Welbike
Encyclopedia
The Welbike was a British
single-seat motorcycle
devised during World War Two
at Station IX
— the "Inter Services Research Bureau" — based at Welwyn
, UK
, for use by Special Operations Executive
(SOE). It has the distinction of being the smallest motorcycle ever used by the British Armed Forces,. Between 1942 and 1943, 3,641 units (plus a prototype and some pilot models) were built and although it was not much used by the SOE, some were issued to the British 1st and 6th Airborne Divisions and some were used at Arnhem
during Operation Market Garden
.
The Italians, Germans and Americans also developed small motorcycles for their airborne forces during World War II.
, the Commanding Officer of Station IX, the secret Inter-Services Military Research Establishment based in a mansion called The Frythe (latterly owned by the pharmaceutical company GSK) an hours drive north of London
near the town of Welwyn
in Hertfordshire
, which had been taken over for the war effort. Powered by a Villiers
98 cm3 single-cylinder two-stroke petrol (gasoline) engine, the Welbike was designed to fit into a standard parachute airdrop container 51 inches (129.5 cm), 15 inches (38.1 cm) high and 12 inches (30.5 cm) inches wide and be easily assembled and ready for use as quickly as possible. The name Welbike comes from the custom that all the clandestine equipment devised at Station IX in Welwyn had names starting with Wel, e.g., Welman, Welrod
. There was very limited space in the airborne equipment container, so the Welbike which was carried in the container at an angle, had no suspension, no lights and just a single rear brake.
The fuel tank was as small as possible, and because its bottom feed point was located lower than the carburetor, it had to be pressurised occasionally by a hand pump built into the tank. The range on maximum capacity of 6.5 pints of fuel was a respectable 90 miles at about 30 mph. To save time the tanks were pressurised before the Welbike went into action. The Welbike was then packed into the parachute container with the rear wheel to the base of the parachute canister, which had a percussion head to minimise damage on landing. Once it hit the ground all that was needed was to twist the handlebars into position and lock them on spring-loaded pins. The saddle was pulled up and the footrests folded out ready to push start
the two stroke engine and ride into action. The aim was that a paratrooper could remove the Welbike from its special green container (which was marked in white lettering with the words Motor Cycle) and its easily identified coloured parachute, and be on the road within 11 seconds. The prototype survived extensive drop testing at the Special Operations School at Arisaig
in Scotland
where it was demonstrated to the commando forces.
The prototype was then sent to the Excelsior Ltd
for further development. A number of pre-production "pilot" machines were built for further testing and experimental modifications at the Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment at Sherburn-in-Elmet
near Leeds
in September 1942, including dropping them from aircraft to land by parachute. The Villers engine was found to be seriously under powered when ridden by a fully equipped soldier, so it was retuned for maximum power.
The simple design of the Welbike meant that it was easy and quick to produce and from 1942 went into full production for issue to airborne forces. By 1943 it was also being widely used by ground assault forces, including the Commandos and the Royal Marines
Commando units, particularly for beach landings at Anzio
and Normandy
. The small size of the Welbike meant that it also proved very useful as a general airfield transport by the Royal Air Force
and aircrews based in the large Far East airfields would 'stow away' a Welbike if they could find one.
There were three production versions of the Welbike. The first 1,200 were known as the Mark 1 and were really the developed version of the original prototype with tuned engines. These did not have a rear mudguard fitted however. One thousand four hundred Mark 2 Series 1 Welbikes were produced and these had a range of minor modifications, including the addition of the rear mudguard. The final batch of 1,340 was the Mark 2 Series 2 and had 'saddle' fuel tanks with a splash shielding between them and an improved filler cap, as the original design required the removal of the pressurisation pump which was too time consuming.
