Ireland Made Celebrating 350 Videos – Reviewing Season 4’s Most Popular Stories | Season 4 – Episode 50
Floats, Wheels, Wings Jul 09, 2024
The Ireland Made transport archive records and preserves stories of Irish transport past and present, and we have just passed our 350-story milestone.
Since our first episode “Homemade Retro Teardrop 1940s Caravan | Season 1 – Episode 1” on February 23rd 2021, we have been bringing you our weekly stories of Irish transport past and are now in our fourth season.
In this episode, we are going to review Season 4’s most popular video stories. If a vehicle has wings, wheels or it floats and there is a connection to the island of Ireland, you will find the story here on Ireland Made.
Our thanks to all of our followers for helping grow our transport archive. Special thanks to our subscribers and sponsors whose support directly funds our travels across Ireland, enabling us to capture and share stories of Irish transport, past and present.
A huge thank you to all those who collaborated in the stories above and who have helped to make Ireland Made the success it has become.
My thanks to you all.
Best regards
Kevin Reid
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DUBLIN’S 1,600 BATTERY ELECTRIC DELIVERY VEHICLES 1946 TO 1992 | SEASON 4 – EPISODE 6
17.8K VIEWS
Today, car ads herald a new era for electric vehicles, but from the late 1940s to the early ’80s, Dublin businesses relied on over 1,600 battery-powered delivery floats and vans.
Prominent operators included Johnston Mooney O’Brien, Hughes Brothers, Premier Dairies, Guinness Brewery, and several laundries. Lesser-known operators were ESB, Kiely’s Bakery, and Williams and Woods. Vehicles came from British manufacturers like BMA and Brush Smiths-NCB, with bodywork by Dublin Vehicle Builders.
Johnston Mooney O’Brien transitioned from horse-drawn traps to 130 battery-electric vans in the early 1950s, some lasting decades. Dartry Laundry’s No. 18 van served 36 years.
Premier Dairies managed 380 electric vehicles. The Dartry Laundry also had a Brush 2-ton lorry that served for 34 years. By the early 1980s, supermarkets and home washing machines ended the era of door-to-door deliveries and battery-powered vans in Dublin.
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Two video stories each week!
DUBLIN’S NEWSPAPER DELIVERY SCOOTERS – HERALD OR PRESS? | SEASON 4 – EPISODE 12
7.3K VIEWS
Before technology-led news, Dubliners relied on newspapers like the Irish Press, Evening Press, and Evening Herald. Each paper had a bike fleet, including 2-stroke Lambretta mopeds with large aluminium boxes for city-wide delivery.
The mopeds, though bulky, were ridden skilfully. The Irish Press Lambretta was a familiar sight, making rapid stops and starts to deliver papers. The distinctive sound of these mopeds was a hallmark of Dublin streets, accompanied by the cry of “Herald or Press.”
The speed of “Press and Herald” moped drivers was legendary. A story from the 1970s recounts a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing test driver being overtaken by an Evening Press delivery truck travelling at over 100 mph.
The distinctive 2-stroke noise of Lambrettas from the Irish Press depot on Prince’s Street was once ubiquitous. Recently, the Herald reinstated Piaggio scooters for deliveries, now with quieter 4-stroke engines.
RALPH BRYANS – IRELAND’S ONLY GRAND PRIX WORLD CHAMPION 1965 | SEASON 4 – EPISODE 14
37.7K VIEWS
Belfast native Ralph Bryans (1941–2014) was Ireland’s only Grand Prix motorcycling World Champion. In 1960, he won the Irish 200cc Championship on a modified BSA Bantam.
He competed in the Isle of Man TT in 1962 and placed well against professional riders. That same year, he impressed at the Ulster Grand Prix, leading to a stint with the Bultaco works team.
In 1963, he had strong finishes at the Ulster Grand Prix on Norton’s, leading to an offer from Honda for the 1964 World Championship. As a Honda works racer, he won the Dutch, Belgian, and German Grand Prix races, finishing second in the Isle of Man TT and in the World Championship.
In 1965, Bryans, riding the Honda RC115, won the 50cc World Championship with victories in Germany, France, and Holland. He continued to perform well, winning the Isle of Man 50cc TT in 1966.
