Riley Cars Archive Heritage Trust

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Riley Cars Archive Heritage Trust Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Riley Cars Archive Heritage Trust, Charitable organisation, Unit 8 Coventry Canal Basin St. Nicholas Street, Coventry.

The Riley Cars Archive Heritage Trust (RCAHT) is registered with the UK Charity Commissioner (266905) dedicated to preserving and displaying historic documents and artefacts relating to the various Riley car manufacturing companies between 1898 and 1969.

Last month saw the Victor Riley Race at the Circuit des Remparts in Angoulême, France. Here is a report on what happened...
21/10/2026

Last month saw the Victor Riley Race at the Circuit des Remparts in Angoulême, France. Here is a report on what happened, courtesy of the VSCC, kindly provided by their member Adrian Smith.

From the archives...Freddie Dixon with his first Riley.Motor-cycle ace Freddie Dixon had resolved to go motor car racing...
17/10/2026

From the archives...
Freddie Dixon with his first Riley.
Motor-cycle ace Freddie Dixon had resolved to go motor car racing and having secured a "Works Spec." Brooklands Riley Nine (chassis no.8088) via Victor Gillow, Freddie drove it from London up to Middlesborough for the next stage of his plan. At this stage it looked as in the first pic.

The next rather indistinct pic shows the car reduced to it's component parts for scrutiny by Dixon before he re-assembled the car incorporating his development ideas designed to reduce weight and refine road holding and handling.

He completes the rebuild just in time to compete in the 1932 RAC Tourist Trophy Race on the Ards Circuit near Belfast, Northern Ireland, third pic.
(to be continued...)

We are delighted to have this rare Bonnick bicycle now on display at the archive. It has been very generously loaned to ...
12/10/2026

We are delighted to have this rare Bonnick bicycle now on display at the archive.
It has been very generously loaned to us by Bill Fellowes, grandson of Percy Riley.
Bonnick bicycles were made at King Street, Coventry. The company was taken over by Riley of St Nicholas Street, Coventry in 1890.

Coincidence from a photograph. A picture sent to our late beloved Victor some years ago showed a line up of Rileys in WW...
08/10/2026

Coincidence from a photograph. A picture sent to our late beloved Victor some years ago showed a line up of Rileys in WW2, at the front is Riley Imp 'US 8803'. The image was lodged in a corner of the memory of a fellow RCAHT Trustee.
Fast forward to very recently & said trustee is having a discussion with a family friend. It was regaled that an older relative once owned a Riley. When pressed to dig out a picture, he duly came up with...'Me in my Riley Imp at Rockfort c.1937'.
The car is 'US 8803', the 'me' is Louise and before this, we know that the car was active in Scottish events in the hands of Andrew Dunn.
It can be a small world.

Riley Cars Archive Heritage Trust is based at Coventry Canal Basin, it is open to the public on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & m...
05/10/2026

Riley Cars Archive Heritage Trust is based at Coventry Canal Basin, it is open to the public on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & most Saturdays. Riley was a Coventry family company formed in the late 1880's and was one of the most innovative in the industry. Call in to see our collection of artifacts & documents or visit our ever expanding website www.rileycarsarchive.org

It was a pleasure to be on display last weekend, alongside the Riley RM Club, Riley Motor Club & Riley Register, at a ne...
20/08/2026

It was a pleasure to be on display last weekend, alongside the Riley RM Club, Riley Motor Club & Riley Register, at a new event, Car Club Fest, in the shadow of the Malvern Hills. It was great to see clubs from so many different marques there.

We are very sorry to announce the death of Gerry Parker, who has been a great supporter of the Riley Archive from its in...
06/08/2026

We are very sorry to announce the death of Gerry Parker, who has been a great supporter of the Riley Archive from its inception, and engine designer for the Percy Riley 1898 Car project, being undertaken for the Riley Cars Archive Heritage Trust. Work is now at an advanced stage with the majority of engine components either complete or in manufacture in readiness for assembly and installation in the chassis. Gerry’s engineering contribution to the project can’t be overestimated and it will serve as a lasting legacy and a testament to his immense contribution, delivered with commitment and good humour, even through his illness. We have lost a great friend.

Gerry was a passionate Vintage Sports-Car Club competitor in his Riley 12/4 special, replacing earlier racing cars including an Austin Healey 100/4; he was recommissioning a Healey Elliot sports saloon before his illness prevented its completion. Well-known in those circles, he was also active in the Riley Register, both as an enthusiastic local noggin member and serving as Technical Director of the spares company. He was uniquely qualified in this capacity having studied mechanical engineering at Loughborough University, designing engines at Perkins and for MOD combat vehicles. All Riley owners, therefore, owe him a debt of gratitude and he will be immensely missed.

Many thanks to Lucy Gilchrist for the pictures and to Ian Standing for the words.

VSCC Prescott is always a wonderful garden party. This year we were paying tribute to a great friend of the archive in J...
04/08/2026

VSCC Prescott is always a wonderful garden party. This year we were paying tribute to a great friend of the archive in John Collins.

Congratulations to Oxford Universities Motorsport Foundation at the Ardeca Ypres Historic Rally recently with their Rile...
22/07/2026

Congratulations to Oxford Universities Motorsport Foundation at the Ardeca Ypres Historic Rally recently with their Riley 1.5.

A brilliant 8th Overall and Class Win for Boston/Harvey. 

Amongst Porsches and BMW much the oldest car.

Well Done!

The sun sets on another outing for the RCAHT team at the lovely Riley Motor Club National Rally
19/07/2026

The sun sets on another outing for the RCAHT team at the lovely Riley Motor Club National Rally

Address

Unit 8 Coventry Canal Basin St. Nicholas Street
Coventry
CV14LY

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 1:30pm
Wednesday 12pm - 3pm

Telephone

+442475095299

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