Riders retrace Raleigh route 100 years on

A pair of enthusiasts are recreating the pioneering ride - and publicity stunt - of a female motorcyclist exactly 100 years later.

On 5 July 1926, Marjorie Cottle began a journey from London to Edinburgh following a convoluted route between London and Edinburgh which, when viewed from above, spelt out the company name Raleigh.

Now Mike Tizard and Mark Goulding, two members of the Raleigh Motorcycle and Early Reliant Club, are retracing as much of the 1,177 mile (1,895 km) route as possible on Nottingham-built vintage Raleigh motorbikes.

Tizard said: "It's been varied, sometimes wonderful, sometimes tough, but I'd like to apologise to all the cars that have been stuck behind me."

British motorcycles, produced by companies like Triumph, BSA and Raleigh were big business between the two world wars.

While Raleigh is best known for bicycles, it produced motorised vehicles - including covered tricycles - until the 1930s.

When it stopped production, some of the staff founded a new company and called it Reliant.

Andrew Clark, who is helping organise the current challenge, explained that Cottle was an obvious choice for a publicity stunt during these peak years.

"Some may be surprised but motorcycling was really pushed to women at this time," he said.

"Marjorie was the most famous female motorcyclist of the time and probably one of the best known motorcyclists full stop," he said.

In homage to this, the club's riders repeated her journey exactly by starting out at 09:45 BST on 5 July from Mansion House in London, carrying a letter of introduction from the Lady Mayor of the City of London for the Lord Provost in the City Chambers in the City of Edinburgh, hopefully to be delivered on 15 July.

Clark said: "Clearly the road network has changed massively in 100 years and some of the roads have gone and others are no longer suitable for such classic machines.

"But where possible, they are sticking to the route and even the overnight stops will remain the same as Miss Cottle's".

The route is taking them from Salisbury to Paisley, via Gloucester and Bradford, and on Wednesday they called in at Nottingham.

Tizard said the journey was proving a physical as well as mechanical challenge.

"There is no suspension on the back at all and two little springs under the seat, so if you hit a pothole on this, you know it.

"You are constantly on the look-out for potholes and trying to minimise the strain on your arms.

"There's a little bit of suspension on the front wheel but not much so when you hit a pothole, it hurts," he said.

Tizard and Goulding are fundraising for Parkinson's UK and Shooting Stars children's hospices.

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