Mark Elliott 29/08/2026 Mark Elliott 29/08/2026

The Flux Capacitor and How does it work ?

The Flux Capacitor - What does it do ? How does it work ? Here we explain the theory behind Doc Browns Back to the Future invention

The Flux Capacitor is one of the central pieces of equipment in the DeLorean Time Machine which is what makes time travel possible.

In Theory :

This is essentially a storage device for the huge amount of power 1.21 gigawatts (1,210,000,000 watts) of power, once 88mph is reached power is channelled through three glowing rods. This forces microwaves to flow in one direction meeting in the centre.

A newly developed Flux Capacitor (not for time travel though) uses Quantum tubes of magnetic flux moving around a central capacitor by a process known as Quantum Tunnelling, This creates a brace of wormholes accelerating at different velocities relative to each other.

The Flux Capacitor How does it Work ?

As featured in ‘Back to the Future’ a device imagined by Doc Brown when he was standing on the edge of his toilet, slipped and hit his head on the sink, when he came to had a revelation of the Flux Capacitor

The Flux Capacitor is one of the central pieces of equipment in the DeLorean Time Machine which is what makes time travel possible.

In Theory :

The Back to the Future A-Car (the DeLorean used for close up filming) Flux Capacitor consisted of 3 high pressure gas relays connected to Glass Vacuum tubes.

In this particular theory the space-time continuum is shown to be essentially spherical. The Flux bands allowing the traveller to enter the wormhole in one location in space, but emerge from it in a new location which is exactly the same in space, but entirely different in time. So you travel through time, but remain in the same relative place.

Of course this is far more complex than we have described here, but again see our blog ' Is Time Travel Possible' for more detailed explanation.

The short version is that nothing really stays in place, the world is constantly moving through space, so even a slight displacement in time would be extremely difficult to link up exactly with a particular point in space.

DeLorean Power ?

The Delorean runs on regular gas (petrol unleaded) to power its 2.8 v6 Peugeot Renault Volvo (PRV) ZMJ-159 engine. But the Time Machine conversion runs on something little more potent ….

Can a DeLorean go 88 mph? Yes it can it can :

In U.S Spec - 130 BHP - 0.60 in 9.6 Seconds - Top Speed 122 mph

In European Spec - 150 BHP - 0.60 in 8.5 Seconds - Top Speed 129 mph

One of the key problems for the flux capacitor is energy. Even theoretically, the amount of power needed to create a wormhole (as yet, still only a concept rather than a reality) is barely conceivable.

In the film, it’s defined as 1.21 gigawatts (pronounced ‘jigawatts’ in the film). That’s an awful lot of watts, the kind you can only get from a plutonium-powered nuclear reactor, or a couple of seriously huge gas turbines or, say, a bolt of lightning !

So try to explain how much power this is the nuclear power reactors in a Nimitz Class Aircraft Carrier produce 194 megawatts (1.94 x 10-8 watts)

But here we are talking about a Bolt of Lighting which is 300 million volts, and 30,000 amps. For comparison a household current is 240 Volts (120volts for USA) and 16 Amps. And a bolt of lighting is 5 x 10⌃9 Joules perfect for Doc Browns Delorean Time Machine

Giga is a prefix for units that typically means 10⌃9 This means 1.21 gigawatts would be 1.12 x 10⌃9 watts

What other mode of transport requires this colossal amount of power ? Try the S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarrier at 317 gigawatts

The Reactor

So long as it didn’t explode, and 1.21 gigawatts is all the power you needed, then you could conceivably power a time-travelling car.

Then all you’d have to worry about are the complexities of relativity, space-time paradoxes and the impossibility of altering the future by changing history to make time travel by DeLorean a reality.

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To find out more fun Future Facts by clicking our Blogs below……….!!! Please Share …..

Ghostbuster - Ecto 1

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/3/31/ghostbusters-ecto-1

Cars of Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/10/the-cars-of-back-to-the-future-55-

Back to the Future Fashion

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/19/back-to-the-future-fashion-te2yx

Ariel Leader

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/17/ariel-leader

Back to the Future - Hill Valley History

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/2/hill-valley-history-jxrr4

Back to the Future Gadgets and Trends we have in 2021

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/10/34-back-to-the-future-gadgets-and-trends

Doc Browns Biography and the History of his DeLorean Time Machine

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/26/doc-browns-biography-amp-history-of-the-time-machine

Marty McFly Biography also featuring Biff, George, Jennifer, Loranine

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/2/biography-marty-mcfly-michael-j-fox-biff-george-jennifer-loranine

Back to the Future - Hill Valley History

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/2/hill-valley-history

Back to the Future - Detailed storyline

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/24/back-to-the-future-detailed-storyline-

Back to the Future - How to generate 1.21 Giggawatts / Jiggawatts with Mr Fusion

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/25/great-scott-how-to-generate-121-giggawatts-jiggawatts-mr-fusion-

What is a Fat Bike ? And where did the idea of Fat Bikes come from ?

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/10/fat-bike-what-is-a-fat-bike-history

The Time Paradox explained - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/16/time-paradox-explained-back-to-the-future

The Sinclair C5

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/9/sinclair-c5-

Mini Jeep Mini Review

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/minicoolsterjeepreview

Hoverboards - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/12/13/hoverboards-

How does the Time Machine work - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/11/22/how-does-the-time-machine-work

The DeLorean Motor Company - What did it fail ? Or did it ?

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/11/22/whydiddeloreanmotorcompanyfail

The DeLorean Motor Company - History

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/11/22/deloreanmotorcompany

The Flux Capacitor - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/fluxcapacitor

Is Time Travel Possible ? And what would it take ? Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/istimetravelpossible

www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk

Mark Elliott 29/08/2026 Mark Elliott 29/08/2026

Great Scott !!! .... It's the FLUX CAPACITOR !!!

The Flux Capacitor: Explained for Your Time Travel Blog 🕰️

For your blog on the possibility of time travel, the Flux Capacitor is arguably the single most important fictional device to analyze. It's the engine of time travel in the Back to the Future universe, representing the highly theoretical technology needed to manipulate the space-time continuum.

What Is the Flux Capacitor?

The Flux Capacitor is the central component that makes temporal displacement possible in the DeLorean time machine.

Definition: It is an energy storage and channeling device that, when properly energized, creates the temporal window necessary for the vehicle to jump from one point in time to another.
The Inventor: Dr. Emmett L. Brown conceived the idea on November 5, 1955, after slipping on his toilet while hanging a clock and hitting his head on the sink.
Appearance: A metal box with three pulsing light tubes arranged in a distinctive 'Y' formation, prominently mounted on the dashboard between the driver and passenger seats. The light pulses accelerate as the DeLorean approaches the critical speed.

How Does It Work (Theoretically)?

