Cleveland Car Co Ltd of Darlington - Triumph Car Dealer 61

Cleveland Car Co Ltd of Darlington and Middleborough the Standard Triumph car dealer are the feature business in this post.

Cleveland Car Co Ltd, Darlington advert Motor 5 September 1956

Long history

Cleveland Car Co Ltd, Darlington vehicle 1909

The company started and was incorporated on 8 May 1907.  They had a garage at Grange Road.

Cleveland Car Co Ltd, Darlington  c1909

Early in the companies history the company operated buses and charabancs.  Michelin manufactured car tyres and also used to supply air cylinders to motorists and the trade to inflate their tyres.

Cleveland Car Co Ltd were a air cylinder stockist as can seen in this Michelin Guide listing from 1913. 

£20,000 plus new showroom

It was reported in July 1966 that one of the oldest motor firms in the north east of England, the
Cleveland Car Company, had recently opened lavish new showrooms at Longlands Road, Middlesborough. The Company were area dealers for Standard-Triumph and for the opening ceremony Mr. A. C. L. Mills, Standard-Triumph Home Sales Manager, and Mr. R. Moore, Northern Sales Manager, were among the guests. Pictured are Rear Admiral J. G. C. Given (Chairman, Cleveland Car Company), Mr. R. Parker (General Manager), Mr. Mills and Mr. Moore.

Cleveland Car Co Ltd, Darlington Triumph Vitesse advert from Northern Echo

The company operated from their premises on Grange Road, Darlington from the company foundation  throughout their history.

Cleveland Car Co Ltd - corner Grange Road and West Street 1960's

Cleveland Car Co Ltd - corner Grange Road and West Street 1970's

Show and Service Week promotions

Staff from Standard Triumph HQ visited the business and assisted the firm with week long Show and Service promotions.  These were held by the firm at their Grange Road premises: 26th to 30th October 1959, 8th to 12th February 1965, 2nd to 6th May 1966,  4th to 8th September 1967 and 7th to 11th October 1968.

Triumph dealers in Darlington and Middleborough

April 1951:
Cleveland Car Co Ltd, Grange Road, Darlington

Middlesborough
C McAdams Ltd, Linthorpe Road.
Pallister Yare & Cobb Ltd, 134 Marton Road.
R F Parkinson, 29 Bottomley Street.
E Upton & Sons Ltd, 175-181 Linthorpe Road

1955:
Darlington
Cleveland Car Co. Ltd, Grange Road.        Distributor
Lambert & Williamson, Portland Garage, Woodlands Road

Middlesborough (YORKS.)
The Cleveland Car Co. Ltd., Longlands Garage, Marton Road.    Area dealer
'Phone 4065.
Denny, T. W., 91 Grange Road. 'Phone 2562.
R F Parkinson, 29 Bottomley Street. 'Phone 3663

1959, August 1961:
Darlington
Cleveland Car Co. Ltd, Grange Road.        Distributor
A G F Hare, Carlbury Garage, High Coniscliffe
Austen Sanderson, Northgate
E Williamson (Motors) Ltd, Portland Garage, Woodlands Road

Middlesborough (YORKS.)
Bluebell Garages (Middlesborough) Ltd, Bluebell Corner, Acklam Road.
The Cleveland Car Co. Ltd., Longlands Garage, Marton Road.   
Remah Motors Ltd, Longlands Road.
Ronnie Parkinson Ltd, 29 Bottomley Street.

August 1961:
Middlesborough (YORKS.)
Bluebell Garages (Middlesborough) Ltd, Bluebell Corner, Acklam Road.
The Cleveland Car Co. Ltd., Longlands Garage, Marton Road.   
Granville Motors Ltd, Granville Road.
Remah Motors Ltd, Longlands Road.
Ronnie Parkinson Ltd, 29 Bottomley Street.

February 1965:
Darlington
Cleveland Car Co. Ltd, Grange Road.        Distributor
A G F Hare, Carlbury Garage, High Coniscliffe
Horns Motor Services Ltd, North Road
Austen Sanderson, 163A Northgate
E Williamson (Motors) Ltd, Portland Garage, Woodlands Road

Middlesborough (YORKS.)
Bluebell Garages (Middlesborough) Ltd, Bluebell Corner, Acklam Road.
The Cleveland Car Co. Ltd., Longlands Garage, Marton Road.
Spencerbeck Motors Ltd, Longlands Road.
Ronnie Parkinson Ltd, Eastbourne Road Garage.

September 1968, March 1970
Darlington
Cleveland Car Co. Ltd, Grange Road.        Distributor
E Williamson (Motors) Ltd, Portland Garage, Woodlands Road

Middlesborough (YORKS.)
Cleveland Car Co. Ltd., Longlands Garage, Marton Road.   
Spencerbeck Motors Ltd, Longlands Road.

March 1970
Middlesborough (YORKS.)
Cleveland Car Co. Ltd., Longlands Garage, Marton Road.
Morton Motors Ltd, Dixons Bank, Morton
Spencerbeck Motors Ltd, Longlands Road.

