The Pioneer Run 2015

The Pioneer Run, run by the Sunbeam Motorcycle Club, is my favourite event of the year. It's probably the most consistent event for me, in that every year I go away wishing I had time to sketch every single entry. This year the event had 344 pre 1914 machines. I always learn something new at this event, as the machines are so individual due to the Motorcycle only having come into it's own just over a decade before the outbreak of WWI.

1904 James H. Smith 3hp

(ink sketch)

1902 Clement

(ink sketch)

1914 Wanderer 500cc

(ink sketch)

More Photos....

 1913 Wilkinson TMC 830cc

 

1902 G.Valliere/G.V. 183cc 

 

 Unknown Buchet motored machine

1900 De Dion Tricycle 326cc

1908 BAT 9hp

 New Imperial found on the Vintage and Veteran stand

1913 Morgan Runabout

 1912 A-C Sociable

 1912 Royal Enfield Sidecar

 ?

 1913 REX JAP

 2 1914 Calthorpe Junior machines

1913 Excelsior 

Tractor World 2015

As regular readers may know I'm fairly partial to the odd tractor or even heavy machinery, well who isn't? It always brings out the child in me especially at the bigger tractor shows as there is always something different lurking in one of the sheds. Tractor World at the Malvern show ground is now an annual event for me and I always enjoy travelling to the Malvern hills and seeing what I can find...

1943 Caterpillar D42T

(ink sketch)

I've sketched a few Caterpillars now and I'm always drawn to them at shows. A lot of the time they don't have the blade on the front and seeing this D42T in such great used condition with the blade I thought it was a great point to start a day of sketching.

This particular example was ex U.S. Military, I'm currently trying to find out more about it from the owner. To find out more about Caterpillars please visit The Link Caterpillar Club Website.

Massey Ferguson 135 Vinyard

(ink sketch)

I found this amazing high lift Massey in the auction. This machine was used on a tobacco plantation, the reason for the high stance is to enable the tractor to pass over high crops without damaging them.

1949 Allis Chalmers Model G Mower

 (ink sketch)

After looking around for my final sketch of the day I came across this Allis Chalmers and thought I'd challenge myself with something fairly complex. I love the exposed nature of these mowers, everything is functional, the only form of any intended style comes from the rear cowling, but this is an extreme of function over form.

This tractor is more like a motorised cultivator. It was designed to be used on small farms with implements were designed to be attached underneath the tractor.

More photos....

international Harvester A5 Truck

One of the major displays was of Yeoman Tractors. These V4 diesel tractors were produced between 1949 - 57

1967 Winget 42

The J.A.P. Jobber, a motorised garden implement with a few different attachments.

1928 International 10-20

Lovely ford on the auction.

Interesting crawler in the auction, possibly Ransomes?

Fordson halftrack, 

I've seen trenching versions of these, not sure on the technical term for this type of halftrack.

Portable Steam Engine

Unimog

1919 John Deere Waterloo Boy

Some of the other Caterpillars on The Link Caterpillar Club Stand

1950's BMB Hoemate

Whitewebbs Museum of Transport, Enfield

On the 10th March I travelled to The Whitewebbs Museum of Transport, Enfield to sketch the 3rd of 4 Duzmo motorcycles that are known. I'd lived a half hour drive from this museum for many years but never known about it. I was so glad I made the cross country trip to sketch this motorcycle because I found more than that, in a museum run by volunteers who are more than happy to go out of their way for you.

1923 "D.J. Shepard" Duzmo NK 5450

(watercolour and ink)

This particular Duzmo is from 1923 and is a 500cc sports model. Duzmo traded from 1919 to 1923 when they went bust. All the remaining stock was bought by local dealer D.J. Sheppards, of which this bike, and the frame & tank of the Duzmo I sketched at Banbury was part of. NK 5450 was reputed to have been walled up behind an office at Sheppards and eventually used as part of a redundancy payment to a member of Staff.

More on this fascinating mark can be found on the Duzmo Website.

1898 Holden

(ink sketch)

I was thrilled to find this early pioneering machine in the museum, I was even happier when the volunteers agreed to pull it out from the display so that I could sketch it. 

The Holden was created by Colonel H.C.L. Holden who designed the Brooklands track. It has a flat 4 cylinder engine, at 800cc. This particular example is part of the Judd collection and has completed the Pioneer Run (London to Brighton) in 1938 by Rex Judd. Earlier versions of this motorcycle used air cooled engines that were prone to seizing at a maximum speed of 18mph.

I'm currently looking further into this machine, and will post as soon as I've found out more.

More Photos....