Snapshot 241 on the Vieo resilient wheel elicited a very comprehensive response from our good friend Ariejan Bos – always a deep and generous fount of knowledge on early motoring. With grateful thanks to Ariejan, we give his additional information here.
Our original photograph appeared in the motoring press on August 11th, 1906, reporting a forthcoming A.C.G.B.I. 4,000-mile reliability trial scheduled for Augist 23rd. Ariejan’s first mention was over a year earlier – in The Automotor Journal for July 1st, 1905. It reports the importance of the design especially for industrial vehicles, and states that no less a personage than S. F. Edge was to act as managing director of the new company, Vieo Limited.
By the time of an article in the same publication on October 28th, 1905, there were three photographs: two showing cars fitted with the new wheel – the original 24 h.p. Napier and a 6½ h.p. Gladiator – and one giving an informative close-up of the wheel.
The Napier and Gladiator fitted with Vieo wheels
On August 25th, 1906, the same magazine reported that the official 4,000-mile trial was about to start. The magazine then reported on September 1st, 1906 that the trial was taking place with the wheel fitted to a 30-40 h.p. Daimler, with the following telling words: “It is satisfactory to know that these wheels are being tested on a car of the power of this fine Daimler, as the results, if as satisfactory as the inventor hopes, should be all the more convincing.”
The 30-40 h.p.Daimler fitted with four Vieo wheels of the latest type
On September 8th, the magazine reported positive news. In the first six days the car achieved 1,021 miles: “… so far a triumph for the Vieo wheel.” By September 15th, at the end of the second week, the total was 2,220 miles. A report on September 22nd gave the final total as 2,676 miles.
Sadly, there was no more heard of the wheel. There was clearly a big difference between a successful observed trial and a commercial success.
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