Nottingham eccentrics


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During the very early years of my marriage, in the late 60's, like most we were short of money and trying to set up a home for the first time.

We lived in an old terrace on Gladstone street Hyson Green and my only mode of transport for a while, was an NSU Quickly !

It never let me down and got me daily to Gedling colliery where I then worked.

It was slow, especially going up Woodborough road hill, but super economical and I thrashed it something awful ! I then bought my first car and the moped went to one of my dad's labourers from his work and he then used it daily from near Hucknall to Players factory at Radford, where my dad and him were working on contract maintenance at the time.

The chap soon got the nickname of "Moped Ted" !

So that particular little machine was great and did everything that was asked of it.

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  • 6 years later...
On ‎9‎/‎15‎/‎2009 at 10:23 AM, mick2me said:

When I was an electrician for the Co-op, we had an old joiner who was as mad as a Parrot!

His name was Freddy Wiggley (Great name!) and he was from Kimberley.

He would tell us stories of when Wild Bill Hickock brought his wild west show to Kimberley.

No one believed him but I remembers someone actually saying that it was true.

Is it true or not?

If so it would account for a drop off at Basford? Perhaps a child of

one of the performers, or one of the perfomers themselves?

Old Freddy Wigley! Came from a Family of Farming / Boxers from Strelly. Yes, he finished his Joinery Working Career at the Co-Op and I know he belted your ear a few times. He was a good Boxer in the 30's and he taught me a lot. If you would like to meet up, I can give you a slap for your Cheek! You were never any good as a Spark or you wouldn't have worked at the Co-Op, no one really worked there, they just took the Money!

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On 9/15/2009 at 12:43 PM, mick2me said:

Freddy Wiggley had an 'NSU Quickly' pon which he travelled to Kimberley.

He must be a well remembered figure around your neck of the woods?

quickly.gif

http://www.nsuquickly.com

Is mick2me now quoting. I don’t think I can cope.

 

The vast majority of mopeds were cheap and nasty. The nsu quickly was one of the better offerings. Available as a 2 or 3 speed they were  well made. I obtained a 2 speed by some wheeler dealing, swapping it for something or other when I was about 13. I blame it entirely for my lifelong obsession with motor bikes and tinkering.

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2 hours ago, letsavagoo said:

Is mick2me now quoting. I don’t think I can cope.

 

:)        He's not quoting...he's being quoted......from 11 years ago !!    And that link is dead anyway.

 

If you really want to know about the NSU Quickly, here's a link that works.  

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=nsu+quickly&sxsrf=ALeKk00nRm6ASCG4WyTZz6w9EXLS2dAdBQ:1584091175392&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj8hLS-j5foAhWjolwKHVzMCJYQ_AUoAXoECBYQAw

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You’re quite right CT. My error. I thought the world had turned upside down for a minute. I ran a Raleigh Runabout for years. I had 3 in fact which was necessary to butcher 2 to keep 1 going. I got stopped for speeding descending Derby Road from Canning Circus. 

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I can just remember the days when you could see those cheap, basic pedal scooters on the roads. Not much more than a normal pedal-bike with a small engine, and you'd often see the rider using the pedals to help progress even though the engine was running as well.

 

These days there's a new equivalent with battery-powered scooters/bikes.

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I had one of those things for a while, but I could never get the engine to run.  It was basically a small two stroke motor and fuel tank, fitted to the rear pillar of the bike and able to be lifted up and down using a cable from the handlebars.  There was a gritty sort of friction wheel which contacted the rear tyre and drove it.

 

There was a chap on Bestwood Est in the 1960s.. quite a young bloke.. who used to pass our house on his way down to the Deerstalker pub on such a machine, complete with suit and tie.

 

I'd quite like a battery boosted 'E Bike' type thing, but can't really justify the spend.  It would mean that I could go on various local rides in the knowledge that I'd have a bit of a boost to get back home, which is uphill from wherever you go.

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A half decent Raleigh or Mobylette (same thing) will sell for £500 plus. A decent Raleigh Supermatic nearer a grand. NSU Quickly will fetch even more. 
The Raleigh I had was previously my sisters and when I was working there in 1970’s they were selling off the remaining stock to staff at £45 including purchase tax. I kept it until well into the 1990’s.

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Why do items such as these command such large figures ? If memory serves correct, they were only ridiculed at the time of manufacture. I remember when I  worked at Raleigh,  they were letting employees have a test ride, outside the frame shop, about the time they were about to put them on the market. Seem to recall hundreds of scooters (similar to Lambrettas) stored next to SA machine shop where I  skived. Can't  say I  ever saw these on the market.

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Can’t really say why they fetch such high prices other than perhaps the relative rarity or owning and riding something you either had when younger or fancied but couldn’t afford at the time.

The Raleigh Runabout I had wasn’t that bad really. The weak spot was the transmission which was poor. It consisted of a V belt drive and standard chain. It needed greasing up weekly, even every time out which of course most people didn’t bother with. The rest was nothing more than a beefed up bike really. It even had a cycle type calliper brake on the front. Rubbish but they weren’t very fast. The engines were 2 stroke mobylette and very good and quite reliable. I used to go miles on mine, as far as Newark and even a few times Lincoln. Now the Supermatic and Ultramatics were pretty good kit with a cv transmission and a dual seat for two up. 
ps.
I’ve remembered the one I got for my sister when I worked there was a J plate which makes it 1971 although at some stage I swapped and changed the bits from one I got from my brother in law which was an H plate. I think it was the H I kept running. Not sure now.

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There are adverts on the web from the 60s advertising them when new for 44 and a half guineas. Would that be about 5 or 6 weeks wages, I can't recall what I was earning then. The RM1 from '58 looks very basic, but they did claim 175mpg. 

Regarding desirability I think there may be a simplicity-appeal in there somewhere. I fondly remember my old fourth-hand early 60s BSA C15, so un-sophisticated compared with today that it tolerated the clumsy tinkering of this complete novice and still kept going. 

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Beekay.

If you look on eBay, there’s a Raleigh Roma scooter on there, item number 164084502474.

£1800 if you fancy it.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Raleigh-Roma-scooter-Bianchi-Orsetto/164084502474?hash=item263432cfca:g:FgkAAOSw8dJeSVkZ

 

Also a Raleigh Runabout currently bidding at £1300+.
Seems silly money as there are numerous non original parts fitted, lights, saddle etc. Should have kept mine. 
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Raleigh-RM6-Moped/283804149974?hash=item42140ba8d6:g:wHcAAOSw-B9eX4Aj

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Well done Let's!! Couldn't  remember the names of all the machines. When we were having test runs, I  remember only two. One being a two seater supermatic, but not sure about the single seater. I bought a machine from a bike shop on Radford rd. between Wilkinson st and berridge rd.,but it had drop handlebars so I  asked if they could be turned right way up before collection. It looked too small to be a racer. Don't  recall that model either. Used it to go to work from Valley rd(home) to Smith-Dennis on Berridge rd.

Edit... Just looked on Mr Google and found the Automatic and Supermatic...Brill.

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Hey!! Just had a look on All Activity and my name was the only one there. Where's everybody gone???

Regards, Billy no mates.

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