anyone remember Blays of Twickenham

Strangely enough, yes.

Strangely because a dealer some 200 miles south of home would not normally be of interest. But I happened to be working on site at the National Physical Laboratory at the time I bought a low mileage accident damaged CX500. The original owner had fitted a Rickman Polaris fairing before he dumped it on an icy road - fairing scrapped & he had removed and disposed of the original headlight bits. CXs were fairly new at the time & not many in breakers, but I had noticed Blays while staying in the area & called in on the off-chance on my way home.

"Do you have any headlight bits for a CX500, or maybe a Rickman Polaris fairing for one ?"

"Well as it happens ..."

They had a complete s/h Rickman fairing, with brackets & leg shields for a CX500 sat in a back room. It was bit tatty, was the same colour as my bike (black), and I got the lot for £60 cash. Cleaned up a treat & got the bike back OTR with minimal effort. Helped that I was in an empty Astra van, so just a case of pay up & load up.

My one and only interaction with Blays, but very much a case of "right place at the right time".

Too many interactions with a large number of local dealers over the last 49 years to list. Some still around, some still around in name only (different owners, different marques), most gone (some missed, some well rid of ! ).

Nigel B.