War was raging in Europe in 1940. The main Triumph factory at Priory Street in Coventry suffered a devastating blow when it was hit during a raid by the Luftwaffe. The whole factory was obliterated and most of the records were lost.
Although Triumph began making motorcycles in 1902 at their works in Coventry on Much Park Street, they used engines purchased from another company The business prospered and they soon started making their own. They’d purchased the premises of a spinning mill on Priory Street to develop a new factory.
Production had started on a batch of 50 lightweight (247lb) 350cc twins for the Army when the bombs dropped. Afterwards, Triumph set up production in temporary works in Warwick before moving to their iconic factory in Meriden.
