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Category: British Motor Museum
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The British Motor Museum has launched their exciting new ‘Brick Bank’ scheme, encouraging visitors to donate their unwanted or unused LEGO® bricks for a fantastic cause! Museum Volunteers will collate the bricks into build kits, which will be donated to children in the area through local Community Pantries. With kids receiving many exciting toys at Christmas, donating old toys like LEGO® bricks not only leaves room for new toys and encourages giving back, but also provides the joy of owning LEGO® bricks to children who haven't yet been fortunate enough to experience it themselves.
Building with bricks develops a child's creativity, motor skills and well-being, all important for their future development. Recycling bricks in this way, rather than throwing them away, is a great environmentally friendly choice. LEGO® bricks are so hard-wearing they can be taken apart and put back together 37,112 times, meaning the kits donated can be played with again and again!
All donations, big or small, will be appreciated to help the Brick Bank create as many build kits as possible. The Museum volunteers will put together kits with a photo of a suggested build for children to try and replicate, but the possibilities are endless when it comes to what they can create.
Claire Broader from the Museum's Learning and Engagement Team said, “We’re delighted to launch our new Brick Bank at the British Motor Museum. If you'd like to donate your bricks, please drop them off at the donation box in the Welcome Gallery, or give us a call and we can collect them. It's a brilliant opportunity to help children from local communities, and have a clear out before the new Christmas toys take over! Additionally, if you're an expert builder who would like to help us create the kits, please do get in touch!”
For more information visit www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/learning/the-brick-bank
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- Warm weather graced the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, making for an incredible journey for the British Motor Museum participants.
- The first of the Museum cars over the line was the 1904 Thornycroft 20hp tourer driven by Mike Brewer (Wheeler Dealers) who was blown away by the crowds lining the streets along the route.
- Already planning ahead for 2025, the Museum announces an exciting new collaboration with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders to offer a once-in-a-lifetime experience on next year’s run to 4 outstanding apprentices.
This year’s famous RM Sotheby’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, took place on Sunday 3 November and four of the six pre-1905 British Motor Museum cars made it over the finish line. The Veteran Run has been running longer than any other motoring event in the world. It marks the historic day in 1896 when a group of pioneer motorists set out from London towards the seaside, in celebration of the ‘emancipation of the motor car’.
Despite the early start it was all smiles as the cars set off over the starting line at Hyde Park on the unseasonably warm and dry November morning. Amongst the participants in the British Motor Museum crew were actor, Simon Gregson who has played Steve McDonald on Coronation Street for over 30 years, Paul Cowland, known for the series Salvage Hunters: Classic Cars, and Mike Brewer, most famous for his many series of Wheeler Dealers.
Arriving in Brighton at the end of the 60-mile route, the first of the Museum cars to cross the finish line was the 1904 Thornycroft 20hp tourer, driven by Mike Brewer. The remaining Museum cars that made it home were a 1902 Albion A1 dog cart, a 1904 Rover 8hp (the oldest known Rover), and a 1904 Wolseley 6hp Phaeton which were driven by Museum members and guests. Sadly the 1899 Wolseley 3.5hp voiturette, affectionately known as OWL & the 1901 Wolseley 10hp tonneau were unable to make it to the finish line. OWL has participated in the famous London to Brighton Run a staggering 39 times now, so with a bit of TLC it is sure to be back to try again next year!
Looking ahead to next year, the Museum is delighted to announce that it will be collaborating with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) to offer 4 outstanding apprentices the chance to participate in the 2025 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run. Places on the Run are extremely hard to come by and the Museum is keen to use its unique position to share the history of the industry and inspire the next generation of automotive leaders, designers and experts. Working closely with member companies, SMMT acts as the voice of the motor industry, promoting its position to government, stakeholders and the media. This partnership between the two organisations will create a unique opportunity for apprentices to participate in a once-in-a lifetime experience. More details will be released at the SMMT Annual Dinner on 26 November.
Jeff Coope, Managing Director of the British Motor Museum, said, “What a fabulous weekend! These wonderful cars are more than a century old and are some of the rarest and finest models from our collection. It was a real treat to watch the cars and their drivers in action! We’re delighted to share this amazing experience with such an enthusiastic and appreciative group of people.”
To find out more about the British Motor Museum please visit the website at www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk. For more information on the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run please visit www.veterancarrun.com
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The British Motor Museum is again participating in the famous RM Sotheby’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, which is taking place on Sunday 3 November. Actor, Simon Gregson who has played Steve McDonald on Coronation Street for over 30 years, will be driving a 1901 Wolseley 10hp tonneau. The Run starts in Hyde Park in London and ends by the seafront on Madeira Drive in Brighton.
Simon’s co-driver is Paul Cowland, known for the series Salvage Hunters: Classic Cars, and a recognisable face in the world of classic cars. Also driving a car from the British Motor Museum, a 1904 Thornycroft 20hp tourer, is Mike Brewer, most famous for his many series of Wheeler Dealers.
