A former colleague asked me last year if I could restore his Father’s bike for his son Guy to ride. The bike was a bit special as it was a Raleigh Lenton with its original bill of sale from 1947. However, Grandad had clearly covered a lot of miles on his trusty steed and it was coated in a sort of film. I have a 1950 Raleigh Lenton and was aware they were the bike that clubmen riders aspired to, having a lightweight Reynolds steel frame and especially as champion rider Reg Harris endorsed them … and they had four gears! After discussing the project with Guy, though mindful that bikes are only original once, it was agreed a full restoration was best. The restoration involved repainting the frame (by Jim King), replacing wheels with a rebuilt set, modifying the dynamo lights to have led bulbs and run off batteries, restoring the enamel head badge, rechroming many parts and a lot of polishing, we even salvaged the original Bluemels mudguards. There are some wonderful details on the bike, for example the chainset incorporates the Raleigh emblem, a heron’s head and on this early model the eyes and beak are chiselled, a detail Raleigh dropped by the time my 1950 model was made. The end result was very pleasing and Guy plans to ride it to his home in Switzerland.
back light 
frame back from painting 
front light note: wonderful quality switch and brass connections 
back light 
brake 
disassembled brake 
frame before paint 
chainset detail 
4 speed back wheel 
Guy’s Raleigh Lenton front dynohub 
before restoration 
parts for chroming