I have just picked up on the posting by Keith re the contract W/ng numbers, I have XG20758 so appears to be about 200 after the end of this contract, however it is below the next mentioned contract records any views welcome chaps.
kind regards
The 3000 machines were intended to be split 1500 RAOC Chilwell (C4589426 - C4590925) and 1500 RASC (C1308302 - C1039801).
There is a pencilled note dated 11/8/1941 in RAOC records "Probably 422 for RAF Depots"
It looks as if Chilwell received their first deliveries on 11/10/1941 and the last of their 1500 on 19/12/1941 so presumably the RAF allocation were from the RASC batch and were from the first 1500 frames....although it's not actually stated how the frame numbers were allocated.
Richard I calculate it to be C4589683. But according to Rik's observations 422 of that first 1500 for the RAOC might have gone to the RAF, but I doubt anyone will ever know. Ron
These early Ariel contracts are difficult and any with RAOC / RASC splits are poorly documented. It looks to me as if the RAOC deliveries did not occur until after the RAF diversions....so my best guess is that they were from the RASC allocations and weren't sent to Ashchurch as originally ordered. The RAOC were something of sticklers for numbers matching serials...
The RAOC machines were probably XG 22001 - 23500...meaning that any lower numbers were RASC or RAF....If RASC then the serial was from the C1038302 - 1039801 range.
By chance, an image of one appeared on Facebook today.
Thanks Jan , that is really helpful. The photos too will be very useful in my restoration challenge. My late dad told me he thought the bike was a 1943 model he bought it in 1952 but I never saw it on the road.