1939 Harding Safety Tricycle

1939 Harding Safety Tricycle

20″ Frame

26 x 1 1/2″ Wheels

For Restoration

(Now sold)

This rare but neglected Harding Safety Tricycle is a ‘barn find’ waiting for a sympathetic restoration.

It’s complete, solid and original.

The offside pedal has an extension; though this might not be required by the restorer for riding, it’s an interesting artefact to preserve as part of this machine’s history.

Harding’s better known tricycle is the ‘Two-Wheel-Steering’ model, which they manufactured in much greater numbers. This traditional style tricycle was generally built to order, so less were made. R.A Harding was one of the West Country’s major cycle manufacturers, and I recommend a visit to the Harding Museum next time you’re in the Bath area.

 

 

 

 

R.A HARDING (Bath) Ltd

19, Lower Bristol Rd, Bath, Avon

R.A. Harding was based in Bath, well-established pre-war as a manufacturer of ‘bath chairs.’ The company was established in 1921 by Mr. J. Gordon and Mr. E. Loxley. For the company, they used the maiden name of Mr. Loxley’s wife. In the early years, they made a greater variety of invalid carriages than any other manufacturer. By 1930 they offered eight different models. They built invalid carriages for the government during WW2, but found it hard to compete with AC when that company moved into the market. Their motorized tricycles ceased production by the early 1950′s, though their tricycle range continued.

Like Kendrick of Reading, they also dabbled with TWS (Two-Wheeled Steering) tricycles, though the Harding models had 18″ front wheels. In the Magic Wheel magazine of July 1954, they announced their new Harding ‘Model C’ TWS tricycle with a Cyclemaster engine fitted.