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Its a bit of a shame that lead to a dead end, it would have been a result to reunite the bike back with the same family. Its probably more than likely that FR "Nutty" Russell built several bikes to the same spec and design.
From the photo above it might be worth checking that frame size. To me that looks around a 23" frame. Its hard to tell from a photo but your Grandad looks at least 6' tall so a 21.5" would seem a bit small.
Anyway, we'll have to consider this thread the collection point for anything F. R. Russell related :)
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Those are brilliant photo's Will, this is getting quite bizarre! I assume these are photo's of him on his Fred Russell?
I can see your Grandpa is obviously a tall guy in the photo, just the right height for a 24" frame! I can plainly see a Major Taylor stem and what look like the same shape bars. No rear caliper and fixed gear. Its very hard to tell on the photo but the left side rear drop out looks like a horizontal drop out and not a track drop out as you would expect to find. Its in the back of my mind that we could be setting up a big disappointment here, but it is a very strange set of coincidences!
Because there are no records of frame numbers the date of 1955 came from the Williams crank. The left crank is 1955 and the drive side is 1958. I assumed the sprocket had worn and been replaced leaving the original left crank. If this was your Grandpa's bike I would guess the amount of cycling would mean the cranks could be regularly changed, and the bike could be much earlier.
If the article is from 1941 do you have any idea when he bought his bike or any other photos?
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I'm waiting for Robbied196 to confirm but I'm pretty 90% sure this belonged to my Grandpa, and my Nan sold it when he died, the details fit just too perfectly for it not to be! If it is I will fall off my chair as I've been trying to trace these frames in recent years.
There were two which were sold one set up as a fixed gear the other as a road bike. FR "Nutty" Russell made them for him in his workshop, both identical and sized to him. My Grandpa was a lifelong memeber of Walsall Roads Cycling Club and even when he was too old to ride he used to stand in laybys on summer evenings timing the TT's ;-)
Put me out of my misery Rob!!!
Will
Will. This would be a an amazing connection if it turns out to be your Grandpa's. I sent you a PM before I saw your post here so I've just read the extra bit of history :) It would be a result if its the right bike.
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'IF' its totally seized then use a Hacksaw blade. There's a link below, that one must be about the 20th seat post I've had to cut out.
Forget trying to twist out in a vice, if its truly seized the frame can bend before the post moves.
http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=63229&hilit=siezed
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If the forks are going off for a respray you'll need to remove the remaining plug. You could then use it as a template to make another, although you need it upside down as a pattern for the new one. Alloy is easy to work and will buff up like a mirror.
I could do one for you if you can wait a week or so.
I hope I'm wrong about this but thought I'd make this post about a Paris Galibier that recently came up for sale in what can only be called, dubious circumstances.
The bike was/is in what could be called a 'socially challenged' area of Wolverhampton. It was advertised for sale at £45. The only contact method with the seller was via email, the seller plainly knows nothing about the bike. It is most likely hand built by Tom Board of Condor Cycles and if you know Paris Galibier cycles they are a very distinctive frame design. These bikes are both rare, valuable and sort after in cycling circles.
A link to the advert was posted on another cycling forum. The number of responses including by myself probably made the seller realise the bike was worth a lot more than £45. I was involved a loop of emails along with, as it turned out, other forum members. Each email continually inflated the price but also offered a completed deal to several people. Only one person got address details for collection but after a few days it appears we've all received the same email saying the bike was sold for £450. We don't know who the buyer was if indeed there is a buyer.
It is a very curious sale of a rare bike, but allsorts of valuable items can slip through the net and end up on boot sales or the like. However, if you think you know the history of this bike and have a legitimate connection to it please send me a PM and I'll try and help out with further details.
Happy cycling
Rob