As I mainly 'do' navy now-a-days, I'm thinking of changing the tank numbering / etc on the bike to how the RN would have had theirs, I don't really want to change the colours from green either. Anyone got any pointers on how it should look?

Yes Jim, I have studied it a little bit. This Enfield of mine is from an RN contract. The bikes would have been in the same service colour as the Army, until otherwise painted over with dockyard blue or battleship grey. At some point during the numbering system, the RN on the off side was put after the number, so that the RN was on the front of the tank on both sides. There are no RN number records, so artistic licence required. I just used a number close to the first bike in this line up.
Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

One of the most important aspects of an RN bike is the 'Golden rivet'. Ron will be round later to show you where it is....

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk

At some point during the numbering system, the RN on the off side was put after the number, so that the RN was on the front of the tank on both sides.


It's all in the answer.

Yes Horror! Please keep up Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

The Golden Rivet was also found in Engineering establishments, not just in the Navy...

As CRC (Chief Rivet Counter) I thought you would have been aware of that Rik..... ...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Ron Pier

Yes Horror! Please keep up Ron

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk

Thank you Ron, as soon as some warmer weather eventually arrives, it shall be done.

The biggest problem I found, as you will too Jim, is finding a WREN's uniform that fits Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

And the pink Vaseline.. ...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

This Ariel in RN service looks to be in 'service' colour. The full white edges to the guards seem to be quite charactristic.



An interesting plate fitted to this one :-



This one might be post-war. Again full white edges to the mudguards :-

email (option): wd.register@gmail.com

Yes indeed Jan. I think that Ariel picture is the first one I've seen of the nearside of a bike with an RN suffix. My theory is now blown out the water Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

I have this one captioned as 'Ceylon 1946'...it looks as if it may have received a gloss repaint by then. RN suffix on drive side.

There might actually be less involved in portraying an RN machine than would first appear. A couple of interesting photos have been posted on WW2talk forum ;-

http://ww2talk.com/forums/gallery/image/29244-img-0013/

They show C4755363 (or 4755389 ?)from contract C13290 ( early 1943 construction ? ) on-board ship. It retains the WD (army) serial number but has gained a fouled anchor and 'R.N.' insignia.

Presumably in SCC No.2 ?

Wonderfull pictures.
Keep going like that guys

Apart from having no navigation lights (an RN requirement surly?) it also has no black out on the headlight as bulbs aren't fitted!
Richard

I was just talking to a friend who worked from 1963 in Chatham dockyard till its closure, he told me the bigger frigates and up all carried a shore bike, for dispatch and urgent pick up or collection of senior personnel, these were recorded on the ships manifest, this of course was post war so did this (shore bike)exist war time ?, andrew

email (option): warbikes@gmale .comm,think about this

Funny you should mention that Andy. My RN Enfield in the second post of this thread, was delivered to Chatham Docks in Feb 1941. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

I don't actually know if these photos are perhaps just post-war. The bike looks quite tidy and has original transfers...but it could have been in store and issued to the Navy in 1945. It's presumably somewhere in the tropics.