Castle Three
title: "Castle Three" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["cyclecars", "defunct-motor-vehicle-manufacturers-of-england", "kidderminster", "companies-based-in-worcestershire"] topic_path: "geography/united-kingdom" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Three" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox automobile"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| image | MHV Castle Three 1922.jpg |
| name | Castle Three |
| manufacturer | Castle Motor Company |
| production | 1919-1922 |
| class | cyclecar |
| engine | 1094 cc Dorman or 1207 cc Peters in-line 4-cylinder |
| transmission | two- or three-speed |
| successor | In development |
| :: |
| image = MHV Castle Three 1922.jpg | name = Castle Three | manufacturer = Castle Motor Company | production = 1919-1922 | class = cyclecar | body_style = | engine = 1094 cc Dorman or 1207 cc Peters in-line 4-cylinder | transmission = two- or three-speed | length = | width = | height = | weight = | wheelbase = | successor = In development | designer =
The Castle Three was a British three-wheeled cyclecar made from 1919 to 1922 by the Castle Motor Company of Castle Mill Works, New Road, Kidderminster, Worcestershire.
History
The company was originally a car repair business founded in 1906 by brothers Stanley and Laughton Goodwin but grew to make munitions during World War I and entered the car building business with the coming of peace and the post-war boom.
The cars
The car was aimed at the top end of the Cyclecar market and so was fitted with a four-cylinder, water-cooled engine. The first batch of cars had side-valve, straight four, Dorman engines of 1094 cc with the remainder using Belgian Peters 1207 cc engines. These were in-unit with a gearbox, either of two-speed epicyclic or three-speed conventional type and drove the single rear wheel by a shaft and bevel gears.
The open two-seater body with dickey seat had a smart nickel-plated radiator and electric lighting and was attached on a chassis with the suspension using quarter elliptic leaf springs at the front and semi elliptic at the rear. Unusually for a cyclecar, artillery wheels were used rather than wire-spoked ones.
The car was exhibited at the 1919 London Motor Show and a reputed 2,300 orders were taken. Not all these were confirmed and it is estimated that around 350 were made. Two are known to survive.
A prototype of a four-wheel version was made but never went into production. The company closed in 1922, selling the works to a carpet maker.
Successor
| name = Castle Three Motor | image = | caption = | manufacturer = Castle Three Motor Company | production = | model_years = | assembly = | predecessor = Castle Three | successor = | class = Three-wheeler | body_style = roadster | layout = FR | platform = | engine = | transmission = | wheelbase = | length = | related = | designer = | sp = uk In August 2013 the Castle Three Motor Company Limited was incorporated in Alnwick, Northumberland with plans to develop, manufacture and sell new generation three-wheeled sports cars for the recreational and motor sport markets.
While the original had 2+1 seating and a four-cylinder engine, the new three-wheeler will have two seats and use an externally sourced twin-pot — either in V or boxer form — to power the rear wheel via a largely proprietary drivetrain.
References
References
- Autocar Article (Dated 15 August) [http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/castle-three-wheeler-re-ignite-morgan-rivalry http://www.autocar.co.uk]
- Baldwin, N.. (1994). "A-Z of Cars of the 1920s". Bay View Books.
- G.N. Georgano, N.. (2000). "Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile". HMSO.
- [http://www.castlethree.co.uk/ Company website]
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