The operation of the Flux Capacitor is based on two fundamental, non-negotiable requirements that trigger the temporal jump:

1. The Energy Threshold: 1.21 Gigawatts

The Flux Capacitor requires a colossal burst of energy—1.21 gigawatts (GW)—to function. This immense power is theorized to be necessary to warp or "flux" the space-time continuum, generating a temporary wormhole or a breach in the time barrier.

This fictional figure of 1.21 GW acts as a crucial, dramatic plot point, constantly forcing Doc and Marty to seek out extraordinary power sources (plutonium, lightning, or garbage).

2. The Speed Trigger: 88 Miles Per Hour

The time jump is not instantaneous; it requires motion. The vehicle must be traveling at exactly 88 miles per hour(88 mph) when the 1.21 GW hits the Flux Capacitor.

Significance: This suggests that the velocity of the object plays a critical role in the physics of the temporal transition. The speed may be necessary for the DeLorean to penetrate the unstable, momentary displacement field created by the Flux Capacitor before it collapses.

The Real-World Connection to Theory

While purely fictional, the Flux Capacitor conceptually touches on a core challenge in theoretical physics regarding time travel:

The Energy Problem: In reality, the energy required to create a traversable wormhole (a hypothetical shortcut through space and time) is currently calculated to be astronomical, perhaps requiring negative energy or exotic matter that we don't yet know how to create. The 1.21 GW requirement is a fun, marketable stand-in for this colossal energy deficit.
The Wormhole Analogy: The device acts as a "wormhole generator," providing a means for an object to effectively exist at two points in time while only traversing the distance in space.

The ultimate takeaway from the Flux Capacitor is that in this sci-fi model, time is not an impassable, solid wall, but a barrier that can be overcome, provided you have enough juice and speed.

Would you like a blog explanation of a different fictional device, like the Lightsaber from Star Wars, or should we write about the scientific challenges of "Staying in the Same Place" during a time jump?

Great Scott .... It's THE FLUX CAPACITOR !!!

This is going to get 'Heavy' !

In the realm of fictional technology, the Flux Capacitor stands out as a key component of the DeLorean time machine.

Propelling characters across the time-space continuum in the "Back to the Future" film trilogy.

While its inner workings are intentionally shrouded in mystery, let's embark on a speculative journey to explore how the Flux

Capacitor might function from a technical standpoint.
Theoretical Foundation:

To understand the Flux Capacitor, one must delve into theoretical physics. Dr. Emmett Brown, the inventor in the movies, cites the flux dispersal over a spatial-temporal vector as a fundamental principle.

This resonates with concepts from Einstein's theory of relativity, suggesting a link between the flux capacitor's operation and the manipulation of spacetime.

Temporal Energy Generation:

The Flux Capacitor presumably harnesses an exotic form of energy to manipulate time. In theoretical physics, the idea of "negative energy" or "exotic matter" is sometimes invoked in discussions about traversable wormholes or time dilation.
It is conceivable that the Flux Capacitor taps into a source of exotic energy to create the temporal field necessary for time travel.

This is essentially a storage device for the huge amount of power 1.21 gigawatts (1,210,000,000 watts) of power, once 88mph is reached power is channelled through three glowing rods. This forces microwaves to flow in one direction meeting in the centre.
88 MPH Threshold:

The films emphasize the significance of reaching a speed of 88 miles per hour for the Flux Capacitor to activate successfully.

While this appears arbitrary, it might be indicative of a critical energy threshold required to initiate the temporal displacement.

Achieving this speed may trigger a resonance effect, amplifying the energy generated by the Flux Capacitor and opening a temporal portal.

Temporal Coils and Capacitance:

The Flux Capacitor's Y-shaped design, resembling a circuit board, suggests a sophisticated arrangement of temporal coils.

These coils may play a role in focusing and channeling the temporal energy.

The flashing lights surrounding the Flux Capacitor could represent the dynamic interplay of temporal capacitance, regulating the flow of energy as it prepares to breach the temporal barrier.

Temporal Displacement Control:

One intriguing aspect is the Flux Capacitor's ability to pinpoint
specific moments in time. This implies a level of control over the temporal displacement process.

Theoretically, a sophisticated algorithm or quantum computing system could be integrated, allowing the time traveler to input precise temporal coordinates and navigate the spacetime continuum with accuracy.

DeLorean Time Machine Interior - www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk

DeLorean Time Machine - Lighting Strike - www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk

Temporal Displacement Control:

One intriguing aspect is the Flux Capacitor's ability to pinpoint
specific moments in time. This implies a level of control over the temporal displacement process.

Theoretically, a sophisticated algorithm or quantum computing system could be integrated, allowing the time traveler to input precise temporal coordinates and navigate the spacetime continuum with accuracy.

The Role of Plutonium (or Mr. Fusion):

In the films, the DeLorean initially relies on a plutonium-powered reactor to generate the required 1.21 gigawatts of power.
Later, Dr. Brown replaces it with a Mr. Fusion device that converts household waste into energy.

The Flux Capacitor's ability to interface with different power sources suggests adaptability, adding an additional layer of complexity to its design.

A newly developed Flux Capacitor (not for time travel though) uses Quantum tubes of magnetic flux moving around a central capacitor by a process known as Quantum Tunnelling,

This creates a brace of wormholes accelerating at different velocities relative to each other.

1.21 Gigawatts of energy would be released from the Flux Capacitor through the Flux Bands (mounted on the outside of the DeLorean).

This would allow for the transition through the wormhole to happen at 88mph, the wormhole would have to be created by the Delorean harnessing two black holes, entangle them, and then separate them again.

Except this involves ties between quantum mechanics and classical mechanics. (See our ‘Is Time Travel possible’ blog)

The Back to the Future A-Car (the DeLorean used for close up filming) Flux Capacitor consisted of 3 high pressure gas relays connected to Glass Vacuum tubes.

In this particular theory the space-time continuum is shown to be essentially spherical.

The Flux bands allowing the traveller to enter the wormhole in one location in space, but emerge from it in a new location which is exactly the same in space, but entirely different in time.

So you travel through time, but remain in the same relative place.
Of course this is far more complex than we have described here, but again see our blog ' Is Time Travel Possible' for more detailed explanation.

The short version is that nothing really stays in place,

DeLorean Time Machine - www.sandsotneproductions.co.uk

DeLorean Time Machine - www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk

The Delorean runs on regular gas (petrol unleaded) to power its 2.8 v6 Peugeot Renault Volvo (PRV) ZMJ-159 engine.

But the Time Machine conversion runs on something little more potent ….

Can a DeLorean go 88 mph? Yes it can it can :
In European Spec - 150 BHP - 0.60 in 8.5 Seconds - Top Speed 129 mph

One of the key problems for the flux capacitor is energy. Even theoretically, the amount of power needed to create a wormhole (as yet, still only a concept rather than a reality) is barely conceivable.

