Reliant films available on the RMC YouTube channel:
Reliant Crash Test at MIRA (1960s / 1970s)
In August 2019, the RMC were invited to collect a number of items from Reliant Partsworld who had a shipping container full of archive material from the glory days of Reliant. Amongst these were 10 cannisters of 18mm film ranging from the 1960s to the 1970s.
We sent the films off to be converted into digital media and we were delighted to find they contained crash test footage of various Reliant vehicles being tested at MIRA (Motor Industry Research Association) crash test facility. The films cover several vehicles with the Reliant Regal Supervan III, Reliabr Rebal van, Reliant Rebel estate, Reliant Scimitar GTE (SE5), Reliant Kitten van, Reliant Kitten saloon and Bond Bug.
The films are due to become a DVD that will be released mid-2020 although for now we have created this little taster video of the sort of thing it will contain. Keep watching our website in 2020 for news of when the DVD is released.
Click image to launch video
Reliant Export Story (1967)
In 1967 a short BBC film was made about Reliant and its Export business of the Anadol and Regal. This film was then destroyed and no copies were known to have existed until Elvis Payne found a copy in 1992 on 16mm film belonging to Derrick Smith who used to work at Reliant. Derrick then lent Elvis the film and a friend of his, Mike Redwick Jones, then borrowed it from him to convert it to VHS. They found out that it was actually a BBC story and so the BBC said they would convert to to VHS if they could keep a copy for their archive. And so, 4 copies were made of the film. One, of which the BBC kept, and Elvis Payne, Mike Redwick Jones and Derrick Smith had one each. Sections of the film have since appeared on the BBC program “Top Gear” and the BBC documentary “Trouble at the Top”.
The film shows some fantastic footage of the Reliant Regal 3/25 being manufactured and also features the Reliant Ant and briefly covers the 4-wheeled Scimitar and Anadol. The digitised version on YouTube has been straight from one of the VHS master copies.
Click image to launch video
Foundation for the Future (1970s)
This film fron the early 1970s by the Reliant Cine Club shows Reliant during its time of expansion. At the time a new Robin Assembly hall was built with plans for another for the Scimitar that didn’t actually go ahead. In addition to the expansion at that time, it also offers a glimpse into factory life and the Reliant Robin that had just been introduced,. Converted from 16mm film to VHS and then DVD, the quality has suffered a little although it still makes an interesting feature. Our thanks to Kate Pointon for providing a copy of this film.
Click image to launch video
Reliant’s Royal Occassion (1975)
Filmed by the Reliant Cine Club in July 1975, this film documents the visit of HRH Princess Anne to Reliant. During her visit, Princess Anne visited the sites at Two Gates, Kettlebrook and Shenstone.Converted from 16mm film to VHS and then DVD, the quality has suffered a little although it still captures what was a great day for Reliant. Our thanks to Kate Pointon for providing a copy of this film.
Click image to launch video
World of Reliant (1980s)
A rather interesting film from the 1980s by Reliant showing seveal vehicles including the Fox, Rialto and Scimitar along with other projects like the Lucas Hybrid. It also offers a fairly indepth over view of the manufacturing process showing the body been hand layed, parts being pressed and mechanical components being assembled.
The film is copied from a VHS master copy that was salvaged from the Reliant offices by ex-Reliant worker, Troy Walton. The quality however is still a bit dubious in places as the original version was filmed on 16mm tape and so quality has been lost converting it to VHS. So much so the VHS master copies has a label indicating the quality as “acceptable”.
Click image to launch video
Reliant Blue Plaque (2017)
The Reliant Motor Club is delighted that on Saturday 8th July 2017 we achieved one of our primary ambitions to see a blue plaque unveiled at Tom Williams’ (Reliant co-founder) former residence at Bro-Dawel on the Kettlebrook Road in Tamworth. It was here that the first Reliant prototype was built in 1934 and so the plaque both commemorates the birth place of Reliant and pays tribute to its founders.
Prior to the unveiling by Charlotte Oliver, Caroline Payne and Barrie Wills from the RMC along with Margaret Clarke from the Tamworth Heritage Trust made a speech. This is a smal video of the speeches and the unveiling.
Click image to launch video
The Reliant Motor Club
“The Club for Owners and Enthusiasts of Britain’s finest specialist car manufacturer”