A Visit to The Great British Car Journey

telling the story of cars built in Britain

The entrance to The Great British Car Journey. Image: Roland’s Travels 2023

There are many car museums, and all those I have visited do a great job telling the story of motor cars. In recent months I have seen several pieces about The Great British Car Journey on TV and YouTube. The museum is at Ambergate, just outside the Derbyshire town of Belper. It’s a relatively new museum that opened in May 2021 and is themed around British car history.

It’s always lovely to visit my grandson in Derbyshire, and although he is some months off from being three, he loves to see cars. I have just bought him his first Top Gear Magazine, and he loves to go through it page by page. Ambergate isn’t too far from his home, so it was an excellent opportunity for us to visit The Great British Car Journey.

Enjoy a visit to the Great British Car Journey

Visitors can book online in advance and obtain discounted entry, something I took advantage of, plus I qualify as a ‘senior’ these days. The museum is well laid out, and a tablet with headphones is provided to help you on your tour. Many of the cars have a QR code which is scanned with the tablet. These QR-coded cars have a unique story to tell. It would be best to allow time to watch and listen to the whole story for the full benefit.

As this is a museum dedicated to the British Car story for many of us older ones, it provides an opportunity to revisit the cars of our childhood and youth. For me, it’s the old Morris Minor, Ford MK1 Cortina, Mini, Ford Anglia, Jaguar E-Type, Vauxhall Victor and others which were very popular in the 1960s.

Moving through the 1970s and onwards, memories of the Ford Escort, Capri, and later versions of the Cortina resurfaced. Do you remember the first Fiesta, Vauxhall Chevette and Cavalier, or the Morris Ital? They are all here. This is a collection of over 200 cars, but not all are displayed. The display is rotated, but if there is a particular you would like to see, let the museum know in advance.

Drive Dad’s Car

If you desire to drive a classic car, The Great British Car Journey offers many cars you can drive around the site under supervision. There is a good choice of car to drive, and here is the link to the current models. https://drivedadscar.com/buy-drives

Some great names from the British Car Industry

Britain was once a major centre of motor car manufacturing. Cars are still made, but well below the quantities in times past. The rise of Japanese manufacturers and the well-documented troubles in British Leyland, coupled with a lack of investment, caused the British car industry to fall behind others at the time.

The British Car Journey will take you through the story of such marques as Austin, Bentley, Ford, Gilbern, Hillman, Jaguar, Jensen, Land Rover, MG, Morris, Reliant, Rolls Royce, Rover, Sunbeam, Triumph, Vauxhall, and Wolseley.

The British Car Journey is told in chronological order. The early models greet you as you enter the building. Here are some early Austin cars. Image: Roland’s Travels 2023

Austin Woody 1947 Images: Roland's Travels 2023

This is one of the last old-style Minis made. This red mini was one of a pair purchased by a gentleman as an investment for his young sons. When they grew up they were very tall and not interested in their small cars. This is one of them and has just 18 miles on the clock! Images: Roland's Travels 2023

A: 1974 Austin 1300 B: 1968 MG 1300 C: 1968 Ford Anglia Estate D: 1966 Jaguar E-Type Fixed Head Coupe Images: Roland's Travels 2023

A: 1972 Ford Escort B: 1972 Mk3 Ford Cortina C: 1973 Gilbern Invader - a car made in Wales, and this is one of the last as the company went bankrupt in 1973 D: 1988 Ford Capri Images: Roland's Travels 2023

A: 1980 Triumph TR7 B: 1986 Jaguar XJS C: 1989 MG Montego EFI D: 1995 Ford Mondeo Images: Roland's Travels

I hope you enjoyed seeing a little of The Great British Car Journey, and I recommend a visit if you enjoy looking at old cars.

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