Trentman Reels

[Anchorman]

I have long had an interest in Trentman reels. Picked one up a while ago, played with it, like it for roach etc on lightish tackle but I have heard horror stories of the effects of loading them up with heavy line for really big fish......
There appears to be very little solid information about their history out there. Who made them? By trawling around the net I have found hints that they might have been "night shift specials", allegedly produced at factories in the Midlands, one named specifically is the Raleigh works, which I think is or was in Derby.
They seem to share a common parentage if you like with Stantons, same basic construction ideas as far as I can see, but the Trentmans I have had up close seem to have a nicer, "more" machined finish, with what looks to me like anodising rather than paint. All built from same basic components i.e. back plate, detachable spool with bearings in situ. Stantons I believe were cast and then machined, but Trentmans I'm not sure about. Could they have been machined from solid stock? Whatever, as I said all Trentmans I have seen look identical as far as major components go, I think spools might even be interchangeable, but details like bearings, positioning of drag mechanism, riveting of line lays, style of handles etc seems to vary enormously.
Can anyone throw any more light on the origins of these reels please?
Best, Tim.

[Gobio Gobio]

Sorry, no information other than owning two of them. I like them but no nothing of their heritage.

[Chavender]

i'll dig through my notes later for some details ,but from memory they was a small company making them too the Rolls Royce pattern (type a [centre screw],wll more a hybrid with features of type b [no centre screw] ) with some tailoring ,like the type b ,Rr stantons no centre screw ,but a clear Perspex bearings cover instead ,plastic handles .but very much in the Stanton style ,large dia = fast retrivel ,not casting reels as such but trotting reels for one to two rod lengths at most ,all these reels was built with the river trent in mind a smooth reel to cope with the strong flow .they're like the marlow reels basically built in small numbers to sell through a shop or direct at matches ,its a well used business plan ,make a half dozen or so take them with you to sell to other anglers ,if you can get a tackle shop too sell them too .mostly word of mouth and reputation to market them.as a good as any of the similar styled reels ,built for match angler but in the right circumstances great for pleasure anglers .they do look nicer than the basic Rr ones and harlow type (a) .but for looks no one matches cliff Adcock stantons (even the latest factory made ones) Cliff was king of stantons ,renaulds the grandfather the trentmans not too far from the top better than most ,liability wise not the most bullet proof .

[Anchorman]

Thanks Steve.
Be really interested to hear any more detail. Be a shame if the maker(s) were to remain unknown, in the same way as Speedia's have.......
I have been playing with my original Trentman today, popped off the spool and just out of interest, took out a fibre washer/disc covering the bearing nearest the backplate. As I thought it might, this allowed a spin time of around one minute to grow to double that! Now I know there is a lot more to centrepins than spin time, but I feel it is a relevant way of comparing results of actions, i.e. Removing friction or changing lube etc in the same reel. That said, the reel in question has been used for trotting for Roach here on the Wensum with the fibre thingy in situ. It performed very well. And as you said Steve, these reels were designed for use on the Trent, which is not exactly sluggish! So probably a fairly meaningless exercise, if I want a reel with absolute minimal start-up for light floats in slowish flows, I would think there are other reels better suited.