1959 Humber ROYAL ELF (Royal Blue enamel)

Humber’s ‘Royal’ range of the 1950s harked back to the ‘good old days’ of cycling, but with a touch of colour to distinguish it from the predominantly black roadsters of that era. The other ‘modern’ touch was Sturmey-Archer’s ‘Model FG’ Dyno-four 4 speed gear, introduced in 1948 and offered as an option (at extra cost) only on Humber’s Royal models.

My friend Ed found this rare survivor last year, and spent 12 hours carefully cleaning it with a toothbrush. Its original royal blue paintwork is in remarkable preserved condition. He serviced it and fitted new tyres and enjoyed riding it around his locality before I managed to persuade him to sell it to me recently. I also found it lovely to ride when I took it for a spin along the beach for this photo session. I expect it will soon be off to enjoy the ownership of a new custodian…

To see it at The Museum click here…