High Nelly............ whoooooo Nelly

This is my new/old High Nelly.  To say that I am excited about it is the understatement of the century.  I have been looking out for one of these for about a year now.  Every time they are advertised I ring immediately...... but thus far have missed each and everyone of them... sometimes by minutes :-(

They are the quintessential Irish Bike, known affectionately by all as a 'High Nelly'.  'High Nelly' is a name that covers all the makes and types of these bikes, but mostly they are vintage upright bicycles....  mostly painted black.  They were hugely popular in the 40's and 50's and there must be hundreds of them in sheds and barns all over the country...

Anyway......  An ad. appeared for a vintage High Nelly.  It had no photographs...... but I rang anyway.  I arranged to travel to view it and ended up bringing it home half hanging out of my car's trunk.  I drove all the way from Tipperary to home with a battered rusty bicycle hanging out of my lovely Audi......  but I was over the moon.....

It has all the features that you look for in a vintage High Nelly.....  It has the original Brooks Leather Saddle....(albeit a bit cracked)........

It has an old steel rear Carrier (for giving a friend a 'lift')

The original 'Ding Dong' bell!

A Dynamo light.........

The original Raleigh Badge........

A full Chain guard.... with some of the original paint still showing... and the most exciting (for me), a decal with 'Raleigh   The all Steel Bicycle' on it.  This was Raleigh's earliest slogan and set them apart from other manufacturers who were using cast iron components in their bikes.  At the turn of the century 'steel' was the magic wood.  It was the most futuristic material and was the by-word for quality, strength and reliability.

This leads me to believe that this bike is early!  There is a serial number stamped into the steel underneath the saddle.... it is DS 48130  (and although I can't find an exact reference for this serial number)  and the fact that it is a single speed bike (before gears) makes me think that it dates from 1928!!!!  (I am open to being wrong though if anyone knows better!)

To say that I have made an emotional attachment is the understatement of the century.......  I have plans for my High Nelly..... big Plans.   I have already spent 8 hours on her.... stripping her of the modern type lights.....  Taking off her mud guards and rear carrier and scrubbing and brushing everything down with a steel brush and steel wool.  I am trying to take off any flaking paint and loose rust....  and I have already primed the mud guards and pannier rack to protect it against further rust......  I plan to repaint her in the traditional black with red and yellow tiny stripes..... but never fear!  I will not tart her up too much.

I have ordered Brooks Leather treatment for the cracked saddle.....

and all the original parts are staying!   Even if the chrome is a bit dodgy...

It's aged patina will still be very much present......  But it will be clean, rust free, protected from further rust, oiled, adjusted, serviced ....... and prettified.    I have ordered a traditional High Nelly Basket for the front , I was excited to find a vintage metal bicycle pump on ebay the same length as the missing one.....and am currently searching for a vintage leather tool roll for the back of the saddle.....  The tires are slightly cracked..... but I will use them for awhile before I decide whether to replace them or not.

The brakes are rod operated and work beautifully...... and the chrome on the wheels is a little rusty..... but I find beauty in her flaws and her age 'marks'.

It will also be helpful for me to have something practical to do to keep my mind off things.  Hours after writing This post.... my mother who was in Accident and Emergency in our local hospital for something minor was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor on her kidney...  Jeez can anything else go wrong ?

She is going up to Dublin tomorrow to have her kidney removed.....  It's going to be a long two weeks for the family........ please keep her in your thoughts?