Brockhouse Engineering: Indian
Note: This is a sub-section of Brockhouse Engineering (Southport)
Post-WWII: the Indian marque was owned by Brockhouse. The name was applied to a small, fold-up bike that had been developed in 1946, as a civilian form of the war-time Welbike (a model small enough to pack into a container and drop by parachute). Two years passed before it went on sale. One of these diminutive machines was ridden across the American continent. They were also used by the US Air Force during the Korean War by maintenance personnel, and were often kept aboard aircraft for use in moving around the bases.
Indian motorcycles were produced in Britain from 1950 to 1955 by Brockhouse of Southport in Lancashire.
1950 having already produced the Corgi, the firm introduced the 247cc Indian Brave. It had a rigid frame with telescopic forks and conventional lines, but the sv engine had the three-speed gearbox built in-unit, an alternator, and the gear and kickstart pedals on the left - this was not the norm for British machines at that time. The Brave was not much of a success on either side of the Atlantic as it proved to be commercially unsuccessful and mechanically troubled..
1953 The US subsidiary, Indian, continued to sustain losses. Substantial volumes of parts and motorcycles had been imported into the USA and substantial stocks of spares were held there[1]
1954 The addition of a version with rear suspension did little to help sales.
1955 Brockhouse's Southport factory had not been profitable since WWII and was closed. An arrangement had been made with Enfield Cycle Co to manufacture the Indian motorcycle at a new factory at Boston in the UK for export to USA[2]
1955 Although there had been a prototye with a 125cc two-stroke engine based on the 250cc bottom half, nothing came of it and all models were dropped.
1959 Brockhouse sold the Indian Company to Associated Motor Cycles; the name of the Indian company was changed to Brockhouse Corporation[3]
2006 Indian Motorcycles Ltd was put into voluntary liquidation[4]
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Sources of Information