New Imperial Motors Ltd
Encyclopedia
New Imperial was a British motorcycle
manufacturer founded by Norman Downes in Birmingham
, between 1887 and 1901, and became New Imperial Motors Ltd in 1912, when serious production commenced. New Imperial made innovative motorcycles that employed unit construction
and sprung heel frames long before they became commonplace, and were moderately successful in competition. The 1920s were a financially successful decade, enabling the innovations of the '30s that fought decline.
New Imperial suffered financially from the sales destroying Great Depression
of the '30s, and then the founder died in 1938. New Imperial was sold, and sold again, and then ended production in late 1939, its former facilities subsequently serving the needs of a nation at war.
. From 1887 New Imperial made bicycle fittings and, later, complete bicycles, possibly after he bought the ailing bicycle business of Hearl and Tonks (founded 1892).
It is also said that he created New Imperial in 1901, but no official record of the earliest company formation has been found. Official records do show the formation of a limited company in 1908 called the New Imperial Cycle Company.
In 1901 New Imperial made their first motorcycle. The engine was mounted forward of the handlebars with a leather belt driving the front wheel. It failed to sell. In 1910 a bike went into production using a 293 cc JAP
engine.
In 1912 the registration of New Imperial Motors Ltd is recorded, and they offered a range of three motorcycles. A New Imperial ridden by A S Jones in the 1913 Senior TT
race was one of the 63 that failed to finish that year. (24 competitors finished.)
In 1914, the 300 cc New Imperial Light Tourist model appeared. Its light weight enabled it to outperform some of the heavier 500 cc bikes of its time. The Light Tourist was the beginning of a line of advanced and innovative motorcycles. A New Imperial ridden by Bert le Vack
in the 1914 Senior TT race was one of the 44 that failed to finish that year (22 competitors finished). He had a similar result in 1915.
New Imperial used Precision and JAP engines of 250 to 1000 cc in their motorcycles until 1925 after which they manufactured their own engines of 146 cc to 498 cc. The First World War came and went, and New Imperial continued production.
(rider Doug Prentice). and This was the first of six Isle of Man Lightweight wins by New Imperial, and there was one Junior victory. (The race was not a TT until 1922, therefore the first win was not a proper TT win, but a 250 cc class win.)
By the mid-1920s New Imperial, with production of around 300 machines per month, was doing well, and continued to do so until the Great Depression
of the '30s. From 1926 they manufactured their own motors. In 1929 New Imperial production moved from the gun quarter in Princip Street to a 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) purpose built facility on Spring Road, at Hall Green.
In 1932, New Imperial used unit construction
engines, where the engine crankcase and gearbox are incorporated in the same casting. They made a Unit Minor 150 and Unit Super 250. They continued to use unit-construction, and some models used Bentley and Draper sprung frames, in an era still dominated by rigid frames. By 1938 all of New Imperial engines employed unit construction. In 1934 Ginger Woods, riding a New Imperial 500 cc V-twin for one hour, achieved a 102.2 mph (164.4 km/h) average at Brooklands
.
Bob Foster
won the 1936 Lightweight TT
handsomely on a unit-construction model which was the last time that Great Britain ever won a Lightweight TT . Despite the advanced engineering, and the spectacular TT win by Foster, sales did not improve.
, of Ariel
and Triumph, announced on 30 December that he had purchased New Imperial and that production would continue, and on 27 January 1939, production resumed.
, on 22 September 1939 all spare parts were sold to the Colliers, of AMC, who then appointed New Imperial spares dealers.
at a later date by Sangster, perhaps when he joined the board of BSA in 1951. The most likely explanation for this is that Sangster bought the name back from Clifford Aero and Auto when they changed over to wartime production, or that Sangster had retained the name and allowed Solomon Joseph to trade under it until war broke out and circumstances changed, but these details are not verifiable. Despite plans to revive the name, it was all over for New Imperial.
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...
manufacturer founded by Norman Downes in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, between 1887 and 1901, and became New Imperial Motors Ltd in 1912, when serious production commenced. New Imperial made innovative motorcycles that employed unit construction
Unit construction
Unit construction is a term used to describe the design of larger motorcycles where the engine and gearbox components share a single casing. The term is sometimes applied to the design of automobile engines and was often loosely applied to motorcycles with rather different internal layouts such as...
and sprung heel frames long before they became commonplace, and were moderately successful in competition. The 1920s were a financially successful decade, enabling the innovations of the '30s that fought decline.
New Imperial suffered financially from the sales destroying Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
of the '30s, and then the founder died in 1938. New Imperial was sold, and sold again, and then ended production in late 1939, its former facilities subsequently serving the needs of a nation at war.
Before First World War
The history of New Imperial, founded by Norman Downes, goes back to the early days of the bicycle industry in BirminghamBirmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. From 1887 New Imperial made bicycle fittings and, later, complete bicycles, possibly after he bought the ailing bicycle business of Hearl and Tonks (founded 1892).
It is also said that he created New Imperial in 1901, but no official record of the earliest company formation has been found. Official records do show the formation of a limited company in 1908 called the New Imperial Cycle Company.
In 1901 New Imperial made their first motorcycle. The engine was mounted forward of the handlebars with a leather belt driving the front wheel. It failed to sell. In 1910 a bike went into production using a 293 cc JAP
JA Prestwich Industries Ltd
JA Prestwich Industries, was an English engineering company named after founder John Alfred Prestwich, which produced cinematographic equipment, internal combustion engines , and other examples of precision engineering.-History:J. A...
engine.
