16/06/2026
John Collins, so recently lost to us in a vehicle accident, was totally enmeshed in the story of Riley in diverse ways.
As a young person the family car was a Riley RMA, as a young man his car was a RMD into which he installed a Pathfinder engine.
Around him he gathered two Kestrel Sixes and a cohort of graduate Engineering friends who had the solutions to anything that presented a difficulty in running a Riley.
He resuscitated ex.Works Brooklands Riley VC 8305, with a little help from others, who responded to his demonstrations of skill, determination and sheer enthusiasm.
The dining room cabinet had no more room for trophies won, but at the same time, he gladly loaned his Brooklands to his "works driver" Tim K. in recognition that sometimes others could be fractionally faster.
John was generous with advice and assistance to others in keeping their Rileys active, despite having his own little fleet to maintain. He so enjoyed working on engines, especially the Nine, that it took an effort of will to turn down an invitation to re-build the engine in the ex-Gerard "Bullet" on its return from USA. He had just too much on.
His researches produced a chronology of the Mark nos. of the Riley Nine engine, a potential minefield of confusion for the beginner, until published in the Riley Register Bulletin, and his service to Riley Register Spares Ltd (RRSL) was long lasting. Presidential status was a worthy recognition of this service to the Riley Register.
Although his primary interest was pre-war Rileys, Nines and Sixes, he fully understood the equivalent passion of owners of RM's and the BMC era, and was an advocate for, and founder member of, the Riley Archive Project (RAP) which was eventually absorbed into the Riley Cars Archive Heritage Project (RCAHT).
Many of us in the world of Riley have lost a quiet, contemplative and supportive friend, so sadly now missing.
Adrian Smith 16/06/2026
