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{{refimprove|date=May 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}
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{{Infobox Museum
{{More citations needed|date=February 2016}}
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{{Infobox museum
|name = British Motor Museum
|name = British Motor Museum
|image = GaydonMHC.JPG
|image = GaydonMHC.JPG
|imagesize = 250
|image_upright =
|map_type =
|map_type =
|map_caption =
|map_caption =
|latitude =
|latitude =
|longitude =
|longitude =
|established = 1993
|established = {{start date and age|1993}}
|dissolved =
|dissolved =
|location = Gaydon,Warwickshire,England
|location = Banbury Road, Gaydon, Warwickshire, England
|type = Transport Museum
|type = Transport Museum
|visitors =
|visitors =
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The '''British Motor Museum''', formerly known as the Heritage Motor Centre, is a British motor museum and research centre, located adjacent to the [[Jaguar Land Rover Gaydon Centre]] near [[Gaydon]] in [[Warwickshire]], [[England]]. The centre is open to the public, and houses a collection of important vehicles, celebrating Britain's motoring heritage. It is affiliated to the [[British Motorcycle Charitable Trust]].<ref name="BMCT">{{cite web|url=http://www.bmct.org/index.html|title=British Motorcycle Charitable Trust|accessdate=29 November 2009}}</ref>
The '''British Motor Museum''' in [[Gaydon]], [[Warwickshire]], England holds the world's largest collection of historic British cars, with over 300 cars on display from the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust and the Jaguar Heritage Trust.


==History==
==History==
The creation of the [[British Leyland Motor Corporation]] (BL) in 1968 saw the bringing together of multiple motor vehicle companies and marques ([[Austin Motor Company|Austin]], [[Jaguar Cars|Jaguar]], [[Morris Motors|Morris]], [[MG Cars|MG]], [[Riley Motor|Riley]], [[Rover Company|Rover]], [[Standard Motor Company|Standard Triumph]], and [[Wolseley Motors|Wolseley]]).<ref name="MotoVerso">{{Cite web |last=Hadley |first=Paul |date=21 January 2019 |title=British Motor Museum – Pure Automotive History |url=https://www.motorverso.com/british-motor-museum/ |access-date=11 November 2022 |website=Moto Verso}}</ref><ref name="WheelsAlive">{{Cite web |last=Henson |first=Kim |date=22 February 2016 |title=Fresh-faced, magnificent British Motor Museum opens its doors |url=https://www.wheels-alive.co.uk/fresh-faced-magnificent-british-motor-museum-opens-its-doors/ |access-date=11 November 2022 |website=Wheels-Alive!}}</ref> With many of the companies having their own collections of historic vehicles, in 1975 a centralised ''Leyland Historic Vehicles'' department was created to manage these.<ref name="MotoVerso" /> As the collection got ever larger, in 1983 BL created charitable trusts to ensure that these important collections, not only of vehicles, but of company archives too, would be preserved for the nation.<ref name="MotoVerso" /><ref name="WheelsAlive" /> The ''British Motor Industry Heritage Trust'' (BMIHT) was created, and under its umbrella, so were the ''Austin Rover Group Heritage Trust'' and the ''Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust''.<ref name="WheelsAlive" /> In 1990, following the acquisition of Jaguar by [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]], the ''Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust'' collection was moved to the [[Browns Lane plant|Jaguar Browns Lane plant]] in Coventry.<ref name="WheelsAlive" /> The ''Austin Rover Group Heritage Trust'', which with the company by then having morphed into the [[Rover Group]], became the ''Rover Group Trust,'' transferred its collection in its entirety to the BMIHT.<ref name="WheelsAlive" />
The collection, now cared for by the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, was developed in the 1970s when a new division of the [[British Leyland Motor Corporation]] (BLMC) was formed to preserve and manage the company's collection of historic vehicles. In 1979, the company became BL Heritage Limited, adopting a new headquarters at [[Studley, Warwickshire|Studley]], [[Warwickshire]]. Two years later, a museum was opened at the [[London's Transport Museum|London Transport Museum's]] former home of [[Syon House#Syon Park|Syon Park]], west of London, where some 100 vehicles from the collection were put on display.


