Vertically divided crank cases

[Martin27]

Hi everybody,
one friend told me weird story last year and since that I’m thinking to ask what it could be. He had vertically divided Scott crank case, just like other standard crank cases. He sold it back in the 90’s at some jumble in UK, as he told me, there were some Scott guys and they were watching that and were not able to find what it could be. It should be standard twin cylinder Flying Squirrel cases, engine number same on both parts and didn’t look like “home made”. Is here someone who have heard about this? Or the person who bought it or has similar? I’d like to know what it could be. Here was one dealer selling Scotts in the 20’s and Pavel Simek has two flyers from late 30’s, but I’m not sure how many bikes was sold in that time. All bikes sold in Czechoslovakia that survived till now are from late 20’s, I didn’t see 30’s bike with Czechoslovakia history till now. I would be vary happy to know more and see some pictures…
Thanks, Martin

[Stan Thomas]

Are you sure they were vertical split and not horizontally split -‘ (or to be precise, parallel to the cylinder base) – ‘as I recall seeing such a manifestation at Bob Trickett’s place about ten years ago.

[BRIAN MARSHALL]

Vertically divided crankcases were made at the behest of the War Department during World War One. The Scotts issued to the Motor Machine Gun Service did not fare too well in the hands of the troops and terrible conditions of the static trench warfare. They were sent out to the field workshops as spare parts, in order to simplify and speed up engine repairs and overhauls. This information came from the late Jack Stuart-White.
Brian

[Martin27]

Hi Brian and Stan,

thanks for those very interesting informations. Both sounds very interesting. Do you know if some of this crank cases survived till today? DOes it exist some photographs?
Stan, do you know some details about the engine?

Thanks, best,

Martin

[David J Waring]

Hello Martin,
I know of one machine with such a crankcase which years ago was in the ownership of the late Frank Serjeant and was thought to have been used as a TT practice bike before WW 1, around 1911 or so. It has subsequently been fully restored and exhibited at a Stanford Hall Gathering. I think that many would have walked past it without noticing the unusual crankcase. I will look out photos when I have more time.

[Martin27]

Hallo David,

that would be great. Seems like they have been experimenting more than I thought 🙂

Thanks, Martin

[BRIAN MARSHALL]

That information given to Frank Serjeant came from Matt Holder, when he was asked if he knew what it was, and John Underhill remarked at one of my Eastern Section meetings that he thought from the engine number that it was not correct, and that it dated from World War One years. The further information from Jack Stuart-White came from a different source. As JS-W ran field repair workshops he would have been fully aware of them.
Brian

[lewis onions]

I have an example (examples ?) of the split crankcases which I acquired as a potential spare for the 1913 machine which used to belong to David W. From memory the number of the cases suggests that they were manufactured in 1914. I took them as a curio to a Yorkshire Section meeting a couple of years ago when the theme was Scott machines in the Great War. They were not as impressive as the Vickers Machine Gun, though !

[Martin27]

Hi Lewis, that would be very interesting to see the photos if you would get to the workshop and have a camera with you.
Thanks, Martin

[Jeff Reed]

I was looking through the back numbers of “Yowl” this morning and came across two photographs of a Scott vertically split crankcase in the Aug 1967 edition. There was a follow up letter from Ernest Lister identifying the the owner of of the crankcase as Walter Green in the Dec “Yowl”. Ernest claimed he had a similar crankcase and that it “was definitely not for sale.” Jeff Reed.

[Martin27]

Hi Jeff,
just fount the article, thanks for the tip.
Best, Martin

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