I am confused when you wrote your Falcon is red feathered?..I used to have a Dawes Red Feather in the early 60s..
Falcon cycles is situated in Brigg in North Lincolnshire..They still have offices there..I think they ceased assembling bikes in Brigg about 6 years ago..
The firm owned the Claude Butler name and Holdsworth..I think they still do?
Falcon Cycles
Re: Falcon Cycles
I got my first Falcon back in 1975 (aged 11 at the time). It was a 19 1/2 inch frame Black Diamond entry level bike. It had 26 x 1 3/8 chrome rims on Weinman large flange alloy hubs. Sakae single ring chainset and a 14 - 24 rear five speed with black plastic Simplex gears. The seat was black plastic. The frame and forks were white. The brakes were centrepulls - Weinman Vanquer with 3 digit numbers on them - I still have them somewhere.
My next Falcon was an Olympic that I bought second hand hardly used (really hardly used) when I was about 5 or 16. It was blue (same as in the photo), had double ring chainset and the same 14 - 24 rear cluster but not Simplex. I can't remember for sure whether the changers were Shimano or Suntour. The brakes were the same as the earlier bike but the wheels were 27" alloys on QR spindles. It had alloy double sided pedals and a padded black saddle The frame was Reynolds 531. I had an issue with the frame about 2 years after I bought it and took it to the factory in Brigg - they gave a replacement foc even though I had bought it second hand. I wish I still had that bike. It got given away without my knowledge while abroad working. I have a Hobbs that I would happily swap for my Olympic. It just fitted me better.
In the year I got my first Falcon, Falcon Cycles were already in Brigg (North Lincs now, earlier S Humbs and before that Lincs but all the same place). A couple of years after that Falcon bought Elswick Hopper who were located in Barton Upon Humber (about 10 miles away from Brigg) at that time. The Barton factory was soon closed and all was housed together in the Falcon factory in Brigg. Also at around this time Elswick and Falcon via the purchase I think, had a tie in with Eddy Merckx and some models came out bearing his name. It must have been a bit of a disappointment for Eddy as they were mostly low spec bikes.
Life went on in Brigg for Falcon, and indeed they are still there, not far from Brigg Leisure Centre however at some stage production stopped there (in stages I believe) as it was outsourced to the Far East.
I remember as a teen we used to ride over to Brigg at the weekend and dumpster dive for parts. They used to dump a lot of parts in the dumpster outside the factory so we would pick out gear mechs, brakes and so on and repair them for our own use. It might have needed a few visits to get usable stuff, meaning enough doner pieces to make one fully working set, but as broke teenagers it was worthwhile!
My next Falcon was an Olympic that I bought second hand hardly used (really hardly used) when I was about 5 or 16. It was blue (same as in the photo), had double ring chainset and the same 14 - 24 rear cluster but not Simplex. I can't remember for sure whether the changers were Shimano or Suntour. The brakes were the same as the earlier bike but the wheels were 27" alloys on QR spindles. It had alloy double sided pedals and a padded black saddle The frame was Reynolds 531. I had an issue with the frame about 2 years after I bought it and took it to the factory in Brigg - they gave a replacement foc even though I had bought it second hand. I wish I still had that bike. It got given away without my knowledge while abroad working. I have a Hobbs that I would happily swap for my Olympic. It just fitted me better.
In the year I got my first Falcon, Falcon Cycles were already in Brigg (North Lincs now, earlier S Humbs and before that Lincs but all the same place). A couple of years after that Falcon bought Elswick Hopper who were located in Barton Upon Humber (about 10 miles away from Brigg) at that time. The Barton factory was soon closed and all was housed together in the Falcon factory in Brigg. Also at around this time Elswick and Falcon via the purchase I think, had a tie in with Eddy Merckx and some models came out bearing his name. It must have been a bit of a disappointment for Eddy as they were mostly low spec bikes.
Life went on in Brigg for Falcon, and indeed they are still there, not far from Brigg Leisure Centre however at some stage production stopped there (in stages I believe) as it was outsourced to the Far East.
I remember as a teen we used to ride over to Brigg at the weekend and dumpster dive for parts. They used to dump a lot of parts in the dumpster outside the factory so we would pick out gear mechs, brakes and so on and repair them for our own use. It might have needed a few visits to get usable stuff, meaning enough doner pieces to make one fully working set, but as broke teenagers it was worthwhile!
Re: Falcon Cycles
I got a Falcon Black Diamond for Christmas around 1970. 5 speed with Weinmann centre pull brakes and chrome rims. I got a lot of use out of that bike and I am still grateful to Mum and Dad for buying it. But when buying bikes for my children I have been impressed with how much better they are. Gears that really do change to the biggest sprocket when you need it, brakes that stop in the wet. My daughter's Islabikes 700c bike, allowing for inflation, would be no dearer than the Falcon, but much better to ride.
Re: Falcon Cycles
I had a great silver Falcon in the early 80s, it was my first ever bike and had been custom built for another short person who had given backword on it and it was about the only bike I could find small enough for me. I loved it, but it was nicked, along with the fence I;d locked it to. 
I got a BB Dalesman after, but I never liked it as much as the Falcon - the CB always felt a bit 'mushy' - I think it was the geometry, given that I had to have the smallest possible size in both - the CB felt longer and less stiff.
My brother had a nice blue falcon Olympic for years, I think that was nicked too eventually (a penalty of being in London at the time for both of us).
I got a BB Dalesman after, but I never liked it as much as the Falcon - the CB always felt a bit 'mushy' - I think it was the geometry, given that I had to have the smallest possible size in both - the CB felt longer and less stiff.
My brother had a nice blue falcon Olympic for years, I think that was nicked too eventually (a penalty of being in London at the time for both of us).