The collection, some of which was located at [[Syon Park]], London, and the remainder being kept at [[Studley Castle]], Warwickshire,<ref name="TransportMuseum" /><ref name="WheelsAlive" /> continued to grow, and the BMIHT decided that a new building was required to house it all.<ref name="MotoVerso" /> With financial assistance from the [[Rover Group]], and other benefactors, a large new facility was built, set in {{convert|65|acre|m2}} of grounds, on the [[Jaguar Land Rover Gaydon Centre|Rover Group's Gaydon site]] in Warwickshire (the former [[RAF Gaydon]] airfield), and opened as the ''Heritage Motor Centre'' in 1993.<ref name="WheelsAlive" /><ref name="TransportMuseum">{{Cite web |title=Heritage Motor Centre |url=https://www.transportmuseum.co.uk/heritage-motor-centre.html |access-date=11 November 2022 |website=Transport Museum}}</ref> The trust's complete collection, which included more than 25 vehicles, was relocated to the new centre.<ref name="TransportMuseum" /><ref name="WheelsAlive" />
During the early 1980s, closer ties were made with other British motor manufacturers. In 1983, the collection was granted charitable status, and became the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, and although there were now several manufacturers involved, the collection still carried a large bias towards the former British Leyland companies. Austin-Rover continued as the primary backer of the Trust, and gradually the other companies withdrew their support. Meanwhile, the collection continued to grow.


The museum became a [[Designated Collection]] when it was added to the "exceptional cultural collections" of the [[Arts Council England]] in December 2014.<ref>{{Cite news |date=12 December 2014 |title=Gaydon motor museum on 'exceptional cultural collection' list |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-30457663 |access-date=11 November 2022}}</ref>
In the late 1980s, it became evident that larger premises would be required as the collection developed. Several new sites were considered for a purpose built museum. The present location was chosen, on the site of the former [[RAF Gaydon]] airfield in South Warwickshire, which was home to the Rover Group's design, technology and testing ground. Plans were drawn up and construction began in 1991 for the new Heritage Motor Centre. Set in {{convert|65|acre|m2}} of grounds, the centre brought together all of the Trust's operations for the first time, providing exhibition and storage space for the collection of over 250 vehicles and archive of over 2&nbsp;million photographs, business records, brochures and drawings. The site also includes conference facilities.


In 2015, the museum was temporarily closed for a £1.1 million refurbishment and rebranding to take place. Additionally, a new £4 million two-storey ''Collection Centre'' was built to house the reserve collection of the trust.<ref name=":0" /> The museum was reopened on 13 February 2016 as the ''British Motor Museum''.<ref name="BBC34806726">{{Cite web |date=23 February 2016 |title=British Motor Museum Re-Launch |url=https://www.classiccarpassion.com/en/magazine/featured-articles/events-2016/british-motor-museum-re-launch |access-date=11 November 2022 |website=Classic Car Passion}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite news |date=13 November 2015 |title=Heritage Motor Centre renamed as British Motor Museum |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-34806726 |access-date=22 February 2016}}</ref> The new ''Collection Centre'' houses about 250 extra vehicles, and is used for both BMIHT and ''Jaguar Heritage Trust'' (formerly the ''Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust) cars.''<ref name="WheelsAlive" />
When [[Rover Group]] was taken over by [[BMW]] in 1994, the British Motor Museum came under their ownership. Six years later, BMW sold the Rover Group, which meant that the Centre changed hands yet again, this time under the ownership of the [[Ford Motor Company]]. This latest change of ownership means that the Trust now had the opportunity to expand its collection to include all of the companies that have formed part of Britain's motor manufacturing history.


Following Jaguar's decision to close their Jaguar Daimler Heritage Centre, a small selection of the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Collection has been on display at the Museum.
Following Jaguar's decision to close their Jaguar Heritage Centre, a small selection of the Jaguar Heritage Collection has been on display at the Museum.


In 2003 more than sixty cars from the collection were auctioned off by the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust;<ref>{{cite web |title=A Sale of Selected British Motor Cars By Order of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust |url=https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/10503/#/aa1=1&MR1_length=96&w1=list&m1=1 |website=Bonhams |access-date=18 May 2021}}</ref> over forty more cars were sold off from the museum in 2006.<ref>{{cite web |title=Best of British Festival |url=https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/14427/#/aa1=1&MR1_length=96&w1=list&m1=1 |website=Bonhams |access-date=18 May 2021}}</ref>


==Vehicles in the collection==
==Vehicles in the collection==
[[File:Land Rover Series I 1948 (HUE 166).jpg|thumb|1948 the first production Land Rover HUE 166]]
[[File:RoverSD1EstatePrototype.JPG|right|thumb|A prototype Rover SD1 Estate held in the collection]]
[[File:AstonV12VanguishGaydon.JPG|right|thumb|Aston Martin V12 Vanquish as part of the collection]]
[[File:RoverSD1EstatePrototype.JPG|right|thumb|A prototype Rover SD1 Estate]]
[[File:FAB 1.JPG|thumb|FAB1 car from the 2004 Thunderbird movie at Heritage Motor Museum Gaydon]]
[[File:FAB 1.JPG|thumb|FAB1 car from the 2004 Thunderbird film]]
[[File:1959 Mini.jpg|thumb|621 AOK the very first Mini off the production line.]]

