From Abbotsford to Zapp, at some point in history there’s been at least one British motorcycle manufacturer for every letter of the alphabet. One of the more obscure of those was London-based Dayton Motorcycle Co., which operated sporadically: from 1913 to 1922, then again for one year in 1939 (when it was almost certainly derailed by the start of the Second World War), and finally from 1955 to 1960.
It was in that last period, the 1950s and 60s, that scooters saw a rise in popularity in the UK. Think mod culture. Lambrettas and Vespas were generally the most fashionable scoots, but German Heinkels and Maicos were equally popular. Eager to get in on the action, Dayton produced the somewhat chunky ─ and therefore appropriately named ─ Albatross.
An albatross, you may know, is an enormous bird with a wingspan of up to 11.5 feet. With that kind of mass, they are not known for speed or agility. And, of course, thanks to the Rime of the Ancient Mariner (both the poem by Samuel Coleridge, and the song by Iron Maiden), an albatross is also generally associated with some kind of burden. All in all, not stuff you’d want people to connect with your scooter.
Indeed, Dayton described its Albatross scooters as “the only scooters with motorcycle performance and control.”
There were two versions, both styled the same. One was powered by a 250cc single-cylinder engine, the other driven by a 250cc twin. This example is the latter. The twin in question was Villiers 2T, a popular powerplant that was used by at least half a dozen other British motorcycle manufacturers, including Royal Enfield, Panther, and James.
Ultimately, the Albatross wasn’t a big seller ─ “mainly due to its size, weight, name and design,” according to the Grace’s Guide to British Industrial History ─ but you can find forums and Facebook pages full of people who maintain a fondness for them.
The seller of this particular example is clearly one of those people. Having been recently restored, the scooter looks to be in good condition, and a video accompanying the listing proves it also sounds the part: perfect for rattling through your town annoying everyone without noise-canceling earphones.
You can find this Albatross for sale in Suffolk, England with bidding up to £2,000 here on eBay.