New Imperial Motors Ltd
1913 Isle of Man TT
The 1913 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy races were increased in length to a six lap Junior race and to seven laps for the Senior race. The highest number of entries to date, one hundred and forty seven, were received for these races, however, Frank Bateman, riding a Rudge was the first race fatality...
race was one of the 63 that failed to finish that year. (24 competitors finished.)
In 1914, the 300 cc New Imperial Light Tourist model appeared. Its light weight enabled it to outperform some of the heavier 500 cc bikes of its time. The Light Tourist was the beginning of a line of advanced and innovative motorcycles. A New Imperial ridden by Bert le Vack
Bert le Vack
Herbert 'Bert' le Vack was a motorcycle world speed record holder throughout the 1920s and earned the nickname the 'Wizard of Brooklands' for his exploits at the Brooklands Track. An expert racing engine tuner, le Vack worked for some of the great marques and in the late 1920s joined Motosacoche...
in the 1914 Senior TT race was one of the 44 that failed to finish that year (22 competitors finished). He had a similar result in 1915.
New Imperial used Precision and JAP engines of 250 to 1000 cc in their motorcycles until 1925 after which they manufactured their own engines of 146 cc to 498 cc. The First World War came and went, and New Imperial continued production.
After First World War
New Imperial made sales boosting news with a win in the 250 cc class of the 1921 TT1921 Isle of Man TT
The 1921 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Junior 350 cc race took place on Tuesday 14 June and the Senior 500 cc was on Thursday 16 June.This year AJS redeemed themselves by completing a hat trick, taking the first four places for a total of six of the top ten places in the Junior 350 cc race...
(rider Doug Prentice). and This was the first of six Isle of Man Lightweight wins by New Imperial, and there was one Junior victory. (The race was not a TT until 1922, therefore the first win was not a proper TT win, but a 250 cc class win.)
By the mid-1920s New Imperial, with production of around 300 machines per month, was doing well, and continued to do so until the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
of the '30s. From 1926 they manufactured their own motors. In 1929 New Imperial production moved from the gun quarter in Princip Street to a 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) purpose built facility on Spring Road, at Hall Green.
Unit Construction Engines
Unit construction
Unit construction is a term used to describe the design of larger motorcycles where the engine and gearbox components share a single casing. The term is sometimes applied to the design of automobile engines and was often loosely applied to motorcycles with rather different internal layouts such as...
engines, where the engine crankcase and gearbox are incorporated in the same casting. They made a Unit Minor 150 and Unit Super 250. They continued to use unit-construction, and some models used Bentley and Draper sprung frames, in an era still dominated by rigid frames. By 1938 all of New Imperial engines employed unit construction. In 1934 Ginger Woods, riding a New Imperial 500 cc V-twin for one hour, achieved a 102.2 mph (164.4 km/h) average at Brooklands
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, and was the world's first purpose-built motorsport venue, as well as one of Britain's first airfields...
.
Bob Foster
Bob Foster (motorcyclist)
Alfred Robert "Bob" Foster was a British former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer.Foster's win on a unit-construction New Imperial in the 1936 Isle of Man TT was the last time that Great Britain won a Lightweight TT....
won the 1936 Lightweight TT
1936 Isle of Man TT
The 1936 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy saw Norton rider Jimmie Guthrie win the Senior, and come fifth in the Junior. The Junior was won by Freddie Frith in his first year on the Norton team, and the Lightweight was won by Bob Foster on a New Imperial....
handsomely on a unit-construction model which was the last time that Great Britain ever won a Lightweight TT . Despite the advanced engineering, and the spectacular TT win by Foster, sales did not improve.
Final Year
In 1938 Norman Downes died. New Imperial went into liquidation, and a receiver was appointed by Lloyds Bank on 7 November, 1938. The receiver advertised the sale of New Imperial on 18 November.Jack Sangster
Jack SangsterJack Sangster
John Young Sangster was an industrialist who became an important figure in the history of the British motorcycle industry. He is more commonly known as Jack Sangster.-Early life:...
, of Ariel
Ariel (vehicle)
Ariel was a bicycle, motorcycle and automobile marque manufacturer based in Bournbrook, Birmingham, England. Car production moved to Coventry in 1911. The company name was reused in 1999 for the formation of Ariel Ltd, a sports car producer.-History:...
and Triumph, announced on 30 December that he had purchased New Imperial and that production would continue, and on 27 January 1939, production resumed.
Solomon Clifford Joseph
Within a week there were rumours that the company was already being sold to Solomon Joseph, owner of Clifford Covering and Motor Components. The sale was confirmed on 10 February, and production continued. Following the start of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, on 22 September 1939 all spare parts were sold to the Colliers, of AMC, who then appointed New Imperial spares dealers.
Clifford Aero and Auto Ltd
Board of Trade records show New Imperial Ltd officially changed their name to Clifford Aero & Auto Ltd., Aeronautical Engineers, on 6 October 1939, and they then produced aeronautical components for the war effort.Ownership of the name
The name, New Imperial, was reportedly sold to BSABirmingham 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....
at a later date by Sangster, perhaps when he joined the board of BSA in 1951. The most likely explanation for this is that Sangster bought the name back from Clifford Aero and Auto when they changed over to wartime production, or that Sangster had retained the name and allowed Solomon Joseph to trade under it until war broke out and circumstances changed, but these details are not verifiable. Despite plans to revive the name, it was all over for New Imperial.