| Crescent cyclecars were first built
in Pleck Road, Walsall. The first model, powered by an
8hp. air-cooled ‘V’ twin JAP engine, and belt drive,
appeared in 1911. Unfortunately the belt drive proved to
be inadequate in wet weather and so an improved model,
powered by a friction drive, that was guaranteed for
8,000 miles, soon became available. The car had some
success in trials. In December 1912 B.N. Bailey won a
gold medal in the very first cyclecar trial, along a 100
mile route from Birmingham to Stratford-upon-Avon, and
back. |
A Crescent car from 1911.
Mrs Hartley Smith driving a 1912 Crescent car.
Courtesy of the late Jim Boulton.
|
In 1913 production moved to
Britannia Works at Smethwick and a new model was
launched. The new car had a Blumfield or Precision water-cooled 8hp. engine, a chain drive to the rear axle, a
tubular steel chassis, front wheel brakes, and a
transmission brake. The rear axle was not fitted with a
differential, instead the chain only drove one wheel,
the other being driven by a friction drive. The open 2 seater sold for £127, but very few were built.
Production ended in 1915 after the onset of the First
World War.
|
 |
Mark Longmore’s Crescent
cyclecar, the only known survivor.
This example was made in
Smethwick in 1914. |
| Another view of Mark
Longmore’s Crescent cyclecar. |
 |
 |
A final view of Mark
Longmore’s Crescent cyclecar. |
The builder's plate on Mark Longmore's car.
The interior of Mark Longmore's car.
An advert from 1914.
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