The White Riley

Sir,
Maybe I could add a few comments about my White M.P.H. Riley in reply to Mr. Rolfe last month.

Contrary to his protestations I did not on the occasion in question, or for that matter on any other, ever claim my car as the “White Riley.” As you can imagine, I was somewhat surprised when told that my car had been announced as the “White Riley” at the start of my run. May I suggest it was purely a commentator’s error?

My car is believed to be the prototype of the M.P.H. series and differs in many details from subsequent examples. Many parts, such as engine mounting brackets, chassis cross-members, etc., etc., are fabrications and the extensive use of elektron castings, suggest a “one-off” job. This car went to Bourne some time in the ’30s, was fitted with an E.R.A. engine by Raymond Mays and used on the road by him and Humphrey Cook. All this was the subject of an article by A. F. Rivers-Fletcher in “The Autocar” in September 1941; the car’s later history is obscure.

It would be interesting to see what similarity exists between the White Riley chassis and the M.P.H. Did Raymond Mays evolve his car out of a modified M.P.H.? Rex Hayes’ drawing of the White Riley in his “Tribute by Trophy” shows a marked likeness to the M.P.H. Perhaps someone could throw more light on this.

Mark Rigg.
Bromsgrove.