I used to think my M20 was sold through Pride and Clarke but unfortunately I didn't pay enough attention to what the local chap who owned it at the time was telling me, even though he was the first owner after demob...I finally bought it off the next owner who was an ex North Africa/Italy DR.....
I'm the third owner after demob and it's perhaps unusual I know the bikes full history from that first owner onwards...
Mine is registered NEG793F and that indicates it was registered in Peterborough between 1st. of August 1967 and 31st of July 1968..Peterborough isn't that far from Nottingham and as I've drawn a blank with WD sellers in the Peterborough area I think it might have come from Dawsons via another dealer, as Nottingham isn't too far away...Pure supposition to date but more likely than London based Pride and Sharks...
NAU is a Nottingham reg. as you've surmised...Year of registration depends on the suffix letter if it has one...If it doesn't it will come under the pre 63 system which works differently in that regard...
It may be possible to find its last service unit from the key card records if it appears in the surviving cards...As to its 'civvy' history I'd have thought there little chance of shedding any light on that unless you have the original logbook...I once wrote to everyone in the logbook of a Royal Enfield Constellation I owned and was fortunate enough to get some interesting replies....Ian
Thank you Ian. Yes mine was registered in late 1961 in Nottingham, and interestingly there are 3 other Military bikes within 3 or 4 numbers from mine. I imagine, Dawsons were given a list of numbers to allocate themselves as they registered bikes. I want to find the owner of one or more of these other ex WD bikes, ( which still exist) so that I may be able to illustrate they are all registered by Dawsons which will help me reclaim my original number. Convoluted, yes, but it gives me something to do! thx Andrew
Hi my 1940 m20 was sold off at Ruddington to Dawsons in 1964 i have the log book with Dawsons in it Reg being BTO ***B i am the second owner having bought it in 1968 still in use and enjoying it.
Thanks Rob, the number immediately before mine is listed on DVLA as a red Royal Enfield and the number two before mine is a red BSA 649cc. Three before mine is another Royal Enfield . It seems highly likely that the lot were registered by Dawsons as I am 99% sure was mine. It would be great to find some of these other bikes though just to confirm what I already know.