In combat situations, however, the Welbike could prove a liability as paratroops needed to get under cover as quickly as possible and had to find the Welbike containers before they could even start to assemble them. The difference in weight between a parachutist and a container meant that they often landed some distance apart, rather defeating the object, and some were captured by enemy forces or lost before they could even be used. The low power and small wheels also meant that they struggled to cope adequately with the often rough battlefield roads so were often abandoned by troops who found it easier to continue on foot. Another problem for the Welbike was that by the time it was in mass production, much larger gliders
had been developed that could carry bigger and more powerful motorcycles such as the Royal Enfield WD/RE
.
Pilot models Frame # 2 to 13. The Prototypen and Pilot models are distinguished by teardrop shaped saddle tanks. (At least two of these early Welbikes have been saved. (# 2 and one other)
1. Contract 294/23/S.789 dated 26 August 1942 for 1,000 (changed to 1,200) Welbikes Frame # 14 to 1214, War Department # C4658444 to C4659673. Received 15 October 1942.
2. Contract 294/23/S.1649 dated 19 November 1942 for 1,400 Welbikes Frame # 1214 to 2613, War Department # C5152014 to C5153413. Received Feb 1943 to 14 March 1943.
3. Contract 294/23/S.1946 dated 27 December 1942 for 1,341 (reduced to 1,241) Welbikes Frame # 2614 to 3954 War Department # C5153414 to C5154654.
4. Contract 294/23/S.3662 dated 21 June 1943 for 7,778 (reduced to 1,241 then reduced to 0) Frame # 3955 ot 5195 War Department # C5367454 to C5368694. CANCELLED
It appears that only the Mark II Welbikes had a contract number dataplate. This was brass and was attched to the frame below the seat post.
Many of the later models never saw action and were disposed of at the end of the war, mostly exported to the USA where they were sold by a New York
department store. The lack of a front brake meant that they could not legally be used on the road, however, so most were bought by farmers for off road use. The originator John Dolphin developed his ideas further and set up the Corgi Motorcycle Co Ltd.
of which he was Managing Director, and had them produced as the Corgi by Brockhouse Engineering (Southport) Ltd., who had been manufacturing military trailers during the war. The Corgi scooter was powered by an Excelsior Spryt Autocycle engine and went into production in 1947. Most were initially exported to North America branded as the 'Indian Papoose' and not sold in the UK until early 1948, with some 27,050 being manufactured. The single speed two stroke engine was too slow, however, and even despite the high post war demand for transport, lack of power and reliability problems meant it was discontinued in October 1954.
Corgi scooters were sometimes painted a military green but were not much used by the British armed forces. A few were used by the Royal Navy for example. The concept continued to be developed by other manufacturers, however, and led to the folding Honda
Monkey bike
of the 1960s.
1. Frame # 2348 Engine # XXE 2606 repainted with original WD # C5153148 left untouched, built on second contract 294/23/S.1649 issued 19 Nov 1942 with deliveries commencing Feb 1943. Found in Australia, apparently one of the 302 Welbikes boxed for export by 6 May 1943.
2. Frame # 3839 Engine # XXE 4065 WD # C5154639 Built on third contract 294/23/S.1946 issued 27 Dec 1942 with deliveries commencing May 1943. Note that S.1946 is not the year of manufacture. Found totally original in Ohio, USA.
http://bcoy1cpb.pacdat.net/welbike.htm Website includes photos and where to find the frame serial number, engine serial number and War Department number. Some Mk. II Welbikes had a contract dataplate on the frame, below the seat.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
single-seat motorcycle
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...
devised during World War Two
World 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...
at Station IX
Station IX
Station IX was a secret British Special Operations Executive factory making commando equipment during World War II. It was established at a mansion called 'The Frythe' about an hours drive north from London near the town of Welwyn ....
— the "Inter Services Research Bureau" — based at Welwyn
Welwyn Garden City
-Economy:Ever since its inception as garden city, Welwyn Garden City has attracted a strong commercial base with several designated employment areas. Among the companies trading in the town are:*Air Link Systems*Baxter*British Lead Mills*Carl Zeiss...
, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, for use by Special Operations Executive
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
(SOE). It has the distinction of being the smallest motorcycle ever used by the British Armed Forces,. Between 1942 and 1943, 3,641 units (plus a prototype and some pilot models) were built and although it was not much used by the SOE, some were issued to the British 1st and 6th Airborne Divisions and some were used at Arnhem
Arnhem
Arnhem is a city and municipality, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland and located near the river Nederrijn as well as near the St. Jansbeek, which was the source of the city's development. Arnhem has 146,095 residents as one of the...
during Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....
.
The Italians, Germans and Americans also developed small motorcycles for their airborne forces during World War II.
Development
The original prototype was designed by SOE motor cycle enthusiast Harry Lester, from an idea developed by * Lt. Colonel John DolphinJohn Dolphin
John Robert Vernon Dolphin CBE was a British engineer and inventor who became the Commanding Officer of the top secret Second World War Special Operations Executive 'Station IX' where specialist military equipment was developed. During his time there his inventions included the Welman midget...
, the Commanding Officer of Station IX, the secret Inter-Services Military Research Establishment based in a mansion called The Frythe (latterly owned by the pharmaceutical company GSK) an hours drive north of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
near the town of Welwyn
Welwyn
Welwyn is a village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England. The parish also includes the villages of Digswell and Oaklands. It is sometimes called Old Welwyn to distinguish it from the newer settlement of Welwyn Garden City, about a mile to the south.-History:Situated in the valley of the...
in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, which had been taken over for the war effort. Powered by a Villiers
Villiers Engineering
Villiers Engineering was a manufacturer of motorcycles and cycle parts, and an engineering company based in Villiers Street, Wolverhampton, England....
98 cm3 single-cylinder two-stroke petrol (gasoline) engine, the Welbike was designed to fit into a standard parachute airdrop container 51 inches (129.5 cm), 15 inches (38.1 cm) high and 12 inches (30.5 cm) inches wide and be easily assembled and ready for use as quickly as possible. The name Welbike comes from the custom that all the clandestine equipment devised at Station IX in Welwyn had names starting with Wel, e.g., Welman, Welrod
Welrod
The Welrod was a British bolt action, magazine fed, suppressed pistol devised during World War II at the Inter-Services Research Bureau , based near Welwyn Garden City, UK, for use by irregular forces and resistance groups...
. There was very limited space in the airborne equipment container, so the Welbike which was carried in the container at an angle, had no suspension, no lights and just a single rear brake.
The fuel tank was as small as possible, and because its bottom feed point was located lower than the carburetor, it had to be pressurised occasionally by a hand pump built into the tank. The range on maximum capacity of 6.5 pints of fuel was a respectable 90 miles at about 30 mph. To save time the tanks were pressurised before the Welbike went into action. The Welbike was then packed into the parachute container with the rear wheel to the base of the parachute canister, which had a percussion head to minimise damage on landing. Once it hit the ground all that was needed was to twist the handlebars into position and lock them on spring-loaded pins. The saddle was pulled up and the footrests folded out ready to push start
Push start
Push starting, also known as bump starting, pop starting or crash starting is a method of starting a motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine by engaging the manual transmission through the motion of the vehicle...
the two stroke engine and ride into action. The aim was that a paratrooper could remove the Welbike from its special green container (which was marked in white lettering with the words Motor Cycle) and its easily identified coloured parachute, and be on the road within 11 seconds. The prototype survived extensive drop testing at the Special Operations School at Arisaig
Arisaig
Arisaig is a village in Lochaber, Invernessshire, on the west coast of the Scottish Highlands.-History:On 20 September 1746 Bonnie Prince Charlie left Scotland for France from a place near the village following the failure of the Jacobite Rising. The site of his departure is marked by the Prince's...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
where it was demonstrated to the commando forces.
