Sunday, July 15, 2018

Town Hall Motors of Sheffield - Triumph Car Dealers 62A


Town Hall Motors (Sheffield) Ltd, 167 Norfolk Street, Sheffield S1 2JG one time Standard Triumph Car dealers. I have them listed in directories from February 1965 until March 1972. I understand that this building was knocked down when Sheffield City Hall was extended.

Sheffield had many garages that sold Standard Triumph cars over the years.  You can see lists of other dealers in my article about Hatfields the distributor for the area.

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about Town Hall Motors of Sheffield, 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 post about Hatfields of Sheffield the Standard Triumph distributor for the area.

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:Photo copyright Sheffield City Council - picturessheffield.com

Saturday, July 14, 2018

Armstrong Massey - Triumph Car Dealers 68

The feature business in this post is Armstrong Massey who were a Standard Triumph car dealer based in Beverley.

Armstrong Gordon in Beverley in the early 1960's
Armstrong Gordon in Beverley in the early 1960's

Gordon Armstrong converted the former Tiger Inn into a garage in 1907 he did so with the idea of building cars and aircraft.  It is not known how many cars or aircraft were produced in the workshops at the back. The building was constructed in the 15th century and is timber framed. In 1984 it became part of the St Mary's Court shopping development. 

By the 1960's/70's the Massey Motors Division of Robert B Massey was merged with Gordon Armstrong Ltd and distributed Rolls Royce, Jaguar, Rover and Triumph cars throughout East Yorkshire as the Armstrong-Massey Group. The companies were purchased by the Unilever Corporation in 1974.  Later still the York branch of the business was bought by Inchcape during 2015. 

By 1986 they were based elsewhere in Beverley and selling Renault and Rolls Royce motor cars.   The site is now is now an ASDA supermarket having been previously NETTO and prior to that a Jacksons supermarket.
Armstrong Massey - Beverley image 01

Armstrong Massey - Beverley image 02

Became a Volvo dealer in the 70s. Motor rally sponsor in the 1970's and 1980's.

Armstrong Massey dealer address stamp on Triumph Acclaim brochure
Armstrong Massey dealer address stamp on Triumph Acclaim brochure
Armstrong Massey rear window sticker
Armstrong Massey rear window sticker

The Gordon Armstrong Car

The ‘Gordon’ Car, 1914
The ‘Gordon’ Car, 1914
This photograph of Gordon Armstrong of Beverley, mechanical engineer and inventor, shows him at the 1000 Miles R.A.C. Six Days Trial , May 4th-11th, 1914. The image is of himself at the wheel in the car he built. It reached the fastest time on 5 hills out of 11, the 2nd fastest time on 3 hills out of 11, 53.98 miles per gallon of petrol, 11 miles per gallon better than next best and 20 miles per gallon better than average for the trial.

He founded the business Armstrong Patents Co. Ltd in 1935. The company that made Armstrong lever arm dampers which I wrote about in 2015.

If you like historic images you can buy vintage prints online from East Riding Archives at picturearchives.org/eastridingphotos

Dealer plate 

Thamks to Karl for sharing this photo of a plaque ithat is attached to a Land Rover.
 

 

Still trading

A business called Armstrong Massey is still trading as of July 2018 based in Driffield and selling used 4x4 vehicles. 

RBM Agricultural Ltd have been providing products and services to the agricultural industry since 1936. As of 2018 they have 5 locations in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.  Market Weighton (East Yorkshire), Malton (North Yorkshire),  Clarborough (Nottinghamshire), Brig (North Lincolnshire), and Louth (East Lincolnshire).

Triumph Dealers in Beverley

September 1968, March 1970, March 1972, March 1974, May 1975:
Robert B Massey (Beverley) Limited, Norwood, HU17 9HA

June 1984 Armstrong Massey are listed as an Austin Rover dealer.
March 1988  Armstrong Massey Ltd, Barnston Road, Swinemoor Industrail Estate, HU17 0LA are listeda Rover group dealer.

