Lot 281: 1909 P&M 3½hp

Phelon & Moore (P&M) was founded in Cleckheaton, South Yorkshire in 1904. Joah C Phelon, partner with Harry Rayner in a small engineering business in the town, had built his first prototype motorcycle in 1900, the rights to which were bought by the Humber company. Following Rayner’s untimely death in 1903, Phelon entered into a fresh partnership with Richard Moore. Phelon’s first designs had incorporated engines with inclined cylinders forming part of the frame, and this trademark arrangement was continued by the newly formed P&M. One of the fledgling firm’s first developments was a two-speed primary gear consisting of a pair of chains and a selective clutch, which would remain a P&M feature into the early 1920s. Mainstay of production prior to WWI was a 3½hp single that would be progressively developed, gaining magneto ignition, a contracting band rear brake, P&M’s own front fork and a mechanical inlet valve as the years passed. When war broke out in August 1914, the 3½hp P&M, which had been undergoing assessment by the War Office prior to the commencement of hostilities, was chosen as official motorcycle transport for the newly formed Royal Flying Corps.

This 1909 example, one of the last made with the ‘atmospheric’ inlet valve engine, comes with a quantity of fascinating correspondence documenting its (post-WW2) history. Letters on file reveal that ‘SH 1060’ was owned from 1951 by Theodore Murray Stephen Elliot, of St Boswells, Roxburghshire, who corresponded with both Phelon & Moore and The Association of Pioneer Motorcyclists in attempting to identify the model he had acquired (reply letters on file). Interestingly, the latter organisation’s replies are signed by its Honourary Librarian and founder member – Harold ‘Oily’ Karslake – formerly George Brough’s right-hand man at Brough Superior. In his letter dated 6th February 1952, Harold Karslake states that the machine was almost certainly delivered via P&M’s Scottish agents, Alexander’s, of Lothian Road, Edinburgh, ‘SH’ being a Berwick registration. Also on file are (copy) photographs of the machine as found by Mr Elliot, which show it substantially complete but in need of total restoration, plus another of it with the proud owner after rebuilding.

‘SH 1060’ was next owned (from December 1965) by VMCC stalwart and well known collector/author, Eric Thompson, of Pinner, Middlesex, who is recorded as ‘1st Change’ in the accompanying old-style logbook (issued 1962). The date of original registration recorded in the latter is 30th March 1921, this being shortly after the introduction of the Roads Act of 1920, which required local councils to register all vehicles at the time of licensing and to allocate a separate number to each. (Many vehicles, although in existence for several years in some cases, were only registered for the first time after the Act’s passing).

After Eric Thompson’s death, the VMCC Journal (April 1995 edition) printed a letter of appreciation from Mr Elliot: ‘I always thought of his 1909 P&M as “mine” since I found the machine Reg. SH 1060 derelict at the top of a heap of scrap metal in 1951 at Bingham in Berwickshire (SH registration Berwickshire) and spent hours restoring it to working order. When I did not have the opportunity to use it, he came all the way up to my home in St Boswells in 1966 to buy it and subsequently enter in many events. He may have paid £10! I was proud of my restoration and that he would ride it actively - still I hope going strong, if I can use the word. Where is it?’

The P&M’s next recorded owner is Ian Young, of Abingdon, Oxfordshire, who acquired it in February 1986. Mr Young was followed by David Weeks, of Epsom Downs, Surrey, who bought the machine (via Brian Verrall) in May 1988 and subsequently treated it to a mechanical rebuild. The P&M returned to Brian’s collection in September 2002 following David Weeks’ death.

Last used on this year’s Pioneer Run, this delightful Veteran comes complete with starting handle and is offered with the aforementioned documentation; copy and old-style Swansea V5s; 2002 bill of sale; various expired SORNs, two expired MoTs (1986-1987 and 1989-1990); current V5C registration document; MoT to November 2008 and two Pioneer Certificates, the earliest (No. 196) issued to T M S Elliot in January 1953.

Courtesy of Bonhams and The Sunbeam Motor Cycle Club, complimentary inclusion in the 71st Pioneer Run for Veteran Motorcycles is included with this Lot. The Run takes place on the 22 March 2009.