This is not an exhaustive list &mdash; a complete list is provided on the centre's website. Due to space limitations, not all cars are exhibited at all times.
This is not an exhaustive list &mdash; a complete list is provided on the centre's website. Due to space limitations, not all cars are exhibited at all times.


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*Prototype [[Land Rover 101]] Recovery Truck
*Prototype [[Land Rover 101]] Recovery Truck
*[[Shaun the Sheep]] Land Rover Defender
*[[Shaun the Sheep]] Land Rover Defender
*Land Rover Series 2 track wheeled off road vehicle
*Land Rover Series 2 track wheeled off-road vehicle
*Rare Land Rover Llama lorry
*Rare [[Land Rover Llama]] lorry
*The millionth [[Land Rover Discovery 4]]
*The millionth [[Land Rover Discovery 4]]
*The first and last production models of the [[Rover 75]]
*The first and last production models of the [[Rover 75]]
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*The Minis that won the [[Monte Carlo Rally]] during the 1960s
*The Minis that won the [[Monte Carlo Rally]] during the 1960s
*Various Mini based prototypes, such as the [[Minissima]]
*Various Mini based prototypes, such as the [[Minissima]]
*[[FAB1]] from the [[Thunderbirds (film)|Thunderbirds]] movie
*[[FAB1]] from the [[Thunderbirds (2004 film)|Thunderbirds]] film
*An [[Ascari KZ1]] show car from 2000
*An [[Ascari KZ1]] show car from 2000
*[[Rolls-Royce Phantom (BMW)|Rolls-Royce Phantom]]
*[[Rolls-Royce Phantom (BMW)|Rolls-Royce Phantom]]
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*[[Ford Escort (European)|Ford Escort]] Mark I as used in the [[1970 London to Mexico World Cup Rally]]
*[[Ford Escort (European)|Ford Escort]] Mark I as used in the [[1970 London to Mexico World Cup Rally]]
*[[Jaguar R1]] [[Formula One car|Formula One racecar]] from 2000
*[[Jaguar R1]] [[Formula One car|Formula One racecar]] from 2000
*[[Nuffield Gutty]] prototype


==Research services==
==Research services==
The British Motor Museum offers a research and registry service for several British car marques. For a small fee, owners may send in their [[Vehicle Identification Number]] (VIN - aka chassis number) and/or engine numbers, and they will research the original production records for that vehicle and send back whatever information on the vehicle is available. This can include such details as a list of the options the car was ordered with, the original paint colour and any identification numbers that may be missing.
The British Motor Museum offers a research and registry service for several British car marques. The Archive houses authentic historical records by many of the major car manufacturers, including a range of original factory ledgers which record the details of individual vehicles as they came off the production line. For a small fee, owners may send in their [[Vehicle Identification Number]] (VIN - aka chassis number) and/or engine numbers, and they will research the original production records for that vehicle and send back whatever information on the vehicle is available. This is a 'Certified Copy of a Factory Record' or more commonly known as a Heritage Certificate. This can include such details as a list of the options the car was ordered with, the original paint colour and any identification numbers that may be missing. This can be useful when applying for tax exemption or to obtain an age-related Registration Mark.


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
{{commons category|Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon}}
{{commons category|British Motor Museum}}
* [http://www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk Museum]
* [http://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk British Motor Museum]
⚫
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140319204116/http://www.classiccar-photos.net/group/show/12 Classic Car Collection Gaydon] Series of photos of the classic cars at the British Motor Museum
* [http://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk Museum]
⚫
* [http://www.classiccar-photos.net/group/show/12 Classic Car Collection Gaydon] Series of photos of the classic cars at Heritage Motor Centre Gaydon


{{coord|52.1887|-1.4806|display=title}}
{{coord|52.1887|-1.4806|display=title}}

{{authority control}}


[[Category:Transport museums in England]]
[[Category:Transport museums in England]]
[[Category:Museums in Warwickshire]]
[[Category:Museums in Warwickshire]]
[[Category:Conference Centre in Warwickshire]]
[[Category:Automobile museums in England]]
[[Category:Automobile museums in England]]

Latest revision as of 05:25, 22 December 2023

British Motor Museum
Map
Established1993; 31 years ago (1993)
LocationBanbury Road, Gaydon, Warwickshire, England
TypeTransport Museum
Nearest car parkOn-Site Parking which is free
Websitewww.britishmotormuseum.co.uk

The British Motor Museum in Gaydon, Warwickshire, England holds the world's largest collection of historic British cars, with over 300 cars on display from the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust and the Jaguar Heritage Trust.

