This doesn't have a lot to do with Ilkson or 753 frames, but the replacement frame Raleigh provided for my '73 Pro track was a '78 Worksop made frame without the word TEAM anywhere, but in team colors, but black headtube.
http://biketoss.com/
Steve Barner, who set out on his 20 mile commute this am in the dark and with two sets of booties to combat the 26 degree temp, riding a '74 Paramount with fat sewups down the dirt road in Bolton, Vermont. Time to ride home!
> Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2004 12:14:45 -0400
> From: "kohl57@starpower.net" <kohl57@starpower.net>
> To: gpvb1@comcast.net, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Subject: Re: [CR]Ilkeston vs Worksop Raleigh Team Pro Questions
>
> I am thoroughly confused=2E
>
> Would that someone, anyone, would contribute a concise and authoratitive
> history of the Raleigh Team Professional! Either to the CR website or
> RetroRaleighs! I have done a thorough review of the CR List archives and
> whilst there has been a lot posted on the subject, it's more minutia than
> an overall sense of the model's history and development=2E=20
>
> >From what I've gleaned, the Ilkeston Special Build Unit was started in
197=
> 4
> and assumed all of the special custom frame making production formally
don=
> e
> at Worksop by Carlton under Gerald Donovan=2E Recall that Raleigh
acquired=
>
> Carlton in '61 and marketed lightweights in the UK as Carltons and as
> Raleighs in the US (with the Carlton name as well)=2E What came out of
> Ilkeston was 100 per cent Raleigh for both the UK and export with Donovan
> heading the new unit=2E=20
>
> I believe the TI Raleigh Team started in what 1972?? This took over from
> the Carlton team I believe=2E Previous postings by Richard Sachs prove
tha=
> t
> they were racing TI Raleigh Pros at the time which I assume were
initially=
>
> built at Worksop=2E Yellow rather than black headtubes as I recall=2E
Fast=
> back
> stays=2E
>
> The pioneering use of Reynolds 753 begin, I think, in late 1974, early
'75=
> =2E
> It's been my understanding that henceforth only 753 was used for
> Ilkeston-made frames and that this was a frame only production either for
> the Team or special orders=2E I've also been told that "real" team bikes
> often lacked the Reynolds frame transfers=2E All Ilkeston-made frames had
> "SB" prefixed serial numbers and that true team bikes made for specific
> riders were also so indicated on the bottom bracket=2E I think TI Team
> machines were all Super Record fitted=2E 3TTT stems and bars until the
lat=
> e
> '70s and then Cinelli=2E=20
>
> Now, the North American catalogues list "Raleigh Team Professionals"=2E
Bu=
> t
> were these ever built at Ilkeston?? Or were they the Worksop made Team
Pro=
> s
> that prompted Eric Elman's original query? None of the catalogues c=2E
> 1973-75 show anything but Reynolds 531 frames with no mention of 753=2E
Th=
> en
> the model disappears=2E Did this coincide with the move to 753 frame sets
> only from Ilkeston? Were these Worksop Team Pros essentially then
> Professionals with SR rather than NR components and the team livery??
> Whereas the Ilkeston-made 753 frames were rather more special=2E And lots
> more money=2E=20
>
> This was certainly the case in the early 1980s when Raleigh Team Pro
> framesets were in the catalogue=2E I believe in 1983 Cycling Magazine
> (UK)nominated the machine as its top bike of the year=2E
>
> Anyway, I am sure there are folks here who know more and better than I=2E
> With the indulgence of people who couldn't give a toss about these
> machines, a few more exchanges might yield an outline of the real story
an=
> d
> something that can be cobbled together into a useful and accurate
history=2E=
>
> So someone tell me I am full of crap and set the story straight once and
> for all=2E Please=2E
>
> Peter Kohler
> Washington DC USA