Identify make of this old-timer?

gobnaitolunacy

Seems to be a yellow decal with makers name thats half covered in paint can make out 'CY' and 'EYSE', anyone hazard a guess what make she is? It's not a Raleigh (no Heron Head rivetted on plate) or a Humber (not a double fork) or Rudge (doesn't have a hand design on chainwheel)
Not sure what ridged surface next to decal is, whether is a bit of tape that's painted over or a defect in the frame.

sled driver

Not a perfect match, but parts could have been swapped over down through the year, but it does bear more than a passing resemblance to a 1935 CWS Federal Post bike (certainly the yellow decals).

I have one myself as a restoration project as my grandfather was a postman.

http://www.oldbike.eu/museum/1930s/1935-2/1935-cws-cooperative-society-federal-post-office-inspectors-bicycle/

gobnaitolunacy

Good man, the decals seem to match up. Like you said parts get swapped about a bit.

The mudguards look similar, mine is missing the little chrome knob on front mudguard, but the slot where it went into is still there.

The tubular carrier looks newer than my pressed steel one.

Any significance to the number at the top of frame? Manufacturers serial no or Post Office reference?
Came out of a sorting office in Co Cork when they were going to throw it out a number of years ago, and local postie delivered it to me instead!

ford2600

Are you going to do her up?

Have you done this work before? Have a 1948 Rudge bike to restore. It's in good shape, but as it's my father's bike don't want to get it wrong!

gobnaitolunacy

I'm a bit in a quandry about that, torn between stripping and repainting and leaving in largely 'as found' condition, it would lose a lot of character and patina on repainting and I imagine decals would be impossible to get. I would replace the back tyre and tube straight away as they're far too small. I put a different saddle on it for cycling, the original is a lot heavier with beefier springs, but the leather is starting to tear so would swop them about if I was displaying.

Probably put a bit of chemical metal discretely where the mudguards and carrier have cracks to stop them cracking any further.

Have a small collection of P&T related items so may make a nice vintage display with those. An original postman's bag would complete it, but haven't come across one of those yet.

gobnaitolunacy

FYI, also awaiting jobs to be done on them have a ladies Humber belonged to the grandmother, a gents Raleigh and an gents Hercules which have slightly different pattern of handlebars to the usual, both from neighbours who have since passed away.