History[edit]

The creation of the British Leyland Motor Corporation (BL) in 1968 saw the bringing together of multiple motor vehicle companies and marques (Austin, Jaguar, Morris, MG, Riley, Rover, Standard Triumph, and Wolseley).[1][2] With many of the companies having their own collections of historic vehicles, in 1975 a centralised Leyland Historic Vehicles department was created to manage these.[1] As the collection got ever larger, in 1983 BL created charitable trusts to ensure that these important collections, not only of vehicles, but of company archives too, would be preserved for the nation.[1][2] The British Motor Industry Heritage Trust (BMIHT) was created, and under its umbrella, so were the Austin Rover Group Heritage Trust and the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust.[2] In 1990, following the acquisition of Jaguar by Ford, the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust collection was moved to the Jaguar Browns Lane plant in Coventry.[2] The Austin Rover Group Heritage Trust, which with the company by then having morphed into the Rover Group, became the Rover Group Trust, transferred its collection in its entirety to the BMIHT.[2]

The collection, some of which was located at Syon Park, London, and the remainder being kept at Studley Castle, Warwickshire,[3][2] continued to grow, and the BMIHT decided that a new building was required to house it all.[1] With financial assistance from the Rover Group, and other benefactors, a large new facility was built, set in 65 acres (260,000 m2) of grounds, on the Rover Group's Gaydon site in Warwickshire (the former RAF Gaydon airfield), and opened as the Heritage Motor Centre in 1993.[2][3] The trust's complete collection, which included more than 25 vehicles, was relocated to the new centre.[3][2]

The museum became a Designated Collection when it was added to the "exceptional cultural collections" of the Arts Council England in December 2014.[4]

In 2015, the museum was temporarily closed for a £1.1 million refurbishment and rebranding to take place. Additionally, a new £4 million two-storey Collection Centre was built to house the reserve collection of the trust.[5] The museum was reopened on 13 February 2016 as the British Motor Museum.[6][5] The new Collection Centre houses about 250 extra vehicles, and is used for both BMIHT and Jaguar Heritage Trust (formerly the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust) cars.[2]

Following Jaguar's decision to close their Jaguar Heritage Centre, a small selection of the Jaguar Heritage Collection has been on display at the Museum.

In 2003 more than sixty cars from the collection were auctioned off by the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust;[7] over forty more cars were sold off from the museum in 2006.[8]

Vehicles in the collection[edit]

1948 the first production Land Rover HUE 166
A prototype Rover SD1 Estate
FAB1 car from the 2004 Thunderbird film
621 AOK the very first Mini off the production line.

This is not an exhaustive list — a complete list is provided on the centre's website. Due to space limitations, not all cars are exhibited at all times.

Research services[edit]

The British Motor Museum offers a research and registry service for several British car marques. The Archive houses authentic historical records by many of the major car manufacturers, including a range of original factory ledgers which record the details of individual vehicles as they came off the production line. For a small fee, owners may send in their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN - aka chassis number) and/or engine numbers, and they will research the original production records for that vehicle and send back whatever information on the vehicle is available. This is a 'Certified Copy of a Factory Record' or more commonly known as a Heritage Certificate. This can include such details as a list of the options the car was ordered with, the original paint colour and any identification numbers that may be missing. This can be useful when applying for tax exemption or to obtain an age-related Registration Mark.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Hadley, Paul (21 January 2019). "British Motor Museum – Pure Automotive History". Moto Verso. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Henson, Kim (22 February 2016). "Fresh-faced, magnificent British Motor Museum opens its doors". Wheels-Alive!. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "Heritage Motor Centre". Transport Museum. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  4. ^ "Gaydon motor museum on 'exceptional cultural collection' list". BBC News. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Heritage Motor Centre renamed as British Motor Museum". BBC News. 13 November 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  6. ^ "British Motor Museum Re-Launch". Classic Car Passion. 23 February 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  7. ^ "A Sale of Selected British Motor Cars By Order of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust". Bonhams. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  8. ^ "Best of British Festival". Bonhams. Retrieved 18 May 2021.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to British Motor Museum.

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