Appendix – Tricycle Factors
The following table shows known tricycle and tricycle manufacturers of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries to date. Whilst it is realised that this list is not fully comprehensive, it is intended as a starting point towards a full and complete record of manufacturers. Any additions or corrections with supporting evidence would be most welcome. These should be sent to the TA Webmaster, so that the copy of this list on the TA website can be updated.
The TA Webmaster would very much appreciate it if the copy arrived in a format that can be uploaded with minimal editing.
Manufacturers of children’s tricycles and recumbent tricycles have not been included, as they are outside the scope of this study.
The manufacturers marked by an asterisk (*) had their own axle design. The other tricycle manufacturers listed used axles supplied by one of these makers, which are either bolted or brazed on to their frame. The following codes indicate whose axles were used:
A = Abingdon;
HB = Harden-Biggs;
H = Higgins;
HK = Hawkins;
HW = Holdsworth;
L = Longstaff;
R = Rogers;
T = Trykit.
The first dates shown are for the years between which the firm was trading. The dates in brackets show the years between which the tricycles and/ or axles were known to have been manufactured.
Manufacturers of tricycles and tricycle axles
| Manufacturer | Years between which the firm was trading | Years between which the tricycles and/ or axles were known to have been manufactured | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abingdon* | 1856-to date | (1895-1939) | Now only making ’King Dick’ tools |
| Barron* | 1980-to date | (1983-2000) | |
| Di Blasi* | 1974-to date | (1974-to date) | Folding trike with 20” wheels |
| Claud Butler | 1928-1958 | (1930s-1940s) | A axles |
| F W Evans | 1922-to date | (1930s-1940s) | Generally A axles, at least one exists with a H axle in a FW Evans casing. |
| H E G Ferris | 1940s-1950s | (1940s-1950s | A & H? axles |
| George Fitt* | 1919-1970s | (1950s-1970s) | Tricycles for disabled |
| F W Folds* | 1935-1959 | (1930s-1950s) | also A axles |
| Gillott | 1921-1970 | (1945-1970) | HK and H axles |
| James Grose | 1876-1950s | ( ? ) | A axles |
| F.H.Grubb | 1914-1951 | (1920s-1930s) | A axles |
| Harden/Biggs* | 1950s | (1950s) | axles only |
| Harding* | 1924-1967 | (1924-1967) | Invalid tricycles/’K-Type’ |
| Hawkins* | 1950s | (1950s) | axles only |
| Higgins* | 1933-1966 | (1934-1966) | |
| Hobbs | 1930-1953 | (1930-1953) | A & H axles |
| Holdsworth* | 1928-to date | (1935-1975) | |
| Bob Jackson Cycles | 1935-to date | (1950s-to date) | H, R & L axles |
| James* | 1883-1951 | (1883-1951) | patented 1907 |
| Kendrick* (Wilkins) | 1910-c1960s | (1914-c1960s) | from c1946, owner H.S.Bilbe |
| Longstaff* | 1981 to date | (1981-to date) | |
| Mercian | 1946 to date | (1950s) | H axles |
| Merlin | 1918-1950s | (1930s-1940s) | A Axles |
| H R Morris | 1953-1985 | (1953-1985) | H & R axles |
| Norman* | 1918-1961 | (1935-1950s) | |
| Parker* | 1995 to date | (1995 to date) | Utility tricycles & conversions |
| Pashley* | 1926 to date | (1963 to date) | Utility tricycles |
| Paulson* | 1983-1985 | (1983-1985) | |
| Phillips* | 1920s/1950s | (1940s-1950s) | Utility tricycles |
| Les Rigden | 1980-2004 | (1985-1995) | HW, H, R & L axles |
| Rogers* | 1967-2005 | (1967-1998) | Axle as H design |
| Roberts | 1960s to date | (1980s-1990s) | R axles |
| Roman Road Cycles* | to date | (1993 to date) | ‘Newton’ K-Type |
| E R Russ | 1930s-1950s? | (1930s-1950s?) | A axles |
| F H Scott | 1908-1963 | (1920s-1950s) | A axles |
| Selbach | 1924 – 1939 | (1920s-1930s) | A axles |
| Singer* | 1874-1928 | (1877- ?) | |
| Starley(James)* | 1887 | Axle patented for his Royal Salvo tricycle | |
| Starley(William)* | 1892 | Axle patented as used in A axles | |
| E Stephens* | 1920s-1956 | (1920s-50s) | Also A axle |
| Sunbeam* | 1888-1937 | (1888-1937) | |
| Swallow* | 1981-1990s | (1980s) | |
| Jack Taylor | 1945-1990 | (1957-1990s) | H & R axles and own K-Type |
| Thompson* | 1980 – 2004 | (1981-1982 | |
| TJ Cycles* | 1979-to date | (1982-1984) | ‘Flying-Gate’ frame design |
| Trykit* | 2002 to date | Axles with double cassette drive, conversion kits and frame sets. |