Richard Usher, Founder, Great British Car Journey…..
I have to admit after a few drives in our new Toyota Mirai – I am a bit of a convert to the notion of cars powered by hydrogen.
Firstly, our Mirai is the series one version so it’s front wheel drive, whereas the series 2 is rear wheel drive. Certainly for such a big car, it handles very well and can be taken through corners, with confidence at speed. The ride is also noteworthy as the way it soaks up the bumps is truly impressive, which, when coupled with the very comfortable seats, makes for a very comfortable place to be.
The brakes take a little bit longer to adjust to, as the Mirai slows down naturally when harvesting power, so the brake pedal needs treating with some care. The pedal has more feel than in a more conventional car but you soon adjust to a rather different way of driving.
Performance is more than adequate and I haven’t yet pressed the ‘Power Mode’ button which I am guessing gives you even more torque and acceleration.
Compared with all electric vehicles I have driven, the range remaining reading seemed relatively unaffected by hard driving and in fact, over 25 miles reduced by 25 miles. We will be going in search of some hydrogen fairly soon!
Although it is by no means a lightweight tipping the scales at over 2000kg, it is considerably lighter than the equivalent Tesla presumably because it’s battery is a lot smaller. This means you are less conscious of mass when cornering and also a bit kinder to the road surface. I imagine the front tyres will not be destined for a particularly long life.
I will leave it to those with science qualifications to adjudge whether hydrogen production can be deemed ecologically and economically viable. I do however salute Toyota, for being far sighted enough to pursue alternatives to hybrid and hybrid electric vehicles and producing in the Mirai, a fascinating and highly competent machine with a distinctly futuristic feel.
Finally, the dash display of course baffled someone as technophobic as me! There are all sorts of displays, one of which shows schematically the combination of hydrogen and oxygen causing wheel rotation. It’s all a bit skewed off to the passenger side, so apart from the big digital speed read out, I just let it do its stuff!
We are delighted to have added the ‘future’ to our driving fleet and you can book your driving experience below.
In the last decades of the 20th Century, the launch of a new mainstream family car was big news, especially if it involved saying goodbye to a model which had been around for many years. In 1982, for Ford who were the market leaders in the UK, it was, ‘goodbye Cortina and hello Sierra’! The angular and slightly boxy Mk5 Cortina was replaced by the Sierra’s futuristic jelly-mould styling which looked very different to anything else on the road. My older brother who needed a decent sized hatchback for a growing family, and also a growing Windscreen business, ordered the new Ford Sierra to replace his elegant but rust ravaged, Lancia Beta HPE.
I can remember the arrival of the Sierra very well, which would have been a high-spec example, and the fact that quite a large group assembled to see the jelly mould in the flesh and give varying opinions on its aesthetic merit. It may not have felt massively different to a Cortina but it certainly looked very different.
In 1989 I was in a similar position to my brother and exchanged my rocket ship Citroen BX GTI for a V6 Sierra Estate. My relationship with this big comfy car got off to a bad start when I drove it through a big puddle, which stopped it very quickly. WD40 did not do the trick: the air intake was below the front bumper and having ingested a load of water, the engine had seized solid. A new engine was supplied under warranty and the car performed entirely reliably after that. Of course, by then Ford had softened up the original styling and the Sierra had seen off the challenge posed by Vauxhall’s mark 2 Cavalier.
In the 1990s our business fleet was 100% Ford, so I borrowed ever more well-equipped Sierras if my own car was in for service. I also remember an early track day at Mallory Park, where Ford lent us a Cosworth Sierra, which was a very accomplished high-speed weapon enhanced by a mad spoiler which shouted, “catch me if you can”.
So… fond memories of another best seller from the blue oval. I do remember the non-turbo diesel as being fairly lethargic, the Cosworth was epic and the vast range in between were highly competent. The Sierra was not a major step change from the Cortina in terms of driving experience. That was to come in 1993 with the launch of the marvellous Mondeo.
Richard Usher, Founder of Great British Car Journeys’ response to Keith Adams’ open letter to the new Minister for Transport, The Rt. Hon. Louise Haigh MP.
I am very largely in agreement with Keith’s sentiments and there are some excellent thoughts and suggestions.
As a further point, I am genuinely concerned that the new government are proposing to revert the cut off date for sales of petrol and diesel cars back to 2030, the previous incumbent’s original date, which they then pushed out to 2035.
I have run an all-electric car for three years and have no problem with the concept, although I am now back to diesel, albeit one built in 2005.
My concerns over the electric future are based on the huge number of unanswered (at least to me) questions which I have asked numerous people, including MPs, without receiving much clarity by way of response.
So here they are:
As the battery does not appear to be a replaceable item on the current crop of electric cars, how long will a battery last before the car becomes unusable.
Lithium, the principle element of the modern battery is hard to extract and also hard to recycle. The average age of cars currently on the UK roads is over 9 years old. So, will batteries last that long?
