No doubt Jim will merge the two topics in due course, but as the original ask and pictures are here, I'll pitch here....
This Harding is 1978. Most post-war hand propelled tricycles supplied by the Ministry of Health are all dated by way of the "HAD" number, which is their internal reference to which supply contract relates to which manufacture. In R.A Harding's case, their Ministry reference number was 204, so HAD204/78 translates as a Ministry-spec Harding HP built in 1978. As also seen on the plate, it is a Model 33J, meaning it is a lever-operated tricycle (Model 33) and possibly a Juvenile size (the possible meaning of the "J").
Myself and others were having quite a discussion about this Harding when it was on eBay, and as I quote from myself....
"This is somewhat interesting. Having traced a few old Harding company ex-employees a few years back, I had always understood Harding HP production had ended in 1973, yet here's one quite clearly stamped 1978! And look at that frame and rear axle! Evidently this is a totally new era & type of Harding HP for the lists and one for the history books as clearly Harding HP history goes on quite a bit later than originally thought. Mind you, 1978 would still fit the history, as the last Model 70's were built in the last days of March 1978 before all production of powered invalid three-wheelers ended, so it would make sense for production of Ministry HP tricycles to have continued side by side in the same time scale as the powered ones and therefore end at the same time."
