Pidcock 1942 electric motorcycle 3507

“Pidcock” 1942 electric motorcycle

During the second world war petrol was hard to come by for civilian use in Britain, so Peterborough inhabitant Mr. J.  Pidcock, from 99 Crown Street, designed and built a motorcycle that was not driven by petrol, but used electricity as driving power. He started by using a converted 1922 Douglas rolling chassis, but later designed a special frame that he coupled to a ca 1930 BSA headstock and front forks. He fitted 21“ wheels and power came from three 6 volt batteries, coupled to a Lucas A900R Dynamotor. A lever with a four-position quadrant brought the machine into life: next to the neutral position the other three positions connected one, two or three batteries to the engine, so that the power could vary from 6 volt to 18 volt. Pidcock used his electric motorcycle as his daily transport to travel to and from work. It worked very well and a photo of Pidcock on his machine was featured the June 4, 1942 issue of Motor Cycling magazine with the caption: “Mr. Pidcock, of Peterborough, has just built a motorcycle propelled by an electric motor with a direct drive to the rear wheel. When fully charged, the battery enables a speed of 18 m.p.h. to be reached and its capacity is given as “of one day’s duration”. The cost of running works out as nine miles a penny”. Pidcock kept on experimenting, and in Motor Cycling of September 16, 1943 he presented another electric motorcycle with a larger capacity, powered by four 12 volt batteries. This second vehicle is not known to have survived. The machine we present was discovered in a boiler house some 13 years ago, luckily with interesting original documentation such as the original log book that belonged to his first Douglas-based electric bike and was transferred to the self-designed machine, various letters and notes on the construction, and a copy of the pages of Motor Cycling where his design was presented. A former owner did some refurbishment and fitted new 3 x 21 tyres.

We have installed new batteries so this interesting and well-documented early specimen of an electric motorcycle is ready for the road again. Video: https://youtu.be/o4tOpY-nOyM