This is a short synopsis of the All British (Engine) Company (ABC).
The All British (Engine) Company Ltd was established in 1912. The company was headed up by Ronald Charteris and focused on the production of engines for the aviation industry. The technical aspects of the firm were overseen by Granville Eastwood Bradshaw, a talented mastermind who had the ability to turn his attention to anything mechanical.
ABC started to dabble with motorcycles pretty soon after they were established, when Brooklands prodigy Les Bailey asked Bradshaw to produce some him bespoke components (all-new machined cylinders, con-rods, valves, tappets and rocker gear) to help improve the performance of his 350cc Douglas racing bike. In its revised form, all “Bradshawed up”, Les Bailey took the machine to the Brooklands TT race and broke the one hundred and fifty and the three-hour records in the Junior event. A few days later, he won a race at Le Mans, and later took the flying kilometre record at Brooklands, at 72.63mph.
The accomplishment of the Bradshaw-tuned Douglas pushed ABC into the world of motorcycles, and in only a few months, the company had designed and built a 500cc opposed twin engine, which, it was claimed, would fit most of the motorcycle frames produced at the time. A number of manufacturers gave the new-found motor a crack, including Zenith, Matchless and Douglas. In fact, a number of ABC powered machines were entered into the Isle of Man TT, including George Brough who had failed to have his own engine ready in time!
It soon became clear that the ABC engine only fitted a small number of frames, and this prompted ABC to start building complete motorcycles from 1914. A three-model policy was adopted for the ABC line up, which consisted of the touring version with a guaranteed speed of 60mph, a TT model that could top 65mph, and the Brooklands model with a maximum of speed 70mph.
The ABC bikes were sold in decent numbers, and soon appeared in racing events around circuits of the UK, with Jack Emerson (ABC chief tester) setting a new 500cc record at Brooklands. As ABC were on track to expand and burst into the motorcycle industry, darkness loomed on the horizon as lights started to go out all over Europe, and the First World War was declared. ABC were forced to alter stance and focus on experimental work in the aero-engine field, and in particular on an electrically controlled aerial torpedo. ABC were kept busy throughout the Great War, but still found time to develop and work on motorcycles.
In 1918, with hope on the horizon, ABC released what would become their most iconic motorcycle – the ABC 400. The motorcycle had an overhead valve 398cc flat-twin engine mounted with its cylinders set across a duplex cradle frame. The bike roused a lot of interest with front and rear leaf springs and internal expanding brakes fitted to both wheels. Six prototype machines were made, the first of which took 11 days to complete – this achievement won Bradshaw £1,000, as he had bet that it could be done in under 21 days, a payment of £100 per day being given!
The ABC 400 was built and sold by the Sopwith Aviation & Engineering Co., a collaboration that was required post-war to keep ABC financially viable. The innovation of the 400 was good enough to cause a stir at the annual Motor Cycle Show and orders started to pour in with an initial price tag of £110; further income was generated abroad as the model was made under licence by Gnome et Rhône just outside Paris. There were pitfalls with the design however, with customers complaining of valve gear failure. The frailty of the push rods, production hold-ups, and rising costs resulted in a shrinking interest, and the ABC popularity died. The company declared liquidation and stopped producing motorcycles, albeit some production continued in Germany until 1925. The activity in this country, some would say, would be the catalyst for the infamous Bavarian BMW Boxer engine, although this is certainly one for debate!!
an article by The Girder Club
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