A really remarkable journey has just been made by Mr. J. H. Nunley, tailor, of Queen-street, Rushden, who, on a hand-propelled tricycle, travelled from Rushden to Brighton, a distance of 117 miles, for a holiday. This is a journey from which many a motor-cyclist would shrink, and few would attempt it on a “push” bicycle. Mr. Nunley, who has the misfortune to be a cripple, sees in that fact no reason why he should be debarred from taking a holiday, getting exercise, and enjoying the fresh air and the sunshine. On his tour he used his hand-propelled tricycle, supplied by Mr. H. Raynor, of Blackpool, in 1920—a Lytham model, fitted with Sturmey-Archer three-speed gear and tri-coaster (three-speed gear, free wheel, and hand-reverse brake).
Starting from Rushden on Bank Holiday (Monday Aug 6th), he cycled along the Bedford-road, through Bedford and Hitchin, and by way of Hatfield, Potter’s Bar, and Barnet, to London. Going right through the City to Westminster, he proceeded up Brixton Hill, through Streatham and Croydon, and on to Red-hill (Surrey), where he stayed for the night. Next day, by way of Crawley and Gatwick, he cycled to Brighton, where he stayed for a week, during which period he got about a good deal on his tricycle, journeying one day to Worthing and back.
Prior to this he had been Rushden to Hitchin and back in one day on his tricycle, and he had also ridden from Rushden to St. Neots and back, but he had never before ventured so far as Brighton—117 miles, for Rushden is 65 miles north of London, while it is another 52 miles from London to Brighton. The weather was perfect for the tour, and the intrepid traveller returned to Rushden quite sun-bronzed.
“Were you nervous in cycling through London?” inquired our representative.
“Not a bit,” replied Mr. Nunley. “There was no difficulty about the London traffic, though I went right North Finchley to Westminster Bridge, right through the heart of the City, including Regent-street, Whitehall, and Trafalgar-square. I never felt in the least afraid, because the people there know the rules of the road and keep to them. I kept up with the traffic going in my own direction.”
Mr. Nunley never had a puncture, and never had to blow up his tyres on the journey to Brighton, though he found the front tyre a trifle soft the morning he started for Worthing. After leaving Redhill on the Tuesday morning for Brighton Races, and between one milestone and another over a hundred motor-charabancs passed him. On the return from Brighton to Northamptonshire, Mr. Nunley took advantage of the railway.
“Next year,” he said cheerfully, I am looking forward to cycling to Yarmouth.”
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