James Nealey Ruskington, Lincs.

The Baines brothers built their first motor cycle during the winter of 1900/01. The Baines design was the subject of a paper discussed at the London Society of Arts on 6 February 1901. This was presented by Joseph Pennell, of Pennell Seeds, whose family now own the Pennell Garden Centre in Lincoln. A very advanced design for this early period, like most British machines it was powered by a European made engine. This was a French de Dion Bouton engine. The very low power of all early engines was assisted on hills by the rider using the inbuilt pedals. This was termed "light pedal assistance:" I own an early machine and there is nothing light about the pedalling! However, the engine fitted to the lightweight Baines convinced them that there was sufficient power to discard the pedalling gear. The frame seat tube was used as a silencer and an early form of spray carburettor fitted, where the fuel was sprayed and mixed with air. This was the equivalent of fuel injection at this time. Most contemporary machines had what was termed a surface carburettor, where heat caused the fuel vapours to rise from the surface of the fuel container. Air via a tube was vented across the top of the container and the very variable result fed to the engine. Cold starting did not happen, the fuel had to be warmed. If the air was also very cold there were further problems. Ignition was by a trembler coil controlled battery, whilst many contemporary engines still relied on hot tube ignition. The tube being heated by paraffin or metholated spirit from a separate burner. Yes, many machines did go up in flames! Their machine also had a friction clutch incorporated in the drive, where most were operated by a direct belt drive from an external engine driven pulley wheel to the rear wheel. A valve lift lever was the only control on most machines, killing the engine. The machine was then started by a running push and jump on or by healthy pedalling. Where possible do not stop at the base of a slope or hill! 

A Lincoln paper of the period shows that one of the Baines brothers entered the earlier machine as No. 141 in a two mile handicap race. It is probable that this was part of the celebration to mark the Coronation of Edward VI1.

Why didn't Baines succeed with their machines? The first reason - individual's money, or the lack of it. Motoring and motor cycling were for the better off. My 1910 machine cost the equivalent of the rent required for a detached London house for one year. Secondly, their more advanced specification and probable higher production costs, with each machine built as a one off, made other machines cheaper. Thirdly, there were many small firms in the market and all of the eventual survivors were city or larger town based and selling where the disposable income was.

The lower 'photo shows the 1902 developed Baines.

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