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Is this the only Stoneleigh Motors vehicle still on the road?

We received the following letter in the PreWar Postbox:

“This is the only Stoneleigh Motors vehicle left on the road today, or does anyone know different?

The photograph is of a 9hp Stoneleigh Chummy, the 2+2 seater version of the Stoneleigh Utility. The most common photograph on the internet is of the engineering prototype built in late 1921 and used to test the engineering. The engineering car was ugly, to say the least.

Three versions were made:

- The centre steering 3 seater Utility, manufactured 1922 to October 1923 and was available at dealers until 1924.

- The 2+2 Chummy, manufactured from May to October 1923 and was available at dealers until 1924.

- The single seater, van version.

Approximately 360 of the above types where made. We know of one 2+2 example in the Rolls Royce Museum and another 3 seater in a Dutch Museum. I am at present putting together a blog with history and technical information about the Stoneleigh 9hp cars, I would be delighted if your readers had any primary source information at hand. Very many thanks.”

Letter and photograph sent in by Neil Cooke.

 

Originally published: Tuesday July 13th, 2021

 

Pubblicato:
domenica novembre 21st, 2021
Adrian Holden
27 Dicembre 2022, 18:43
My grandfather, Edwin Matthews, joined Armstrong Siddeley as a junior executive in the accounting department in 1919 and had some hand in the Stoneleigh project which was, I understand, an attempt on the budget market (AS had been building expensive models up to that point). There was also a suggestion that the 2-cylinder engine could use cylinders from an AS aero engine of which there were a lot left over! Grandpa drove one of these for some time and the attached photo is of him in it with my mother (born 1919) leaning on the cowl. She insisted many years later that the reverse clover-leaf seating was so that the rear passengers could climb in easily. I did not believe this story but was amazed to see the example in Coventry Museum with this same set-up. Grandpa moved to Standard Motors in 1935 and was in charge of the parts supply during WW2 but was encouraged to move north to Sheffield after the worst raid on Coventry in Nov 1940 and continued to manage the supply from there. Due to being then under the Ministry of Aircraft Production his Standard pension lapsed and he was in reduced circumstances when he retired in 1951!
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Gary of Ashfield
22 Novembre 2021, 09:12
For anyone interested in the history of Stoneleigh there is a short book (no 37) published by the Rolls Royce Heritage Trust. Stoneleigh was the predecessor to Armstrong Siddeley which was ultimately absorbed into the RR empire as part of the UK government 'rationalisation' of aero engine manufacturers . The book explains the basic nature of the Stoneleigh in contrast with the sophistication of the later A-S, and the limited information available on these early companies.
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David Trinder
16 Novembre 2021, 14:14
Here are some photos of my Grandparents and friends on a Stoneleigh get-together in 1924. Grandad had a paralysed right arm so I imagine someone had rigged up a hand gear change.
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David Swann
18 Luglio 2021, 21:27
I think there's one in the Coventry Motor Museum
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Adrian Abbott
12 Luglio 2021, 17:06
I came across this letter, and hope Mr. Cooke is still interested.
In about 1954 my friend Trevor Utting, then an Apprentice, who passed away a couple of years ago, decided to rescue an old car festering in the back of his uncle's typical back street garage in Norwich. It had been used - genuinely - as a chicken coop, and was a 1923 Stoneleigh Chummy. The dash was missing, the hood had perished, it had no tyres and his uncle only knew it had been dumped many years earlier. I was a year younger and very involved in the effort. We managed to get it running, and made a new dash and electrical system out of scrap from other cars. The controls for the Claudel Hobson carb and fuel tank were missing. So we cobbled together - mostly made ourselves - the missing parts, contrived a cover for the hood, painted it yellow and green, got new tyres and taxed it. It was potentially lethal - I haven't seen comment on the fact it had no differential, so ate tyres, and on ice it was totally uncontrollable. The foot brake worked on one rear wheel, the handbrake on the other, and the front wheels were un-braked.Trevor sold it for £25 when going out with girls became more interesting. End of story you might think but in the 1970's I found it in Coventy Museum. It had been lovingly restored by the Armstrong Siddeley Apprentices, including all the bits we had made, that they assumed were original, and it was still yellow and green. I believe it went to the new Motor Museum in Coventry, but when i tried to see it many years ago was told it was in storage. Attached is a poor picture of the early days.
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neil cooke
08 Agosto 2018, 22:00
I dont think I asked about solid tyres, mine are clinch bead type and definitely blow up :0), they need about 65 psi to stay on.

Dear Kevin I would be very happy to be put in touch with the NZ project. I am a member of the UK and Dutch Siddely clubs, and my farther frank cooke is known to the AUS and NZ clubs. I would like to find out more about these early machines.
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Ted van Wijk, Aerdenhout, Netherlands
28 Maggio 2018, 14:22
56 years ago (1962), I bought a 1922 STONELEIGH in Hereford.the car was in “barnfind” condition.
This is the 3 Seater, with central steering and two seats half left and half right behind me.
The cars original type was STONELEIGH Utility CAR. (Stampend in the aluminium bonnet). the engine is a ca. 1000cc aircooled engine,
There is a brass plate on the dashboard with the words “ Made and produced under the supervision of Armstrong Siddeley. Coventry.”
The tyre-size is 28 X 3. During the years direct after the restauration we used this light car rather frequently in vintage car events.
After some years the familie grow, and the car was stalled away, to make place for a Beardmore tourer 1924.
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irvine Black
28 Maggio 2018, 01:27
Neil Cooke,
No Stoneleigh cars were fitted with solid tyres. I think some of the Stoneleigh lorries of 1913/14 did have solid tyres. The Russian Czar obtained 50 to 100 of these lorries, some of which were used as ambulances. In 1965 it was reported that one of these lorries was still in use on a communal farm in Ukraine and it is believed that one or more are still in a military warehouse in Murmansk.
I would be interested in any information on Stoneleigh vehicles, particularly of the sleeve valve 13.9 hp cars of 1912/13. Only about 200 of these BSA based cars were produced by Siddeley Deasy and the majority were sold in Australia and a small number in New Zealand. There are reports of others having been in Rhodesia, South Africa and perhaps India. So far no complete cars have surfaced although the remains of a few exist in Australia and New Zealand.
In 1925 there were still 4 Stoneleighs registered in New Zealand, one of which was last licensed in 1929/30. I have parts from at least 3 of these cars and I would like to know of any more, and particularly of any photos or literature about any of the Stoneleigh cars or lorries. Acontact in Russia would be appreciated.
Irvine Black.
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Kevin Atkinson
28 Maggio 2018, 00:41
Not on the road and not the same model, but a restoration project early sleeve valve car exists here in NZ.
The sleeve valve cars (from 1912) used a Knight engine and owed most of their design to the BSA.
I would be happy to put Neil in touch with the owner
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John Bates
27 Maggio 2018, 12:17
Question, rather than comment:- were these cars originally fitted with solid tyres?
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Frazer Sloan
18 Novembre 2021, 11:44
I think John Bates is getting mixed up with the Trojan Utility car which does look similar. The Trojan had solid tyres.
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