The Museum has entered six veteran cars in total, including the Wolseley and Thornycroft. Alongside them are a 1902 Albion A1 dog cart, a 1904 Rover 8hp (the oldest known Rover), and a 1904 Wolseley 6hp Phaeton. The final car from the Museum is the 1899 Wolseley 3.5hp voiturette, with its freshly stabilised wings following a fundraising campaign by the Museum. Affectionately known as 'OWL', the Wolseley voiturette has participated in the London to Brighton Run a staggering 38 times!
The RM Sotheby’s London to Brighton Veteran Run is a premier event in the annual motoring calendar and has been running longer than any other in the world. It marks the historic day in 1896 when a group of pioneer motorists set out from London towards the seaside, in celebration of the ‘emancipation of the motor car’.
Stephen Laing, Head of Collections & Engagement at the British Motor Museum, said, “We are delighted that Simon is driving one of the cars from the Museum’s collection. The Run is one of the most exhilarating and exclusive motoring adventures in the world. These wonderful cars are all more than a century old and are some of the rarest and finest models from our collection. Watching 400 veteran cars take part in the Run is such a spectacle and we hope as many people as possible come and watch the cars and their celebrity drivers in action!”
To find out more about the British Motor Museum please visit the website at www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk. For more information on the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run please visit www.veterancarrun.com
Celeb group shot L-R: Nick Avery, Mike Brewer, Simon Gregson and Paul Cowland.
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The British Motor Museum has been shortlisted as a finalist in the prestigious West Midlands Tourism Awards 2025. The Museum has been nominated for an award in the Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award category and will find out if it has won this highly coveted award at a special ceremony in early 2025.
The Awards celebrate the success and accomplishments of tourism businesses across the West Midlands region, promoting the impressive strength of their services, venues, people, experiences and accommodation.
The Museum is proud of its continuous work to incorporate accessibility and inclusivity into all of its activities, from conception to execution. The recent addition of the ‘Austin and Morris’ Office’ displays, with holographic presentations, is a key example of this. Both historic offices are equipped with a tablet, which subtitles the speeches given in the offices, and the displays are equipped with induction loops to support people with hearing aids. Additionally, the Museum hosts accessible school and community visits, and runs a Travel Support Fund to enable schools from low-income areas to visit the Museum by helping them to save money on coach travel.
The British Motor Museum also offers Touch and Access Tours and Object Handling workshops, allowing anyone to interact with the cars and objects on display. More recently, the Community team has expanded its external relationships, notably visiting Warm Hubs for the first time, to give people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to see the Museum the chance to engage with the collections.
The West Midlands Tourism Awards are supported by the West Midlands Growth Company; the region’s official destination marketing agency. Pre-pandemic, the tourism sector contributed £13.1 billion to the West Midlands economy, attracting 134 million visitors, and supporting more than 137,000 full-time equivalent jobs.
Stephen Laing, Head of Collections & Engagement at the British Motor Museum said, “We are delighted to be shortlisted as a finalist in the Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award category, which is a great testimony and recognition of the hard work the entire team undertakes. Here at the British Motor Museum we aim to make everyone's visit enjoyable and work tirelessly to ensure a welcoming experience for the widest possible audience. Our facilities ensure the Museum is a place for everyone. We look forward to hearing the results of the Awards early next year”.
For more information about the West Midlands Tourism Awards visit http://westmidlandstourismawards.com/ To find out more about the British Motor Museum please visit www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk
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The British Motor Museum is getting into gear for plenty of truck fun when it hosts the Retro Truck Show on Saturday 7 & Sunday 8 September. Around 300 modern and classic trucks will descend on Gaydon for this popular show, making it one of the largest truck shows in the calendar. The show, now in its 14th year, features some of the best trucks produced between 1971 and 2001, making for a nostalgic and family-friendly show.
Enthusiasts can see an array of powerful vehicles from some of the biggest names in trucking, including Volvo, Scania, DAF, Foden and ERF trucks. Trucks from across Europe, notably France, the Netherlands and Belgium, will also be present, giving a continental flavour to this great event!
All trucks built between 1971 to 2001 are welcome to attend, at a cost of just £27.50. There are no trophies or judging, just the opportunity for truck fans to get together and admire the displays. For truck owners, this annual weekend makes for the perfect trucking holiday and the chance to catch up with friends and like-minded truck enthusiasts. There will also be an Indoor Model Show and trade area with a range of photos, models, and brochures. Camping is available on the Friday and Saturday nights with access to a Bar in the evenings.
Tom Caren, Show Manager at the British Motor Museum, said, “This show is an unmissable event for truck fans! It’s one of our most popular and a great weekend out for owners, drivers, enthusiasts, and the public. It’s great to see the trucks arrive on the Saturday and line-up, whereas on the Sunday, you can see them tower over the car parks creating a labyrinth of displays!”
Visitors can also enjoy exploring the Museum and Collections Centre as entry is included with the Show ticket. Saturday and Sunday Advance tickets cost £16 for adults, £9 for children, £14 for concessions and £43 for a family. Sunday is the busier day with more trucks on display. It is also one of the Museum’s Annual Pass Exempt Event Days, meaning that Annual Passes will not be valid on this day. Weekend tickets are also available. To find out more about the British Motor Museum & the Retro Truck Show, please call 01926 895300 or visit https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/whats-on/retro-truck-show
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