Corgi motor cycle, 1948. The Corgi is a fold-up motorcycle based on the military Welbike. The Welbike was designed to fit in a container and be dropped by parachute behind enemy lines during the Second World War. The design was redeveloped for a mass market by John Dolphin and production of the Corgi began in 1948. 27,050 were manufactured and some exported to the US, branded as the ‘Indian Papoose’. However even though additions like a side car and kick start were added, standards of motorcycles and living were changing in the 1950s and people wanted more than the very basic Corgi, so production ended in October 1954.