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Sergeant Gordon Davies, 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion at Bulford,
Wiltshire, England. He is astride a Welbike Mk. I (no rear fender) on January
5 1944. He was apparently working in the Battalion Orderly Room. Canadian DND Army photo 27889.
An article I wrote many years ago on the Welbike for the MAROON BERET
magazine of the Canadian Airborne Regiment which was later disbanded in
1995.
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I no longer live in Saskatchewan at that address.
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British Airborne Forces Display in WWII including two Welbikes.
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Mark I Welbike WD # C4658731 in its special container - end-on view.
Right hand picture is Imperial War Museum photo H27060.
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The same Welbike Mark I WD # C4658731 in a special container. Note
that it says MOTOR CYCLE on the side of the container. Imperial War
Museum photo H27061.
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Welbike in its special container. Detail - Note that it is not the
normal round CLE container.
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Soldiers assembling a Welbike, likely during training.
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| Training with the Welbike before Nov 18 1943. Note the super rare Sten Mk. II bayonet carried by the man on the right
in both photos. These photos are proof that they were issued. Circa
1943-44.
PHOTO ENLARGES
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The same two airborne soldiers training and passing
Welbikes over an obstacle - a fence. Circa 1943-44
PHOTO ENLARGES
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Polish Paratroops equipped with Welbikes and BSA airborne (folding)
bicycles. Circa 1943. They are carrying the Sten Mark II (T and Skeleton
butt styles) which were replaced by the Sten Mk. V for airborne
use by mid-1944.
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YouTube videos of restored Welbikes (not mine)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6YDGoGqiO4&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snOeKyUdO68&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3L0_TIn0jQ
WELBIKE NUMBERS AND MARKINGS
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Vehicle Serial Number
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Engine Serial Number
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| Welbike Mk. II serial number 3839 |
Engine XXE 4065 on Welbike Mk. II 3839 |
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War Department Number (WD Number)
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Colin
Stevens' first Welbike Mark II - since sold to another collector
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Serial Number: 1253
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Engine Serial Number: XXE1463
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Engine SN: 1463
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War Department Census Number: C5152053 (?)
Second Contract, # S.1649 Ordered 19 Nov 1942 Delivery starting in
Feb 1943 at 400 machines per month.
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This Welbike was acquired in the Summer of 2006 from Brian Marshall of San Leandro,
California. A previous owner had painted it blue with white trim and had the number
"14" on the rear fender and on the added siren. It appears that
it was used by the Shriners in parades. I would love to have photos and
more history on the Shriners' use of these Welbikes - especially No.
14.
Welbike Mk. II SN 1253 as uncrated, August 2006. Note the spare parts
that came with it. The seat is not original.
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A virtually identical Welbike to 1253 except that this one has no siren
fitted. This one was used by the Shriners in California and it is now
owned by Brian Asbury in Ontario, Canada. A Mk. II.
A third ex-Shriner Welbike is owned by Reg Hodgeson in Edmonton. Partly
restored. A late Mk. II
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The Welbike as it arrived in the shipping crate 2006 August.
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Spare tire and front wheel over gas tanks.
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Right side
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Front view |
Flag mounting bracket for parade use on rear wheel, left side. |
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Colin Stevens'
second Welbike Mark II
| My Second Welbike - a very late
production Mark II |
Serial Number: 3839
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Engine SN: XXE 4065
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War Department number (original):
C5154639
Third Contract, # S.1946 ordered 27 December 1942 and
delivered 400 per month starting in May 1943.
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| Purchased from Mr. Massacci in Warren,
Ohio in November 2006. He found it about 30 years ago when he was
demolishing a house. He had the salvage rights and found this Welbike
which had been sprayed with oil to prevent rust by a previous owner.
The tires have split due to sitting on flat tires, the clutch lever is
missing and the dome cover for the air filter is missing. Otherwise it
is all there and all original - paint, decals and even the War
Department number C5154639. |
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| My second Welbike in between Brian Asbury's two
restored Welbikes in Milton, Ontario. - November 2006. Note the
original brown colour on mine. |
Colin Stevens' Third Welbike
A Welbike Mark II, purchased from Mr. Noel Soulsby in Australia,
near Melbourne. The seller inherited it from his Uncle who bought it
in new condition war surplus after WWII with the intention of his Aunt
using it to drive between the house and the shop a few hundred yards
away. Apparently it was used very little. The seller repainted it but
left the WD number visible.
