London Motorcycle Museum
Encyclopedia
The London Motorcycle Museum opened in May 1999 at Oldfield Lane South, Greenford
, Middlesex
. A charitable trust
, it displays a range of over 150 classic and British motorcycles
. Notable exhibits include the last Triumph Bonneville T140
out of the Meriden
gates in 1983.
until 1979 and then at a number of temporary locations until the site in Greenford was found. Former Coston's Farm, it had been used as an Ealing Council
depot (Ravenor Depot) since the 1930. Now run by volunteers as a charitable trust, the museum actively promotes educational visits and is affiliated to the British Motorcycle Charitable Trust
.
” with special areas for other makes, military and police motorcycle
s.
All the motorcycles on display are in excellent condition and represent the best examples of all the well-known makes, such as BSA
, Triumph and Norton
as well as less well known makers including Coventry-Eagle
and Rudge. A full inventory of exhibits is listed on the museum’s official web site and includes a number of unique prototypes, such as the development Triumph Trident and motorcycles that have been featured in the media.
Exhibits range from one of the earliest motorcycles, a 1902 0rmonde 2 1/4 h.p. to a 1993 Royal Enfield
Bullet 500 cc and include:
Motorcycles from the London museum have featured in Eastenders
, Dad's Army
, A-Z of Royalty (USA-produced feature for Satellite TV) and Men & Motors
‘Full Throttle Famous’. The museum is also regularly featured in Classic Bike Guide
, Classic Bike
, Moto Legende (France’s main classic motorcycle magazine) and Moto Ciclissmo (Italy’s main motorcycle magazine). The museum was also featured in US TV series, American Chopper
in the episode where the Teutul family of Orange County Choppers
visited the United Kingdom being directed to the museum by Ewan McGregor
.
Greenford
Greenford is a large suburb in the London Borough of Ealing in west London, UK. It was historically an ancient parish in the former county of Middlesex. The most prominent landmarks in the suburb are the A40, a major dual-carriageway; Horsenden Hill, above sea level; the small Parish Church of...
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
. A charitable trust
Charitable trust
A charitable trust is an irrevocable trust established for charitable purposes, and is a more specific term than "charitable organization".-United States:...
, it displays a range of over 150 classic and British motorcycles
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
. Notable exhibits include the last Triumph Bonneville T140
Triumph Bonneville T140
The Triumph Bonneville T140 is a British motorcycle with a capacity engine that was designed and built by Triumph Engineering at Meriden near Coventry....
out of the Meriden
Meriden, West Midlands
-External links:*****...
gates in 1983.
History
Bill Crosby, the museum’s founder, started collecting good examples of British motorcycles in 1960. The bikes were displayed at Syon ParkSyon House
Syon House, with its 200-acre park, is situated in west London, England. It belongs to the Duke of Northumberland and is now his family's London residence...
until 1979 and then at a number of temporary locations until the site in Greenford was found. Former Coston's Farm, it had been used as an Ealing Council
London Borough of Ealing
The London Borough of Ealing is a borough in west London.-Location:The London Borough of Ealing borders the London Borough of Hillingdon to the west, the London Borough of Harrow and the London Borough of Brent to the north, the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham to the east and the London...
depot (Ravenor Depot) since the 1930. Now run by volunteers as a charitable trust, the museum actively promotes educational visits and is affiliated to the British Motorcycle Charitable Trust
British Motorcycle Charitable Trust
The British Motorcycle Charitable Trust is a Charitable Trust dedicated to promoting and supporting the preservation and restoration of British motorcycles...
.
Future expansion
The museum is raising money for an extension to display another sixty motorcycles. The main building is planned as “The Home of TriumphTriumph Motorcycles
Triumph Engineering Co Ltd was a British motorcycle manufacturing company, based originally in Coventry and then in Solihull at Meriden. A new company, Triumph Motorcycles Ltd based in Hinckley gained the name rights after the end of the company in the 1980s and is now one of the world's major...
” with special areas for other makes, military and police motorcycle
Police motorcycle
A police motorcycle is a motorcycle used by various police forces and departments. They may be custom designed to meet the requirements unique of a particular use. A police motorcycle is often called a "motor" by police officers in the United States...
s.
Exhibits
Birmingham Small Arms Company
This article is not about Gamo subsidiary BSA Guns Limited of Armoury Road, Small Heath, Birmingham B11 2PP or BSA Company or its successors....