Regardless of whether we can generate or purchase enough electricity to support what will be much higher demand, how will motorists access the necessary charging points? The number of public charging stations is already massively adrift of the targets set by the last government and so home charging would appear to be the answer? However, many millions of car owners do not have a private driveway and park their cars on the street outside their house, so how will they deal with the problem of the cable? I am already seeing streets In London which are festooned with over-pavement cables from dusk until dawn and beyond, providing a fine trip or other hazard for pedestrians. This, to me, seems to be the BIGGEST problem of them all!
So… these are my three BIG questions which, inevitably, lead to even more questions.
If anyone out there has answers with a degree of certainty, we would love to hear them!!
I was delighted to be greeted by a splendid line up of Mk1 Ford Capris on arrival at Great British Car Journey Saturday morning (including these two rare V8 engined Perana Capris that were made in South Africa).
I am old enough to remember the launch of the Capri and the excitement it caused. At the very end of the decade it seemed to encapsulate the brash, bold and downright sexy 60s. Here was a full size two door coupe, available in a plethora of different specifications, clothed in a body which was bang up to date.
Even if you could only afford the base 1300 model, the looks made up for the relative lack of outright performance. For the young family, there was enough room for the kids and a reasonable amount of luggage, whilst Mum and Dad would look even more cool in their flares and cheesecloth.
Very soon over a million of this Pan-European beauties had been sold and the Capri (in heavily facelifted form) was still popular in the 80s.
Of course, Ford have recently been the subject to plenty of internet comments on the revival of the Capri name on their new all electric SUV. Admittedly, it may lack the purity of its 1969 predecessor but it does look refreshingly different to most of its competitors and I for one, welcome a car with a proper name with heritage associations. Much better than a SKUJAK , WAZAR or BOJUP and all the other weird names that seem to be the rage!
By most accounts, it’s also a good car, so let’s hope that Ford is poised for a bit of a revival in the UK. After all, they have been part of the UK scene for well over a century and are still a major employer in the UK vehicle industry.
Duncan Benham, Capri Mk 1 Owners’ Club Chairman, with his gorgeous 1969 Mk 1 Capri. This was the oldest Mk 1 with us on the day.
Thanks to Capri Mk1 Owners’ Club Chairman, Duncan Benham, for bringing the Club to join us this weekend. We hope you enjoyed a good day despite the damp weather and hope to see you again in 2025!
PS. We are on the trail of a Mk1 Capri 1300 which has been in the same family from new. Ahhh… Nostalgia…don’t you love it?
My Dad had loved his 1965 Mini Cooper S and kept it for nearly a decade before buying an MGB Roadster.
It’s difficult to describe the sense of expectation and excitement that gripped Birmingham where we lived, in anticipation of the Metro’s launch. The Birmingham Evening Mail produced a huge supplement on the car which was universally seen as the replacement for the Mini which had been in production for more than 20 years.
All the British Leyland garages in Birmingham (and there were lots of them) threw special launch events to woo back the customers who had defected to Ford, Vauxhall or even one of those Japanese brands. The TV advert was on all the time and my Dad bruised by a flirtation with an ever-rusting Lancia Beta, ordered a Metro 1.3 from Cutlers of Streetly.
SHA 191W arrived in March 1981 and became his commuting car. He was very pleased with it, indeed delighted. It didn’t go like a Cooper S but it was spacious, comfy and reliable. Inevitably, when the 72 bhp MG Metro was launched in 1982, he ordered one from Cutlers and I briefly inherited the first car.
Having sold my first car: a Mini Clubman Estate and bought a desperately rotten and worn-out Healey Sprite, I was very pleased to be in something new, modern and better than my old Mini to drive. In the end, I also inherited the MG, which was great fun, as my Father went on to buy an MG Montego!
I now own five Metros – proving that the little car has secured a lasting place in my heart. These include, the very last MG to roll off the production line and a very early 1981 car with less than 10,000 miles on the clock. The later K series cars are quicker and have a 5-speed box which is very welcome and I really like my cabriolet version!
Two more Metros inside the attraction
Only the early cars were badged miniMETRO - this is a 1981 model
Funky Rio Grande version
1989 MG Metro was the last one ever made. Less than 500 miles on the clock!
Much better with 5 gears!!!
Richard's Metro Cabriolet - perfect for the Summer!
In 1983 130,000 Metros found a home in the UK and total production was over 2 million.
The Metro deserves to be remembered as the car that put British Leyland back in the game and with prices still reasonable, a good one makes a great starter Classic.
I spent a very enjoyable and interesting afternoon last week with Keith Adams, erstwhile creator of AR Online and contributor to numerous publications over the last 20 years.
