Category: London Douglas Motor Cycle Club

While our UK visitors are stuck indoors and cannot enjoy Spring on two wheels … here’s the next best thing! This video is part of a series produced by Spectel Communications as part of their Bristol History Series, and covers the story of Douglas motorcycles. There is some wonderful period ‘movie film’ of the Isle of Man in the 1920s, images of the factory and even a cameo appearance by our own Bill Douglas. Many thanks to Spectel Communications for making this video available, which is free to view until the end of the UK’s ‘lockdown’ period. https://youtu.be/jgAvqH57Exk

Working on an early ’30s Douglas gearbox, I’ve been struck by the quality. Where a typical BSA or similar machine would have had shafts supported in bronze bushes pressed into blind holes, Douglas used bronze collars cast into the alloy to support proper ball races. And, with remarkable consideration for the restorer of ninety years later, they specified metric bearing sizes – part no. 6203 if you’re curious! – which are readily available today.
Douglas had an enviable reputation for quality. This gearbox is from a ‘budget’ model, an A31, yet it cannot have been cheap to manufacture. An omen for the financial problems which were to beset the company in the years ahead, perhaps.

The Committee regrets to say that it has taken the decision to cancel this year’s Annual Rally. With the on-going coronavirus crisis, the safety of our members is uppermost in our minds. Also, the current restrictions on movement and social distancing are unlikely to be lifted before that date. Whether it will be possible to arrange an alternative event later in the year is difficult to say at this stage, but this is something the Committee will keep under review.

We regret to announce that the Douglas Cavalcade, planned for the 24th of May 2020, is cancelled due to the restrictions on gatherings resulting from the coronavirus outbreak.

This is one of the key events in the Club’s calendar and we look forward to holding it next year, in 2021.

Items for sale on auction sites don’t generally figure in this blog, but this tool kit must be as close to ‘unique’ as you can get! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264677029480

For a set of factory tools in the original wooden case to have survived for almost 100 years is remarkable. For one lucky EW owner out there, this will be the ultimate ‘must have’ accessory!