March 1972, March 1974:
Darlington
Cleveland Car Co. Ltd, Croft Road, DL3 8TL        Distributor
E Williamson (Motors) Ltd, Portland Garage, 1-7 Woodlands Road DL3 7BJ

Middlesborough (YORKS.)
Cleveland Car Co. Ltd., Longlands Garage, Marton Road, Middleborough TS4 2NR.
Marton Motors Ltd, Stokesley Road, Marton, TS7 8NX

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about Cleveland Car Co Ltd of Darlington, photos of window stickers, dealer badges or sill plates etc please let me know. I can be contacted via the comments to this post or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stephen.weblin

Further information and sources

Link to the other articles in this series.

Read about Dunns of Sunderland

Link to face book page: Triumph Car Dealers.

Link to my Triumph Car Dealers Flickr group .

I have a collection of Standard Triumph car dealer directories: http://vitessesteve.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/triumph-car-dealer-directories.html

Picture credits: Cleveland Car Co Ltd, Darlington  c1909 image from Durham CountyCouncil; Cleveland Car Co Ltd, Darlington vehicle 1909 image from Darlington and Stockton Times; Cleveland Car Co Ltd - corner Grange Road and West Street 1970's image from Darlington library collection; Cleveland Car Co Ltd - corner Grange Road and West Street 1960's image from Northern Echo.

Standard Pennant Practical Maintenance Hints Book

The Standard Pennant Practical Maintenance Hints Book is the 5th item from the batch of books and manuals rescued by Colin Wake.

Here is a preview.


Here is a link to download a copy: https://app.box.com/s/zwp8y38wwxsldz2iglr8r2pu9tbhfm3b

W T Richards (Bexleyheath) Ltd - Triumph car dealer 60

W T Richards (Bexleyheath) Ltd advert from Earls Court 1958 Motor Show - Daily Mail

W T Richards (Bexleyheath) Ltd are the subject of this post which is the 60th in my series about garages that dealt with cars from the Standard Triumph company.  In 1958 the business was selling Standard, Triumph Jaguar, Austin and Rover cars.  The company was taken over by Lex Mead and traded as Lex Bexleyheath. At a later stage the garage took on the Honda franchise.  The Broadway premises have been demolished and a supermarket now occupies the site.

W T Richards (Bexleyheath) Ltd advert from Bexleyheath Gala and Carnival 1939

W T Richards Brands Hatch program advert 18 May 1959

W T Richards (Bexleyheath) Ltd advert from Autocar 18 October 1963

Street views

W T Richards Garage, Bexleyheath c.1931

Bexley archives have several photos of W T Richards in their collection which you can view online.  The early view from c1931 shows a garage at the Market House, Marketplace, Bexleyheath.  Later the business open a garage at 74-78 Broadway.

W T Richards at 74-78 Broadway

The Broadway site was developed over the year.  The photo below shows the addition of a canopy over the petrol pumps.

W T Richards (Bexleyheath) Ltd at 74-78 Broadway later

The Broadway building was extended and the petrol pumps removed as can be seen in this photo found by Mick Masters in the Bexley archives.

Lex Mead, 74/78 The Broadway, DA6 7LN

Lex Bexleyheath

The company Lex Motor Company (Bexleyheath) Limited was incorporated 1 January 1970 and later it was dissolved following a meeting on 13 December 1976.

Lex Bexleyheath Window Sticker

Lex Bexleyheath Motor 08 January 1972

Lex Bexleyheath Dolomite Sprint advert Motor 23 June 1973

Lex Motor Co invoice 26 September 1980

Triumph in Bexleyheath

October 1955, 1959, August 1961, February 1965, :
W T Richards (Bexleyheath) Ltd, 74/78 The Broadway - Area dealer

September 1968, March 1970,
W T Richards (Bexleyheath) Ltd, 74/78 The Broadway - Distributor

March 1972, March 1974
Lex Motor Co (Bexleyheath) Ltd, 74/78 The Broadway - Distributor

May 1975
Lex Motor Co (Bexleyheath) Ltd, 74/78 The Broadway - Distributor for Triumph, Rover and Land Rover

March 1988:
Lex Mead, 74/78 The Broadway, DA6 7LN - Distributor for Austin Rover

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about W T Richards (Bexleyheath) Ltd, photos of window stickers, dealer badges or sill plates etc please let me know. I can be contacted via the comments to this post or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stephen.weblin

Further information and sources

Link to the other articles in this series.

Link to face book page: Triumph Car Dealers.

Link to my Triumph Car Dealers Flickr group .

I have a collection of Standard Triumph car dealer directories: http://vitessesteve.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/triumph-car-dealer-directories.html

Picture credits: W T Richards (Bexleyheath) Ltd advert from Bexleyheath Gala and Carnival 1939 posted to facebook by Matt K Minch; W T Richards (Bexleyheath) Ltd advert from Earls Court 1958 Motor Show - Daily Mail; W T Richards (Bexleyheath) Ltd at 74-78 Broadway images from Bexley Archives; Lex Bexleyheath Window Sticker from Sam Osbon on flickr; Lex Bexleyheath Dolomite Sprint advert Motor 23 June 1973; Lex Motor Co invoice 26 September 1980 from Stuart Lowe via facebook;

Standard Atlas Practical Maintenance Hints Book

The Standard Atlas Commercial Vehicle Practical Maintenance Hints Book is the 4th item from the batch of books and manuals rescued by Colin Wake.

Here is a preview.


Here is a link to download a copy: https://app.box.com/s/oclq6rd799nn6cucukvp5frhyfmqdzki