Viking Cycles
of 5 Wolverhampton Road, Heath Town, Wolverhampton
of Merridale Works, Russell Street (1955)
Alfred Victor Davies began work as a railway clerk in North Wales; he was later transferred to Wolverhampton. He started mending bicycles in his spare time.
1908 Left his job on the railway and established the Viking Cycle Company, to assemble cycles from bought-in components.
Davies also established the first motorcycle repair shop in Wolverhampton.
1928 Eventually the company outgrew the Heath Town premises and moved to larger premises in Broad Street.
1934 moved to Midland Chambers at 34 Princess Street
c.1935 Acquired a neighbouring building to house the works and started to make frames.
Late 30s Alfred Davies retired and was succeeded by his son, Reg Davies.
1939 Viking Cycles Limited was formed; the company was producing about 800 cycles a year.
WWII: bicycle production stopped; the company was involved in munitions work.
1948 The Viking Road Racers were introduced, led by Bob Thom. Viking soon became synonymous with racing because of the team's many successes.
1955 The manufacturing side of the company was separated from the retail outlet; a factory was obtained in Merridale Works, Russell Street; the Princess Street shop continued as Victor Davies Cycles.
Introduced a children's cycle, with a unique frame using telescopic rear stays and a telescopic seat tube, which grew to provide most of the company's business.
1967 Production ended
The manufacturing business was purchased by two Americans who started it up again in Londonderry as an assembler of bicycles using bought-in parts.
See Also
Sources of Information
- Viking [1]