A Riley good time in Badenoch!
Kingussie tasted the life of Riley this week.
Nearly 70 of their classic cars paraded through the Badenoch capital as, for the first time, the Scottish Riley Enthusiasts chose the strath for their annual get-together.
And the man whose family started it all told the Strathy: “The pleasure is all ours - in fact, it’s all mine!”
Victor Riley (81) could not have been happier as he was introduced to the joys of Badenoch and Strathspey, the highlight of his visit being taken to Loch Garten to see the ospreys - by Kestrel!
“It’s absolutely wonderful,” he said. “I was actually driven over there in one of our own dear little Kestrels. I found that very appropriate.”
It was some 125 years ago that his grandfather, William, decided to diversify from weaving after the education acts robbed him of nice cheap children to work in his mills.
“You might say he got on his bike!” joked Victor, recalling the pedal cycles which were first produced by the Riley company.
Before long they were being motorised, the first new vehicles being manufactured in Coventry in 1899.
Said Mr Riley: “It soon became clear that adapting pedal cycles was not the way forward, so in 1904 a completely new tricar was designed by my Uncle Percy, using the first Riley designed engine built in the Riley Engine Works.”
The 1905 9hp V-twinTricar was the first with a steering wheel and a seat in place of the previous saddle.
“It was the start of something big, you might say!” smiled Mr Riley, recalling all the wonderful models which the company was to produce over the decades.
“Sadly we made the last Riley in 1969 but I live in hope that the future may bring surprises for the discerning motorist. . .”
But he would not be drawn on that, as he prepared his speech to Saturday evening’s dinner in the Duke of Gordon Hotel.
“They’re all an absolute delight to have here,” said hotel manager Paul Brown. “It’s been such an exciting time planning for the enthusiasts’ trip. There are so many of them and they have really loved their time here. It’s great for the strath to see all these fabulous cars and I hope to see them return in the very near future.”
Scottish club chairman Fred Carss - yes, Carss by name and certainly by nature - agreed: “We’re having a fantastic time in our first visit to this area and it’s clear that everyone finds the cars fascinating. We get very admiring glances as we go around.
“I do hope we’ll be back before too long.”
