The impressive building houses the museum and is the HQ of Land Rover. Undoubtedly containing the most comprehensive collection of British motor cars in a single building, Gaydon is the home to 'Old Number 1', widely believed to be the very first MG.
We were fortunate that the weather was fine and during the day periods of sunshine broke through to warm the surroundings, although a cold breeze was ever present. Attractions were varied and catered for all ages. This young lady helped her dad to polish his immaculately prepared MG RV8 GT in the Condition Class.
The Concours and Condition Classes always attract a large number of the finest MG cars in the United Kingdom and the display was already well represented when we arrived at 9.15am. The available car parking space was half full with MG Owners Club members arriving early to grab any bargains in the AutoJumble and Trade Stands present.
The vast space of the 21st Century building is immediately inspiring with hundreds of cars from the diverse British Motor Industry we once had. Names of Riley, Austin, Triumph, Standard, Swallow and Austin-Healey are represented and nostalgia soon takes over the senses.
Throughout the Museum sectional exhibits help to give the visitor further insight into the construction components and workings of the motor car. In the Reception area we were greeted by a display of two halves of an MGB GT on either sides of the entrance foyer. This was to set the theme for the MG displays within.
A wondrous display of different MG series was displayed within the main body of the museum. Three of the experimental MG cars, including Stirling Moss' EX181 which broke five international speed records.
Many of the displays of cars in the museum are themed rather than just parked and many period items: road signposts; enameled advertising boards; petrol pumps; manequins in costume and convincing settings, help to maintain the visitors interest in the exhibits.
An interesting 'banked' display, familiar of the Brooklands Curves, served as a backdrop to a display depicting the various stages in the building of a motor car from the chassis and wheels to the completed vehicle. Once again it was interesting to see MG models used in the display.
Gaydon exhibits the SSV 1 experimental MG. This car was used to develop the 'rubber bumpers' introduced in 1975, together with emission controls on the engine, designed to pacify the Federal regulations in the USA. The 'periscope' rear viewer is visible on the roof and it was interesting to see a control switch clearly marked for GAS.
It appears that a number of exhibits are owned by private individuals and merely loaned to the National Heritage Motor Centre. This ensures that there is an ever changing display of examples of British Motoring history.
The day was completed with the Awards ceremony for the Concours and Condition classes and those for the Driving Test and Long Distance.
An estimated guess would have given an attendance in excess of 1000 MGs present at Gaydon 2001. Thinking back to the 1980's, when I last attended a national event, we used to see 5000 MGs at Donnington Park. Presumably as we get older it's 'cool' for younger drivers to be seen in 'hot hatches' rather than classic MGs, giving even more reason why we should look after our own cars for generations to come. Perhaps we have become the living custodians of British motoring history and our legacy is to keep the cars on the road, not just static in a museum.
Robert Lynex