Haynes Motor Museum – Sparkford (GB)

For me, the Haynes Motor Museum has two particularly compelling advantages: not only does it house a fabulous collection of cars, in fact containing more than any other collection in the UK, and it is also nearer to my residence than any other. Located in what seems like the middle of nowhere, the postal address is Sparkford, a small village in rural Somerset which few will have heard of. However, describe it as near Yeovil, just off the A303, or about an hour south of Bristol and it all sounds a lot easier to find and to get to. The museum first opened in 1985, as a place to house the then relatively small number of cars acquired by publishing magnate, John Haynes. The collection quickly grew so that, like almost all museums, space has long been an issue, and one disappointment I have noted on previous visits is that the cars end up being somewhat crammed in, with no ability to walk around them and get a view from all sides. A remedy for this appeared to be on hand when, in 2011, plans were announced a major revamp of what had once been a series of sawmill buildings with a £3.25 million expansion, a striking new frontage at the heart of the proposed changes, intended to raise further the profile of what is now a world renowned museum. The building work has had to be done whilst keeping at least most of the museum open, though it has been necessary to close some of the halls for a period of time. The first phase was completed in Spring of 2013. It took until the Rare Breeds event, held outside the museum in September 2013, before I was able to pay a visit and see what changes had been made. For sure, there is more space, with quite a lot added to the frontage, creating an additional hall, which boasts an upper gallery for the extensive motorcycle collection. Phase 2, which will alter the entrance and cafe area is due to finish in Spring 2014. I will clearly have to go back after this time to report further, but can now present what I found in September 2013, along with some photos from previous visits.The museum is divided into 10 separate halls, some of which are further sub-divided, which allows for a combination of themed displays and special exhibits. In all there are over 400 cars on show, and plenty of other artefacts, so a visit that explores everything on offer will take some time

THE DAWN OF MOTORING

This small collection of cars from the earliest days of motoring used to be the first that you came to, but is currently shown in a temporary display in one of the other halls.

1903 Oldsmobile “Curved Dash”

1903 Darracq Type L 8hp

1910 Renault AX

1886 Benz

1900 Clement Voiturette

THE RED ROOM

This is one of the most striking sights of the museum, a hall where every single exhibit is finished in red. It contains a vast array, mainly of sports cars, and the fact that there are mirrors lining the walls further amplifies the experience.

1934 Alvis Speed 20/25

1956 Austin-Healey 100/6

1959 Turner 950 Sports

1951 Turner Sports

1971 Ginetta G15

1962 Porsche 356C

1934 Riley Brooklands Special

1954 MG TF

1948 MG TC

1929 Alfa-Romeo 6C1750

1967 MG Midget

1973 AC 428 Convertible

1960 AC Ace

1973 BMW 3.0 CS

1964 Gordon Keeble

1967 Alfa Romeo GT 1600

1972 Gilbern Invader Estate

1973 Pontiac Firebird TransAm

1960 Daimler SP250 “Dart”

1969 Marcos 3 litre

1982 Maserati Merak SS

1958 Facel Vega HK500

1975 Jensen Healey

1973 Reliant Scimitar GTE

1966 Lancia Flavia Convertible

1962 Alfa Romeo 2600 Cabrio

1969 Triumph Spitfire Mark 3

1988 Fiat X1/9

1965 Sunbeam Tiger

1958 MG A

1968 Alfa Romeo 1600 Spider

1960 Triumph TR3a

1964 AC Cobra

1974 Bricklin

THE INTERNATIONAL HALL

One of the largest halls in the complex, the displays in here cover a wide range of cars from some glorious pre-war Rolls-Royces to far more recent and familiar machinery from the past 20 years.

