A big thankyou to everyone who responded to my question on Simplex LJ23 front derailleurs. I was directed towards photos and given useful information and the disheartening news that if I find one I am likely to have to pay a small fortune for it. It seems like we are paying the price for Campagnolo's success in that anything else, no matter how good, is relatively scarce. I know that in the late 1950s and onwards when I was first into cycling in the UK, Campagnolo was considered the pinnacle; I suppose with the consequence that anything else was sold in smaller numbers and probably junked when the owners could afford Campag. A few people may have paid Campag prices for the top Simplex stuff, but I never met any of them. Still, it all adds to the challenge and enjoyment of our hobby.
Hugh Thornton
Cheshire, England