In the film, it’s defined as 1.21 gigawatts (pronounced ‘jigawatts’ in the film). That’s an awful lot of watts, the kind you can only get from a plutonium-powered nuclear reactor, or a couple of seriously huge gas turbines or, say, a bolt of lightning !

So try to explain how much power this is the nuclear power reactors in a Nimitz Class Aircraft Carrier produce 194 megawatts (1.94 x 10-8 watts)

But here we are talking about a Bolt of Lighting which is 300 million volts, and 30,000 amps.

For comparison a household current is 240 Volts (120volts for USA) and 16 Amps.

And a bolt of lighting is 5 x 10⌃9 Joules perfect for Doc Browns Delorean Time Machine

Giga is a prefix for units that typically means 10⌃9 This means 1.21 gigawatts would be 1.12 x 10⌃9 watts

So how could that work?

Let’s get technical for a second.

If the reactor uses (for example) Plutonium-239 (dangerously
radioactive by the way), then each atom of the stuff could theoretically produce 200MeV (mega electron volts) during the fission process, equivalent to 3.2×10⌃11 joules of energy.

With each Plutonium-239 atom having a mass of 3.29×10-25kg, you would only need a fuel mass of 1.2×10-5kg, which could conceivably fit in the boot of a DeLorean.

So long as it didn’t explode, and 1.21 gigawatts is all the power you needed, then you could conceivably power a time-travelling car.

Then all you’d have to worry about are the complexities of relativity, space-time paradoxes and the impossibility of altering the future by changing history to make time travel by DeLorean a reality.

Conclusion:

While the Flux Capacitor remains firmly entrenched in the world
of science fiction, its conceptualization offers an intriguing blend of theoretical physics and speculative engineering.

Imagining a device that manipulates time requires a suspension of disbelief, but the Flux Capacitor's enduring appeal lies in its ability to spark conversations about the boundaries of scientific understanding and the limitless potential of the human imagination.

As we continue to explore the mysteries of the universe, the Flux Capacitor serves as a reminder that sometimes the most captivating ideas emerge at the intersection of scientific theory and creative storytelling.

The Flux Capacitor is one of the central pieces of equipment in the DeLorean Time Machine which is what makes time travel possible.

Mark Elliott 29/08/2026 Mark Elliott 29/08/2026

Hill Valley - ‘Back to the Future’ History

Back to the Future - Learn all about the famous town featured in the film called Hill Valley which we seen in 1985, 2015, 1955, 1885

Hill Valley

Hill Valley Is the fictional town in California that serves as the setting of the Back to the Future trilogy.

In the trilogy, Hill Valley is seen in four different time periods (1885, 1955, 1985 and 2015) as well as in a dystopian alternate 1985.

The films contain many sight gags, verbal innuendos and detailed set design elements, from which a detailed and consistent history of the area can be derived.

The name "Hill Valley" is a joke, being an oxymoron. However, an early script for Back to the Future Part II mentioned that Hill Valley was named after its founder, William "Bill" Hill.

Production

For Back to the Future, the producers considered filming the town square scenes in the real city of Petaluma, California, but soon realized it would be prohibitively expensive and impractical to alter a real place to suit the different eras.

Instead filming was completed on the Universal Studios backlot, where they had more control.

The town square set, once called Mockingbird Square after the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird but now known as Courthouse Square, had been used for many films and television shows dating back to 1948's An Act of Murder.

One notable example is the very first episode of the sci-fi series The Twilight Zone, called "Where Is Everybody?" in 1959.

The Hill Valley courthouse can also be found in the movies Bruce Almighty, Gremlins, Bye Bye Birdie, Sneakers, The Offspring's music video "Why Don't You Get a Job?", an episode of Major Dad entitled "Who's That Blonde" and even in an episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

Gremlins Cinema - (Remember the DeLorean crashing into it !)

The clock tower itself was a removable addition, one of many ways in which the Courthouse building has been redressed over the years to suit the needs of a production.

Many of the cars that appear in the 2015 scenes are either modified for the film or concept cars.

Examples include Ford Probe, Saab EV-1, Citroën DS 21, Pontiac Banshee Concept, Pontiac Fiero and Volkswagen Beetle. Cars reused from other science fiction films include the "Star Car" from The Last Starfighter (1984) and a "Spinner" from Blade Runner (1982).

Griff's car is a modified BMW 633 (which was notably never in the convertible form seen in the film).

For Back to the Future Part III, Hill Valley 1885 was filmed in Sonora, California. The producers were able to use the land rent-free under an agreement to leave the set buildings on site.

All buildings except the clock tower were left intact after production completed.

! On November 6, 1990, an arson fire on the Universal Studios Hollywood backlot destroyed much of Courthouse Square, the setting in which all the other time periods were filmed.

However, the Courthouse itself survived the devastation and other facades were reconstructed.

! Another fire on September 6, 1997 again damaged Courthouse Square. Once again, the backlot facades were then rebuilt, with the exception of the facades used for Hill Valley 1885.

! On February 14, 1999 fire at Whittier High School, California, where some (mostly exterior) scenes were filmed, destroyed the men's gym there.

! On June 1, 2008, yet another fire destroyed part of the rebuilt Courthouse Square backlot and damaged the clock tower.

Real-life locations

Other real-life shooting locations of Hill Valley landmarks include:

Doc's house in 1955 is the Gamble House in Pasadena, California. Doc's garage in 1985 was a façade set up next to a Burger King on North Victory Boulevard in Burbank, California.

Twin Pines/Lone Pine Mall is actually the Puente Hills Mall in Industry, California.

Marty's Lyon Estates house in 1985 is actually at 9303 Roslyndale Avenue, Pacoima, California.

The 1955 Lyon Estates field is actually along farmland between the city borders of Chino, California and Corona, California.

Peabody's Twin Pines Ranch is really at Golden Oak Ranch, which is owned by The Walt Disney Company and used in many Disney productions.

· The houses of George McFly, Lorraine Baines, and Biff Tannen in 1955 are all in South Pasadena, California.

The train that hit the DeLorean and the Futuristic Train was parked in Port Hueneme, California.

· John F. Kennedy Drive is actually Victory Boulevard in Burbank, California.

· The River Road Tunnel is actually Observatory Tunnel at Griffith Park in Los Angeles. The actual tunnel is only a fraction of the length of the one depicted in Part II.

The Pohatchee Drive-In Theater where Marty initially travels from 1955 back to 1885 was not a real theater. It was constructed full-scale for the third film in Monument Valley, Utah (near the Arizona/Utah border) and was torn down after that portion of filming was completed.

· Marty's race with Needles was shot on Doris Avenue in Oxnard, California.

According to an 1885 railroad map in Back to the Future Part III, Hill Valley is located in Northern California in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Dialogue in Back to the Future Part II and Back to the Future Part III places it in "Hill County", a fictional county in California.

