Can anyone date this frame?

[WhittleDene]

Hello!

I'm wondering if anyone can roughly date the frame in the image, or give me any other information about it.  I am working on a history project here in Northumberland. The frame was found in an old watermill which hasn't been occupied since 1940s. I'm not sure if I've found something old or more recently dumped. I would really appreciate any help. Thank you,

Sophie 

 

Edited February 5, 2022 by WhittleDene

[KiwiBob]

My guess would be a Bantam D1. .. around 1948 - 1956 ish

[WhittleDene]

Thank you. I've just had a look and the features do seem to match very well. Some of the older guys round here remember playing on a motorbike in the abandoned mill in the 1950s so that would also fit. Cheers!

 

[Tiggie]

I think @KiwiBob has got it!!

 

Bantam frame:

[Bender]

No idea, but if its the watermill that's currently being renovated on the river Coquet it's coming along nicely. 

[KiwiBob]

12 hours ago, Tiggie said:

I think @KiwiBob has got it!!

 

Bantam frame:

It's not that frame as that one is rigid! ... The one asked about is a plunger frame.

Edited February 6, 2022 by KiwiBob

[Tiggie]

 rest of it looks the same though 

 

I'll go and hide back in my corner 

[WhittleDene]

Thanks all. I think it could be 

[fastbob]

Sorry , didn't bother looking at the other posts but , yes , it's a BSA Bantam plunger frame . 

[DR1]

My first bike was a 1954 Bantam D3. I can still remember my first ride on it. I gently let out the clutch lever and it moved, backwards! In never did that again while I owned it. 
 

[fastbob]

10 hours ago, DR1 said:

My first bike was a 1954 Bantam D3. I can still remember my first ride on it. I gently let out the clutch lever and it moved, backwards! In never did that again while I owned it. 
 

Not unknown for a two stroke to run backwards .  

[DR1]

26 minutes ago, fastbob said:

Not unknown for a two stroke to run backwards .  

My father used to have a boat with two Dolphin 2 stroke inboards. You ran them forward to go forward and backwards to go astern. Great little things but thirsty. The two props were 14 feet apart, if you ran one forward and the other in reverse the boat would spin on the spot.