Thursday, June 19, 2014

BSA B31 and sidecar on expedition

A pair of pictures seemingly from an expedition in the late fifties. The bike is a 1956 or 57 BSA B31 and the pictures were enlarged in 1961 so the date has to be somewhere in between these. As for location it's obviously a salt pan but where? I would guess Southern Africa, maybe the Kalahari, though it could be Australia. The combo is rather strangely loaded, there were evidently two travellers but there's not a lot of room for them on the machine, not a lot of luggage and they are carrying a slightly forlorn looking bicycle. If anyone knows more please get in touch or comment. 

1956 / 7 BSA B31 with sidecar on tour.

BSA B31 combo cruising the desert.

Update - Thanks to reader Bob McGrath for this pointer as to the origin of the pictures:

'I'd lay odds your BSA Saltpan photos were shot in Australia. That pushbike with upturned handlebars is bog standard Aussie of the time as is the broad brim hat and the pannier style water bag. Carrying the pushbike was a safety precaution. You had a chance of getting to safety on it if the outfit failed.'

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