Fictional history

The following information is taken directly from places and events shown or mentioned in the three films:

Early settlement

The town of Hill Valley is depicted as having been first settled in 1850 and incorporated in 1865.

By the 1880s, it was connected by railroad to San Francisco. Construction of a new county courthouse was well underway in 1885, the setting of Back to the Future Part III, in which a new clock was dedicated for the building.

The Shonash Ravine Bridge was completed in the summer of 1886, around the same time the ravine was renamed Clayton Ravine in memory of Clara Clayton, a school teacher who died from falling into the chasm.

However, in a revised timeline where Doc Brown saved Clara's life, the town renamed it Eastwood Ravine after Marty McFly's persona when it is believed that "Eastwood" fell into the ravine while trying to stop some train hijackers (who are really Marty and Doc).

Town square

By 1955, as seen in the first two Back to the Future films, the area around the courthouse has developed into the downtown of Hill Valley.

In front of the courthouse is a grass-covered town square, with stores, two movie theaters (Essex and Town), and cafés on the surrounding streets.

A key moment in the town's fictional history takes place on Saturday, November 12, 1955, at 10:04 p.m. PST, when lightning strikes the courthouse's clock tower, freezing the clock at 10:04.

The clock is never repaired and becomes a local landmark, left in its non-functional state at the behest of the Hill Valley Preservation Society.

The broken piece of ledge from Doc Brown's successful attempt to channel lightning from the clock tower is likewise never repaired, as can be seen when Marty returns to 1985 and in 2015, but not in the Alternate 1985.

In Marty's original timeline, many of the town square businesses have moved or closed down by 1985.

The new businesses which replaced them include a second-hand shop, a yoga studio, and an adult book store.

The Essex movie theater now shows porno movies while the Town Theater is used for church services, and the courthouse is in a state of disrepair, and at night at least one homeless person (called "Red" by Marty) sleeps on the town square park benches.

The grassy park outside of the courthouse has been converted into a parking lot. "That was always one of the major elements of the story even in its earliest incarnation," screenwriter Bob Gale says in The Making of Back to the Future, "was to take a place and show what happens to it over a period of thirty years.

What happened to everybody's home town is obviously the same thing. They built the mall out in the boonies, and killed all the business downtown, and everything changed.”

By the 21st century, the downtown area has experienced a revival as the courthouse has been converted into the Courthouse Mall.

Businesses have begun to move back into and around the town square and the parking lot has been replaced by a pond.

The clock on top of the courthouse is still preserved at 10:04, and the mall's logo is an illustration of a lightning bolt striking the clock tower.

The Town Theater / Assembly of Christ building has been converted to an art museum with a mural painted on the front side of the building above the marquee.

Signs that say "Welcome to Hill Valley" are seen in 1955, 1985 and 2015.

Both 1955 and 2015 signs have symbols representing the Rotary, Kiwanis and Lions clubs. In addition, the 1955 sign has the logos of the YMCA, Jaycees, and Future Farmers of America while the 2015 sign has those of the Neighborhood Crime Watch eye logo and the 4-H Club clover logo.

The "Welcome to Hill Valley" sign in 1985 does not contain any signage representing any clubs and mentions the name of Mayor Goldie Wilson.

In the alternate 1985 Marty is seen walking over the sign, which has been knocked down and an 'E' has been spray painted over the 'I' in HILL VALLEY making the name HELL VALLEY.

This sign does not display the name of the mayor but instead the words "A Nice Place to Live" as also seen in 1955. A sign referencing US Highway 395 is also shown next to the Town Square in 1955.

Twin Pines Mall (Lone Pine Mall)

Twin Pines Mall is a shopping center located outside Hill Valley, where Doctor Emmett Brown first tests his time machine, making his dog Einstein the first time traveler in the world.

The site where the mall was filmed for the movie is actually Puente Hills Mall, located in City of Industry, California. The J.C. Penney location seen in the movie had been shut down, and is now occupied by a 24 Hour Fitness center.

The mall's name changed to Lone Pine Mall after Marty went back to 1955, because he accidentally destroyed one of the two baby pine trees for which it was named as he fled an irate Old Man Peabody whose barn the DeLorean had crashed into upon arriving in 1955.

Alternate history

In Back to the Future Part II, a nightmarish alternate version of Hill Valley (dubbed 1985A by Doc) is depicted complete with a partial history. Due to the influence of the powerful and corrupt Biff Tannen, gambling was legalized in 1979. Tannen's toxic waste reclamation plants were built downtown, polluting the air and leading to pollution alerts to be issued.

All of the local businesses in the downtown area closed or relocated and were replaced with strip clubs, porn theaters, and brothels. Tannen also bought off the police.

Consequently, crime increased and biker gangs settled in the city. Hill Valley's public schools burned down and the courthouse was converted into Biff Tannen's Pleasure Paradise Casino and Hotel. The clock on the courthouse still remains at 10:04 although despite the damage the Doc did to the tower's platform in 1955, for whatever reason, it now seems to have disappeared.

Biff also murdered George McFly (Marty's dad) in 1973 so that he could marry George's wife Lorraine (Marty's mom) therefore making him a corrupt family man as well as town ruler. He also helped Richard Nixon remain President of the United States until at least 1985. Biff's effect on history affected the whole world – in this version of history, the Vietnam War was also still ongoing by May 1983.

According to the original script for Back to the Future Part II a partial view of the alternate 2015 was also to be depicted. By this time Biff now owns half the state of California with his influence having gained his son, Biff Jr., the seat of governor and they uphold their power and corruption with an army of large, powerful cyborg police officers.

Hill Valley Business

Many family businesses are passed down from generation to generation in Hill Valley. As a result, the city changes but remains similar from one generation to the next, as businesses are updated but rarely change. These recurring elements were a deliberate choice on the part of the filmmakers.

The production designer of Back to the Future Part II, Rick Carter, is quoted in a DVD extra as saying, "The future is built on the present." Director Robert Zemeckis adds that the continuity between the different eras in Hill Valley's history is an example of the adage, "the more things change, the more they stay the same".

The following is a list of such places. When a place is not seen or mentioned in a movie, it is marked unknown. Some buildings shown in 1885 scenes are actually located further down the street in an area not shown in the first two movies.

List of filming locations :

www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk

This is a list of known filming locations used in Universal Studios' Back to the Future trilogy.

PLEASE NOTE: Many of these locations are privately owned, and may be viewed only from a distance. Always respect the owners' privacy and property. Trespassing on private property is an offence — usually backed up with heavy fines for offenders — and to do so to take photographs is not encouraged.

