Given that Eric has a frame No. 51** on a ’49 machine I am left wondering if Shipley kept to any sort of sequential numbering towards the end, my F.S. first registered March ’50 has a frame No. 50** and as far as I can ascertain frame and engine have been together, (more or less!), from day one.
Despite the level the bids have reached there seems nothing too strange about the bidding, no shilling that I can see for example, and the bidders histories also seem reasonable.
Either they have more money than sense or they have no idea what they are getting into. Still, if they are bankers the government’ll probably bail ‘em out . . .
