British Motor Museum, Gaydon

British Motor Museum, Gaydon, England

Visited in 2017

The British Motor Museum claims to be home to ‘the world’s largest collection of historic British cars’. The Midlands has always been the centre of car manufacturing in the United Kingdom and it still is, although there are fewer companies active than in say, the nineteen fifties. The museum tells the story of the birth, decline and rebirth of the motor industry and the cars it produced. It is arranged by major theme, such as motoring history time road, design and concept cars, sport cars, movie cars etc.

MG SA on the Time Road

MG Magnette and Vauxhall Viva

Wolseley overlooking the Time Road

1935 Caravan

Part of the Design & Concepts section

HUE 166 the first Land Rover

Rover

1974 Austin 1300 SRV 5 safety research vehicle

2001 TVR T400R GT race car

Address:
Banbury Road,
Gaydon,
Warwickshire CV35 0BJ
England

Website: britishmotormuseum.co.uk

Coventry Transport Museum

Coventry Transport Museum, Coventry, England

Visited in 2017

Coventry Transport Museum collection includes around 250 cars, commercial vehicles and buses, 100 motorcycles and over 350 bicycles. It focuses on Coventry’s role in British transport heritage.

Shown here is a sample of the numerous makes that were built in and around Coventry.

1898 Daimler

1913 Swift Cyclecar

1923 Standard & 1923 Humber Chummy

1935 Hillman Aero Minx Cresta

Lea Francis Hyper

Address:
Millennium Place,
Hales Street,
Coventry CV1 1JD,
England

Website: transport-museum.com

Coventry Transport Museum 2017

Brooklands Museum

Brooklands Museum, Weybridge, England

Visited in 2013

Brooklands is the birthplace of British motorsport and aviation. It was the world’s first purpose-built motor racing circuit. The cars in the museum all raced in period at Brooklands. In addition to the museum, there is the famous Test Hill to see, the remaining sections of the original Brooklands track and the aviation museum.

Exterior of the museum with visiting Aston Martins

Bentley

Napier Railton

Obvious racing heritage

Section of the original Brooklands track

A Talbot on the Test Hill start line

Check the Brooklands Museum website for opening times and other details.

Address:
Brooklands Museum,
Brooklands Road,
Weybridge,
Surrey,
England

Website: brooklandsmuseum.com

Bicester Heritage

Bicester Heritage, Bicester, United Kingdom

Visited in 2018

Bicester Heritage is NOT a museum as such. It is a business campus dedicated to historic motoring, based at the former RAF Bicester airforce base. It is home to numerous classic car specialists and is open ‘by appointment only’. Please check the website for opening hours and visitor policy, and if necessary make an appointment. However, Bicester Heritage, and the companies located there, organise classic car events throughout the year, so it is worth checking what’s on and when.

Riley outside one of the restored RAF buildings

Alvis (l) and AC

Mini Cooper and an AC

Belgian Bugatti on a test run

Classic car specialists all over the business park

Address:
Bicester Heritage,
Buckingham Road,
Bicester,
Oxfordshire OX27 8AL

Website: bicesterheritage.co.uk