1956 Renault 4CV

1965 Fiat 600D

1971 Honda N600

1973 Citroen SM

1963 Citroen DS21

1955 Citroen 11CV

1973 BMW 2002

1979 Mercedes 450 SEL 6.9

This 1974 Mercedes 450SLC was once the property of Steven Spielberg

1970 Mercedes 280SL “Pagoda”

1959 Mercedes 190SL

1959 Gaz M13 Chaika

1922 Citroen 5CV

1922 Rover 8HP

1980 Ferrari 400i

1939 Delahaye 135M Cabrio

1959 Alvis TD21 Convertible

1980 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow 11

1928 Rolls-Royce Overland Special

1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom 11 Sedanca de Ville

1922 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Limousine

1905 Daimler Limousine

1932 Rolls Royce 20/25 Sedanca Coupe

1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom 1 Foursome Drophead

1926 Star Scorpio

1928 Rolls-Royce 20HP Two Seat Drophead

1937 Lagonda LG45 Drophead

1954 Daimler Conquest Roadster

1996 MG F

1967 MG B

1980 Triumph TR8

1977 Triumph Stag

1975 Triumph TR6

1968 Rochdale Olympic

Lotus Elan

1971 Lotus Europa

1977 Lotus Elite

Lotus Elise

Trabant 601

1971 Daf 44

1981 VW Golf GTi

1967 Renault Caravelle Convertible

1992 Hindustan Ambassador

1988 Bentley Continental Convertible

1995 Mercedes 500SL

BRITISH, AMERICAN & SPECIALIST HALL

This hall links the 2 largest parts of the collection together, and contains a number of different groupings of cars.

1969 Jaguar 420G

1957 Jaguar Mark VIII

1965 Jaguar E Type 4.2 litre DHC

1968 Jaguar Mark 2 2.4

1949 Jaguar 3.5 litre saloon

1951 Jaguar XK120

1959 Jaguar XK150

A collection of micro and economy cars included all sorts of vehicles including a 1954 Fiat Topolino, a Trojan, a 1956 Heinkel Cabin Cruiser as well as a 1930s Morgan, a Messerschmit, and a Sinclair C5

1982 Aston Martin Lagonda

1952 Aston Martin DB2

1965 Jensen CV8

1973 Jensen Interceptor

This Hot Rod was built in 1979 and is based on a Ford Model T

1941 Chevrolet Pickup

1934 Albion 40/50cwt LCA 44 Van

THE AMERICAN COLLECTION

This is the largest hall of the museum, and it contains a veritable treasure trove of vehicles from Across the Pond, many of which must be rare anywhere in the world, and certainly in the UK.

Highlight of the collection, and the most valuable single item is the fabulous 1931 Duesenberg Model J Derham-bodied Tourster which sits on a turntable at one end of the hall.

Alongside is one of the most beautiful American cars of the 1930s, the 1936 Auburn Model 851 “Speedster”.

1964 Chevrolet Impala

1959 Ford Thunderbird

1959 Cadillac Sedan de Ville

1959 Edsel Wagon

1965 Cadillac de Ville Convertible

1975 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible

1979 Ford LTD Country Squire

1979 Lincoln Continental Town Car

1961 Pontiac Superior Ambulance

1958 Ford Fairlane Skyliner

1955 Chevrolet Bel Air

1949 Chevrolet Fleetline de Luxe

1947 Chevrolet Fleetline Aero Sedan

1940 Buick Series 40 2 door coupe

1939 Packard 120 Drophead

1937 Oldsmobile L-37 Sedan

1917 Haynes Light 12

1931 Cadillac 452A Madame X Imperial Cabriolet

1936 Cord Beverley

1909 Reliable Dayton

1913 Empire Model 31

1915 Ford Model T

1934 Ford Model A

1921 Stanley

1920 Moon Model 642 Touring

1925 Stearns Knight Model 8

1938 Lincoln Zephyr Saloon

1937 Ford V8 Luxury 78 de Luxe Woody

1949 Cadillac Fleetwood Sedan

1942 Willys Jeep

1984 Jeep CJ7 Renegade

In this, the 60th anniversary of the Corvette, a splendid display contained one example of each of the 6 generation of the model which have been offered.

THE VROOM ROOM

This is the new hall at the front of the museum, and it contains an eclectic mix of high performance and supercars.

