probably an ex army dispatch riders coat by the look of it.
No helmet of course, just goggles and the flat cap on backwards (kids think they invented everything)
I think the bike might be a B31 but I don't know my BSAs very well. I don't remember the dog either but I would only be 2 at the time.

Thanks For Posting..Nice..(May they all live on in Cyber Space)

Lovely photo.

The dog looks like nipper from HMV (His motor's voice)



lovely couple of pictures, Thanks for posting!

Its great that people take the time to look at old photo's like these, yes the dog does look like NIPPER. Malc

Looks to be around a 1946 B31, Rigid with telescopic front fork... The sportsman's choice..

Here's a interesting bit i found on the web. Read the paper cutting and adverts.


http://bsamuseum.wordpress.com/1946-bsa-b31/

Yes, I'd got it down to around 1945. I don't thing B31s ever had girders Gwilly. One interesting detail is the front mudguard stay which is fixed to the rear of the fork leg. Can't imagine why they did that but it changed soon after.

Yes your right Pete, they advertised the new 1945 B31 with the tele forks obviously pinched the idea from our own enfields..

The last model Empire Star had the girder forks when production stopped in 1939..

Thanks for the photos Pete, i must go and rummage through a box of stuff that mother didn't want.

Sure theres a pic of fathers enfield early 50's in there somewhere..

Looks like pop had some good wear out of that coat, don't make em like that anymore...

I think 45 is probably correct unless the headlight lens has been changed, for 46 I think the headlight glass would be convex and not flat but still had the same front mudguard stay mounting. Also what is going on with the centre stand?, I have never seen one like that it looks to have a second stand mounted further forward, perhaps to lift the front wheel instead of the back, Perhaps for if the bike was heavily loaded but no sign of rack or panniers, the front mudguard rear stay on those was designed to drop down and keep the front wheel off the ground for wheel removel ETC.

I have just had another look at the stand and it may be a home made device to give the centre stand extra strength and stop it bending forward as they were prone to do if you climbed on the bike to kick start it whilst on the stand. the stand then went too far over centre and became useless. What a clever idea, it looks spring loaded as well so you just drop it down before putting it on the stand and job sorted.

Dennis, I've zoomed in on the best scan of the photo that I can get and I'm fairly convinced that it's a shadow. When zoomed in, the RHS leg of the stand is definitely showing in front of the shadow. It would tally with the angle of the other shadows as well.