Hill Valley location Real-world location

McFly residence (1985) 9303 Lyon Drive, Lyon Estates 9303 Roslyndale Avenue, Pacoima, California 91331 PRIVATE

McFlyResidence (2015) 3793 Oakhurst Street, Hilldale 3793 Oakhurst Street, El Monte, California 91732 PRIVATE Gated community

McFly residence (1955) 1711 Bushnell Avenue, South Pasadena, California PRIVATE

Baines residence 1727 Bushnell Avenue, South Pasadena, California PRIVATE

Mason Street house Mason Street 1729 Bushnell Avenue (number unconfirmed), South Pasadena, CaliforniaPRIVATE

Tannen residence 1809 Mason Street 1809 Bushnell Avenue, South Pasadena, California PRIVATE

Strickland residence (1985-A) 12511 Bailey Street, Whittier, California PRIVATE

Parkerresidence (1985A and 1985) 161 N. Magnolia Avenue, Monrovia, California 91016 PRIVATE

Doc'sgarage and Burger King (1985) 535 North Victory Boulevard, Burbank, California PUBLIC

Courthouse Square Universal Studios Backlot PUBLIC

Universal Studios offers tours, most of lot burned

Lyon Estates entrance - (1955) Chino-Corona Road, Chino, California PUBLIC WITH RESTRICTIONS Gate access open only on weekends - Lyon Estates entrance (1985 and 1985A)

Sandusky Avenue and Kagel Canyon Road, Pacoima, California 91331 PUBLIC

Audition location for Battle of the Bands McCambridge Park Recreation Center, 1515 Glenoaks Boulevard, Burbank, California PUBLIC recreation center

Twin Pines/Lone Pine Mall Puente Hills Mall, 1600 South Azusa Avenue, City of Industry, California PUBLIC mall parking lot

Twin Pines Ranch Golden Oak Ranch Place Canyon Road, Newhall, California PRIVATE property of Walt Disney Company

Site of DeLorean Time Machine's destruction - South Ventura Road at Shoreview Drive, Port Hueneme, California PUBLIC street, best photos before 3:00 p.m.

Stairwell of Biff Tannen's Pleasure Paradise Casino & Hotel Universal City Hilton - 555 Universal City Parkway,Universal City, California 91608 PUBLIC WITH RESTRICTIONS Access for hotel guests and paid parking only

5401 Olympic Los geles filming location C A 90036 PRIVATE

Hilldale (1985) Doris Avenue and Oxford Drive, Oxnard, California PUBLIC

Public street, best photos before 3:00 p.m.

Hilldale (2015) Oakhurst Street and Somerset Avenue, El Monte, California 91732 PRIVATE Gated community with NO TRESPASSING signs

The desert (Pohatchee Drive-In) Monument Valley, Utah, Navaho Nation Indian reservation PUBLIC WITH RESTRICTIONS Filming took place off roads in protected area

Hill Valley High School, Whittier High School, 12417 Philadelphia Street, Whittier, California PUBLIC WITH RESTRICTIONS Public high school, no access allowed during school hours

The exterior of Delgado Mine and Boot Hill Cemetery China Flat, Santa Monica National Recreation Area, Oak Park, California PUBLIC

Involves 40-minute hike to location from King James Ct in Oak Park (CA)

River Road Tunnel Observation Tunnel, Griffith Park, Hollywood, California PUBLIC In park

The exterior of Doc's Mansion and garage (1955) The Gamble House, 4 Westmoreland Place, Pasadena, California PUBLIC Public tours available

The door and interior of Doc's mansion (1955) The Blacker-Hill House, 1777 Hillcrest Avenue, Pasadena, California PRIVATE

Private residence (rare 10-year tour possibly organized)

The interior of Hill Valley High School's gymnasium for Enchantment Under the Seadance

Hollywood United Methodist Church, 6817 Franklin Avenue, Hollywood, California PUBLIC

Church usually public, but always ask permission first

The starting line, Griffith Park, across from the Greek Theatre PUBLIC street in public park

McFly Farm (1885) China Flat, Santa Monica National Recreation Area, Oak Park, California PUBLIC

Involves 40-minute hike to location from King James Ct in Oak Park (CA)

Hill Valley (1885), Near Sonora, California, about 6 miles west of Chinese CampPUBLIC WITH RESTRICTIONS

BLM Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) is public, but Ed Moyle's airstrip is private property.

Shonash Ravine Bridge (1885) Near Sonora, California, about 6 miles west of Chinese Camp PRIVATE

Gated field. Always ask permission first.

Clara's house Tuolumne County PUBLIC WITH RESTRICTIONS Unpaved road

Buford Tannen's lake campsite, Near Sonora, California PUBLIC WITH RESTRICTIONS Unpaved road

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Ghostbuster - Ecto 1

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/3/31/ghostbusters-ecto-1

Cars of Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/10/the-cars-of-back-to-the-future-55-

Back to the Future Fashion

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/19/back-to-the-future-fashion-te2yx

Ariel Leader

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/17/ariel-leader

Back to the Future - Hill Valley History

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/2/hill-valley-history-jxrr4

Back to the Future Gadgets and Trends we have in 2021

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/10/34-back-to-the-future-gadgets-and-trends

Doc Browns Biography and the History of his DeLorean Time Machine

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/26/doc-browns-biography-amp-history-of-the-time-machine

Marty McFly Biography also featuring Biff, George, Jennifer, Loranine

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/2/biography-marty-mcfly-michael-j-fox-biff-george-jennifer-loranine

Back to the Future - Hill Valley History

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/2/hill-valley-history

Back to the Future - Detailed storyline

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/24/back-to-the-future-detailed-storyline-

Back to the Future - How to generate 1.21 Giggawatts / Jiggawatts with Mr Fusion

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/25/great-scott-how-to-generate-121-giggawatts-jiggawatts-mr-fusion-

What is a Fat Bike ? And where did the idea of Fat Bikes come from ?

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/10/fat-bike-what-is-a-fat-bike-history

The Time Paradox explained - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/16/time-paradox-explained-back-to-the-future

The Sinclair C5

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/9/sinclair-c5-

Mini Jeep Mini Review

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/minicoolsterjeepreview

Hoverboards - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/12/13/hoverboards-

How does the Time Machine work - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/11/22/how-does-the-time-machine-work

The DeLorean Motor Company - What did it fail ? Or did it ?

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/11/22/whydiddeloreanmotorcompanyfail

The DeLorean Motor Company - History

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/11/22/deloreanmotorcompany

The Flux Capacitor - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/fluxcapacitor

Is Time Travel Possible ? And what would it take ? Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/istimetravelpossible

www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk

Credit to Fandom and https://www.wikipedia.org/

Mark Elliott 01/05/2026 Mark Elliott 01/05/2026

Top Gear - The DMC-12 40th Birthday - On Road and Track DeLorean Review

Top Gear DeLorean’s 40th Birthday Road and Track Review with Chris Harris - Series 31 Eposide 4

🚗 DeLorean's 40th Anniversary on Top Gear

The report, which aired in 2021 (40 years after the car's launch), featured presenter Chris Harris investigating the "stranger than fiction" story of the DeLorean.