The prototype was then sent to the Excelsior Ltd
Excelsior Motor Company
Excelsior, based in Coventry, was a British bicycle, motorcycle and car maker. They were Britain’s first motorcycle manufacturer, starting production of their own ‘motor-bicycle’ in 1896...
for further development. A number of pre-production "pilot" machines were built for further testing and experimental modifications at the Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment at Sherburn-in-Elmet
Sherburn-in-Elmet
Sherburn-in-Elmet is a town and civil parish in the Selby district of North Yorkshire, England, situated close to Selby. It is one of only three places in the area to be explicitly associated with the ancient Celtic kingdom of Elmet via featuring the kingdom's title in its name, the others being...
near Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
in September 1942, including dropping them from aircraft to land by parachute. The Villers engine was found to be seriously under powered when ridden by a fully equipped soldier, so it was retuned for maximum power.
The simple design of the Welbike meant that it was easy and quick to produce and from 1942 went into full production for issue to airborne forces. By 1943 it was also being widely used by ground assault forces, including the Commandos and the Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
Commando units, particularly for beach landings at Anzio
Anzio
Anzio is a city and comune on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about south of Rome.Well known for its seaside harbour setting, it is a fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine Islands of Ponza, Palmarola and Ventotene...
and Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
. The small size of the Welbike meant that it also proved very useful as a general airfield transport by the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
and aircrews based in the large Far East airfields would 'stow away' a Welbike if they could find one.
There were three production versions of the Welbike. The first 1,200 were known as the Mark 1 and were really the developed version of the original prototype with tuned engines. These did not have a rear mudguard fitted however. One thousand four hundred Mark 2 Series 1 Welbikes were produced and these had a range of minor modifications, including the addition of the rear mudguard. The final batch of 1,340 was the Mark 2 Series 2 and had 'saddle' fuel tanks with a splash shielding between them and an improved filler cap, as the original design required the removal of the pressurisation pump which was too time consuming.
In combat situations, however, the Welbike could prove a liability as paratroops needed to get under cover as quickly as possible and had to find the Welbike containers before they could even start to assemble them. The difference in weight between a parachutist and a container meant that they often landed some distance apart, rather defeating the object, and some were captured by enemy forces or lost before they could even be used. The low power and small wheels also meant that they struggled to cope adequately with the often rough battlefield roads so were often abandoned by troops who found it easier to continue on foot. Another problem for the Welbike was that by the time it was in mass production, much larger gliders
Military glider
Military gliders have been used by the military of various countries for carrying troops and heavy equipment to a combat zone, mainly during the Second World War. These engineless aircraft were towed into the air and most of the way to their target by military transport planes, e.g...
had been developed that could carry bigger and more powerful motorcycles such as the Royal Enfield WD/RE
Royal Enfield WD/RE
The Royal Enfield WD/RE known as the "Flying Flea" was a lightweight British motorcycle developed by Royal Enfield for the British War Office as a means of transport for that could be dropped by parachute or carried in gliders, to quickly carry messages and signals between airborne and assault...
.
Welbike Production
Prototype Frame # 1Pilot models Frame # 2 to 13. The Prototypen and Pilot models are distinguished by teardrop shaped saddle tanks. (At least two of these early Welbikes have been saved. (# 2 and one other)
1. Contract 294/23/S.789 dated 26 August 1942 for 1,000 (changed to 1,200) Welbikes Frame # 14 to 1214, War Department # C4658444 to C4659673. Received 15 October 1942.
2. Contract 294/23/S.1649 dated 19 November 1942 for 1,400 Welbikes Frame # 1214 to 2613, War Department # C5152014 to C5153413. Received Feb 1943 to 14 March 1943.
3. Contract 294/23/S.1946 dated 27 December 1942 for 1,341 (reduced to 1,241) Welbikes Frame # 2614 to 3954 War Department # C5153414 to C5154654.
4. Contract 294/23/S.3662 dated 21 June 1943 for 7,778 (reduced to 1,241 then reduced to 0) Frame # 3955 ot 5195 War Department # C5367454 to C5368694. CANCELLED
It appears that only the Mark II Welbikes had a contract number dataplate. This was brass and was attched to the frame below the seat post.
