Courtesy of Chris Smith.

Its low build, light weight (under 200 lbs) large engine and high gear ratio made it a very pleasant machine to handle. It was the forerunner of the very successful sidecar machine of later years, even in its belt driven form it was capable of a good performance with a sidecar.

Meantime the orders placed with the Stevens Motor manufacturing Company, resulted in a visit of their representative to Thrapston, this visit being the prelude to negotiations for the purchase of the Stevens concern, which was in Voluntary liquidation.

The firm exhibited for the first time at the 1910 Motor Cycle Show at Olympia, showing Motor Cycles, Adjustable pulleys and Telescopic stands.

Behind the offices was the spares department, under Mr. Heckford.

It was this machine that Frank Smith drove so successfully in all the important trials in 1911, he also embarked on a programme of attacking hitherto unclimbed and what were considered unclimbable hills, all with the 5/6h.p. chain driven Motor Cycle and sidecar. 

Notable hills successfully climbed were Porlock and the North Devon terrors, Honister as well as many other Lake District hills etc., etc.

The question of a suitable sidecar frame was given careful attention, hitherto sidecar frames were very light flimsy affairs, clipped to the Motor Cycle frame, generally in three places, they were quite unsuited to strenuous trials and other use. A very robust sidecar frame, attached to the Motor Cycle in four places by taper plugs secured into appropriate sockets, solidly brazed to the Motor Cycle frame, was made, this design remained virtually unaltered for many years. It was imitated by all and sundry.

The late Ailwyn Smith. Courtesy of Chris Smith.

The success of the 1911 trials policy had its effect in 1912 which was a very busy year, orders in excess of the manufacturing capacity being received.

During this year the Clyno Motor Cycle Detachable and Interchangeable wheel was introduced and fitted, this invention first fitted to Clyno Machines, was one of the most important developments in Motor cycling history. 

The basic price of the machine was £81.10s.0d, the body was extra and designed according to individual purchaser's requirements.

The motorcycle could deliver 5-6hp. and sales of the product were very high.

Engine and gear box manufacture continued in the original factory across the road in Pelham Street.

Ashes Works were previously occupied by the Humber Cycle Company.

Photo courtesy of the late Geoff Stevens.

Part of the factory was destroyed in a fire many years ago.

The whole factory has since been demolished.

The policy of running in all important trials, not only in Britain, but also abroad, was persisted in, with marked success.
  

View the 1912 catalogue

The end of the summer brought the first World war, which in view of the financial embarrassment mentioned earlier was a blow to the concern. The death of Mr. N. Smith, father of
A. P. Smith in November 1914, increased these difficulties, as
Mr. Smith was one of the guarantors.

1915
   
After an anxious time early in the year, the issuing of War Contracts relieved the situation somewhat, and the manufacture of a Motor Cycle combination with machine gun attached was developed in conjunction with Messrs. Vickers Ltd.

It was known as the Vickers-Clyno machine gun motor cycle outfit, and together with the ancillary motor cycle machine gun ammunition carriers, were manufactured in large numbers.

The building on the left used to be a school, but is now a social club. Frank Smith is on the extreme left in a Peugeot, and Ailwyn is on the extreme right in a Panhard. Photo courtesy of the late Jim Boulton.

After leaving the company in 1916, Ailwyn Smith went on to pursue a highly successful career with Samuel Taylor & Sons of Brierley Hill where he designed staircases for the side of ships, chains and anchors etc.

The First World War and later

During the First World War, Clyno signed an agreement with the Russian War Commission at the Savoy Hotel in London for the supply of solo and combination machines for the Imperial Russian Army. During the war large numbers of heavy motorcycle combinations were produced for both the British and Russian armies. They consisted of mobile machine gun units, ammunition carriers and solo machines. During 1918 and 1919 Clyno also built a number of ABC Dragonfly aero engines.

A Clyno machine gun battery, leaving camp.

Mr. Heckford, Clyno's Service Manager remembered being 'roped-in' as a road tester for the Clyno machine gun carriers, when they were ridden in convoys of 20 or 25 at a time to Kempton Park, which continued for several months. The machine gun was mounted on a tripod that could easily be removed from the chassis. The wheels were detachable and interchangeable. A spare wheel was carried beside the pillion seat. 

The Dragonfly had nine cylinders, weighed only 600lb, and could deliver 365hp. Early in 1918, Clyno received an order for 8 prototype engines and 500 production engines. Work on the engines quickly got under way and the first engine was delivered on 22nd April 1918, followed by another in June.

By the end of the year, 6 of the prototype engines and 4 of the production engines had been completed. The final two prototypes were delivered early in 1919, along with 47 production engines. The other 453 were cancelled. The orders came too late in the day, because the war soon ended, and the Ministry cancelled all outstanding items.

Courtesy of the late
Jim Boulton.

A new motorcycle, the highly acclaimed 'Spring 8' with a top speed of 50m.p.h. was launched in 1919 at the Olympia show. Unfortunately it would be two years before the machine went into production.

In 1920 the post-war motorcycle market collapsed, and the original works manager Henry Meadows, left to form the well known engine manufacturing company, Henry Meadows Limited at Fallings Park.

The Clyno 'Spring 8' 8h.p. de Luxe Combination. From an advert.

At the time, large numbers of cheap ex-W.D. machines were available. To compound the problem, there were also shortages of materials, which didn’t help production, and last but not least, the Russians failed to pay for the military motorcycles they had received during the war. As a result the company's financial backers withdrew, and the Clyno Engineering Company went into liquidation.

Rebirth

Frank Smith very much wanted to produce cars, and with this in mind he formed the Clyno Engineering Company (1922) Limited with a capital of £100,000. Frank’s father, William Smith was chairman, and Frank became managing director. Initially both cars and motorcycles were produced, but by the autumn of 1923 motorcycle production had ended. The new company stated that no Clyno machines would be displayed at the 1923 Motor Cycle Show.

Chris Smith (Ailwyn's grandson) and a Clyno motorcycle.