Riley specialist on Millhouses Lane

[hank]

Does anybody remember a Riley specialist repairer on Millhouses Lane in the 50's?

He was next door to the Robin Hood pub, in some outbuildings which were later demolished when the block of flats were built.

I used to walk past and see 30's Riley Kestrels parked on the road.

[Nannan P]

Yes I remember the Riley garage at Millhouses. The garage owner was Ted Crossey and my father used to have a Riley Falcon, black with green leather upholstery, which he garaged in the courtyard. I believe the original building is still there and is now apartments. Dad bought the Riley when I was about 8 (1957) and Mum was not impressed as it was 25 years old when Dad bought it and she wanted something more modern. I used to love riding around Clumber Park standing on the runner boards (health & safety would have a fit now). We called her Cindy after Eddie Fisher's song which had lyrics "Cindy oh Cindy, Cindy don't let me down". I used to go with Dad on Saturday mornings to the Dancing class which was in the room above Ted's garage while dad tinkered with the car. He cast a brass falcon for the radiator cap which he had dipped in chrome. It looked great with outstretched wings but he always removed it when we parked anywhere and put in an old rusty cap as he worried that someone would nick the posh one. When he sold it he was told that it had been shipped to USA. I would love to try and trace it but wouldn't know where to start looking. Happy days

[hank]

Great to hear your story about your dad's Riley.

I am sure that there is a club which deals with Rileys of the same age which would be able to tell you if they had the car on its register, if you could supply the registration no.

I know a club member who owns a pre war Riley who could help.

Now you mention it, I remember the dncing class above the garage

[oldrowley]

Does anybody remember a Riley specialist repairer on Millhouses Lane in the 50's?

He was next door to the Robin Hood pub, in some outbuildings which were later demolished when the block of flats were built.

I used to walk past and see 30's Riley Kestrels parked on the road.

 

Not really connected, but I remember a couple of lads in about 1960 buying a Jaguar SS100 open tourer for £30 and selling it before long for £100 - a profit of £70 being a goodly sum in those days. Such matters were discussed by the local lads when frequenting Les's chip shop on the end of the row of shops opposite the Millhouses Hotel. I think these lads may have been a John Cowperthwaite and Miles somebody who was a portly chap who extolled the virtues of Castrol R in old cars. Believe they rented a lock up garage somewhere down where Tesco is now. Bet they wished they still had the Jag now!

[hank]

Sounds like the same John Cowpwerthwaite who used to make the Moss conversion? This was a Morgan lookalike and was made Heeley way in the 1970s and early 80s.

Sounds like the Riley was a collectors item even back in the 60s. It certainly is now.

[Jazzman]

I knew Ted Crossey

[Jazzman]

Ted Crossey was my neighbor on Crescent Rd . After he left Millhouses he moved next door to me .I owned Crescent Garage and Ted and I became good friends. Between the two of us there were few cars of different models that we had not worked on