Multisite dealer


Armstrong Massey had branches in Beverley, Market Weighton, Driffield, Helmsley, Hull, York and Scarborough.  At the time the promotional key fob shown above was issued they were selling Austin, Morris, Rover, Triumph, Jaguar, Daimler, Sherpa Vans, Land Rover and Range Rover.

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about Armstrong Massey of Beverley, 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: Armstrong Gordon in Beverley in the early 1960's photo found on Beverley FM website; Armstrong Massey rear window sticker photo posted to flickr by Nivek.Old.Gold; Armstrong Massey - Beverley images 01 and 02 posted to flickr by Beverley Exile;

Saturday, July 07, 2018

Robert Robinson of Hartlepool Triumph car dealer 67

Robert Robinsons were a Standard Triumph car dealer based in Hartlepool and are the feature business in this post.
Starting out as a bicycle and motor cycle dealer Robert Robinson (West Hartlepool) Ltd of  Grand Garage, Avenue Road, West Hartlepool  were an area dealer for Standard Triumph cars.  They held the franchise from 1925 to sometime after September 1968 but before March 1970.  Their bike shop opened in the 1930's.

In 1898 Robinsons were the first to sell a car in West Harlepool.  It was a solid tyred 3 1/2 HP Benz and was driven by the founders son Mr Robert Robinson then aged 12.

As at March 1960 the joint managing directors were Roy Robinson and Sidney Robinson.   Roy and Sidney were sons of Robert Robinson and grand sons of the founder also called Robert Robinson.

Robert Robinsons, Avenue Road Hartlepool
Robert Robinsons, Avenue Road Hartlepool
The showroom on the right was added in 1960. Note the Triumph motor car with the reg no EF 4 parked there.  Sid Robinson also owned EF2 which was the original number plate of his father's De Dion.
Car and caravan outside Robert Robinsons, Avenue Road Hartlepool
Car and caravan outside Robert Robinson

Robert Robinson Garage, South Road Hartlepool
South Road

Then and now


Here is photo to show the view of South Road then and now.

New showroom

Robinson new showroom
new showroom at Robert Robinson
It was reported in the March 1960 edition of the Standard Triumph Review that Mr F E Higham, Director (Home Sales), Standard Triumph opened the new showroom at Robert Robinson. 

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about Robert Robinson Ltd of Hartlepool, 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: All images from Hartlepool History website http://www.hhtandn.org/  except Robinson new showroom which is from March 1960 edition of the Standard Triumph Review.

Wednesday, July 04, 2018

Triumph Car Dealers in the USA

A short post to celebrate the 4 July.  Here are a few adverts and business cards featuring Triumph Car Dealers in the USA that I have collected over the years.

Adverts

Sunshine Motors Inc, Daytona Beach - Spitfire Mk4 brochure cover
Sunshine Motors Inc, Daytona Beach - Spitfire Mk4 brochure cover
Match box advert by Broadvue Motors, Cleveland Ohio
Match box advert by Broadvue Motors, Cleveland Ohio
Did Broadvue Motors, Cleveland Ohio sell new Triumph cars?

Business cards

Alamo Sports Cars - David Rusell_BusinessCard_San Antonio Texas
1979 business card



Triumph sold a lot of sports cars in the USA. I have got a dealer directory for Leyland cars North America Dealer directory for 1974 and would like to add to my collection.  I have seen that directories for both 1963, 1968 and 1978 exist can somebody please share a scan of any of these or any other USA directories with me.
1963
1968

1978

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about Triumph Car Dealers in the USA, 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:

Sunday, July 01, 2018

Alec Pringle TR7 drag car at TR International Lincoln

The Alec Pringle TR7 drag car as seen at the TR National Lincoln 1 July 2018.

Built in the style of the LeMans Turbo car.

A serious bit of kit.