T. E. Lawrence Correspondence – Page 95

To G. Brough LH 1/13/42 13 Birmingham Street Southampton 12. IX. 33 Dear Mr Brough The news of the SS 160 gave me great joy. I'd have written before, but I have been hoping every day to get away for 48 hours and visit Nottingham. I so want to know if it's a new bike: or if the new engine would go in my frame - and all else about it. I do hope it is shaping well. A tiny bit of trouble the other day with George VII. As I was buzzing along at 60 he suddenly missed badly, picked up, missed again, & began to climb. I pulled up & tried the mag. It seemed solid on its base, but when I kicked him over, I could see it shake. So we took off his oil pump & found that the mag. driving bevels had been over-riding. The outer one (i.e. that keyed to the end of the armature shaft) is badly chipped. Can you post me a new one, here - and a bill? I'd send cash, but cannot imagine What it costs. The inner bevel, which is carried on a shaft fr om the timing case, is quite all right. It's only the one fixed on the mag that needs renewing. They must have been too lightly engaged. I've put them together again, for the time, and all's well: but George won't run long like that, unless I go easy on him! and lately I've been riding quite a lot. (average gone up to 46 m.p.h. for all journeys over 60 miles.) It is a magnificent bike: if only it was a bit faster, there'd be nothing like it on the road! Yours ever T E Shaw Fair notice I'm tired of calling you Dear Mr Brough: yet George is the bike. So in future I address Dear P.B. " You can counter with "Dear..." or "Mrs" or anything that feels appropriate! TES.