[CR] Aussie made Reynolds 531 tubing - BTM

(Example: Humor)

From: "Ben Kamenjas" <kamenjas@gmail.com>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 12:37:22 +1100
Cc: Dave Ross <dlr94306@yahoo.com>, Bobby Landry <landry@telluridecolorado.net>, framebuilders@bikelist.org, fredparr@cycledesign.org
Subject: [CR] Aussie made Reynolds 531 tubing - BTM


Coolio's,

Just thought I'd post this info here so that it remains in the archives and show pics so that the Reynolds 531 trainspotters can add to their compendium's. I've heard references about locally made 531 tubing for some of our bikes and recently have seen a few with the rare and quite distinct tubing decal intact, clearly showing "Reynolds 531" and "Aircraft Tubing" together with BTM.

In his excellent publication "Light as a feather\u2026 Strong as a lion! The History of the Malvern Star Five Star" (version 2.0, February 2003) Rolf Lunsmann writes "Australia\u2019s first steel tube rolling mill was built in Newcastle, NSW in 1934, and the second in Kilburn, South Australia in 1938. This second mill, known as the British Tube Mill (Aust) (BTM or BTMA), was a joint venture between Stewarts and Lloyds (Aust.) Pty. Ltd. and the Tube Investment Company of England who were also the parent company of Reynolds. The Kilburn mill therefore had access to Reynolds patents and produced a number of different tube sets co-badged as BTM and Reynolds. These tubesets included 531."

Funnily enough, Malvern Star never used the tubing stickers, so below are Healing and Cecil Walker frames showing the somewhat rare and interesting "Reynolds 531 BTM" decal.

http://www.cyclebucket.com/images/btm.jpg http://www.cyclebucket.com/images/btm531.jpg http://www.cyclebucket.com/images/cecilwalke.jpg

ciao,

Ben Kamenjas
Kensington, Australia