Classic British Frame Builders Mapped - New Website

[netman]

Thanks for all the great info so far... I'm still playing with ideas and formatting - trying a few different things out, but all the info will go up as time allows. I've asked a couple of well known classic lightweight sites for permission to quote short excerpts and link to them, so then I can concentrate on the map rather than duplicating info that is already out there as someone rightly said.

And... classiclightweights and classicrendezvous have both very kindly agreed to the above, so no repetition needed! My thanks to both... hoping to find some time to crack on with it this weekend.

 

[Kempstonian]

Here's another site which may prove useful...

https://www.flickr.com/groups/lost_bicycle_shops/

 

[ozboz]

Pemberton Arrow started on Ashton Old Rd Manchester later in Sale. My old man had a 1937 lightweight frame. @fossyant I am sure can shed some light on Herety frames.

Wow , Im sure I saw one of these frame a couple of years ago in an antique bike shop on Highgate Hill , if I’d of know I’d have bought it as I am from Manchester , I do remember a bike shop in Sale near when we lived at the Washway Rd end , not sure if was anything to do with this builder , the bloke in the shop was a grumpy ol’ Git from memory ,

 

[funk2monk]

Armstrong Cycles from Birmingham

 

[Rod_Saetan]

TJ Quick, SW London, can't remember the address!

 

[netman]

Quick update - gave up on the labels for now, just sticking with what's available in MyMaps.

London builders done up to the end of 'B' barring a couple of additions from elsewhere - basing initial pins on classicleightweights.co.uk and classicrendezvous.com and will fill in any others as they come up later on... it's going to be a busy map!

https://cbfb.home.blog/greater-london-frame-builders-map/

 

[Rod_Saetan]

Do you have AW Cycles (just closed) of Morden? One of the oldest shops in London to stay in the same hands, they built a wide variety of bikes through the 40s and 50s. Will try and find some more info.

 

[biggs682]

Quick update - gave up on the labels for now, just sticking with what's available in MyMaps.

London builders done up to the end of 'B' barring a couple of additions from elsewhere - basing initial pins on classicleightweights.co.uk and classicrendezvous.com and will fill in any others as they come up later on... it's going to be a busy map!

https://cbfb.home.blog/greater-london-frame-builders-map/

@netman keep up the good work

 

[netman]

Do you have AW Cycles (just closed) of Morden? One of the oldest shops in London to stay in the same hands, they built a wide variety of bikes through the 40s and 50s. Will try and find some more info.

Nope! Any info would be great thanks...

 

[PedalPedantic]

Thanks to netman for embarking on this project. i would like to see the classic and vintage afficiandos of this time making a concerted effort to locate, collect, organize and display as much information as possible on the frame/bike builders of London. Isn't this our duty, really?
Two Brixton makers:
P. Barnard and Son
65 Station Rd.

F. H. Grubb
34 Robsart St.

 

[Kempstonian]

I thought I had posted this link beforebut it seems not...

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/cycologygear/bicycle-badges/

Many head badges have the address of the shop/maker on them. Could be useful.

 

[netman]

Thanks to netman for embarking on this project. i would like to see the classic and vintage afficiandos of this time making a concerted effort to locate, collect, organize and display as much information as possible on the frame/bike builders of London. Isn't this our duty, really?
Two Brixton makers:
P. Barnard and Son
65 Station Rd.

F. H. Grubb
34 Robsart St.

Thanks very much - I have Barnard and not got to 'G' yet! Have done a few more tonight... been busy with work lately, but chipping away at it as time allows.

 

[netman]

I thought I had posted this link beforebut it seems not...

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/cycologygear/bicycle-badges/

Many head badges have the address of the shop/maker on them. Could be useful.

Very useful, thanks - many of those badges are works of art in their own right!

 

[Kempstonian]

Very useful, thanks - many of those badges are works of art in their own right!

They certainly are! They used to put a lot more effort into head badges in those days. Does anybody still put cast metal headbadges on bikes these days? I suppose not... they wouldn't look right on the new machinery.

There are other sites which show headbadges too.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

They used to put a lot more effort into head badges in those days. Does anybody still put cast metal headbadges on bikes these days? I suppose not... they wouldn't look right on the new machinery..

Most modern machinery is too ugly looking to be deserving of a nice headbadge. You can dress up a pig all you like, but it doesn't alter the fact it's still a pig at the end of the day.
Even fairly cheap & cheerful vintage steel stuff tended to be better presented than most modern bikes irrespective of price.