Bryans transitioned to racing 250cc Hondas in 1967, achieving notable success before retiring in 1970. He finished his career with ten wins and the 1965 50cc World Championship.
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Two video stories each week!
1967 IRELAND’S SCHOOL BUS FLEET TAKES TO THE ROADS! | SEASON 4 – EPISODE 17
16.5K VIEWS
In September 1967, the Irish national bus service, Córas Iompair Éireann (CIE), faced a sudden directive from the Minister for Education to swiftly assemble an economical fleet of school buses.
To meet the urgent need, CIE quickly gathered a makeshift fleet of half-cab AEC Regals and Leyland Tigers. Subsequently, an order was placed for 700 Bedford “Bus Scoile” buses, beginning with a prototype built at CIE’s Spa Road Works in Inchicore. These distinctive yellow and white buses were crafted by various builders, including McCairns in Dublin and three firms in Dundalk.
Beyond practicality, each bus became a social hub, where informal rules dictated seating and drivers sometimes played referee. Despite occasional disruptions, passengers engaged in thoughtful discussions, reflecting broader cultural influences of the time.
This fleet of yellow and white school buses thus became integral to Ireland’s social landscape from the late 1960s.
RARER THAN A SNAKE IN IRELAND – 1903 CELTIC MOTORCYCLE | SEASON 4 – EPISODE 18
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A rare Celtic motorcycle, the only known survivor, was discovered in a ditch on a farm in Ballycommon, County Offaly. It’s a c1903 model believed to have originally belonged to Bertram H. Barton’s Scottish gamekeeper, James McLeish. Subsequently replaced by another Celtic, James McLeish later owned a BSA combination.
Motorcycle importer and rider, Harry Lindsay, a visitor to Derick Barton at Newtown Park nursing home in Dublin, was inspired by Derick’s recollection of where the bike had been sold. Joined by friends Joe Cullen and Jack Sutherland, Harry followed leads in County Offaly, eventually locating the motorcycle in Bill Dunne’s farmyard. Bill Dunne assisted in recovering the bike from a ditch filled with scrap. Among the remains was a leather saddle protruding from briars, and attached to it was the old motorcycle.
Struggling to extract it, they found brass pieces that Bill Dunne recognised as part of a fuel tank, presenting most of it to fit the frame perfectly. Delightfully, the stamped brass nameplates reading “Celtic Cycle Co Dublin” were still intact. The search ended with the rediscovery of a Celtic motorcycle.
THE GENIUS OF REX MCCANDLESS | SEASON 3 – EPISODE 32
44.6K Views
Rex McCandless, renowned for his revolutionary ‘Featherbed’ motorcycle frame used by Norton, was far more than this singular achievement. Born on May 21, 1915, in Culcavy, Hillsborough, Co Down, McCandless was a prolific inventor and self-taught engineer.
McCandless’s career spanned diverse inventions and collaborations. He pioneered swing-arm suspension, hydraulic dampers, and redesigned motorcycle frames long before industry standards caught up. His ‘Featherbed’ frame, introduced in 1949, transformed motorcycle handling and dominated the TT races in 1950, cementing its legacy.
Beyond motorcycles, McCandless ventured into automotive innovations, including developing four-wheel-drive military vehicles with Harry Ferguson. His experimental 500cc racing cars and the ‘McCandless Mule,’ a groundbreaking 4×4 vehicle, showcased his engineering prowess.
McCandless’s ingenuity extended to aviation, where he enhanced autogyros, notably featuring in the James Bond film “You Only Live Twice” as “Little Nellie.”
His legacy, endures in the lasting impact of his designs, challenging conventional engineering and leaving an indelible mark on automotive and aviation history.
120TH ANNIVERSARY WORLD’S FIRST MOTORCYCLE RACE – WINNER JOHN PAUL BURNEY | SEASON 4 – EPISODE 31
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The world’s inaugural motorcycle road race occurred on July 19, 1904, from Belfast to Derry/Londonderry, finishing in Glengormley, County Antrim, Ireland. John Paul Burney, riding a 3 ½ hp Royal Enfield, claimed victory in this historic event, as reported in “The Irish Cyclist and Motor Cyclist” on October 26, 1927.
