Where is the unique Walker Bullpup?
I wonder if you would be interested in helping me with research. I know nothing about motorcycles, sorry.
I have a photograph of my aunt and uncle sitting on their Walker Bullpup at Herne Bay, Kent, in probably in the early 1930s. I remember seeing this ancient machine in my uncle’s garage at Farnborough, Hants, in the mid-1950s, when I used to visit them as a youngster. I always understood he built it himself, his surname being Walker. He was the workshop manager of a large garage in Farnborough, and was himself a skilled engineer.
There have been some references to the machine online and an article showing a motorcycle with home-made bodywork, seemingly not the same motorcycle and apparently in Australia.
I would dearly like to make contact with whoever owns it now, just to find out where it has been since I last saw it and, indeed, to learn where I could see it now. It is still registered with DVLA, but is on SORN.
Dick Holness, email.
I first encountered the Walker Bullpup over 40 years ago when I entered my first VMCC Banbury Run (riding the 1924 550cc OEC Blackburne I still have) in 1979. So, the following is a personal memory, rather than the usual YWA column reply.
From memory, I’m sure the Walker Bullpup was a one-off special built in period by an engineer, Mr Walker – one assumes your uncle, Dick. It was an incredibly long, low machine powered by a 980cc side-valve V-twin JAP engine and at the time was owned and rebuilt by Trevor Innes, who was I think an Australian living and working in the London area. He and (I believe) a passenger (perhaps girlfriend or wife) had ridden to the event from Cricklewood, London, and then rode home after the Banbury Run and prizegiving was over. Verbal reports at the time suggested Trevor had a minor tumble on the run when part of the ultra-low frame dug into the road on a slow sharp bend.
Notes in my 1979 Banbury Run programme inform the Walker Bullpup won the Sheldon Trophy. This annual award, along with a replica, is presented to the machine, which in the opinion of the judges, is of greatest technical interest. No motorcycle entry can win this award more than once.
The 1979 Banbury Run programme entry for the machine reads: “246 (entry number) 1927 Walker Bullpup 980cc. Trevor Innes, Cricklewood.”
Trevor’s notes in the programme say: “It’s 9ft long, has pressured oil system – telescopic hydraulic damper in seat (Koni style) and I guess is the original low rider. You sit about 18 inches from the ground.”
At the time of the Banbury Run the Walker Bullpup carried the circa 1926/7 Hampshire registration marque OT 891.
One imagines The Motor Cycle (Bob Currie) and Motor Cycle News would have carried reports in their following week’s editions. At present, due to Covid I can’t access these, but when possible, I hope to carry a follow up feature.
I thought you’d like to see these photographs of my father with his motorcycle. The image of the near-new machine as a solo was taken first, then with sidecar and, finally, in 1926, the one captured at St Antonin. I hope these are of interest and would appreciate any information you or your readers can give me.
Peter Gillman, email, London.
Your father’s motorcycle is a 550cc Triumph SD. In design, an updated Model H of which over 30,000 were supplied for the Allied war effort by the Priory Street, Coventry maker.
One of the major differences between the earlier Model H and the SD was its drive. The Model H had chain primary drive to a Sturmey Archer three-speed gearbox and belt final drive, whereas the later SD had all chain drive, with Triumph’s own three-speed gearbox and oil bath primary drive casing. The model identification ‘SD’ was the acronym for Spring Drive, a gearbox mainshaft shock absorber to take the snatch out of the drive.
The SD featured Triumph’s own rocking action front fork, the company’s own carburettor and their 85x87mm bore and stroke single cylinder side-valve engine. Early models had a cycle-type stirrup front brake and dummy belt rim rear brake, while later models had a small internal expanding front brake and the rocking action fork was dropped in favour of a Triumphdesigned side-sprung girder front fork. Although your father’s machine has acetylene lights, Triumphs offered, from circa 1921, the Lucas magdyno electric lighting set – both types of lights were at extra cost.
An interesting period piece on the subject Triumph is its tax disc. Logbooks and tax (licence) discs weren’t introduced until 1921, thus before that date there would be no need of the tax disc holder as fitted to the front fork of the subject motorcycle. This, along with the following, indicate the SD is from 1920 or 1921 manufacture, as for the 1922 season and part of 1921 Triumph fitted as standard a tax disc holder integral to the front numberplate for all models except their two-stroke lightweight, the Junior.
The Triumph SD’s registration mark is one of a Kent series issued 1920-1922, which dates this machine as 1920 or early 1921.
So far, so good… And just the sidecar is left! And I’m rubbish at identifying these. At a guess, this sporting model could be a Hughes, Swallow or Swan, and it comprises a wooden frame of ash or possibly spruce clad in what appears to be fabric, as found with many pre 1935 coach built cars. The body is mounted via springs to its tubular chassis with an unsprung wheel. Many favoured the SD for sidecar applications and Triumph offered their own Gloria sidecar, but this sporting model isn’t one of those.