Rudge Pathfinder? Year?

[creindesign]

Hi Keith,

good spot on the octagonal head set - thanks for that!
And thanks for the info on the rear axles, I learn something every day
Do you happen to know when they stopped using this headset?

If it is a Pathfinder - it is indeed a Raleigh Lenton, badged as a Rudge.
So following http://www.kurtkaminer.com/TH_raleigh_serials.html I would expect a 6-digit frame number, followed by a letter P or a letter T.
This one has the letter R.
Is that something Raleigh did on all Rudge badged bikes?

TA, Rogier

 

[keithglos]

Hi Rogier,
I was a UK retailer in the 50s/60s, I think the 26TPI octagonal head set was used until Phillips/TI decided to cheapen production, but probably to 1979, including the Carltons made under Raleigh apart from their club/racing frames.

From 1954 to 58 I was selling the 4 main Raleigh makes, plus several others.
By the mid 50s the commuter bike market was dying, leaving mainly export, school and teenage bikes, which led to the amalgamation and closure of our cycle industry, as the far east rapidly expanded.

As factories were closing they could get a little for some tools perhaps from India, but tons of paper sales records would cost money to dump, and preserving them was not even considered.

Keith