Serial Numbers
Most carbon-steel framed models were numbered sequentially, sometimes with a prefix letter. Here, we give a listing of the serial numbers used for bikes built from the mid-1960s and onwards at the Carlton/Worksop facility, which built the high-end derailleur models.
- 1966: Annnn
- 1967: Bnnnn
- 1968: CF6682
- 1969: Dnnnn
- 1970: Ennnn
- 1971: Fnnnn
- 1972: Gnnnn
- 1973: Hnnnn
In 1973-74 it appears Carlton was about to start repeating the sequence and several instances of the USA Raleigh/Carlton Competition, RRA, and Professional models have been seen with Annnn serial numbers. Then, a new sequence began in 1974.
Factory
- Canada - R
- Enid (USA) - E
- Gazelle (Netherlands) - G
- Handsworth - H
- Ilkeston - SB
- Ireland - D
- Malaysia - M
- Nottingham - N
- Worksop(Carlton, Sun, BSA, Triumph) - W
Month
- A - January
- B - February
- D - March
- E - April
- G - May
- H - June
- K - July
- L - August
- M - September
- N - October
- P - November
- S - December
Third Symbol is the year of manufacture, e.g. 4-9 would be 1974-1979, 0-3 would be 1980-83, and then the sequence repeats. Thus, 'WH4003203' would be the 3203rd frame built at Worksop in June 1974. In 1982, when Worksop production was moved to Nottingham, the division continued to produce frames with the 'W' designation.
The Special Build (SB) division used a serial number SBnnnn, assigned sequentially, starting in 1974. See the TI Raleigh Team Pros yahoo group for more details.
Read more about this topic: Raleigh Bicycle Company
Famous quotes containing the words serial and/or numbers:
“And the serial continues:
Pain, expiation, delight, more pain,
A frieze that lengthens continually, in the lucky way
Friezes do, and no plot is produced,
Nothing you could hang an identifying question on.”
—John Ashbery (b. 1927)
“One murder makes a villain, millions a hero. Numbers sanctify, my good fellow.”
—Charlie Chaplin (1889–1977)