The catalogues were on a wonderful site "threespeedhub" which has seen its domain registration expire.
I linked to the archive using the wayback machine internet archive.
The owner of the web site had also created a Facebook page but that has had no activitity since 2015.
https://www.facebook.com/threespeedhub
Other catalogues could be available from the V-CC using their library. But you have to join
https://v-cc.org.uk/
Was there any particular page you wanted from the linked 1954 and 1955 catalogues? (The watermark is easy to remove)
I see there is Ren Russell's original bike on the Classic Lightweight's page
https://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/readers_bikes/ellis-briggs-special-build-1951/ and it has the Pennine CO2 pump with the brazed on mount and Terry clip. What did you use for the Terry clip? I couldn't find the clip so I needed to roll one myself.
I see you have different decals from the one on Classic Lightweights.
Who made your jersey? Was it
https://www.3mcaverni.com/categorie-prodotto/ciclismo-vintage/maglie/
Hi,
The catalogue copies you kindly sent are perfect for what I needed and many thanks for these. As regards the VCC, I was a member for years - even being their Marque Enthusiast for Viking Cycles, if you look at the Classic Lightweights site you will see that I wrote the Viking history they print there. However, like all things, nothing is perfect and the VCC splintered into other groups, the main bone of contention being that 'Lightweights from the post-war period are not considered to be Veteran cycles', the usual political problems. Anyway I and many others abandoned them and formed other clubs - Classic Lightweights being one of them, run by Peter Underwood from Cambridge.
As regards Ken's original bike, that belongs to his family but is on loan to a shop in Harrogate, Yorks. The bike was re-painted after the ToB win and went on display in EB's shop in Shipley. When Ken left EB he took the bike with him and it was 'stored' in his shed at home for many years before he and a friend of mine restored it, after it had been re-painted yet again - the original transfers not being available at the time - hence the 70's/80's items you see on the bike, my bike has the correct period transfers courtesy of H. Lloyd Cycles.
Re the Pennine pump clip......mine is an original which came to me from a fellow member of my club (Bygone Bykes Yorkshire Club), the pump itself came the same way.
As I say, I had the EB jersey made for me in Italy - not the people you suggest but a chap called Fausto.......can't remember his surname but an excellent chap to deal with, it's Merino wool in the correct pattern/design and colours, again the details were taken from one of Ken's original jerseys courtesy of his family. EB changed the colours of their jersey for the '53 ToB to grey with red collar and cuffs etc, I spoke to Brian Robinson the ex Hercules pro who won the first TdF stage by an English rider in 1955, he rode with Ken in '53, and he sent me a nice pic of one of his jerseys.
My EB frame is an 'International' basically the same frame that Ken used on The Tour apart from a mod on the right-hand chain stay. It came through Retrobike from a chap who had it from new, he had it built for racing so it had the Pennine pump braze-on behind the seat tube and no pump pegs on the tubes and no lamp boss on the forks......all good news! He had it re-painted years ago by EB but for some reason not in the Flam Royal Blue but a normal Royal Blue and yellow of course so I had it re-painted and chromed by Bob Jackson in Leeds exactly as per Ken's bike before starting the re-build. Finding the components was a long process, the Beborex brakes, Steel Stronglight cranks, stem and bottle came from France, the Brooks Competition saddle from Belgium while all the rest came from various sellers in the UK. Finally it has all come together well and the bike is quite light for it's day and superb to ride - gearing is a bit on the high side so not ideal for North Yorks but ok if you pick your routes carefully! Anway, thanks again for your interest and help with the cats.
All the best.