Corgi scooter
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
department store. The lack of a front brake meant that they could not legally be used on the road, however, so most were bought by farmers for off road use. The originator John Dolphin developed his ideas further and set up the Corgi Motorcycle Co Ltd.
Corgi Motorcycle Co Ltd.
The Corgi Motorcycle Co Ltd. was a British motorcycle manufacturer based in Southport that produced 98 cc scooters developed by managing director John Dolphin from the military Welbike motorcycle...
of which he was Managing Director, and had them produced as the Corgi by Brockhouse Engineering (Southport) Ltd., who had been manufacturing military trailers during the war. The Corgi scooter was powered by an Excelsior Spryt Autocycle engine and went into production in 1947. Most were initially exported to North America branded as the 'Indian Papoose' and not sold in the UK until early 1948, with some 27,050 being manufactured. The single speed two stroke engine was too slow, however, and even despite the high post war demand for transport, lack of power and reliability problems meant it was discontinued in October 1954.
Corgi scooters were sometimes painted a military green but were not much used by the British armed forces. A few were used by the Royal Navy for example. The concept continued to be developed by other manufacturers, however, and led to the folding Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
Monkey bike
Monkey bike
Monkey bike is the name given by Honda to one of their small, low-powered motorcycles introduced in the 1960s. The first Honda monkey was the 1961 Z100. Later Monkeys were designated Z50, such as the Z50A,J,M,R and Z....
of the 1960s.
Survivors
There are surviving Welbikes around the World including the UK, USA (where many were sold surplus after World War II), Canada, Australia, South Africa, Holland, India etc. Welbikes are rare and very few survive with the original War Department number intact as it was painted on. Many restorations have added a typical or estimated WD # as the original was missing. The only permanent identity of a Welbike is the frame serial number which is stamped on the front of th frame above the fork e.g. 1234.- At Harrington Aviation Museum, HarringtonHarrington, NorthamptonshireHarrington is a village and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England, administered by Kettering Borough and Northamptonshire County councils. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 154 people. The parish church of St. Peter and St...
, NorthamptonNorthamptonNorthampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
, UK: WDWar Department (UK)The War Department was the United Kingdom government department responsible for the supply of equipment to the armed forces of the United Kingdom and the pursuance of military activity. In 1857 it became the War Office...
Number C5152111 - At South African National Museum of Military HistorySouth African National Museum of Military HistoryThe South African National War Museum in Johannesburg was officially opened by Prime Minister Jan Smuts on 29 August 1947 to preserve the history of South Africa's involvement in the Second World War. In 1975 the museum was renamed the South African National Museum of Military History and its...
, JohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
: WD Number C4659131 - Imperial War MuseumImperial War MuseumImperial War Museum is a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. The museum was founded during the First World War in 1917 and intended as a record of the war effort and sacrifice of Britain and her Empire...
- Two of the Prototype/Pilot models have been preserved: # 2 in Holland and one with an unknown # in the UK.
- Colin MacGregor Stevens' (MVPA Member 954 since 1977) collection, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. Two complete Welbikes Mark II:
1. Frame # 2348 Engine # XXE 2606 repainted with original WD # C5153148 left untouched, built on second contract 294/23/S.1649 issued 19 Nov 1942 with deliveries commencing Feb 1943. Found in Australia, apparently one of the 302 Welbikes boxed for export by 6 May 1943.
2. Frame # 3839 Engine # XXE 4065 WD # C5154639 Built on third contract 294/23/S.1946 issued 27 Dec 1942 with deliveries commencing May 1943. Note that S.1946 is not the year of manufacture. Found totally original in Ohio, USA.
http://bcoy1cpb.pacdat.net/welbike.htm Website includes photos and where to find the frame serial number, engine serial number and War Department number. Some Mk. II Welbikes had a contract dataplate on the frame, below the seat.