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Look on the rear hub shell. That will give you a close date, unless it was replaced. Does the head badge state Nottingham as the manufacturing site? That would make it after TI/Raleigh acquisition.
Sorry - didn't see your comment about no date on the hub. What about the back side of the crank arms?
Look on the rear hub shell. That will give you a close date, unless it was replaced. Does the head badge state Nottingham as the manufacturing site? That would make it after TI/Raleigh acquisition.
Sorry - didn't see your comment about no date on the hub. What about the back side of the crank arms?
TI bought Hercules in 1946, and in 1956 added Phillips, Norman and Sun to form British Cycle Corp.
1960 is when TI bought Raleigh and also Carlton.
So I guess you could argue it was Hercules that bought Raleigh instead of the other way around.
The Royal Prince is mid-50s, "pre-Raleigh" and the only dated examples I've seen on the internet are 1956, probably coinciding with the British Cycle Corp merger
Assuming you have a Hercules hub, they have a date code but it's not obvious. "A Type 0" = 1950, "A Type 1" = 1951, "B Type 2" = 1952, "B Type 3" = 1953, just remember the B Type replaced the A Type in 1952. I don't know when they started using the A Type, but the B Type ended in the late '50's. I've seen one "Hercules SW" from 1958, probably made by Sturmey-Archer, and I believe Hercules Hubs had disappeared by 1960.
Hercules are incredibly difficult to date.
No rhyme or reason to the serial numbers on frames, the V-CC marque enthusiast over here has a very hard time dealing with such enquiries from owners. Also details, fixtures and fittings changed little over decades. Machines from the '30s are virtually identical to machines from.the 50s. This can be very frustrating, I know!
Don't get too hung up over its age and enjoy riding it while you can!
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