NEWS                                    scroll down for old news

National Rally Information


The club’s national rally and AGM will take place over the weekend of 27th and 28th September. 

We’d like to gather together as many Raleighs and early Reliants as we possibly can for both club members and the public to enjoy.

The goal is to achieve a record number of machines together in one place. And where better than in Nottingham?
This weekend of events is organised so that you can come along to everything or simply join us for the bits that are of interest to you.

There are no real obligations and everything will be quit informal. The emphasis is on meeting fellow club members, gathering machines and generally enjoying ourselves. Booking is required though, so that we make sure we can organise catering etc. appropriately.
The schedule for the weekend is as follows:


Saturday 27th September
2pm AGM, West Leake Village Hall, West Leake LE12 5RF.
West Leake is a very small village in south Nottinghamshire, about 11 miles south of Nottingham.
The AGM is an important part of the club and if you’ve never been to one before now’s your chance!

By attending you have the opportunity to voice your opinion, share your ideas and meet committee members.

The meeting takes about an hour and light refreshments will be served.

 

Saturday 27th September
4pm A ride/drive through South Notts villages
If you’d like to ride your motorcycle or drive your Safety Seven or Reliant through pleasant villages with like minded souls, this is your chance.

The route will favour a relaxed tour for about an hour and a half and should make a wonderful sight - and sound.
Secure overnight storage of vehicles is available.


Saturday 27th September
7pm Drinks and dinner, The Star Inn, West Leake LE12 5RQ.

This attractive country pub will host us for dinner.

The pub also offers accommodation for those wishing to stay overnight in readiness for the highlight of the weekend, which takes place on Sunday.


Sunday 28th September.
1am- 3.30pm, Wollaton Hall Industrial Museum, Nottingham NG8 2AE.

The club will be displaying as many motorcycles, Safety Sevens, early Reliants and mopeds as we possibly can.

The museum are very kindly hosting us as part of their ‘Steaming Sunday’ event.
These events allow the public to see steam engines in action as well as enjoy the rest of the museum.

Nottingham has a strong industrial history with many famous names alongside Raleigh: Brough, Players, Boots, Humber to name a few.
Wollaton Hall makes a dramatic backdrop and is set in 500 acres of parkland. It’s well worth a visit.

The museum features a Raleigh motorcycle, several Broughs and thousands of interesting industrial items. The museum curator is planning on pulling out their Safety Seven especially for us, which up until now has been in long term storage.

Do you have a Safety Seven that you could bring along to join it? I’d be delighted top hear from you if you do.
As organiser of this event, I would like to encourage all members to join us for at least some of this weekend.

Mopeds, Early Reliants and Safety Sevens feature in smaller numbers in the club, but it would be wonderful if we could have at least one of each at this event.

Do you have a vehicle that you’d like to bring along? I can assure you of a very warm welcome and hopefully a really interesting and enjoyable weekend.
Booking for events over the weekend is essential, whether you’re bringing a vehicle or just joining us for dinner or the AGM.

Please contact me by either text, WhatsApp, telephone, email, or by post

I look forward to seeing you in September.

Andrew


Andrew Clark
0774 043 7074
ac@blackhawkproductions.co.uk

 News

No 238 Decemberber  2024

Only club members may access this with a password.

26/11/24

Membership renewal time

December 2024
REMINDER TO ALL MEMBERS – MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL FOR 2025
As we approach the end of 2024 I need to remind everyone that your Club membership subscription re-newal for 2025 is due.

PLEASE RENEW PROMPTLY – NO NEED TO WAIT TO THE END OF 2024, THE EARLIER THE BETTER – THERE IS A CUT-OFF DATE OF 15 FEBRUARY 2025. After this date your
membership will no longer be valid and you will not receive or have access to the Club Newsletters or Facebook. Full instructions on how to renew and pay for your membership are included on the Renewal Form click on the "Join"link in the header above.
Thanks
Chris

Help Please!

An appeal for information and help.
I am in the process of restoring a 1932 Raleigh 5cwt LCV. This vehicle was purchased in pieces and with no technical information whatsoever. I am making good progress but would very much appreciate being able to look at a complete vehicle to take photographs, dimensions etc. My vehicle has chassis number 14133 and was registered March 1932. If you have such a vehicle and feel able to assist please contact 
John Leech 01420 563818 
j.leech814@btinternet.com 
Located mid Hampshire.

