T-Mar: So they are date code indicators? Interesting.

I'm quite sure it is the original fork. It matches one of the three different crown variants used on these machines during their production (sloping lugged, sloping lugged w/Raleigh logo, semi-sloping/flat w/Raleigh logo), the original stem was jammed in it, and there was no indication of a front end collision. It did not have any excess threading to suggest a replacement fork either. (That said, I've seen a few identical NOS Tange forks at the LBS. Apparently, these were often the 1980's equivalent of today's Pyramid replacement forks - the replacement theory is not far fetched at all).

I don't remember the entire serial, but I am 100% sure that it began with 5. For that matter, the '86s dumped the '85s chrome/blueberry scheme for medium purple metallic/dark purple.

-Kurt