Focus: The segment covered the tumultuous history of John Z. DeLorean and his vision for the gull-winged, stainless steel sports car.
Northern Ireland Tribute: Harris notably paid tribute to Northern Ireland's role in the car's manufacture, including scenes of him driving the car around Belfast's Titanic Quarter, where the factory was located.
The Back to the Future Legacy: It also covered the car's instant and enduring iconic status due to its starring role as the time machine in the Back to the Future trilogy.

Top Gear reviews the DeLorean 40 years on …..

Chris Harris investigates the stranger than fiction story of the time-travelling DMC DeLorean in this episode.

The story of John Z DeLorean and his vision of building his own Supercar has certainly been a roller coaster ride and one that still to this day could not be replicated.

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BBC Top Gear Episode Link

Mark Elliott 01/10/2022 Mark Elliott 01/10/2022

Ariel Leader

Taking you back to the days of 2 stroke engines, and a unique Motorbike which bridged the gap between scooter and motorbike, but featured maximum weather protection, comfortable for two and had featured twin cylinder 250cc. We feature the Ariel Leader

One of the most sensational British motorcycles of the 1950s was the ground-breaking Ariel Leader designed by the legendary Val Page from a clean sheet – but sadly, times were changing too quickly for the good times to roll for long, writes Pete Kelly

More than 60 years on, it’s difficult to imagine what impact the launch of the innovative Leader had on the then-massive British motorcycling public.

Imagine the first sighting of one, its beautiful flowing lines, bright two-tone colour scheme, whitewall tyres and built-in flashing indicators.

Modern, clean and comfortable, it was intended to bridge the gap between the then-growing popularity of the scooter and the evergreen virtues of the traditional motorcycle

But by the time it appeared in the motorcycle dealerships its fate was already sealed, not just by the launch of the Mini car in 1959, but also by the unstoppable force of the Japanese motorcycle invasion.

“Seldom since the earliest days of motorcycling can a new model have embodied quite so much novelty as does the 249cc Ariel Leader,” wrote the Blue ’Un. “In laying out this aptly named two-stroke twin, chief designer Val Page and his team were given that dream of all designers – a completely free hand!

“The only stipulations were that the machine must be an ultra-modern two-fifty with built-in weather protection and a lively but refined performance. Provided the model could be marketed at a competitive price, any method of construction they chose could be employed.

If only the Leader had made its debut in 1955 rather than 1958!

1959 Ariel Leader

IN THE SUMMER OF 1958 the Ariel Leader made its first appearance on British roads. This quirky 249cc two-stroke twin was a result of Ariel’s brave and innovative (or is that foolish and ill-timed?) foray into the popular and growing lightweight-motorcycle/scooter market.

The designers set their aim high—combining all the best features of both scooter and motorcycle. Their progeny would be light, surefooted and easy to handle, but at the same time it would offer all the weather protection that scooter riders were accustomed to, and more.

And they both succeeded, and failed. The new bike birthed in the Ariel stables showed great promise, racing ahead to bag the Motorcycle News Best Bike of the Year award in 1959.

The Leader was modern and stylish and a breath of fresh air after the usual overweight models produced by the company at that time (Red Hunter, Square Four). But despite a very promising start, it was not the great commercial success it was hoped to be having missed its market by a fairly wide margin.

It’s fairly easy to explain how they achieved such popularity, and then quickly fell out of favour, but perhaps what needs most explanation is how this radical machine came to be produced in the first place.

After all, Ariel’s last attempt at serious innovation had been the Square Four nearly 30 years earlier. The company’s advertising slogan continued to be ‘The Modern Motorcycle’, but it didn’t seem to fit the facts.

And then, blow me; they announced a motorcycle with an unconventional frame, avant garde styling and a totally different sort of engine. It was a shock to the public, but of course it didn’t happen overnight, and it had been one of the best kept secrets in motorcycling history.

The story started in the mid-1950s, when Ariel’s board of management, under ex-racer Ken Whistance, decided on a valiant bid to avoid being overwhelmed by more trendy manufacturers that included their own partners BSA and Triumph.

Continental manufacturers were already producing durable and capable engines of this type, and in the next few years Japanese makers would show that extraordinary performance could be extracted from them without compromising reliability.

What was quite continental, however, was that the designers had dispensed with a conventional tubular frame, and opted for a pressed steel box beam. They’d gone the whole hog, too, and the beam provided everything from the rear suspension mounts to the steering head, while the supports for the swinging arm and the engine were merely downward extensions of it.

Not since the LE Velocette had such a concept been tried in such a wholehearted way by a British manufacturer, and the new machine was – like the LE – designed as a whole with built-in weather protection.

Perhaps Ariel had learnt something, the Leader was smoothly styled in such a way that it appeared almost conventional.

It was a clever trick, for Page and his associates had realised that inbuilt weather protection, and enclosure of a novel engine type, was as much novelty as a British motorcyclist could be expected to bear.

So, while the petrol tank was actually a simple box located under the seat, they’d mimicked a conventional tank with a dummy pressing that gave access to a small luggage compartment within the beam.

Similarly, while the forks were necessarily unconventional, because of the difficulty of neatly accommodating conventional upper stanchions within the pressed steel bodywork, a pressed steel handlebar cover meant that only the determinedly inquisitive could see that there was a single bicycle-type fork stem.

It wasn’t well publicised, but this caused some problems during the Leader’s development, Sammy Miller – who helped out with development besides working on his competition bikes – saying that the stem had to be progressively made of heavier tube to overcome potentially disastrous breakages. The unconventional trailing-link action of the forks was subtly disguised, too, by spats formed into the lower end of the pressed-steel fork legs.

Even the wheels were used to help the illusion along, being smaller than usual on a motorcycle – in order to give a decent movement within the bodywork without increasing the bulk of the whole machine – but not so small that anyone could reasonably say that the result looked like a scooter. That, the design team realised, would be the kiss of death as far as motorcycle sales were concerned, and Page was canny enough to realise that there was little prospect of challenging Vespa and Lambretta’s stranglehold on that particular market.

In a sense, the Leader was the ‘car on two wheels’ dreamt of by hopeful designers, and it was close enough to that ideal, it initially seemed to demonstrate a real demand for such a device.

The Leader was launched in late 1958, and in 1959 it was voted the first ‘Machine of the Year’ by readers of Motor Cycle News, an extraordinary feat when you consider that the Triumph Bonneville was launched the same year, and the opposition included lusted-after machines like Gold Stars and Dominators.

For once a considerable number of motorcyclists put their money where their mouths were, and when the Leader was stripped down to make the even more motorcycle-like Arrow – itself voted the Machine of 1960 – sales soared to 1600 in one month. It was a remarkable achievement, but it didn’t last.

