Welcome to The Riley RM Club website

The Club for the Preservation of all Rileys from 1945-1957

The Saving of a 1954 Riley RME, a cautionary tale, this sad saga fortunately has a good ending, but it may not have had......

It all started when I received an email late afternoon on Wednesday 1st July. This came from the ex-Chairman of the Riley Motor Club who alerted me to an internet forum that mentioned a 1954 RME that had been taken in to a Huddersfield BMW dealership on the Scrappage Scheme to get £2,000 knocked off a new BMW Mini. I emailed fellow officers of the Riley RM Club before ringing the dealership 'Sandal BMW' and shooting the 7 miles to look at the car at around 5.30pm. I went across in my 1949 2½ Litre RMB clutching the latest copy of our Club Magazine as 'provenance' for my reason for being there.

The car registered in April 1954 as SCV 464 was roadworthy, taxed and tested and pretty original but in only fair condition. It had 4 good tyres, a stainless steel exhaust system, good seats and door panels, an excellent radiator grille and badge and started first time but with a slightly noisy engine. I suggested that the car was worth around £1,500 (Yorkshire values). Perhaps an ideal car to do a running rebuild and certainly too good for the breakers.

This of course was all irrelevant unless someone could turn up quick with £2,000 which appeared unlikely considering my valuation. The clock was ticking, with the recoverers formally 'notified' and likely to turn up anytime to take it direct to the breakers.

Sandal BMW were very helpful and sympathetic and thought it was a crime but their hands were tied. However disturbed I may have felt about this I did not know the circumstances of the owner but understood he had owned the car for over 30 years. He had decided to transfer the registration number to the new Mini for sentimental reasons and the Riley now had the age related plate 127 XUT.

I returned to my office and immediately posted details of the car and dealership on our Website Forum to alert the Forum membership of the plight. I then updated the Riley Motor Club and my fellow officers of the RM Club and sent an email to the secretary of the FBHVC (Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs) in the hope that they could help.

In an attempt to gather more support I emailed the Chairman of ARC (Association of Riley Clubs) and the Chairman of The Riley Motor Club... both owners of RM Rileys. I had requested them to speak to their contacts at Gaydon and Coventry Museums and also 'bring in the Cavalry' and speak to Victor Riley who has top level contacts with BMW, Victor being the son of Victor Riley senior. Chairman & MD of Riley Motors Ltd.

I knew things were beginning to hot up when I received a phone call on Thursday morning from the Deputy Editor of Classic & Sports Car Magazine. He knew the RM Club were on the case and was keen to know more about the car, having always wanted an RM Riley. He was intending speaking to BMW in the hope that they would save the car and donate it to him. An obvious worthy cause.

On Thursday evening I decided to contact the previous owner who I thought should know that we were trying to save the Riley. Our records indicated that he was still a Club member and someone I knew but not seen for around 20 years. I was keen to put him at ease and emphasize that I appreciated it was his decision. After owning and cherishing the car since 1977 and now at the age of 70 he had found it difficult to keep up with the repairs to the car and it was deteriorating fast. He had tried to sell it but had failed. His wife needed a new car so he could not overlook the opportunity provided by the government. He confirmed he would be delighted if we could give the car a new lease of life.

However by Friday morning 3rd July as time ticked by I was beginning to fear the worst. Having not heard from Sandal BMW, I was clinging to the hope that the car was still sitting at the dealership and that the cogs were still turning behind the scenes.

The breakthrough came when an email from the Chairman of the ARC on Friday afternoon to say that Victor had phoned to break the good news that the car had been saved. A buyer had come forward, an RM Club member from Essex, who had spotted the car on the Club Forum and called Sandal BMW.

I rang the dealership to congratulate them. Things were not quite going to plan... they had been taking the deposit for the car over the telephone when the recovery vehicle turned up. Despite pleas to 'Autogreen's (the agency responsible for collecting the vehicle) they would not budge from their contractual obligations and were duty bound to collect the car unless BMW UK gave a reprieve.

As I was talking to Sandal BMW the Riley was being loaded onto the transporter... I was not prepared to give in so rang Autogreen's head office who were sympathetic but stated that apart from their contractual obligations they were also concerned about what the owner would think having deemed the car to have reached the end of its life and then to possibly see it reappear. I confirmed I had spoken to the previous owner and it was his wish that the car was saved and that all I was asking for was a stay of execution until we could gain approval or otherwise from BMW. Also for consideration was that BMW were unlikely to want any bad publicity from the Historic Car movement especially as they were the owners of the 'Riley' Marque. Apparently it was unlikely that the car would be unloaded at the breakers until Monday morning and Autogreen offered to find out where the vehicle's destination was and to attempt to contact BMW UK and would call me back...

True to their word Autogreen rang at around 6.30pm and said I could sleep soundly that night. They had spoken to the breaker who would carefully take the RME off the transporter and store it until they heard from Autogreen... A Repreive!!

I immediately rang Sandal BMW and Victor to update them and request their continued support. Early on Saturday morning I posted the good news on the forum. I spoke to the would be purchaser and advised that I would ring him on Monday once I knew what was happening. He had just finished the restoration of a virtually identical 1954 RME and now needed a new project... The ideal man to restore the car 'on trial'.

Monday dawned and I rang BMW around 11.00am and was told the brilliant news that BMW UK were keen to save the car and that the dealership would contact the buyer to sort out the details. Sandal BMW would also need a letter from the previous owner giving his consent. The new owner was over the moon when I phoned him. So was Victor Riley who I learnt had done a sterling job talking to several people at BMW that morning.

A good result with a car saved and now with the prospect of surviving for another 50 or so years.

This saga shows what can be achieved with a bit of luck, the good cooperation between the Riley Clubs .. .(the fact that we know each other is down to ARC) and the FBHVC and a great deal of support and effort from Sandal BMW, Autogreen, BMW UK and of course Victor Riley for his tremendous work behind the scenes. Finally we must not forget the new owner... .the star who came forward when the Riley needed him.

The postscript is that although this car has been saved there are no doubt others that have not and others where owners are being tempted to take up the £2,000 offer. Whilst it is appreciated that at present the scheme is only for a short term and is showing great benefit to the car industry we must all work together to do whatever we can to encourage the government to provide a safety net for Historic Vehicles which by their age and survival alone are surely good for the planet.

Phil Hallam, Chairman Riley RM Club

PS... the new owner just called; Sandal BMW are arranging to deliver the Riley to his door.. .ain't that a nice gesture.. .and a further update....he took delivery of the car at 8.00am and he is very impressed with it. Once off the transporter it started first time and he drove it into his drive.