1914 Triumph 4 1/4 Roadster

• Historic and well documented 'Pioneer' machine in good running order
• Supplied with its entire history since the day it was born 
• Still carries the original registration number LX 1263, issued in July 1914
• One of only six running survivors of the 1930 Pioneer Run
• Took part in the 1930, 1931 and 1932 events. Pioneer Certificate included
• Extensive history file with Pioneer programs from '30, '31, and '32 showing LX’s entry with H.K.G. Garland at the helm
• Older restoration showing great patina. Well maintained by its current owner of 15 years
• Fitted with a 3-speed Sturmey Archer hub
• Winner of its class at the 2017 Salon Privé event
• 107 years old and part of British Motorcycling history

Triumph Motor Cycle frame No 255898 was built at the Coventry factory in late 1914; the engine number fitted at that time cannot be verified, as such records for machines built for the War Office carried scant documentation. However, in early 1919, it appears it was part of a batch sold back to the Triumph factory, where it was re-built and subsequently appeared on the civilian market as – ‘Triumph Renovated’.

According to his son, it was purchased in July 1919 by Harold Kirkwood Garland and following the ‘Motor Car Act of 1903 which introduced compulsory registration to all ‘motorised vehicles, the bike was given the registration number: LX 1263. The ‘Road Act’ of 1920 further tightened up the regulations, by introducing ‘the Log-Book and also introduced the collection of Excise Duty and the ‘Tax Disc’. The engine fitted at the time was thought to have been a 550cc 4 horse power unit carrying the number 36267, but the continuation book of 1932 shows the number 36304. Such things were not uncommon, as oils and total loss lubrication were very much a ‘guess it and hope’ thing, and engines could fail very quickly if the owner got it wrong.

Not much is known about ‘LX’ in the 20’s, but we know it was used as daily transport for Harold Garland, who lived 3 miles away from KJ Motors of Bromley, his place of work. By 1930 however, it was no longer in daily use and showing signs of ‘a hard life’. The mudguards had been replaced and the ‘peddling gear’ was missing, leaving ‘run-and-bump-it’ as the only option! His great friend George Brough (of Brough Superior fame), did however persuade him to enter the bike in the 1930 ‘Pioneer Run’ from London to Brighton, in which they completed the run together; George riding the 1902 ‘Dreadnought. He also entered the 1931 and ’32 runs. The photo of ‘LX’ which appeared in the 1961 ‘Silver Jubilee Run’ programme, asking whether ‘LX 1263 will be running’ in the 1961 event, shows its condition.

The comment in the 1932 entry states ‘This machine has had a busy life, been running for years without any attention’. The engine had been changed by 1930, as the size given was 500cc; this was a 1912 engine No 20095. It appears that ‘LX’ was then ‘moth-balled,’ or at least not used from 1932 until 1939, when it was taxed for 3 months in the summer of that year. Throughout the 1939-45 war, it remained unused, until a change of ownership to ‘Basil Budgett’ of Reigate, who registered it for the remainder of 1949. ‘LX’ was then taxed for 9 months in 1950 and ’51, when Harold Garland once again rode in the 1951 ‘Pioneer’.

Garland must have had the bike back, because he moved to Cheltenham in in the ‘50’s and the bike came with him, but in 1962 ‘LX’ was sold to Arthur Mortimer. Arthur loaned the bike in 1984 to one Eric Hancock, who registered it in his name and then loaned it to a Tim Stephens, a college student, who used it as daily transport for some time; returning the bike back to Arthur Mortimer sometime in 1987. By this time, poor old ‘LX’ was showing its age and was in need of some serious TLC. The 3 speed Armstrong (Sturmey Archer JS) 3 speed wheel was in need of an overhaul, but somehow got ‘lost’ and so Arthur managed to find a smaller JA wheel in Australia. The seat needed re-covering and the tank needed a re-paint, but this didn’t happen for 11 years and the bike passed on in 1998 to one ‘Joe Fryer’, (with whom I’ve spoken on the odd occasion), who in turn sold it to a George Jarman.

George set about restoring the bike to the condition it was in when Harold Garland used it in the 1st Pioneer run, as that was – and still is the way it has spent most of its life. He managed to gather together all the now dismantled parts and started the project. And shortly after purchasing ‘LX’, Joe Fryer sold George a pile of Triumph engines, which had been languishing under his bench. In that pile were the crankcases 36304, which were damaged and beyond repair, but also in that pile were the cases numbered

36267 – the ones thought to have been original fitment when it left the factory! So now, after 70 years, ‘LX’ was to be re-united with what is thought to have been its original engine, but was still in need of serious resurrection. However, George never got around to completing the project.

THE NEXT CHAPTER – READ ON!

Enter Fred Smith Junior: Sympathetic and imaginative engineer, well known in VMCC circles.

George Jarman and ‘LX’ parted company in January 2003, when one Fred Smith Junior from Romsey took over care of the old girl, to breathe new life into her. He overhauled the hub gears, got the engine going, recovered the saddle and had the tank refinished, as by the time he got hold of ‘LX’, there was very little paint left on the tank to protect it. Once minimal restoration to its 1930 appearance had been completed and it was sorted and running, ‘LX’ was brought to the current owner’s garage at Natton for an MOT, after which it was sold to a Jonathan Ward and the bike went to live in Malvern. Fred Smith became one of Anthony’s tenants, when he moved his machine shop into a spare unit at Natton – and the two struck up a great working relationship.

3 years later, Fred tipped him off that Jonny Ward had decided that veteran motor-cycling was not for him, at which point, on 29th June 2006, ‘LX’ became the property of its current owner; who was already well-known as a vintage bike collector. On detailed inspection, the wheel rims were as far as they knew – original and were in dire need of replacement. They were deeply pitted, all the nickel plating had long since eroded away and the current owner was reminded of another bike in a veteran rally, where the ‘beaded edge’ tyre on his rear wheel blew a section of the rim off and he headed for the trees! Fred rebuilt the wheels – long overdue!

In June 2007, ‘LX’ was shipped to the Isle of Man, along with a 1930 AJS ‘R6’ 350 - (ridden by the owner’s wife), where both machines ran in the 100th anniversary TT re-enactment around the original ‘Peel’ circuit. That was probably the most memorable ride of their lives, as they were joined by guest riders, such as John McGuiness, Guy Martin, ‘Milky Quale’, Mick Grant and many others. The roadside audience reaction was incredible, cheering at these old machines, puffing their way round and when the old Triumph turned into the climb at the bottom of Church Hill, a ‘Mexican Wave’ on both sides accompanied it all the way to the top of the hill. Tears of joy rolling down their joint faces. ‘LX’ was then used for the rest of the TT week as daily transport, covering 490 miles! An amazing experience and the ‘old stalwart’ always drew a crowd wherever it went; besieged by other bikers whenever and wherever it was parked.

Since then, the bike has completed 3 more Pioneer runs, including the 75th anniversary in 2011, when the owner set off promptly at the start, determined to beat the traffic and be the first arrival to Madeira Drive on Brighton sea front. This, he succeeded in not only being the 1st arrival, but managed to catch the organisers ‘on the hop’, as they hadn’t yet set up the PA system, but he was welcomed by the Lady Mayor of Brighton and received his all-important medal!

Illness in 2014, bad weather in 2015, other mishaps over the next 4 years and finally COVID have put paid to further runs, but the old girl is scheduled to run in the 2021 Pioneer, (provided COVID doesn’t kill that run as well.)

After all – ‘LX’ is well acquainted with that run to Brighton; not too shabby for its 107 years. It’s like ‘coming home’!