Despite having one wheel too many on my Rover and the rain I went over to the Reliant Owners Club 43rd National Rally on Sunday 27th May. I had a grand time too, it was great to meet people and put a face to so many e-mail addresses and I was amazed that people remembered me and my old Reliant Robin from the early 1990’s when I used to go to Reliant Rallies as a member of the Birmingham Reliant Owners Club. Being at the Rally was strange at first as I would recognize a car from my Photo Gallery and know who the owner was but not who they were so had to say, “Excuse me, are you so and so?”.   It was great to meet web site owners like Malcolm Norris, Dan Lockton. Martin Strange, Brian Radford, Kerry Croxton, Sam Houghton and many others. I also saw one of Thomas Touw’s Reliants but the man himself was no where to be seen.

This event was the first one for me to try out my new digital camera and it was brought out gingerly at first as the rain seemed to aim for it but as the afternoon matured the weather brightened up. This camera was nothing though as the thing that seemed to grab attention was my watch, people were amazed at a watch that can take photographs.

Seeing all those 3-wheelers and listening to their little engines sing really made me realize how much I miss having one. My Rover may have every electrical gadget known to man but sitting in a Robin again really brought back all the fun I used to have with one.  So, I may have to move house and get one with a garage and drive so that I can have a 3-wheeler as well.

The Rally was opened by a chap from Reliant Cars Ltd who mentioned the current state of Reliant and seemed very secretive about a new 3-wheeler that was being made. Regular visitors to this site will know that the vehicle is no secret as it is the Reliant Robin BN-1 being manufactured by B&N Plastics.

After a cup of tea I managed to find a few old Reliant Regal advertisements on the Reliant stall and had a go at stabbing corks in a bowl of water. 46 corks in a minute that just wasn’t going to win me a prize. I also noticed some line drawings for sale of Reliant pictures and recognized them instantly. In Tamworth the local Morrisons Supermarket has huge paintings of Reliant vehicles on its wall, and these drawings were of these paintings. I shall have to photograph them next time I’m shopping ... I imagine I will get some strange looks doing that.

One of the highlights of the event for me was seeing a 1934 Raleigh Safety Seven owned by Martin Strange.  It is featured on the Raleigh page of this site. I’ve always been a fan of the Safety Seven and it was great to see one in real life. The vehicle has been in Martin’s family since 1934 and speaking to Martin’s father he told me all about how his father would have to reverse the vehicle up really steep hills as it just could not make it going forward.   As well as the Raleigh I have also been a great fan of the Bond Bug but sadly none were present today .. probably because Bond had there Rally on the same day.

The event also had some great 4-wheeled Reliants but we don’t want to talk about those here. However as my interest in Reliant grows I find myself more and more picking up bits of 4-wheeler info.  There is no escaping it, Reliant made 4-wheelers and great machines they were to ... so as I can not add the data to this site I guess a new “Reliant Site” will soon be on the horizon.  So watch this space!

But to me 3-wheelers are more fun and all in all it was a most enjoyable day and one in which makes me realise just how much I need to get a 3-wheeler again!!

Elvis Payne

May 27th 2001