When, exactly did the Raleigh Ilkeston shop first open? My book "The Custom Bicycle" says "In 1974, TI Raleigh completed it's Ilkeston factory. ..... . The specialty bicycle section was moved in 1974 from Worksop to a new factory in Ilkeston, Derbyshire."
It is my understanding that frames produced at the Ilkeston factory were the only ones to be stamped on the BB with a prefix of "SB." Can anyone substantiate this? If so, knowing a little about Raleigh serial numbers, they did typically use sequential numbers. My Raleigh Team bike is stamped on the BB "SB19." I presume that means my bike was the 19th one produced there but I also know better then to count on such an assumption. Does anyone on the list have any knowledge about the Ilkeston shop to share with me and the list at large? If it's of any consequence, my bike, as noted in a previous posting, has a rear Campagnolo SR rear derailleur with a 73 patent date so that also leads me to speculate that the Ilkeston shop probably came on line in the early part of 1974.
Yes, I'm on a detail frenzy tonight. Humor me with any info, rumors, or speculation please - just be sure to mention which of those choices you are basing your comments.
As always, thanks in advance to all who reply.
Eric Elman
Somers, CT