1930s Watsonian Sidecar

Tandems with sidecars were a common sight on the roads of Britain during the 1930s, particularly in the north, where motor cars were less common. It was an ideal way for parents to transport their young family to the seaside for the weekend. The distance, for example, between Scarborough and Blackpool, two favourite northern holiday destinations on opposite coasts, is 134 miles. So even if you lived in Leeds, in the centre of the country, you could cover half that distance to reach the sea in four hours including stops for refreshments.

 

1930s Watsonian Sidecar

Model No 7 Single Seater

Fitted to Rudge-Whitworth Gents’ bicycle

(Now sold)

I recently bought this Rudge-Whitworth bicycle from a friend because it has a Sturmey-Archer two-speed gear, which is relatively rare. They also managed to find me this Watsonian sidecar, and fitted it to the Rudge at my request to illustrate it in operation. My intention, after I’ve collected them, is to fit the sidecar to a tandem.