Push bikes forever!

[twosheds]

I think the curve at the fork dropouts will be similar for all Raleighs of the same age. Generally the curve gets more extreme the older the fork. I've got a 1950's BSA fork which is markedly more curved than one on my 1970's Raleigh, but then after the 1980's forks got straighter.
Any 1" stem will get you going. There is nothing critical on the stem, it is the length and thread on the fork steerer tube that is important, to match the head tube on your frame. You can cut the steerer tube down, but you can't make it longer.
If I were you I would push the button on one of these...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/27-FORKS-FOR- ... 2a3ff06f49.
Plenty of steerer tube, correct 26tpi thread and a bonus is that being chrome, you don't have to have it painted if you don't want to and it will look classy.


-----
Bruce

 

[tobester]

Good man & thank you for the advise Bruce, I will have a measure tomorrow & get one on order, ebay to the rescue. Annoyingly the rims were past it, tons of deep rust so i had to get a new set of rims, but keeping the old maillard hubs, got all the bits, now just itching to reassemble. thanks again

tobe