The TR Register is sad to learn of the passing of one of our founder members, Peter Buckles who died on Christmas Day. Pete was member number 8 having joined the TR Register at the very beginning nearly 54 years ago.
Funeral details
Peter Alexander Buckles will be laid to rest at 14:30 (GMT) on Thursday 25th January, at Chilterns Crematorium, Amersham, HP7 0ND.
There will be a live webcast of the service on the following website:
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A tribute
\In early 1970, the then editor of TR Action Magazine Bob Knowles introduced Peter Buckles to Peter Cox thus creating a partnership that would not only go down in TR folklore but would also be instrumental in ensuring TRs would remain on the roads for generations to come. Pete Buckles had been joint Spares Secretary for the club alongside Pete Cox, as both had access to affordable and available TR parts. The club was growing at a fast pace and it soon became too much for both in their spare time. When Pete Cox lost his job, the opportunity to start the TR Register Spares supply as a commercial business was taken - and by June 1975 Cox and Buckles were founded and TR spares were being sold from premises in Tooting, London. As the 70s ended Cox and Buckles started remanufacturing body panels and into the eighties saw huge growth and the moving of premises to Richmond.
The incredible work of Cox and Buckles can be seen in the healthy supply of parts that TR owners still enjoy to this day. Later, Cox and Buckles were amalgamated into Moss Europe but Pete Buckles’ success continued as he replicated his tried and tested methods for remanufacturing parts for all British classics via the British Motor Heritage brand. As well as being a founder member of the TR Register, he was also a former director of the MG Car Club and retained his interest in British Motor Heritage up until his passing.
A key part of Triumph TR’s history, a founding stalwart of the TR Register Car Club and a pioneer of the British Historic Vehicle community Pete had unrivalled knowledge of part numbers and spares. His legacy has ensured that many of our favourite British classics will remain on the road with a readily available supply of parts for generations to come.
See the full Cox and Buckles Story here:
Remember his story via the video interview here:
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RIP Pete,
He was the first Register member that I met. Went to his house in Mitcham to collect pistons and liners and a front grill for my 3a. He invited me to the Windmill meet on Clapham Common so he could give my car the ‘once over’. I have not been a particularly active member but certain people through their enthusiasm and friendliness always will be remembered.
Dick.
Yes RIP Pete from ex-member 59, and many many thanks
We met Pete one Sunday morning, probably 1970 or '71. He sold me a TR(2?) chassis which we lashed to the roof of our Anglia van -- a blanket to protect the van's 'paint' -- and drove back to Wallingford or Abingdon. After that, many more purchases from Cox and Buckles in my failed 'restoration' of WJO 500
Pete Buckles.
It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of Pete Buckles. Pete, as known to me and countless others, with his knowledge of TRs quickly settled in as Spare Secretary and a Committee Member. His work with the Register Spares Section was as vital to the formation of the Club as recording membership and the organising of national and local meetings. I have many good memories of Pete who was not only an enthusiastic supporter of the Register but also a good friend to Val and I. In the early days of the Register summer national meetings were held at the Melbourne Loop, now part of the Donnington Race Track. I remember Pete addressing the crowds through a Megaphone type contraption, held to the mouth - there was no public address system available to us then! (see photo,à TR Magazine no.336, page 53). The second memory was Pete, as a concours judge, using a magnate on the bodywork of " original" cars to see if the steel construction had been retained - it was quite common in those days to rebuild with fibreglass wings or infill rusted holes with plastic type filler. Happy days! I will miss your professionalism Pete. May you rest in peace.
Terry Simpson - Founder, TR Register.
We will all miss Pete. He was a true TR enthusiast and a real gentleman. Thank you for maintaining the spirit of TR motoring and for keeping our TRs on the road for all these years. Without the two "Pete's" our cars would have disappeared decades ago. And, on a personal note, thank you for tolerating with unfailing good humour my engineering incompetence for so long.
Sad news indeed. What a great guy to have known as a customer of his in the 1970 's when we could scramble around the Triumph garages to find the bits for my TR2, and yet always rely on Cox & Buckles coming up with that vital component, to keep my car on the road. Car still going Pete thanks to you!
A legend!
Ian Bennett
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