Kettlebrook, Tamworth (UK). A former Works Manager at Raleigh who had worked on their Raleigh Safety Seven T. L . Williams left the company to build his own 3-wheeler. He completed and licensed the vehicle on the 1st January 1935. This vehicle, "The Reliant", was a 3 wheeled 7 cwt van powered by a single cylinder 600cc Jap engine. It is believed Williams called the company Reliant as some of the old Raleigh parts he used had the initial R on them and so he needed a company name starting with the same letter. It was during a visit to the 1937 Commercial vehicle show that Reliant acquired the supply of the Austin 7 engine for their vehicles which they continued to use until 1939 when they made their own engine based on the Austin 7. These were replaced in 1963 by Reliant's own die-cast 600cc four-cylinder engine.

With the onset of the second World War Reliant continued to produce vehicles until early 1940 when their attention was then turned to machining parts for the various ministries. After the war Reliant started to reproduce vehicles in 1946. In 1952 T.L.Williams decided to modify the body of the Reliant van to accommodate four people, and so in 1952 the Regal Mk 1 was exhibited at Earls Court. The Mk 1 had an aluminium body fixed to an Ash frame. Over the next few years the Reliant Regal took on many forms (See below for greater details) with the Mk2 in 1955 which started to use glass fibre body panels. In 1956 the Mk 3 was the first all glass-fibre Reliant. The Regal was continuously improved upon with the Mk 4 in 1958, Mk 5 in 1959 and the Mk 6 in 1960. In 1962 a major step forward was taken with the Regal 3/25. This had a unitary construction body of re-enforced glass fibre. Polyester was moulded in two major units (outer and inner) and then bonded together and bolted to a steel chassis. A year later Reliant developed their own 600cc overhead valve unit which was Britain's first flowline production light alloy motor engine.

In 1969 the 750cc engine was introduced and Reliant's production was such that it in 1969 the fifty thousandth 3/25 model was delivered. In 1973 Reliant introduced perhaps the most famous British 3-wheeler of all time, "The Reliant Robin". This vehicle showed completely different styling and was available as a Saloon or an Estate. These first Robins were produced until 1975 when the Robin received more minor changes and a larger 850cc engine with a S.U carburettor.

In 1981 Reliant introduced the Rialto which was then followed by a new range of Reliant Robins in 1989. The 1990's were a turbulent time for Reliant who called in the receivers on 0ctober 25th 1990. The company was then brought by Beans Engineering for an estimated figure of £1.5 million but Beans were to call in the receivers 4 years later in November 1994. Reliant was then acquired by the Avonex Group on 16th January 1995, who also had to call in the receivers in December 1995 Reliant was then purchased in April 1996 by "a consortium of Businessmen". From this point on business, for Reliant, had returned to normal and by the end of August 1996, production of the Reliant Robin had resumed. In the first full year 720 cars were built with Reliant also expanding into lightweight commercial vehicles. By 1999 Reliant had also moved into import and distribution with various new models that included the Ligier Microcar from France, the Piaggio Ape commercial vehicle from Italy.

1949 Reliant 8cwt van (My thanks to Geoff Payne for this photo of the Reliant at the Black Country Living Museum.)

1957 Reliant Regal Mk III coupe.

1972 Reliant Regal Supervan III. (My last Regal (Ole Blue) sadly destroyed by fire in May 2008)

The 1973 Reliant Super Robin. (This was my Robin that sadly met its end in a motor accident, 1993)

Note:

The Reliant buildings in Tamworth were knocked down in 1999. In their place a new housing estate was created called "Scimitar Park". The main road into the estate is called "Tom Williams Way" after Reliant's founder with the rest of the roads being named after Reliant vehicles. These include, Regal Close, Robin Close and Fox Close.

Photo Right: My 1961 Reliant Regal Mk VI van in Regal Close.

More information on Reliant 3-wheeler models: