Commercial Vehicle Museum
The British Commercial Vehicle Museum
Founded in 1983 means that we will be celebrating over 30 years of cherishing some of the most interesting and historic vehicles from our past. Exhibits are regularly changed so that each year there is always something new to see.
The building itself would have a few stories to tell and perhaps still does, our regularly featured Ghost Nights are always well attended !
Back in the 1930s it was part of the huge Leyland Motors factory. Customers used to come here to inspect their brand new lorries or buses before taking delivery of them. If they visited us today, they would find a huge transformation. Spectacularly displayed are over 60 vehicles tracing the development of both public and commercial transport from times well before the advent of motorways.
The museum is a registered charity, & overseen by a Board of Trustees. The management & volunteers do a splendid job in ensuring that the museum is presented in a truly positive way. vehicles have to be kept in good working order as well as being regularly polished! Their knowledge is freely passed on to visitors in such a way as to be both informative and interesting.
VENTURE BACK IN TIME.
Admire horse-drawn vehicles from the 1880s and learn how they gave way first to steam driven, then petrol & diesel powered motor lorries & buses. Perhaps remember times when garages might have just a single fuel pump, and someone would come out to serve you petrol at less than 4 shillings a gallon!
WANDER AT WILL.
Take your time & enjoy being able to move easily between exhibits to inspect them from all sides.
Walk freely around over 60 historic vehicles - walkways have few roped-off areas and are wheelchair friendly, enabling visitors to get really close to early steam wagons; vintage fire-engines; double-deck & single-deck buses.
CLIMB ABOARD.
We don't expect you to just stand and observe from a distance!
See how many improvements have been made to make life easier and safer on the roads today.
Get behind the wheel of a vintage lorry or experience the comforts of a modern truck cab.
Admire the Pope-mobile, a specially built vehicle for Pope Paul's visit in 1982.
And children love our vintage fire engines with their big brass bells.
LISTEN TO & WATCH.
We help bring to life times past, and create an entertaining atmosphere.
Hear marching soldiers and then the boom of big guns from the World War 1 ‘Sound & Light’ display.
A fairground organ pipes melodies which gets toes tapping and frequently brings back nostalgic memories.
Bells ring out from fire-engines rushing to an emergency call.
Relax in the cinema to watch films from our archives.
And then, our guides too have many interesting tales to tell!