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Contract numbers and spare parts lists

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As found until now, each contract had a related spare parts list. As seen in the table below.
Sometimes you find spare parts lists with a stamped on number like C5612/18/1, showing contract and catalogue number. The 1 probably stands for an issue number (who knows exactly?).  Many spare parts lists do not show these stamped on numbers, indicating in my opinion that the lists were not stamped by the Norton factory, but most likely by the military before final distribution.

A good source for hardcopies of spare parts lists is Rob van Meels re-prints military literature, see links page.

I would however like to say that there have been intentions, and applications.
Looking at the spare parts list of contract V5373 for instance it shows more or less the "normal" early type motorcycles with the standard tool box mounted on the right hand side behind/below the oil tank. In the front of the booklet however is a page titled "IMPORTANT" which refers to l.h. and r.h. tool boxes (pannier toolboxes) , not showing in any of the attached illustrations.
The page shows a number of parts and supersession numbers.

To ease the identification of motorcycles for spare parts ordering purposes, the motorcycles were provided with "identification" plates on top part of number plate holder, or below tail light on bikes without number plate, indicating contract number and catalogue reference number. Early plates were made of brass, later plates of steel, see below.
I have until now only seen contract plates of C11082, C14426, C14498 (brass), S2602 and S5161 (steel). It would be nice to hear if anybody has pictures of other contract number identification plates. It is not clear whether these plates were actually applied to all motorcycles.

Brass contract plate          Steel contract plate S5161 (P)

When more and more rebuilt machines came into being, the use of the contract plates became less usefull. This may even be the reason they are  largely removed from the motorcycles. It might have led to incorrect parts ordering. Civilianising motorcycles will undoubtedly also have made lots of "casualties".

 

(WD)16H

BIG4

Contract nos.

catalogue ref. nos

Contract nos.

catalogue ref. nos

7641

1

C1561 7

C8245

2

C2925 11

C8496

3

V3565 16

C3753

4

C5333 17

C9438

5

V3849 21

C9681

6

C6831 20

C1666

8

C7576 24

C2007

9

C11297 29

A9764

10

C13056 32

C3139

12

   

C3655

13

   

C3585

14

   

C5109

15

   

C5612

18

   

C6127

19

   

V7353

22

   

C7371&L.P.

23

   

C6653

25

   

C8461

26

   

C9062

27

   

C10217

28

   

C11082

30

   

C12426

31

   

C14274

33

   

23/S/150

34

   

C14498

35

   

? *

36 

   

S2602

37

   

S5161

38

   
       

* according to Orchard and Madden this was C7371. Assuming chronological order, this seems unlikely (not impossible).

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