Organised secretly under the guise of “road trials” to avoid police involvement, the race covered a challenging 200-mile course. Despite the initial secrecy, seventeen competitors, including riders on Royal Enfield, Excelsior, F.N., Minerva, Humber Centaur, Riley, and others, participated.
The race route traversed coastal roads from Belfast to Derry/Londonderry, then returned inland via Maghera and Toome, finishing at Glengormley’s Crown and Shamrock Inn. Burney’s steady pace and reliability with his Royal Enfield ensured his victory, crossing the finish line forty-five minutes ahead of his nearest competitor.
After crossing the finish line, he removed his overalls and proudly posed for a photograph with his reliable 3.5 hp belt-driven Royal Enfield.
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JOHN CAMPBELL SHARES THE HISTORY OF HIS MASSEY FERGUSON 135 | SEASON 4 – EPISODE 40
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John Campbell welcomed the Ireland Made film crew to Clooncumber, County Leitrim, showcasing his prised possession: a 1963 Massey Ferguson 135 inherited from his uncle in 1997. This model, produced at Coventry’s Banner Lane plant, was pivotal in Massey Ferguson’s history, marking over 1 million units built within the 100 series ‘Red Giant’ tractors.
John meticulously restored his 135, enhancing it with new tires, engine work, and a full respray, ensuring it remains operational for various farm tasks like mowing, baling, and ploughing. Maintaining its originality except for a required yellow flashing beacon, John keeps it in peak condition with regular servicing, including oil changes and brake checks.
To conclude our interview I asked John, if he had all the money in the world, what type of tractor would he buy? His unsurprising and emphatic answer was a “Massey Ferguson 135”.
ONLY IRISH PILOT TO EJECT – RONALD MCPARTLAND 1961 | SEASON 4 – EPISODE 41
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On May 5, 1961, Irish Air Corps Cadet Ronald McPartland became the only Irish pilot to eject from an aircraft. During a spin instruction flight in a Vampire over County Cavan, the aircraft failed to respond from the recovery procedure, forcing Commandant Jeremiah O’Connor to eject the canopy.
Despite having only 15 months of service, McPartland activated the ejection seat, propelling him from the stricken plane. He descended safely, landing in a boggy area without any parachute training but was unharmed. Meanwhile, Commandant O’Connor regained control of the aircraft and safely landed it despite challenges with his radio connection.
Eight months later, on 26 January 1962 Lieutenant McPartland was the guest at the Dorchester Hotel, London of the inventor of the ejection seat, County Down man James Martin.
Ronald McPartland retired from the Irish Air Corps and at a commemoration to mark the 50th anniversary of the ejection on 1 September 2011 he was presented with a framed painting inscribed by the Directors of Martin-Baker.
DENNISON MEGALINER 25.25M LOWER EMISSIONS SLIDING BOGIE LINK STEER TRAILER | SEASON 4 – EPISODE 47
38.4K VIEWS
Dennison Trailers, headquartered in Naas, County Kildare, is renowned for its innovative trailer designs, including the Sliding Bogie Link Steer ‘Megaliner’. Introduced to fill a niche in the German market, this trailer is also known as an LHV (Longer Heavier Vehicle) or Eco Combi, capable of extending up to 25.25m when coupled with a standard 13.6m semi-trailer. Since 2008, Dennison has been a leader in fixed axle link trailers, emphasising quality and durability from its manufacturing facilities in Ireland and the UK.
Celebrating its sixtieth anniversary as a family-owned business, Dennison has produced over 70,000 trailers sold across Ireland, the UK, Scandinavia, and other European markets. The Megaliner is designed for versatility, fitting seamlessly into existing trailer fleets with a standard European turning circle and accommodating various container and swop body configurations.
The Megaliner supports efficient transport of high-cube containers within European height limits, contributing to reduced CO2 emissions and lower fuel consumption per trip. This trailer exemplifies Dennison’s commitment to innovation and sustainability in the trailer industry, setting new standards for eco-friendly transport solutions.
