Bordesley Engineering Co
Bordesley Engineering Co of New Bond Street, Birmingham
1910 Company formed. Engines were assembled at New Bond Street and cycles assembled at York Mill
Connaught were motorcycles produced by them from 1912 to 1926
1912 The first machine was exhibited at the Olympia Show. They had one basic model, with a 293cc petroil-lubricated two-stroke engine and Amac carburettor at the rear of the cylinder. The engine design was quite advanced and inside it had a one-piece crankshaft, a connecting rod with split big-end and a deflector piston. It also had belt drive, single speed and sprung forks.
1913-1917 For a list of the models and prices of motorcycles see the 1917 Red Book
1914 Various transmissions were available to offer one, two or three speeds and belt or chain-cum-belt drive. There was also a ladies' version and all had the same engine. An oil receptacle, held by bayonet joint to a tap on the oil tank, enabled the rider to draw off a measured amount to mix with the petrol.
1915-1916 The range continued for those two years and then production ceased for the remainder of the Great War.
1919 They returned after the War with single or two-speed variants plus a Miniature model that had smaller, 24-inch wheels. For the next few years there was little change.
1922 The Miniature was dropped and a 348cc two-stroke model appeared. This had a three-speed Burman gearbox and all-chain drive.
1923 Various machines of various specifications continued to be produced, including a complete sidecar outfit with a larger engine.
1924 The marque was bought by the J. E. S. Motor Company and production moved to Gloucestershire for a while, before going back to Birmingham.
1925 Change of ownership brought a change in design and they added four-strokes with a Blackburne ohv, an oil-cooled Bradshaw and an sv engine of their own make. Yet more four-strokes were added, with either Blackburne or Bradshaw engines.
1926 They now listed two models fitted with their own engine as well as several other models with Blackburne, Bradshaw or JAP units. They also built a solitary two-stroke. It was their last year of production.
Warland-Blackburne was a motorcycle produced in 1923, by the Bordesley Engineering Company, of New Bond street, Birmingham.
This was a reasonably priced machine fitted with a 348cc sv Blackburne engine with three-speeds and all-chain drive, Druid side-spring forks, BTH magneto and an Amac carburettor. As these were all industry standards and available in quantity, the retail selling price was kept low.
See Also
Sources of Information
- The British Motorcycle Directory - Over 1,100 Marques from 1888 - by Roy Bacon and Ken Hallworth. Pub: The Crowood Press 2004 ISBN 1 86126 674 X
- The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle by Peter Henshaw. Published 2007. ISBN 978 1 8401 3967 9
- Birmingham’s Industrial Heritage by Ray Shill. Published by Sutton Publishing 2002. ISBN 0-7509-2593-0