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The ‘Little Engine’ Velocette was one of the most innovative machines ever made. It was silent, safe, weatherproof and very economical at 120mpg. The little 200cc water-cooled, horizontally opposed, twin cylinder engine gave a top speed of 53mph and drive was via a maintenance-free shaft and bevel.

The LE was a great favourite with police forces for beat patrol work and was popularly known as the ‘Noddy Bike’.

Production forecasts for the revolutionary ‘small machine for everyman’ were never achieved, however, as the LE was swamped by the scooter boom of the 1950s and 60s.