ABC Bee engine

I have a ABC Bee engine, which was used as an APU in a Blackburn Beverley aircraft in the 50s. I have used the engine as the basis of a motorcycle. Does anyone know anything about these engines?

Other than agreeing they were auxiliary power units on the Blackburn Beverley and only about 8O were made, so they they must be rare, I can’t add anything - but would be very interested to learn more.

The bike looks superb.

There is one of these engines stored at Milntown, Isle of Man.
I understand Bob Thomas purchased it with some other ABC stationary engines and bits and pieces from a ex.Govt. auction in the 1960s.

One-time Associate member Kim Siddorn owned such an engine, and wrote quite a lot about it in his book "From Somme to Beverley by way of Sunderland".
According to Kim, the engine was a 90-degree Vee-four of 743 cc., which produced 19 bhp at 3900 rpm. He thought that less than 80 engines were built, exclusively for the Beverley aircraft, of which less than 50 were made...
Kim's book, in A5 format, was first published in 2009, by Viking Volumes of 9, Durleigh Close, Bristol, BS 13 7NQ.
Kim dropped off the radar some years ago; I wonder where his engine is now.
Sure enough, Bob Thomas had such an engine, which I last saw in the Milntown mill, parked next to his lathe and milling machine and fly-press. I hope that at some stage the Manx National Trust will permit the release of this engine, and quite a lot of Sopwith motorcycle-engine parts.

Thanks, Paul that’s very interesting indeed.
The volunteers at Milntown charitable Trust ( it is not Manx National Trust ) long term aim is to get everything in the Thomas Vehicle collection well displayed and ,where possible have vehicles in running order. ( all the cars are now running OK after completing an overhaul on the 1921 ABC last week - and so are most of the bikes ) A winter task is archiving and shelving the extensive motoring literature.
Interestingly, Clive Edwards and Bob Thomas were adamant that their bequest should not go to The National Trust ( locally the Manx National Trust).
Clive Edwards is on record as saying that they would “rather it go to the devil!”

The more I look at Viv's creation, the more astonishing it becomes, with an engine that is not less than fantastic! This engine must have cost a fortune to build, with flourishes that salute G. Bradshaw, even if he wasn't involved.

The four individual cylinder heads screw onto the tops of their cylinders! Sealing of each is by a nitrogen-filled Wills ring, with a shrunk on locking ring.

The three-bearing crankshaft's crankpins are in line with each other, and each carries two separate conrods.
The front end of the crankshaft carries a pinion that drives the camshaft via an intermediate pinion. This intermediate pinion has a forward-pointing shaft that carries a bevel gear (with bevel-gear take-offs for the two, upwardly-angled magnetos) and the driven gear of a gearwheel-type oil pump. The magneto-drives incorporate Vernier couplings which permit very accurate ignition settings. A forward extension of the camshaft carries a centrifugal governor that links to the carburettors, to ensure constant engine speed. A bevel gear at the rear of the crankshaft drives a downwards-shaft to a fan, that worked a ducted-air engine-cooling system.
I think that that's enough about the engine...

The bike looks to have BMW wheels and hubs from for instance a 1974 R60/6. (But what does the girder fork think of the 2LS front brake?) The carburettors are clearly very vulnerable, on the ends of their long manifolds. The frame reminds me of a 1936 Puch (S.V. flat-four) model, and the silencer too looks to be of Continental pattern.

Come on Viv, please tell us more!

Great facts of this jewel of an engine,
I’ve owned for 30 yrs. having swapped it for a pillar drill!!!
Indeed the wheels are from a BMW, a 74 R 75/5,
As is the gearbox and drive line, I took the housing that had the Fanin it and turned it down to make it as close a diameter to the fettled down box, ten made a centering fixture, clamped it all together and welded it. It still currently has no clutch, as the best one was to big in diameter, but I’ve since sourced all parts to make a clutch, intend to re do the inlet manifolds to tuck the carbs in. I removed the Govnors and made a bracket to hold a Bsa dynamo, ind drive it via a chain off of the end of the camshaft. I’ve reduced the depth of the sump to give me a little more ground clearance, I’ve also had to resituate various parts of the oil system, filter, pipes,
The forks are 1929 BSA, a vintage Lucas car headlight, I made the levers and handle bars, and while on the subject of making parts, I made
Frame, fuel tanks, oil tank, number plate holder, mudguards and stays, exhaust primary’s, electrical box, handle bar clamps, etc
It took me 450 hours over a 3 month period.
It’s registered on a V5, as a Bsa, 250!!!
Fitted with the optional 750 V4 officer.
Happy to be quizzed,
Any schematic drawings of the stock oil system would be gratefully received