Click on image to enlarge

 Where is it now?
13/04/2023

Whilst at Rempstone Show over the weekend I was an approached by a gentleman who is looking to find his grandfather's Model 15 Deluxe - registration UT 5915. The Leicestershire (where the gentleman still lives) registered machine was in the family until 1962-3 when it was sold to a collector. It is listed on the DVLA web site - but it isn't taxed or SORNED.  It is on the club register of machines but it hasn't been in the club for more than 30 years and doesn't have any details of the current owner. If anyone has any information about this machine please let me know. The gentleman in question would very much like to buy the bike back...
Please contact
Andrew Clark 
ac@blackhawkproductions.co.uk

Click on image to enlarge

 Reliant Girder Fork For Sale -Now sold
13/04/2023

 Bob, our Reliant Spares and Technical Advisor for  Pre and Post War models is offering one of his  girder fork Reliants  for sale. 
The blue van is sold. 14/07/23

See details in Classifieds & Wanted.

Pictures of the Bristol Show
In the Gallery section

February 2023
Pictures were available throughout the show on our FACEBOOK page. It is well worth getting on to get up to date happenings concerning the club and what our members are getting up to.
If you need any help contact me:
Steve Hallam       website@rmerc.co.uk

Thanks to Martin Squire and Simon Dillon for the photos.

New Parts available from the Raleigh Club 13/02/2022

Simon has updated the new items -parts list.
You can see it by following the link below
13/02/22
Link to the Parts List

Family Photos
 

 Club member Andrew has posted this on the Forum but I asked him if I could put it here so non Forum members can see it and maybe help him out with his questions.
"I have just discovered a picture of my maternal grandfather and grandmother, probably taken around 1936.
They are on my grandfather's Nottingham-registered motorbike - which I think is a Raleigh MH31. Are there more knowledgable people out there who could definitively say if I'm right or what it is if I'm not?
I would obviously love it to be a Raleigh.

Also attached is what I assume to be the same bike in a rather less clear photograph.

In addition I've attached another picture I found in the same pile of photos of an unidentified person on a Nottingham-registered Model 21 (I am pretty sure of this).
Any more information or help anyone can offer would be greatly appreciated.
Andrew"
20/02/2021

If you can help please email me and I will pass it on to Andrew.
Thanks
Steve
website@rmerc.co.uk

Roma Update
 (scroll down for the original post)

Richard recently contacted me to say:

"I seem to have acquired another Scooter ! I have purchased it from Wales, it was first registered June 1961 !
So I believe it’s probably one of the first few batches I would imagine !!
It all seems very original, so I am going to do the minimal restoration to keep it as original as possible !"

The pictures opposite is of Richard's second Roma.
Many thanks to Richard for letting us know about his vehicle and the pictures.

26/01/2021


Fancy a brand new Raleigh Motorbike?

I was interested to find a company in Kenya advertising new Raleigh motorbikes for sale. Although branded as Raleigh they are in fact made by a Chinese manufacturer.
I contacted Raleigh UK Ltd to check if they were legitimate and recieved the following reply:
"Hi Steven,
They are using the Raleigh name/branding under license, however those products are not Raleigh UK's products and hold no resemblance to Raleigh UK."

I think I will stick with my Model 21.
Steve Hallam
Link to Raleigh Kenya Facebook

Roma, Roma, wherefore art thou Roma.

The latest club newsletter has an article  -
"Raleigh in the Nineteen-sixties" in which the author John Lloyd  writes about the Roma range of scooters and concludes with the question "Where are they now?

As a result, I was recently contacted by Richard, a new member who used the club (vehicle) dating service to obtain an age related number plate for his newly restored Raleigh Roma Rs1  scooter. 

Richard purchased it part restored and unregistered, he says
"I fell in love with this little scooter when I spotted it on a social media site, I knew nothing about them just liked the look of it, until I bought it and started to research about them I didn’t realise just how rare they are .

The picture opposite is of Richard on his Roma.
Many thanks to him for letting us know about his vehicle and the pictures.

Note.
This scooter was originally manufactured in Italy by Bianchi. Named the  Orsetto.  In the UK it was named Roma and made under-licensed by Raleigh.



Another far away van.