, Triumph and Norton
Norton (motorcycle)
Norton is a British motorcycle marque, originally from Birmingham, founded in 1898 as a manufacturer of "fittings and parts for the two-wheel trade". By 1902, they had begun manufacturing motorcycles with bought-in engines. In 1908, a Norton-built engine was added to the range...
as well as less well known makers including Coventry-Eagle
Coventry-Eagle
Coventry-Eagle was a British motorcycle manufacturer. Established as a Victorian bicycle maker, the company began under the name of Hotchkiss, Mayo & Meek. The company name was changed to Coventry Eagle in 1897 when John Meek left the company .. By 1898 they had begun to experiment with motorised...
and Rudge. A full inventory of exhibits is listed on the museum’s official web site and includes a number of unique prototypes, such as the development Triumph Trident and motorcycles that have been featured in the media.
Exhibits range from one of the earliest motorcycles, a 1902 0rmonde 2 1/4 h.p. to a 1993 Royal Enfield
Royal Enfield
Royal Enfield was the name under which the Enfield Cycle Company made motorcycles, bicycles, lawnmowers and stationary engines. This legacy of weapons manufacture is reflected in the logo, a cannon, and their motto "Made like a gun, goes like a bullet". Use of the brand name Royal Enfield was...
Bullet 500 cc and include:
- 1907 298 cc Brown Precision
- 1921 Rudge TT 3 hp
- 1925 596 cc Scott Flying SquirrelScott Flying SquirrelThe Scott Flying Squirrel was a motorcycle made by The Scott Motorcycle Company between 1926 and the outbreak of World War II.-Development:The Squirrel name was used for Scott motorcycles since 1921 but with the death of the founder Alfred Angas Scott in 1923 the unorthodox Scott two-stroke...
- 1925 980 cc Coventry Eagle Flying 8
- 1937 499 cc Rudge Special
- 1949 998 cc VincentVincent MotorcyclesVincent Motorcycles was a British manufacturer of motorcycles from 1928 to 1955. Their 1948 Black Shadow was at the time the world's fastest production motorcycle...
Rapide Series 'C' - 1959 Norton DominatorNorton DominatorThe Dominator is a twin cylinder motorcycle developed by Norton to compete against the Triumph Speed Twin. The original Dominator was designed in 1947 and 1948 by Bert Hopwood, who had been on the Speed Twin design team at Triumph....
- 1966 BSA Lightning works production racer
Media appearances
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, Dad's Army
Dad's Army
Dad's Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. The series ran for 9 series and 80 episodes in total, plus a radio series, a feature film and a stage show...
, A-Z of Royalty (USA-produced feature for Satellite TV) and Men & Motors
Men & Motors
Men & Motors was a men's lifestyle television channel in the UK. It was the last remaining station operated by the former Granada Sky Broadcasting joint venture, set up by Granada Television and satellite broadcaster British Sky Broadcasting in 1996...
‘Full Throttle Famous’. The museum is also regularly featured in Classic Bike Guide
Classic Bike Guide
-History:Launched in 1991 and edited by Frank Westworth, Classic Bike Guide mainly features original specification British motorcycles with occasional articles on foreign marques and one-off 'specials'...
, Classic Bike
Classic Bike
Classic Bike is a UK motorcycle magazine. Launched in 1978, it is noted for coverage of all makes of classic motorcycles, including US and Japanese models, and one-off specials. Editor Hugo Wilson, who began riding motorcycles at the age of 11, formerly edited Bike magazine and is the author of...
, Moto Legende (France’s main classic motorcycle magazine) and Moto Ciclissmo (Italy’s main motorcycle magazine). The museum was also featured in US TV series, American Chopper
American Chopper
American Chopper is a reality television series that airs on Discovery Channel, produced by Pilgrim Films & Television. The series centers on Paul Teutul, Sr. and his son Paul Teutul, Jr. , who manufacture custom motorcycles. Orange County Choppers is in Newburgh, New York...
in the episode where the Teutul family of Orange County Choppers
Orange County Choppers
Orange County Choppers is a custom and production motorcycle manufacturer based in Orange County, New York, that was founded by Paul Teutul, Sr., and Paul Teutul, Jr., in 1999. The company was featured on American Chopper, a reality TV show that debuted in September 2002 on the Discovery Channel,...
visited the United Kingdom being directed to the museum by Ewan McGregor
Ewan McGregor
Ewan Gordon McGregor is a Scottish actor. He has had success in mainstream, indie, and art house films. McGregor is perhaps best known for his roles as heroin addict Mark Renton in the drama Trainspotting , young Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy , and poet Christian in the...
.