I bought this book today at Shepton Mallet VMCC Auto Jumble.

At First glance its a late war handbook with an interesting wartime inscription on the front.





But alarm bell were already ringing, the census number starting C43 didn't have enough digits, and the postwar YD registration number had been crossed out, very odd.

Then inside the back cover at the bottom.



"Her" Majesty and the date 2/58, that's way to late for a wartime census number.

So the book was printed in 1958, the postwar registration is probably contemporary, 82YD21 which in the keycards has the serial C5213445 which although it isn't written in would have been frame WM20 102745, I have to assume that the rest of what was written on the front was done by an enthusiast more recently to match his bike.

One other good point is the stamp inside the front cover "Workshop Section 256 MC Plant Group" which I think is also contemporary.



So the lesson is never judge a book by its cover.

Rob

email (option): robmiller11(a)yahoo.co.uk

Good spot, Rob. The biro'd annotation does indeed look later and he failed in the first test of faking which is to do your research first.

Anyone out there have an M20 between WM20 28858 and WM20 28867 ?...If so, Rob has just the handbook and only has to add a single digit on the front cover !

Its still a nice book and its interesting that they were still publishing information 12 years after the war finished.

If anyone wants this book they can have it for what it cost me £15 plus postage.

Rob.

email (option): robmiller11(a)yahoo.co.uk

I have quite a few of these drivers handbooks, most are blue, one red and one yellow as yours. Non are dated except for the yellow one which is dated 7/52. It also has a post war registration number written on the cover.

Henk

email (option): ahum@quicknet.nl

This book is now on its way to Canada.

Rob

email (option): robmiller11(a)yahoo.co.uk