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Girls’ day out at Brighton

Here’s another photograph for you to identify, please.

Stuart Nicholson, email.

A super image, Stuart, of a circa 1915-21 499cc P&M, built by Phelon and Moore Ltd of Cleckheaton, Yorkshire. At intervals, the advertising copy writers for modern motorcycle makers can’t resist drawing attention to their up-to-date frame construction, with engines serving as frame stress members. Fine design, but modern concept it isn’t.

Any Vincent enthusiast will point out, their post Second World War machines use their engines as the main frame section. Designer Phillip Vincent knew his concept wasn’t new and wisely promoted differently, as more than three decades earlier the first production machines using the engine as a main stress member were unveiled in Yorkshire.

Joah Phelon and Harry Raynor were in business making tooling and dies for the wire drawing industry as Phelon and Raynor of Heaton Street, Cleckheaton. Alongside this, Phelon became fascinated by motorcycle development, leading to him designing and building prototypes with his self-developed engines replacing the frame’s downtube as a stress member. Phelon also chose chain over belt drive.

Phelon knew his and Raynor’s small company wasn’t in a position to manufacture motorcycles in volume and licensed the design to industrialist Harry Lawson, whose Humber concern manufactured the machines as motorcycles, tricycles and forecars. Although Phelon licensed the design to Lawson, he retained patents and under the agreement was permitted