The Little Midland or LM was a British 4-wheeled

cyclecar A cyclecar was a microcar, type of small, lightweight and inexpensive Automobile, car manufactured in Europe and the United States between 1910 and the early 1920s. The purpose of cyclecars was to fill a gap in the market between the motorcycle ...

made from 1910 to 1922 by the Little Midland Light Car Co Ltd in various places in

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a Historic counties of England, historic county, Ceremonial County, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significa ...

. The company was founded in

Clitheroe Clitheroe () is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Ribble Valley, Lancashire, England; it is located north-west of Manchester. It is near the Forest of Bowland and is often used as a base for tourists visiting the area. In 2018, the Cl ...

by William Cunningham. His first car made in 1905 had a lightweight two-seat open body and was powered by a 7.5 hp single cylinder engine. In 1907 a larger 9 hp four cylinder model appeared with five seat coachwork but possibly only one was made. The 1911 model was powered by a

JAP ''Jap'' is an English abbreviation of the word "Japanese". Today, it is generally regarded as an ethnic slur. In the United States, some Japanese Americans have come to find the term very offensive, even when used as an abbreviation. Prior to t ...

964cc 7 hp V twin air-cooled engine driving the rear axle via a 2 speed gearbox and chain drive. A review of the 1913 model,The Motor Cycle and Cycle Car Show at Olympia, The Automotor Journal, 30 November 1912, p1451 on display at the 1912 Motor Cycle and Cycle Car Show at

Olympia The name Olympia may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * ''Olympia'' (1938 film), by Leni Riefenstahl, documenting the Berlin-hosted Olympic Games * ''Olympia'' (1998 film), about a Mexican soap opera star who pursues a career as an athlet ...

, stated that it was one of the first cycle cars made in this country, and that it had benefitted from the production of only one model for the past 2 years. The emphasis was on its ability as a touring car rather than for sporting purposes. The engine was an air-cooled 8 h.p. JAP V-twin with

Bosch Bosch may refer to: People * Bosch (surname) * Hieronymus Bosch (c. 1450 – 1516), painter * Van den Bosch, a Dutch toponymic surname * Carl Bosch, a German chemical engineer and nephew of Robert Bosch * Robert Bosch, founder of Robert Bosch Gm ...

magneto ignition and B and B carburetor. Transmission was through a metal-to-metal disc clutch, then by Renold chain to the gearbox offering two forward speeds, with the gear always in mesh and selected by substantial dog-clutches. There was then Renold chain back to the back axle, which was remarkably strong with double radius rods, and a massive differential. It was stated that the engine could be started from the driver's seat, though the mechanism was not explained. The weight was 5 cwt, and the cost 95

guineas The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from the Guinea region in West Africa, from where ...

. After World War I in 1919 the make was revived under new ownership and the company was registered as the Little Midland Light Car Co Ltd and based in Duke Street,

Blackburn Blackburn () is an industrial town and the administrative centre of the Blackburn with Darwen borough in Lancashire, England. The town is north of the West Pennine Moors on the southern edge of the Ribble Valley, east of Preston and nort ...

. The company was re-organised in 1920 and moved to Southgate Works,

Preston Preston is a place name, surname and given name that may refer to: Places England *Preston, Lancashire, an urban settlement **The City of Preston, Lancashire, a borough and non-metropolitan district which contains the settlement **County Boro ...

. The post war car used a 980cc JAP water cooled V-twin engine, cone clutch and three speed gearbox with chain to the rear axle. The suspension used quarter elliptic springs all round. The body had two seats plus a

dickey seat A rumble seat (American English), dicky (dickie/dickey) seat (British English), also called a mother-in-law seat, is an upholstered exterior seat which folded into the rear of a coach, carriage, or early motorcar. Depending on its configuration, ...

and cost £200 in 1920.

References

{{reflist Cyclecars Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of England Manufacturing companies based in Preston Companies based in Blackburn Cars introduced in 1910