Bit late, they moved to Evesham, but his Wife passed away in recently
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Motorcycle Shops
- Thread starter Brookfields Lad
- Start date
He did indeed, the shop was called Hailwood and Gould just on the A38 Tyburn Road a few hundred yards form Salford Circus. Its been a long time agon, but I think its this unit.
Long time I know but I worked at MCA in 1963?? George Adcock was manager ( ex Premier) let me know if you get this, Brian
vicfarlowe
veteran brummie
Thanks very much. Vic
vicfarlowe
veteran brummie
Yes, MCE, I went there once when I was at Coles, Coventry Road. The owner was Sidi Harris I think. He was a friend of Bobby and Benny Coles if I remember correctly from 1971.
vicfarlowe
veteran brummie
I left Copes in 1970 but very impressed with Japanese motorcycles. The writing was on the wall for the British motorcycle industry. I particularly remember the Honda CB92 125cc. A work of art and still are. I'm told they can fetch at least £6000 in good condition these days. The Suzuki 100 was faster than British 200 and 250s and far more reliable.
Are these the same shop does anyone know? They appear to be different. The one on top in the 50/60s maybe and the one below earlier? Also, whereabouts on Wellington Road are they? Some great pics on this thread btw!
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
i think one is wellington rd the other cov rd. if i remember the wellington rd one was just down from perry bar island.going up the hill to handworth wood might be wrong though.
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The first picture is taken from the bottom of the drop in the road, just past what was until recently Hirons Nursery, heading away from Perry Barr. Don't know about the other, sorry.
Ian.
Jonob
master brummie
It was Wellington Rd junction Grosvenor Rd and the building at the rear in Grosvenor Rd was a Flour Mill, regards, John.
Brookfields Lad
master brummie
169097 is Gray's motorcycles, Wellington road. In the sixties on the other side of Wellington road was company called - S.P.D .
Robert Steele
New Member
Do not forget Mike Halewood and Rod Gould at Spaghetti junction.
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
you have not looked at all the post have you.
Motorcycle Shops
In about 1970 I bought a set of exhausts from a shop at the junction where the steam hammer island in Aston is, (Aston Rd North/Corporation St?) It was on the right hand side and that was also called The Red House. What was the shop on Potters Hill in Aston?
birminghamhistory.co.uk
Mike's family home in Evesham is now up for sale, the end of another era
the gearbox in Lichfield
Brookfields Lad
master brummie
Does anyone remember Rob (Bob) Collier of Erdington?
Bob lived in Wood end road. I visited his house during the mid-sixties with a friend who was after motorcycle spares.
I recall that the garden resembled a scrap yard with bikes and cars stacked on top of each other. I can't recall meeting Bob Collier.
Does anyone know where his house was on Woodend Road?
Bob was a trials/scrambles rider who owned many Norton motorcycles. I understand that these were bought by Sammy Miller after Bob passed away.
Bob lived in Wood end road. I visited his house during the mid-sixties with a friend who was after motorcycle spares.
I recall that the garden resembled a scrap yard with bikes and cars stacked on top of each other. I can't recall meeting Bob Collier.
Does anyone know where his house was on Woodend Road?
Bob was a trials/scrambles rider who owned many Norton motorcycles. I understand that these were bought by Sammy Miller after Bob passed away.
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
Colliday Chariot Commuter 1965
Built by Robert “Bob” Collier of Sutton Coldfield, UK. This 3-wheeler was his 3rd prototype. Room for 2 adults and 2 children. Top speed 45 kmh. The petrol engine car had a simple control: starter switch key, steering wheel and two (go and stop) foot pedals. The turning circle was only 210 cm.
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I remember Bob Collier. He lived in a one of a row of big Victorian houses on Wood End Road near to the junction of Kingsbury Road. The houses have now gone and replaced by some much smaller modern houses. He lived on the ground floor; the rest of the house was sub let to bedsits. He had this weight, wire and pully system to keep his front door closed.
He seemed to have accrued thousands of motorbike parts stored all over the garden and would sell them to local bike enthusiasts. He was able to locate almost any part in a few minutes.
He was a quite a talented engineer who could also make bike parts. He made some leading link forks for an acquaintances racing sidecar outfit. I have a feeling he was very much into the motorbike trials scene. I recon the older four stroke small bikes like the Tiger Cub and the BSA C11G were quite popular for trials and bob’s thing.
I spend a day as a trial’s observer and marker with his daughter Vicky at the England Experts in Wales in the early 70’s. He seemed to me to be an ok guy.
Brookfields Lad
master brummie
Hi Morturn, your location and description of the house fits into my image from when I visited in the sixties.
Any idea how he made a living, was he able to survive on the sales of motorcycle parts alone?
Brookfields Lad
master brummie
I wonder why that form of transport didn't catch on in UK?
Thanks for the pic, I don't recognise him.
Is this the same person who made 2LS front brakes for Triumph/Bsa's?
I all honesty I don’t know. If I speculate, he had that big house and assuming he owned it there would have been the rental income. All the bits he sold had a price, he did not give stuff away and he made bike parts like forks, and I think frames. He had a good reputation locally for doing this.
I do recall he and the family seemed to live quite frugally too so I suspect he was just a entrepreneur who did his own thing at his own home.
His wife was interested in archelogy and worked at Wall, Lichfield. We were only paid £1.50 a day, just to cover expenses really.
I suspect the Mini put a lot of small cars out of business. A lot of these three wheels cars had issues with stability and reliability
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
i had a couple of isetta bubble cars. lh and rh drive on the passengers side behind the side trim was a huge lump of iron to counter balance the thing when only a driver was in the car to stop it turning over on bends
Lockheed Introduces New Brake with two leading shoes | 24th January 1947 | The Commercial Motor Archive
'Lockheed Introduces New Brake with two leading shoes' first printed in the 24th January 1947 issue of Commercial Motor
archive.commercialmotor.com
Radiorails
master brummie
In the winter of 1963, during the long freeze up, I was driving out of Newton Abbot up a hill towards Totnes, when I spotted a three wheel Reliant car heading towards me. It was spinning around due to ice on the road. Fortunately for me there was a driveway to my left which I drove into to get out of his way.
Yes, those three wheelers did have stability problems.
i
Yes, those three wheelers did have stability problems.
i