In my previous report I mentioned that Hong Kong was quite a long way for an exported van to be found (even if it was fictitious). However I have discovered a van which is even further away.....
Habitat by Resene is an online magazine produced by Resene Paints to showcase their products. I found the following article about the van.
---------------------------------------------------
"History on three wheels.                                09 May 2013
This cool 1948 Reliant three-wheeled van has recently been restored at Auckland’s MOTAT museum. Originally a delivery van for Sandringham Paints and Papers, the Reliant was a familiar sight in the area for more than 20 years, until its donation to MOTAT in 1973. After several years in storage, restoration began under the leadership of Ken Ramsay, and was completed by another volunteer when Ken fell ill. Although the Reliant arrived at MOTAT sporting turquoise livery, research judged it the work of 1960-70s paint job so the colour was reverted as close to its 1950s appearance as possible – including the image of a Resene paint can!"
Thanks to ‘Habitat by Resene’ for the story/lead, and  Ken Ramsey for the top photo.
 --------------------------------------------------

Information about the work undertaken by MOTAT (Museum of Transport and Technology) in Auckland can be found on the link below.
Thanks to the museum for allowing use of the botttom photo. Credit: Reliant Motor Company. 1948. Van [Reliant 3-Wheeler Van], 1982.987. The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).


Link to Habitat by Resene Link to MOTAT

Reliant delivery van in Hong Kong
- a social history?

While browsing the internet for any interesting content for this website I came across this intriguing picture. Having lived in Hong Kong for 20 years I was impressed to think that a Raleigh travelled so far and was able to cope with the sometimes very hot and humid climate.
However........
All is not what it seems. On closer inspection I noticed the van has a UK registration plate, it generally appears glossier than the surrounding items and if you look carefully you can see a cottage or bungalow reflected in the door panel, certainly not what you would expect in Hong Kong Central.
Despite this I think it is a fun concept and a clever bit of editing by Jan Saudek.   Jeff Wharton took the photo of the van.
Thanks to Jan for permission to use his "illustration."
Link to this picture online

Club Secretary Mick Sleap passed away recently.



It is with deep sadness that we have to announce the passing of Club Secretary Mick, after a short illness.

Mick had been a stalwart of the club for many years, holding many Officers posts in that time and helping owners with spares, advice and machine dating over the years, a more detailed obituary will be in the next Newsletter.

In the meantime if you have any queries regarding spares, dating certificates or any of the other things that Mick carried out, please contact myself or Tony and not Mick’s wife Teresa. With the present problems, this may take some,time so please bear with us.

Hope you are all keeping well and busy.

Thank you

Dave Comber and Tony Eyre

31/3/20

Raleigh baker's delivery van - a social history

While browsing the internet for any interesting content for this website I came across this superb picture. Not on a site to do with motorcycles but on a Blog about the history of Market Lavington in Wiltshire. It has information about Jim Sheppard,  Easterton’s ‘Tip Top’ baker and his delivey vehicles. It is well worth a look to get an insight into the life and times of when this type of vehicle was used.
Many thanks to Sue Frost, Honorary Curator, Market Lavington Museum and Jim's family for permission to use the photograph.
The following are links to Jim's story on the Blog
Jim's second van
View more

Raleigh Ultramatic on TV December  2019

On Monday 2 December  2019 Henry Coles' new series
Junk & Disorderly Episode 9 on ITV 4,
included a Raleigh Ultramatic.

Raleigh Motorbikes at VMCC Kings Lynn in July 2019

Three Raleigh motorcycles took part in the Kings Lynn section runs during "Dannys Veteran and Vintage Weekend based at Fendicks Fishery and Caravan Park".  A few pictures of each bike are in the Galley
Gallery

Raleigh Motorbikes at VMCC events in June 2019

Raleigh motorcycles have been spotted at VMCC events across the country. Firstly at the Bamburgh Run in Northumberland on the 9th June and then at the Banbury Run in Oxfordshire on the 16th June.
Gallery

Reliant Regent on TV April  2019

On Wednesday April 10th  2019, Henry Coles' new series
Find it, Fix it, Drive it, episode 3 on Channel 4,
included a Reliant Regent Side-Valve of 1951 vintage.
Temporary Link

Distinguished Gentleman's Ride 2018

On Sunday September 30th 2018 I took part in the Distinguished Gentleman's Ride with my friend, Pete. He won best bike in show at West Kent but a photo of it was not published so we got this mention in December's Classic Motorcycle magazine.

Raleigh at West Kent Run 2017

Actually old news!
Our website coordinator, Steve, attended the West Kent Event and was interviewed by Rick Parkington of Classic Bike Magazine.
Thanks to them for permission to use it here.