Don,
Hope this will help, but no doubt others will fill in the gaps/correct me if I go wrong! The Raleigh Lenton (model 27 in Raleigh's nomenclature) was introduced around 1946, as a cut above the basic Raleigh Sports machine, with plain gauge 531 frame tubing; it continued in production, in various guises and variants, until the early 1960's. It's name refers to the Raleigh factory's address on Lenton Boulevard, in Nottingham.
The variants include the Lenton Sports, Lenton Clubman, Super Lenton (with 531 butted tubing throughout, introduced about the time the RRA was dropped from the range) various Marks, ending, I believe, with the Mk III, and the Grand Prix. In addition, there were Rudge and Humber variants, the Aero and Clipper respectively, which differed mainly in the front fork pattern and other, minor, details.
In the early 1950's, the Lenton was endorsed by the great Reg. Harris, and it was stated in advertising literature that he rode a Lenton Sports for his road training.
If you look at:
http://smg.photobucket.com/
you will see a scan of the exploded diagram of the Lenton (including the Rudge and Humber variants) from the early 1950's Raleigh Spare Parts List, and scans, from the mid-1950's Dealers Reference Book, of the illustrations and specifications of the Lenton Sports, Lenton Sports Ladies and Super Lenton.
Model specifications no doubt varied over time, and foreign exports may have had different equipment to that of home market models.
This only scratches the surface, but hopefully, it will be of interest!
Neil Foddering Weymouth, Dorset, England
>From: Don Wilson <dcwilson3@yahoo.com>
>To: Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
>Subject: [CR]What made a Lenton a Lenton?
>Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2006 15:23:02 -0700 (PDT)
>
>I've recently seen a Raleigh Lenton Mixte and Robin
>Hood Lenton Sports on Ebay. And of course there a alot
>of Raleigh Lenton models for gents. I've learned that
>Lenton's sported their own chain rings. What exactly
>made a Lenton a Lenton?
>
>Don Wilson
>Los Olivos, CA USA
>Los Olivos, CA USA
>
>D.C. Wilson dcwilson3@yahoo.com
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