1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible

1960 Aston Martin DB4

1978 Chevrolet Camaro Z28

Jaguar XJ220

1974 Jaguar E Type Series 3

A replica of the 1957 Jaguar XKSS

1973 Porsche 911

Dodge Viper

1972 de Tomaso Pantera

A replica Ford GT40

1981 Lamborghini Countach 400S

1960 Ferrari 250 GT Convertible

1969 Chevrolet el Camino SS

Dodge Charger

Plymouth Prowler

SPECIAL EXHIBITION

One hall is used for special and temporary exhibitions which are typically changed a few times a year. At the time of my visit, this area is the first that you encounter having come through the temporary entrance area, and it contained a disparate collection of cars.

1958 Citroen 2CV

1934 Austin Seven Saloon

1931 Austin Seven Special

1928 Jordan Playboy Roadster – sporting a 4.5 litre straight 8 engine, The company folded in 1931

1934 Austin 10 4 door

2000 Mini Cooper

HALL OF MOTORSPORT

A relatively small collection of motor-sport related vehicles includes everything from famous race cars from the 1930s to more recent times, as well as some road cars with obvious motor sport pedigree or potential.

This Ferrari Type F310 is Michael Schumacher’s car from the 1996 season with the with the 1986 March 86C in the background

1974/75 Lola Cosworth T370

1984 van Diemen 84 Formula Ford

1936 Delahaye 235, ex Rob Walker

1926 Bugatti Type 35B

1964 Lotus XI Westfield

1947 Allard K1

1950 Healey Silverstone

1998 Replica Longnose D Type Jaguar

1959 Elva Courier

1960 Lotus Elite

1980 Lotus Esprit Turbo

1967 Ford Anglia Estate

2003 Ferrari 360

1973 Porsche 911 RS

THE BRITISH HALL

A long and thin hall, this contains two lines of British made cars, with everything from family cars that once dominated our roads, to some more unusual cars which would have been a rare sight even when new. I was rather hoping that this area would get more space, as this is the part of the museum where the display vehicles do feel most jammed in, and nothing, sadly, has changed.

1977 Rover 3500 Estate – one of 2 prototypes built (the other is at Gaydon, and the details are different), this one was driven by then BL boss Michael Edwards for a couple of years when new

1977 Ford Cortina 1300L

1979 Triumph Dolomite

1973 Ford Capri

1965 Ford Cortina

1966 Ford Anglia 105E

1960 Ford Consul Mark 2

1950 Rover 75

1966 Rover 2000

1969 Triumph Vitesse 2000 Convertible

1973 Triumph 2000

1961 Standard Vanguard

Ford Popular E93a

1958 Standard Ten

1966 Morris Oxford Series VI

1974 Vanden Plas 1300

1959 Vauxhall Cresta PB

1975 Ford Convair Special

1961 Vauxhall Victor de Luxe

1973 Sunbeam Rapier

1972 Humber Sceptre

1967 Hillman Imp Californian

1957 Wolseley 1500

1950 Wolseley 6/80

1950 Austin A90 Atlantic

1960 Nash Metropolitan

1960 Austin A40

1953 Austin A40 Somerset

1954 Sunbeam-Talbot 90

1953 Bristol 403

1967 Humber Hawk

1964 Singer Gazelle V

1954 Hillman Minx Special

1952 Riley RM Series

1933 Triumph Pillarless Saloon

Jowett Javelin

MG & MORRIS GARAGE

Currently closed, I saw this hall on previous visits, and at the time, it contained a collection of cars from Britain’s oldest and most prolific manufacturers, including Austin, Morris, MG and Rover, as well as some information on the history of the Longbridge factory, which was one the world’s largest production plant.

MILLENIUM HALL

This area contains cars that have been made in the last 25 years or so, and which are likely to be future classics, or of current interest.

Bentley S Type Series 2

Bentley S Type Series 3

1959 Armstrong-Siddeley Star Sapphire

Pontiac Firebird

DeLorean DMC12

Ford Mustang GT

Bentley Arnage

Jaguar XK8 Cabrio

Ferrari 360 Spider

FROM PREVIOUS VISITS

The collection is extensive, and even with the enlarged display area, space does not permit everything to be on show at once. These cars were on display when I went in 2007 and 2008., but not in my September 2013 trip.

Alfa Romeo 164 Cloverleaf