B.S.A. Bantams Bikes (Ray Broadfield)

[Matt James]

Hi All
The photograph below are Post Office B.S.A Bantam bikes assembled in their factory .it appears to be part of a new batch ready to leave the Small Heath works Birmingham, in the accounting year August 1963 to July 1964 B.S.A.produced 600 D1's for the post office,and only 109 for elsewhere ,so I would think it was possible that it was the Post Office that kept the old D1 in production for as long as it was.A lot of the registration no's are visible in the photo and I wonder if any survived and what year it might have been taken.I think i know who might be able to tell us, so its over to you Woodie.

Ray Broadfield

[Matt James]

Ignoramus London Mopper
Failed miserably I cannot locate Rays photograph for which I apologise. To slightly redeem myself the GPO were able to purchase D1 Bantams from BSA long after they were not available to the civvy market. My D1 is 1964. As I expect most of you know right from 1907 when the GPO purchased it’s first mechanically propelled vehicle all GPO vehicles were registered by GPO HQ St Martins Le Grand London were ever they were to be in service, right up till 1969. After that the vehicles were locally registered and also changed Red under the PO Corporation. I have a photo of 12 Bantams outside the BSA Factory taken in 1967 not of D1 Bantams but 175cc D7 Banties; The Registration Numbers that I can read already affixed by BSA are KVB 796D KVB 802D then some I cannot read until KVB 815D the nearest preserved Bantam number being KVB 761D.
I was enthralled by David’s tale of a Birmingham Wag, but guilty of my lack of knowledge of Birmingham including the size of the city! I have only visited Birmingham twice. Once in the mid 90’s I believe when the first Motorcycle Show took place at NEC Exhibition Centre. A parade starting at Snow Hill proceeded through the City led by Police Motorcyclists. I towed one of my Bantams up from London with my GPO Morris Minor. A kind RM employee took me under his wing allowing me to garage my Morris in some arches where the PO memorabilia was stored. On returning from NEC to the RM building my Bantam Clutch Cable broke he came out straight away in a LDV 150 to pick up my bike. I walked back through I believe where BSA factory was located it was some walk. Five years ago I attended a family wedding held in Pavilion in Heath Road Bourneville; my brother in law then lived in Pershore Road now he resides in Shenley Fields. One morning I walked to Northfields where I found on old curiosity shop purchased some old GPO stuff; the owner told me the building was the old PO. Anyway that is my small knowledge of Birmingham.
Woodie You Are the Weakest Link GOODBYE
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Woodie