Ariel Leader - Ariel Arrow - Ariel Arrow Super Sport

The Leader’s demise is often blamed on its arrival in the marketplace almost coinciding with that of the affordable and trendy Mini car and van, and there might be some truth in that.

More importantly, though, it seems – even though motorcycle designers have often persuaded themselves that a motorist is a motorist is a motorist – car drivers, scooterists and motorcyclists are totally different breeds.

I suspect the Leader’s initial purchasers were mostly motorcyclists seduced by the idea of weather protection, but they were quickly disillusioned by the discovery that waterproofs were still needed to keep warm and completely dry. And when you added in the Leader’s quickly revealed shortcomings of uninspiring performance and brakes, plus its sometimes problematic starting, its demise was inevitable.

The Leader was quickly followed by the Velocette Vogue and by the DMW Deemster, both of which disappeared after achieving little success.

Half a century later it looks so modern a present-day motorist would probably ignore it unless he, or she, happened to notice its non-reflective number plates.

Many of the catalogued optional goodies where indicators (especially flash for the period), and help the modern image along, and they’re especially helpful now that many car drivers seem to interpret an outstretched arm as a challenge rather than a signal.

Ariel Leader Arrow Supersport Accessories

Ariel Leader Arrow Super Sports Specification

The panniers and luggage rack may show the first owner intended to seriously tour on his Leader, or they may have merely been embellishments, like the much sought-after, but totally useless, rear fender.

It starts easily and reliably, helped by the non-standard carburettor tickler fitted in the right-hand engine panel. The clutch is pleasantly light, but has a hair trigger action that needs caution when combined with an engine producing little low-down oomph. Gear selection is equally easy and reliable, despite the lever’s long movement.

The best thing about the Leader is you can quickly forget how unusual it is, and just treat it like a good example of a 1960s quarter litre motorcycle

The short list of criticisms confirms just how little was wrong with the machine when taken on its own terms. About 17,000 Leaders were made in their few years of production, but once the initial demand was satisfied, that was that. Some tentative attempts were made to develop it further, but in 1963 the assembly line was moved to the BSA factory where there was little interest in the machine, and production ceased in mid 1965.

The Ariel Leader got close to showing it was possible to make the ‘motorcycle for everyman’, but in the end it actually proved that ‘everyman’ never existed.

Ariel Leader features

Two-tone colour schemes
Perspex windscreen wide enough to shield a rider’s hands from most of the elements and the wind-blast.
The pressed-steel leg-shields came as standard.
The drive chain and engine was enclosed in protective pressed-steel panels designed to keep the rider ‘oil-free’.
Extras included an :

Eight-day clock

A chrome rear bumper

A rear parcel carrier and colour-coded panniers (equipped with a set of rear indicators).

To keep production costs to minimum, most of the Leader’s bodywork, along with the unusual welded box-beam that acted as a frame, was built from pressed-steel panels. If not exactly attractive, the frame was stiff and sturdy—an essential requirement for producing a well-behaved motorcycle. The rear section of the body hinged to allow access to the rear wheel.

The steel petrol tank (2 ½ gallon) was rubber mounted. It was placed in the frame under the seat leaving the dummy tank as a storage compartment large enough to house a small crash helmet.

The Ariel Leader engine

The 250cc two-stroke engine with its 180-degree crank hung from the frame on three pressed-steel brackets.

To save weight, and presumably to cut production costs, the rear bracket doubled as an air-intake silencer chamber).

The parallel twin cylinders were made of cast iron and angled forward at 45°. This move decreased the overall height of the engine which made it possible to be mounted in a low position, thus bringing the centre of gravity closer to the ground and improving stability.

The engine case which contained the crank, four-speed Burman CP gear box and inner side of the primary chain housing was cast as a single light-alloy shell.

The cylinder head was also cast in light-alloy.

The engine proved to be reliable enough, provided that you kept your carburettor settings in check and didn’t starve the engine of lubricant. On the plus side, the engine could be dismantled without removing it from the frame.

A point to mention is that it's important to fit the Ariel Leader pistons the correct way around. Why? Because they have slightly offset gudgeon pins in Désaxé style. The Leader, however, isn't a true Désaxé engine in which the cylinders are offset in relation to the crank axis towards the direction of rotation thereby "biasing" the power stroke. In other words, a Désaxé engine, because its cylinders are offset, has the pistons either slightly ahead or slightly behind the crank centreline.

With the Leader, the cylinders are not offset. But the offset gudgeon pin has the same, or a similar, effect. Be warned when rebuilding.

The Leader was fitted with coil ignition and a Lucas alternator.

The rest of the electrics were fairly standard fare, but (according to some riders, and disputed by others) with unreliable switches. A six-inch headlight just bordered on the right side of adequate. The contact breaker assembly was dodgy too.

Ariel Leader Suspension and brakes

· The front suspension incorporated a trailing-link fork with two-way damping.

· The fork legs were encased in unconventional, golf-club shaped housings made from pressed-steel.

· The 16-inch wire wheels delivered a surefooted ride giving the Leader a distinct advantage over its small-wheeled scooter counterparts.

The wheels were supplied with whitewall tyres (still available) and quick-release, full-width hubs and drum brakes (6-inch x 1—1/8in).

· Both hubs and drums were originally manufactured from an aluminium alloy, but that changed by 1961 when both were made from cheaper, and heavier, cast iron—the change was said to be due to cracks developing in the original alloy fabrications.

Ariel Leader Handling and fuel economy

· On a whole, the Ariel Leader was a success—in terms of fulfilling its brief and initial sales, anyway. The bike handled exceedingly well.

· The top speed of 70mph (on later models almost 80mph) was impressive.

· The engine ran efficiently and could return 70mpg at 60mph.

· It looked like the Leader would conquer the market. So much so, that in 1960 Ariel (under the control of BSA, note) discontinued production of their four-strokes, putting all their efforts to the Leader and its offshoot un-faired models: the Ariel Arrow and the Arrow Super Sports (colloquially referred to as the Golden Arrow).

· It was a very bold and controversial corporate risk. But the times were changing, and old orthodoxies were crumbling. Cheap (ish) cars in the shape of the Austin Mini (1959) and the Ford Cortina (1962) were changing the shape of domestic transport in Britain. Something needed to be done to stop a diminishing market from imploding.

The Ariel Leader, on paper at least, looked as if it might throw the firm a lifeline and set a new biking (and for that matter, a new driving) trend. But despite the relative success of the model for the first few years of production, much of the public were confused and divided, and early hopes were soon dashed. Had the Leader been further developed in line with a four cylinder concept highlighting the possibilities of the design, the future might have been different (although the writing was clearly on the wall for the British motorcycle industry, and it was perhaps always a question of when, rather than if). But BSA, struggling to rationalise a monster company with too many arms and divisions, simply relinquished the Leader reigns and in 1965, the Ariel Leader and Ariel Arrow were discontinued.

