1950
Origin: Southport
Dates: 1947 – 1954.
The bike’s origins go back to the Second World War, when the Special Operations Executive (SOE) designed a small and light bike that could be parachuted out of planes with paratroopers. This model was named after the small, short-legged Corgi dog and, in post-war austerity Britain, offered ordinary people an attractive alternative to public transport. It was relatively cheap to buy and, with its tiny engine, it was economical to run – yet it could zip along at a respectable 30mph. But the advent of more stylish Italian scooters, plus the increasing availability of cars, meant that the humble Corgi was short lived.
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