Evening CR-ers,
I can only echo the observations made by Norris.
Back in the mid-seventies I was in HM's armed forces and based in Yorkshire - 'round Thirsk and Harrogate, where I cut my (slow) road racing and time-trialling teeth...
The premier marques at that time in the area were definitely Bob Jackson, Ellis Briggs and Woodrup - in no particular order and all of which were held in equal regard, though down the "A1 corridor" (the 'Boro' as it was called) there seemed to be more Jacksons than anything else.
Incidentally, also popular were Anquetil's - if only because they were distributed by Ron Kitching just 'down the road' and they seemed exotic because they were foreign. The fact that I have since discovered that Ron had them built in the UK is of course another story.
Pauper that I was, I was obliged to buy secondhand and opted for a Woodrup to be a little different. I was delighted with the bike, which served me well for about 3 - 4 years in a variety of racing, training and training guises / roles, though it did succumb at one point to a failure of the head tube which cracked around the bottom lug.
Not serious and easily remedied, but it did mean a full respray - which was a bit of blow to the pocket of course...
There is another vague link to a separate discussion string here at the mo' in that what really persuaded me to buy the bike was that Woodrups had built / sprayed it in Molteni / Merckx orange (brown) and blue. Too sexy for words!
I can't remember where and when I disposed of the Woodrup but I think it was when I moved back to the South of England and fell into the thrall of the London builders (Ken Ryall / Pat Hanlon et al)
Anyway - I'd have another Woodrup in a shot, and since then I've managed to acquire bothan Ellis Briggs and a Jackson - so perhaps for old times sake I should be on the lookout for 24" Woodrup with spearpoint lugs, fag paper clearances and a sloping crown - ah... memories!
Regards to all,
Ian Briggs
LUTON - UK