Ariel Leader price and production figures

· There were, however, a few practical criticisms.

· The relatively minor ones included shoddy paintwork and rough/heavy gear-change with an unfortunate tendency to slip into neutral when not wanted.

· And the centre stand could "ground out" when riding two up.

· Another issue was that if you’d squinted at the engine and knew your European motorcycles, you couldn’t have missed the resemblance to the power unit used by German motorcycle firm, Adler. Just a coincidence? Certainly, Val Page and Bernard Knight were aware of a similar engine design by the German firm, Adler. But the differences are as great as the similarities, and the Leader should be viewed as an original concept rather than a copy.

· But the biggest issue was the price. Although the Leader was designed with production economy in mind, the initial cost of tooling (etc) brought the final purchase price to £209 11s 7d. And this was decidedly more expensive then an average scooter, and only barely cheaper then a price of many “fully-grown” motorcycles.

· Ariel built 18,347 Leaders

· 9,789 Arrows

· 6,217 Arrow Super Sports (Golden Arrow)

· And 844 of the smaller 200cc Arrows.

· Sales, incidentally, were hampered by a lack of interest in export markets, not least the USA which was geared largely towards the leisure end of the market, as opposed to the commuter end. As a consequence, the comprehensive weather protection offered by the Leader was hardly a selling point.

Ariel Leader colours

Admiralty Grey was the original main colour for side panels, leg shields, front fork, and front mudguard
With either Cherokee Red or Oriental Blue above.
Later bikes had a Dark Seal Grey option for the upper body.
In 1964, Leaders were available in an Ivory/Flamboyant Red livery
Ivory/British Racing Green
Ivory/Aircraft Blue.
Black was also optional, and we're advised that Red/Sky Blue was yet another colour choice.

Buying an Ariel Leader

Aside from a basic visual inspection—such as checking for crash damage, rust, and obvious missing parts—
Buyers should ensure that the engine mounts are in good condition. Repairs here will quite probably require a complete frame strip. So pay special attention.
Check too that the bike is an easy and regular starter. Poor starting could be due to carburettor issues (Amal 375, 7/8th inch choke) or ignition issues (6v coil/alternator), which are easily remedied.

Or it could be due to blown crankcase seals—which are a little more complicated to sort out.

Bikes in regular use invariably fare better than bikes that spend most of their time idle in the garage, so ask intelligent questions about usage and history. And don't be deterred by a scruffy hack. These are often in good tune and reliable.
The bottom end of an Ariel Leader can, remember, be stripped with the engine in situ (using the correct puller to split the flywheel halves), so don't be too daunted by the prospect of a rebuild (as long as the asking price is right.
Check exhaust baffles for heavy coking. These can be cleaned or replaced, and complete silencers are available—albeit a little pricey. But running on a modern 35:1 oil/petrol mix (as opposed to the original 25:1) will significantly cut maintenance.

Riding the Ariel Leader

They're surprisingly good fun. That's the bottom line.
Of course, a lot of that fun depends upon how much your head's been turned by the styling, because you certainly can't escape that. There's no other British bike that's quite like a Leader.
The weight distribution and balance is fairly good, even when riding two up.
But the brakes are struggling at pretty much any speed.
Owners occasionally fit other brakes from other bikes, particularly at the front, but the loss of originality will hit you hard in the pocket. Only top Leaders sell for top money, and the braking is manageable once you adjust to it.
Otherwise, the controls are light and easy. Steering is light and steady. The suspension is adequate to good.
The weather protection is the unique selling point if you're planning to use a Leader as a daily ride, and because it has so much presence on the road, motorists tend to be a little more generous about sharing space.

But take care, because there are still plenty of rubberneckers out there anxious to get a closer look.

The performance is acceptable, by modern standards. But you'll notice a real difference when carrying a passenger. There simply isn't much in reserve. So factor that in.
Cruising at 50-55mph is realistic and comfortable.
Acceleration is fairly sprightly—unless you're used to modern two-strokes.
But it's still a viable classic, and one that you really could comfortably tour upon.
Prices fluctuate significantly as these bikes slip into and out of fashion. Which is appropriate really because the world always was ambivalent about these wonderful two-strokes.
From the outset, they were as right as they were wrong. They were always both stylish and gaudy anachronisms right off the drawing board owing much of their philosophy to the early days of motorcycling before the conventions had been established.
We like them plenty, not only as a bold statement of British engineering eccentricity, and not only as a reminder of the post-war optimism that died a sour death some time around the 1970s, but also because they're as much quirksome as irksome and that they challenge biking conventions.
Ride with pride. Ariel Leaders are simply cool.

1961 Ariel Leader specifications

Type:                                     Air-cooled two-stroke parallel twin
Capacity:                               247cc (250cc)
Bore & Stroke:                     54mm x 54mm
BHP:                                       17.5 @ 6400rpm
Compression ratio:             10:1
Transmission:                       4-speed, multi-plate clutch
Brakes:                                  6-inch single leading shoe drums front and rear
Electrics:                               Lucas alternator, coil ignition, 6 volt
Front suspension:               Trailing link fork
Rear suspension:                 Swinging arm, twin shock absorbers/dampers
Wheels:                                 3.25 x 16-inch front & rear
Weight:                                 320lbs (dry)
Maximum speed:                70mph (approximately)

Ariel Golden Arrow

This was a cheaper, stripped Leader produced from 1959 and was developed into the Golden Arrow 'sport' version in 1961.
A sister-machine designated Ariel Arrow 200 – with a smaller capacity of 200 cc, achieved by reducing the bore to 48.5 mm from 54 mm whilst retaining the same stroke was available from 1964 to bring it into a lower tax band and benefit from lower UK rider insurance premiums.
In his 1964 Motor Cycle road test, Bob Currie reported good performance, with an absolute top speed – with "rider lying flat, of course" – of 74 mph and a cruising speed which could be held at 60 mph.
The bike had the usual Arrow ivory background colour, but with the tank and chaincase finished in either 'aircraft' blue or British Racing Green, and tank badges denoting 'Arrow 200'.
After the Ariel factory closure, in 1967 Ariel marketed its last motorcycle, the Arrow 200 produced for a time by BSA.
In 1960, a prototype Arrow with a four-stroke 349 cc twin-cylinder engine was made to sell alongside the Ariel Leader.
The budget engine, designed by Val Page to do 75 mph (121 km/h), was canted to fit the Arrow frame. Although it was thought the initial 18 bhp (13 kW) power output could have been increased to 24 bhp (18 kW), development money ran out and the project was dropped.
Ariel could not compete against Japanese imports. The Ariel factory closed in 1965, although the name remained under BSA to produce Ariel Arrows until 1967 and a commercially unsuccessful 49 cc banking trike named Ariel 3 in 1970.