Monday 9 February 2015

Forgotten Engineer





Austel Motorcycles

Not well known but we have one in the Museum. It is a 1300cc Metro engined model with a 4 speed automatic gearbox. It is really designed for sidecar work, hence the leading link front forks and sturdy design. Chris Castell was the man who built these and was featured in Motorcycle News in October 1985. This article is on display with the Austel.


I have often wondered why someone would make something like this but when you talk to someone who knows about them and having ridden an outfit myself for many years I can understand the why. It is nothing to do with weight but the torque delivery from a car engine. Modern motorcycle engines tend to be short stroke and high revving delivering power at revs along with the torque. The older style of single cylinder motorcycle from the 1950's, in the form of 500cc singles, delivered the power much like a car engine and were really for sidecar use as at the time big solos were mainly of 350cc. This is not ignoring the vast numbers of lightweights that got people to work every day. In 1985 you had the big 750cc motors from Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki that had amazing performance but the engine design and power delivery were not well suited to hauling a sidecar along. There other specials around at the time like the Fath NSU engined monster that gave so much torque it is reported that the rear wire wheel would eat its spokes and he ended up using cast wheels to get around this. At one time we had an Austin Ruby engined Norton on display so specials of putting car engines in motorcycles is not new. There are even 2CV engined specials with one on display at the London Motor Museum just down the road.


 


A couple of notes from Ian Savage who has kindly sent me these photos of his friends Austel rebuild.
Thank you very much for showing me around the museum last Monday.
Here are a couple of photos taken today of my friend's Austels. Both are sidecar machines. The rusty one is Number 17, chain driven, 1000cc and was not completed at the time of Chris Castell's death. It is not as bad as it looks as it has just surface rust. The rest of the parts are away being painted.”






The one with the red tank is Number 5, shaft driven, 1300cc and is the present project.
For your information, Austel are featured in Motorcycle sport November 1986 and June 1987.
At the moment we are converting the gear change and clutch from an awkward two pedal arrangement to hand change and foot clutch. The redundant hand clutch lever will be used to brake the sidecar wheel.”


No two Austel's were the same, one even used a Nissan engine. Some were shaft drive others chain. Gearboxes were automatic or manual depending, perhaps, on what was available at the time eleven were made but only 10 completed before the death of Chris Castell. He was quite special in what he achieved. It does make you wonder what he could have produced today as car engines have become lighter, smaller in capacity and in numbers of cylinders.


Friday 6 February 2015

Back Home


Leaving India.



I have spent the last few days of my tour in Delhi buying a few bits and pieces. I am still amazed by India with such beautiful temples and architecture along with craftsmen that produce such intricate work in metal, stone and wood. There are still British influences with Connaught Place and the curved verandas and pillars that look so Victorian. In contrast to the squalor of local markets in the back streets where the life of the masses is a struggle to eek out an existence and every Rupee is hard earned. Cattle wander everywhere and somehow survive. I have seen minor collisions and been involved in one or two and in the market the other day I witnessed a 4X4 push a vendors cart out of the way with the vendor pinned between his cart and the next. He didn’t seem too hurt, but the 4X4 just drove off after he had made his space. Such inconsiderate driving would not be tolerated in the UK but it seems the norm here. The everyday markets are incredible where you can get almost anything or anything made. There are little businesses everywhere with little machine shops to do more sophisticated stuff in metal or wood. I have seen temples so lavish and well kept to those that are just holding together. I recall a comment from a museum curator he said “It is only the tourists that are making the Indian people preserve what they have”. In Assam I see the old colonial post office buildings falling down. These are beautiful buildings but now the postal system has got up to date they are no longer used which is a great shame. The beaches are long and sandy with softer waves on the west coast, Arabian Sea, to the more wild waves of the Bay of Bengal. In-land I have found my place to motorcycle and that is Rajasthan with its peaceful outlook and good tarmaced roads I will have to try them out perhaps on an Enfield or a Triumph or even on one of the lightweights that most people ride, In all of my travels I encountered only one day of rain and that was in Delhi. I have not been able to see all I wanted as President Obama has just arrived followed by Independence Day and many of the public areas and roads have been closed because of this. I hope this paves the way to better things. Just home and Guy Martin is doing his bit to show some of what India is like. I can empathise with him about riding in Delhi.


 The Mural.

I have seen posts on Facebook while I was away about Jack Lilley’s new piece of art work and took advantage of their open evening that was the launch if the new Tiger 800 models to see it. I am always welcomed there and they let me talk Museum stuff and hand out and fliers. Many thanks to them for a pleasant evening. 



 New Tiger.





At some point I will try out the new Tiger and also have a look at the Explorer as it seems to have a lower seat height. I do like the size of the 675 street triple and with a few mods could be a nice small alternative to the Tigers.