Belsize Motors

Belsize Motors was a British motor manufacturer associated with Clayton, Manchester. Its origins lay with Marshall & Company, a bicycle and automobile enterprise that built an early motor car in 1897. Those first cars were closely related to French Hurtu designs, which themselves followed the pattern of early Benz replicas, and were sold under the Marshall name. The company established agencies in London and Dublin and received a gold medal for efficiency at the 1899 London exhibition, giving it an early presence beyond its Manchester base. A more modern four-seat car introduced in 1901 used a twin-cylinder Buchet engine and became the first vehicle to carry the Belsize name, initially as the Marshall Belsize. The business changed its name to Belsize Motors and Engineering in 1903 and to Belsize Motors Ltd in 1906. The Belsize name was taken from the company’s Belsize works, where Marshall & Company had previously built bicycles. Before the First World War, Belsize was one of the more substantial participants in the British motor industry. The company reportedly employed about 1,200 people and produced as many as 50 vehicles per week. Its product range was unusually broad, extending from small and medium passenger cars to large luxury models, taxis, commercial vehicles and fire engines. Engine sizes varied considerably, with some pre-war vehicles using engines of up to 14.5 litres. The catalogue included two-, four- and six-cylinder cars, as well as high-capacity models intended for the upper end of the market. After the war, Belsize initially attempted to simplify its range around a single 15 hp model with an engine of approximately 2.8 litres. In 1921 it added the Belsize-Bradshaw, a small car powered by a 9 hp V-twin engine designed by Granville Bradshaw and manufactured by Dorman. The engine used a mixed air- and oil-cooling arrangement, but the model developed a reputation for unreliability and was withdrawn in 1924. It was replaced by the 10/20, also known as the RM, with a conventional four-cylinder engine. Belsize also introduced the 14/30, a six-cylinder car with overhead valves, four-wheel brakes and a four-speed gearbox. Although technically more current than earlier products, it was expensive, selling in a price range of roughly £415 to £650, and arrived when the company was already in serious financial difficulty. Belsize had been in the hands of a receiver since 1923 and ceased trading late in 1925. The company also advertised a 2.5-litre straight-eight model, but that project appears to have remained at or near the prototype stage. Belsize Motors is therefore remembered as an ambitious early British manufacturer whose broad pre-war range and engineering experimentation could not overcome post-war financial and competitive pressures.

Belsize Motors developed from Marshall & Company of Clayton Lane, Manchester. Marshall & Company began as a bicycle maker and built its first automobile in 1897. The early cars were mechanically similar to French Hurtu automobiles, which in turn were derived from the early Benz pattern. They were sold as Marshalls and helped establish the company as one of the first significant automobile manufacturers in the Manchester area. Sales and distribution were supported by agencies in London and Dublin. At the 1899 London exhibition, one of the company’s cars received a gold medal for efficiency. In 1901, Marshall & Company launched a more modern four-seat car with a twin-cylinder Buchet engine. This car was marketed as the Marshall Belsize and marked the beginning of the Belsize identity. The name referred to the Belsize works, the site where the company had previously produced bicycles. The business adopted the name Belsize Motors and Engineering in 1903 and became Belsize Motors Ltd in 1906. During the years before the First World War, Belsize expanded into a sizeable and technically varied manufacturer. It reportedly employed approximately 1,200 people and could produce as many as 50 vehicles per week. Its range included passenger cars in several classes, taxis, commercial vehicles and fire engines. The company offered engines ranging from relatively modest two-cylinder units to very large six-cylinder engines, including pre-war designs with capacities reaching approximately 14.5 litres. This breadth made Belsize a notable participant in the expanding British motor industry, although it also produced a complex and sometimes bewildering array of models. The known pre-war range included the 12 hp two-cylinder car of 1901, the 15/20 four-cylinder model of 1904, several 1906 six-cylinder designs, the large 40 hp and 60 hp cars introduced in 1908, and the 14/16, 18/22, 10/12 and 15.9 models produced during the following years. These vehicles reflected the period’s rapid movement from simple, derivative designs toward larger and more sophisticated cars. Following the First World War, the company initially adopted a more concentrated product policy. Its post-war 15 hp model used a four-cylinder engine of about 2.8 litres and was later enlarged, becoming known as the 15/20 in 1923. In 1921, Belsize introduced the Belsize-Bradshaw, a 9 hp light car using a Dorman-built V-twin engine designed by Granville Bradshaw. The engine’s unusual combination of air and oil cooling was technically distinctive, but the car acquired a poor reputation for reliability and was discontinued in 1924. The Belsize-Bradshaw was followed by the 10/20, also called the RM, which used a more conventional 1.25-litre four-cylinder engine. Belsize also developed the 14/30, a six-cylinder model of approximately 1.7 litres. The 14/30 incorporated overhead valves, four-wheel brakes and a four-speed transmission, making it a comparatively modern offering. However, its price—reported at between £415 and £650—placed it at a disadvantage against competing cars, particularly at a time when the company’s finances were deteriorating. Belsize had been under the control of a receiver since 1923. The company could not restore sustainable production and ceased trading in late 1925. A straight-eight project with a displacement of approximately 2.5 litres was advertised, sometimes associated with the 20/40 designation, but it apparently did not progress beyond prototype or limited development. Belsize Motors consequently disappeared during the difficult consolidation of the British motor industry after the First World War. Its historical importance rests on its early Manchester production, substantial pre-war workforce, broad model range and willingness to experiment with unusual engine and vehicle formats.

