WW II Motorcycle Census Numbers and Contracts

Discussion in 'Vehicle Names and Census Numbers' started by KevinT, Nov 21, 2019.

  1. KevinT

    KevinT Senior Member

    Before I post other A and B census number ranges I thought I would start with the motorcycles first as it was the easiest to sort. The spread sheet was not mine originally I have just tweaked / merged stuff.
    I know that some contracts were cancelled or sub-contracted but this is a starting point.
    Please let me know of any corrections or additions you can make.
    Anyway I hope it is of some interest to someone.

    Cheers

    Kevin
     

    Attached Files:

    eberhard_at, Nido, Waddell and 2 others like this.
  2. Henry Harris

    Henry Harris New Member

    In your list can you explain the abbreviation 'LP' in the contract column?
    Thanks.
     
  3. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    It's 'Local Purchase'

    It would seem that the term was used for RAOC 'B' vehicles during the period that they were dealt with separately from RASC 2nd line vehicles for which the term 'Impressed' was used. This latter term often gives rise to an idea that vehicles were taken by force much in the way of the earlier Naval impressment of men.

    In actual fact, with motorcycles at least most of these 'LP' machines were either purchased via a number of large motorcycle dealers, including their unsold pre-war stock or perhaps more often were simply non-WD specification machines assembled by the manufacturers from their spares stock and purchased under emergency contracts with local authorisation.

    Similar things occurred in the Middle East where export trucks particularly from the US had been at sea for some time and were purchased from the importers as they arrived.
     
  4. eberhard_at

    eberhard_at Member

    good morning historicans!
    in reference with the above list, the motorcycles from Royel Enfield must have numbers up to max 5861429, today I saw pictures from a 1940 WD RE 350, a 1942 RAF-RE 350 and a 1941 WD RE 350 all nicely restored and all had a C9-registration number.
    Are these numbers real or did the restorer pains phantasy numbers on the tankor are did the Navy or Airforce use another system of numbering?
    here the links.
    1940
    Identification help? - Britbike forum

    1941
    1941 WD Royal Enfield 350

    1942
    1942 wd co/b
    The bike from the user "Ron"

    greetings from Austria and safe riding
    eberhard
     

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