Raleigh ladies bike

[All uphill]

I've been without a project for two weeks, and beginning to feel glum. So here's my next one bought from the local bicycle project.

It is a fairly basic singlespeed Raleigh in original complete condition.

My plan (which will certainly change) is to clean it up, hopefully keeping the original paint, and sell it on.

 

[All uphill]

I'm thinking that it's probably mid to late 1960s.

Saving the Brooks saddle will be an interesting challenge.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Nice!

Just a hunch but I suspect that might have been an RAF station / pool bike originally.
Is there anything stenciled on that yellow strip on the mudguard, any faded remnants of a number or letters?

 

[All uphill]

Nice!

Just a hunch but I suspect that might have been an RAF station / pool bike originally.
Is there anything stenciled on that yellow strip on the mudguard, any faded remnants of a number or letters?

You could be right, I hadn't thought of that. No marks on the yellow, and I can't see any serial numbers on BB, seat post or drop outs.

 

[All uphill]

The bike is stripped, everything came apart amazingly easily, with the exception of one cotter pin.

I'm pretty much decided to keep this original, just clean and service.

Before

After

 

[CanucksTraveller]

You could be right, I hadn't thought of that. No marks on the yellow, and I can't see any serial numbers on BB, seat post or drop outs.

Yeah, there was no standard way of marking them but It was most common to stencil an inventory number onto a yellow or white strip, (just for accounting for the fleet rather than an anti theft, permanent mark). Stations would always order bikes from a local supplier in either black, or that shade of blue. Not that it matters of course!