A chance discovery

Horatioqbirdbath

New Forum User
Non-VOC Member
Dear Forumists,
I'm brand new to your Club as a visitor and wonder if any Members can help. My late father was a keen motorcyclist from 1930 until around 1950 and had ten different 'bikes of which I know a lot about his Sunbeam and a little about his Vincent HRD. I have pictures of his bike and tonight, happened to do a very casual search of the UK DVLA Registration records. You will now guess that I was stunned to see his Vincent still appears on their records!

So..does anyone know the whereabouts of his Vincent HRD, CWL 512 first reg'd in Oxford (almost guaranteed to be from King's of Oxford the motorcycle dealers) on 7th February 1936 and last taxed on 1st October 1995 please?

It does not appear to be on SORN, the registration is not transferred so I'm hoping that it is in preservation somewhere. If anyone has any ideas I should be most grateful!

I have a picture but will have to do a little work to get the URL to post it here. I'm a member of the VSCC forum and we have to do the same thing on our pages!

If the current owner reads this, then I can fill in a fair amount of it's early history!

Incidentally, his 1935 Sunbeam 95R still survives and now has complete history from delivery to date with just a six week gap in 1950!

Thank you for reading this,
Richard Leaman
Bristol UK
 

vibrac

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
If you go to the Oxford archives you should find the full registration record, I did for my '52 TR5 Trophy and found that was supplied from Laytons of New road Oxford (gone now but back then as big as Kings.)
If you were a member you could contact our records officer who may be able to pass a message on to the present owner who might contact you
 

Horatioqbirdbath

New Forum User
Non-VOC Member
vibrac...Thank you for the information! I had guessed Kings as being the supplier only from the registration and because I knew my father and his friends did buy bikes from there around that time. I'll see if I can ask the Records Officer for help. Thank you again! Richard.
 

Horatioqbirdbath

New Forum User
Non-VOC Member
May I send a note of thanks for the help that I have received from the Club following which I have tonight been speaking to the current owner who amazingly lives only an hour away! I am pleased to be able to help with the history of the bike and of course it has a bit of a special meaning for me.

Thank you all for your interest.
Richard Leaman.
 
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