Re the serial number: it may well be correct. The serial number on my prewar RRA (2C785, from what I can make out) is stamped in the same location, i.e., left side of seat lug.
There is some variation in the Raleigh serial numbering, even with post war RRA's, which appear to have two different serial number ranges, some of them in the general Raleigh serial number range, and some in a serial range where a short number is followed by the suffix "FS". My 1953/4 RRA's serial number is 1106FS. (The "FS" appears below the number on the underside of the bottom bracket). It's been suggested that this range MAY have applied to RRA's sold as a frameset only.
Neil Foddering
Weymouth, Dorset, England
>From: "Mark Bulgier" <Mark@bulgier.net>
>To: <raleypc@netscape.net>, <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
>Subject: RE: [CR]1947 Raleigh Track Bike(?) on Ebay
>Date: Sun, 11 Sep 2005 18:07:58 -0700
>
>
>Nice enough bike, but some of the hype doesn't fit.
>
>Of course it's not even a track bike. He seems to have not noticed the
>freewheel on the left side of the rear hub. (I don't mean that's why
>it's not a track bike - you could put a freewheel on a track bike, but
>this one just... Isn't!) Road dropouts, wingnuts, caliper brake, pump,
>road h-bars... He claims 100% original parts but with what evidence?
>Those grips are American aren't they?
>
>The serial number looks like it was stamped in after the paint went on,
>probably by an owner. It doesn't even have the right number of digits
>to be an original ser#, right? Wouldn't it be six numerical digits with
>a letter after?
>
>Mark Bulgier
>Seattle WA USA
>
>Paul Raley wrote:
> > Any ideas on this one? I have doubts about the lister's
> > description of the bikes pedagree....
> > http://ebay.com/
> >
> > Sort of looks like a prewar RRA with the chrome fork and
> > radial spoked front wheel. But, the chainset would not be
> > correct for an RRA, either pre or postwar. A Raleigh Golden
> > Arrow model perhaps?