Frame Serial number 2348
Engine SN XXE 2606
War Department: C5153148
Contract:: It has a contract data plate but I do not yet know what
that says.
Reference book "From Welbike to Corgi" by Peter Miller indicates
that this Welbike was made on Second Contract # S.1649 dated 19
November 1942 for 1,400 Welbikes. 302 of these were boxed for export -
likely this was one of those 302. The cost per Welbike on this
contract was GBP 26.18.0 (26 pounds, 18 shilllings and 0 pence). These
Welbikes were delivered on 16 March 1943.
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WELBIKE PROTOTYPE OR
PILOT MODEL
(Owner: ? Sold by George Clark to someone in Holland)
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SERIAL NUMBER: 2
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ENGINE SN: XXA 23191
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WAR DEPARTMENT NUMBER: May never have had one.
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| For many years it was believed that Bob
Coult had the only surviving prototype or pilot model Welbike to
survive. Estimates were that 3 or 6 had been made. Evidence now
suggests 13 were made before the army contracts.
This Welbike was found recently (2005-2006) in Oregon at a collectors show. It
was painted red, missing the rear wheel, grips, handlebar locking nut
and some other items. George Clark recognized it and bought it.
Rebuilt by Pat Papworth of Tsawassen, BC, Canada in 2006. Painted
green with incorrect British airborne formation sign on one tank.
Evidence indicating its prototype or pilot model status:
- Distinctive rounded petroil tanks.
- Serial number is simply a large " 2 " (painted over by
chap who rebuilt it)
- Round tubes for foot rests
- XXA serial number of engine rather than production XXE number.
- Front steering column release catch is fore and aft not angled
to side as on later production models.
- No doubt other differences will turn up.
Does anyone know the serial number of the prototype which survives
in England?
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Engine SN (turned 90 degrees to ease reading. |
WANTED
BY COLIN STEVENS
1.
Welbike seat (May be able to use a typical British m/c seat such as a BROOKS or TERRY.)
2. Clutch lever. (Prefer original but would consider an accurate
replica).
3.
Original
manuals for the Welbike.
4.
Original Welbike photos, stories and parts.
5. Spare Welbike wheels (8") [Corgi wheels may fit] and spare inner
tubes and tires 12-1/2" x 2w-1/4" DUNLOP CARRIER.
(Stories
should record source to give some validity)
NOTE: If you have original Dunlop Carrier tires with your
Welbike, KEEP them even if you put modern tires on your Welbike as the
original correctly marked tires are no longer available.
FOR
SALE
REPLICA WELBIKE MANUALS
Rob van Meel
(Groucho Publishing)
Fabriekstraat 10, 5038 EN Tilburg, Nederland
Telephone
(+31) 13 535 3612
Fax
(+31) 847 392 382
E-mail:
rvanmeel (at) wanadoo.nl
Prices
in Euros.
EXCELSIOR
100EM1
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100/EM1
Welbike drivers handbook (30 p.)
3,-
101EM1
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101/EM1
Welbike maintenance manual (37 p.)
5,-
43EM1
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1649/2/1
Welbike spares; C1649 (Frame no's: 1214-2613) (12 p.)
1,50
46VI1
1946
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Villiers Junior-de-Luxe instructions & spares
(16 p.)
2,-
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REPLICA WELBIKE PARTS
Lex Schmidt in Holland had the following parts
available.
- New batch of tyres (tires).
- Reproduction pumps,
In a short while Lex expects to have
- Silencers (mufflers)
- Petrol caps
- Pressure vent caps.
Lex Schmidt, Holland.
Tel. +31653593238
Fax. +31302211611
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Colin
Stevens seaforth72 (at) gmail.com |
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VISITORS: 
since 2006-08-24.
Page was created long before that date however.
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