• 1925

  Trading ends

  [1]Belsize Motorsen.wikipedia.org

  Belsize Motors ceased trading late in the year.

• 1923

  Company placed in receivership

  [1]Belsize Motorsen.wikipedia.org

  Belsize Motors came under the control of a receiver amid financial difficulties.

• 1921

  Belsize-Bradshaw added to the range

  [1]Belsize Motorsen.wikipedia.org

  The company launched a small V-twin-powered model using an unconventional Bradshaw-designed cooling arrangement.

• 1906

  Belsize Motors Ltd established

  [1]Belsize Motorsen.wikipedia.org

  The business changed its name to Belsize Motors Ltd.

• 1903

  Name changed to Belsize Motors and Engineering

  [1]Belsize Motorsen.wikipedia.org

  The company formally adopted a name centered on its growing automobile business.

• 1901

  First Marshall Belsize model introduced

  [1]Belsize Motorsen.wikipedia.org

  A four-seat car powered by a Buchet twin-cylinder engine became the first model to carry the Belsize name.

• 1899

  Gold medal for efficiency at the London exhibition

  [1]Belsize Motorsen.wikipedia.org

  A Marshall automobile received a gold medal for efficiency at a London exhibition.

• 1897

  Marshall & Company builds its first automobile

  [1]Belsize Motorsen.wikipedia.org

  Marshall & Company of Clayton Lane built an early automobile before the Belsize name was adopted.

An ambitious early British automobile manufacturer offering a wide range of vehicles, from relatively compact cars to large, high-capacity passenger models and specialist commercial vehicles. Before the First World War, Belsize combined substantial production scale with a broad model catalogue; after the war, it pursued more standardized and technically updated cars but struggled with reliability, pricing and financial pressures.

• Passenger automobile · 1901

  Marshall Belsize

  Introduced in 1901, the Marshall Belsize was a modern four-seat car powered by a twin-cylinder Buchet engine. It was the first model to use the Belsize name and represented the transition from Marshall & Company’s early cars to the Belsize-branded automobile business.

• Passenger automobile · 1919

  Belsize 15 hp

  The principal post-war model initially followed Belsize’s attempt to simplify its range. It used a four-cylinder engine of approximately 2.8 litres and was later enlarged to about 3.1 litres, when the model became known as the 15/20.

• Light automobile · 1921

  Belsize-Bradshaw

  The Belsize-Bradshaw was a small 9 hp car introduced in 1921. Its Dorman-built V-twin engine was designed by Granville Bradshaw and used a partly air-cooled, partly oil-cooled arrangement. The model’s unconventional engine was associated with reliability problems, and production ended in 1924.

• Passenger automobile · 1924

  Belsize 10/20 (RM)

  The 10/20, also known as the RM, replaced the Belsize-Bradshaw. It used a conventional four-cylinder engine of approximately 1.25 litres and reflected the company’s effort to move away from the problematic V-twin design.

• Passenger automobile · 1924

  Belsize 14/30

  The 14/30 was a six-cylinder model introduced near the end of Belsize’s life. It featured overhead valves, four-wheel brakes and a four-speed gearbox, but its relatively high selling price made it difficult to compete in the post-war market.

• Prototype or advertised model

  Belsize 20/40

  Belsize advertised a model associated with a 2.5-litre straight-eight engine. Available evidence indicates that the project probably remained at the prototype or development stage rather than becoming a normal production model.

• 1925

  Ceased tradingOther

  Background

  The company remained in financial difficulty despite introducing newer post-war models.

  Action taken

  Belsize Motors ended its manufacturing and commercial operations.

  Aftermath

  The Belsize automobile marque became defunct.

  Source

• 1923

  Entered receivershipStrategy

  Background

  Belsize faced worsening financial and competitive conditions after the First World War.

  Action taken

  The company was placed under the control of a receiver.

  Aftermath

  The business failed to regain stability and ceased trading in late 1925.

  Source

• 1921

  Introduced the Belsize-BradshawProduct launch

  Background

  After the First World War, Belsize sought to broaden its post-war range with a smaller and technically distinctive car.

  Action taken

  The company launched a 9 hp V-twin model using a Dorman-built engine designed by Granville Bradshaw.

  Aftermath

  The model developed a reputation for unreliability and was discontinued in 1924.

  Source

• 1903

  Adopted the Belsize Motors and Engineering nameStrategy

  Background

  The business was expanding beyond its earlier Marshall-branded automobile activities.

  Action taken

  It changed its name to Belsize Motors and Engineering.

  Aftermath

  The Belsize identity became the company’s principal automobile brand and was followed by another legal name change in 1906.

  Source

1. 1Belsize Motorsen.wikipedia.org