Late 70's Viking Severn Valley Cycle?

[Vikbike]

Harry Quinn designed the Viking (Londonderry) range and made prototypes of key models. He then made a number of high-end models (specifically Severn Valley and another) to meet initial sales before all production moved to Londonderry. The company was revived to tackle unemployment in the north-west of Northern Ireland by the NI Finance Corporation. It was subsequently sold to Northern Counties Cooperative, an agricultural Co-operative based in Swatragh, at some point they sold the brand on having already ceased manufacturing (as far as I know). The GB distribution base was in Warrington. The company had a secondary (low cost) brand (Dalton Cycles) that was short lived. The Londonderry plant was fully equipped with quality production machinery and good processes and the workforce was capable and pretty effective (supply chain issues allowing). Ultimately, as competitor production moved off shore and new cheaper brands entered the UK market they couldn't compete on price (as I understand it). The company ran its own cycle team for a number of years, with some success; at one point Mann VW was the main sponsor (after British Leyland had turned them down). I still have my Severn Valley and European for winter riding.

 

[Vikbike]

I should also have said that a harry Quinn built Severn valley would be pre-1978.

 

[Illaveago]

Harry Quinn designed the Viking (Londonderry) range and made prototypes of key models. He then made a number of high-end models (specifically Severn Valley and another) to meet initial sales before all production moved to Londonderry. The company was revived to tackle unemployment in the north-west of Northern Ireland by the NI Finance Corporation. It was subsequently sold to Northern Counties Cooperative, an agricultural Co-operative based in Swatragh, at some point they sold the brand on having already ceased manufacturing (as far as I know). The GB distribution base was in Warrington. The company had a secondary (low cost) brand (Dalton Cycles) that was short lived. The Londonderry plant was fully equipped with quality production machinery and good processes and the workforce was capable and pretty effective (supply chain issues allowing). Ultimately, as competitor production moved off shore and new cheaper brands entered the UK market they couldn't compete on price (as I understand it). The company ran its own cycle team for a number of years, with some success; at one point Mann VW was the main sponsor (after British Leyland had turned them down). I still have my Severn Valley and European for winter riding.

Thanks and to this site . We are a friendly lot .
I have discovered from the Viking FB site that my model is a very early one, 007 on the production run . It is well made and well equipped and I like riding it .
I also have two other Vikings which were from the original Wolverhampton company. Both are Conquests from the 60's, one is a complete bike , the other just a frame.

 

[midlife]

Ah, I was around when the New Severn Valley was launched and was paraded around by reps and at shows dressed in the new Campag GS..... So the frames were built by Harry Quinn. Seems like creating lol.

 

[Illaveago]

Ah, I was around when the New Severn Valley was launched and was paraded around by reps and at shows dressed in the new Campag GS..... So the frames were built by Harry Quinn. Seems like creating lol.

We were wondering how the first few models were sold or marketed. Were they used for promotion or went to special dealers ? Mine has an Edgbaston post code . Whether that was the original home or not I don't know .

 

[midlife]

We were a Raleigh five star dealer so sold Raleigh / Carlton mainly but as the boss was friends with Billy Holmes we also stocked Falcon Bikes.

For the cheaper end we also stocked Puch

On the lightweight side we sold the usual stuff including frames from a number of builders but not Viking.

The Viking rep would come in and show us his wares including Severn Valley but for bikes we had to be careful not to upset Raleigh. We would also come across viking at places like Harrogate cycle show and York Rally.

Some bike shops stocked Viking and sometimes the rep would of load the sample bikes and frames to shops at a cheap price. All reps did this, the RJ Chicken rep was always a good source of his cast offs

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Being a Railway person, the 'Severn Valley' name is the only reason why I am reading this 😆