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Pre War / Re: B35/2 1935 brake light switch
« Last post by Dripfedfloor on 23 March, 2024, 10:21:22 »Re brake lights. Up until the 30th of March 1935 brake lights were not compulsory and were often not fitted to vehicles. From the 31st March 1935 brake lights became compulsory on all new vehicles. So if your bike was registered before 31st March 1935 a brake light is not compulsory. However, it is obviously safer to have one.
That's incorrect. The act that came into force in 1935 only required that a brake light, if fitted, had to work. They didn't become compulsory until the 1953 Road Traffic Lighting Act which came into force in October 1954. This act also required a reflector to be fitted. A number of Austin A30/A35 had to be recalled to have brake lights fitted so I've read. There were probably others recalled to correct this as well.
As I've mentioned, the Lucas Master Parts List does NOT show brake light switches being made prior to 1951. In the vehicle fitment section there are clear references to older lamps (MT110/MT210/MT211) being used post war as late as 1950. These lamps are single filament bulbs and do not have a brake lamp facility. As an example this list shows my 1947 Triumph Speed Twin as having an MT110 tail lamp. No brake switch is listed for it....