Motorcycle query

[Richard Farrant]

Originally posted by Rich Payne
I think that the contract date of 16/3/1939 is a bit early for C.5109. Twenty years or so ago, there was a query in "The Classic Motorcycle" relating to this contract and a date of 16/9/39 was given. I also have a list compiled by the former VMCC Military Motorcycle specialist, made prior to Orchard & Madden's book and it suggests that production began on 7/10/1939 which is substantiated by the surviving factory records which show the last machine from the contract prior being despatched on that date.

Rich,

The Contract Date can be well before production for that batch is started, in order to keep a constant flow of production, hence you comment on the previous contract not being completed until 7/10/39.

I suggest you get hold of a copy of "B" vehicle census numbers, preferably the version where the numbers are in numerical order (not the one in list of makers), available from Groucho Publishing. This will explain it all.