Keith’s latest AR Online article is his top ten of the BMC/ BL models which never made it into production. What this fascinating article reveals, is that there was no shortage of talent or ideas within the organisation, even in the dark days, but once Michael Edwardes had gone, there was just not enough management talent and grit to identify and produce exciting new models and facelifts.
I am a huge fan of the Metro which is a classic for the generation that wants a Mini but now can’t afford one and I think Keith (not surprisingly) is spot on with his number one slot for the R6 Metro. I am lucky enough to own a number of Metros, including a late five door Rio Special Edition. This drives really well with its K series engine and five speed gear box, but alongside the equivalent Fiesta, it just looks very ordinary. The Metro had been a really good seller but it badly needed to look more contemporary in the 90s and the R6 absolutely fits the bill.
My number two would have to be the Pininfarina Aerodynamica 1800, not least because I vividly remember picking up my Matchbox model of the car from the local toy shop at the age of 12 and thinking: WOW! It was unusual for Matchbox to make models of prototypes but to my already car mad eyes, Pininfarina’s creation made the ‘ordinary’ 1800 look – well, ordinary. My Uncle Roy had an 1800 and I was ever hopeful that it would be replaced by this outlandish new version. Sadly, despite the fact that Alec Issigonis and Battista Pininfarina got on famously, my Matchbox toy was the nearest I ever got to this wonderful creation and it was only when I saw my first Citroen CX that I realised the scale of our loss.
Issigonis could also have done with help from Pininfarina with the styling of the 9x which, like the 1800, was unbelievably clever but not the most stylish of shapes.
It’s a fascinating article as usual from Keith and bound to spark plenty of debate amongst AR afficionados.
Inevitably, Keith has now enjoyed a Drive Dad’s Car experience, choosing to drive a Mk4 Cortina, a Sierra Sapphire, an Austin 1300 GT and finally fell in love with my 1939 Austin Seven!
WARNING: Browsing the wealth of unique and expert opinion on AR Online can cause your partner to think that you are spending far too much time online!!
Great British Car Journey celebrated its third birthday on May 22nd, and I wish to extend a heartfelt thank you to all our visitors, supporters, and followers who have been part of the ever evolving story of cars in the UK.
A special thanks to our dedicated team, many of whom have been with us since we first opened our doors when it was finally legal to welcome the public to a new visitor attraction, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their commitment has been incredible. A massive thank you to my amazing wife Jane, her work-husband and our Duracell man and general manager Ian, to Becky, Jane, Steve, Vic, Neil, and our dedicated army of volunteers. Those who have joined us more recently; Oliver, Riley, Cheryl, Dee, Peggy, Clare, and our small army of café weekend warriors, and to Doc Lawrence, and Luke, for keeping our classics running!
This spring has been incredibly busy with some truly fantastic event days. Our Masters of the Marque events powered by Wera Tools, have been very well attended, featuring a diverse array of cars. Despite the generally gloomy and cool weather, our events have been blessed with dry and often warm conditions. Let’s hope this continues throughout the summer!
As usual, I’ve been fortunate enough to drive some fascinating cars recently, though my driving was briefly interrupted by an operation in April. I’ve been off the road, taking only short but therapeutic trips around the Drive Dad’s Car Route. Fortunately, I am now free to be back on the open road!
Some highlights include my faithful Frogeye Sprite, the hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai (stay tuned for more on this), our Austin Somerset with its quirky column gear change (soon to be joining the Driving fleet), a Jeep for the very first time, and most recently, a 1966 Ford Zephyr 4, recently acquired by Steve, our ever-smiley front desk anchor-man.
As we all know, cars are such a strong source of memories, and the combination of driving the Sprite and Zephyr took me back almost 60 years to the suburbs of North Birmingham, where I was born. We lived in a newly built estate of identical three-bedroom semis. Our neighbours, the Bunn family, had twin boys who went to the same school as me. In an era before car sharing, I often went to school with them in Mr Bunn’s Zephyr, which I believe was a Zephyr 6. Mrs Bunn, like my mum, enjoyed her cars and owned a Frogeye Sprite much admired by my dad. Though I never rode in the Frogeye, my brother and I owned numerous Sprites before graduating to Big Healeys, which we could buy in a fairly ropey state for around a grand. The best source of cheap cars back then was Exchange and Mart which we scoured every week for local four-wheeled temptations!
And so, as I lurched around the car park this week when Steve generously gave me the keys to his Zephyr, memories of our neighbours came flooding back. Sadly, the Bunn family moved “down South” in the late 60s and we lost touch. Hopefully, the twins are still here and remember their family’s interesting car history.
As I write this, it’s raining again, so don’t forget, whatever the weather, you can escape and rekindle those memories by visiting us at Great British Car Journey. Stay safe, and I hope to see you again soon.
Missing out on the most bustling weekend in the history of Great British Car Journey was a profound disappointment for me, especially as both days featured events showcasing cars from my home City about which I have become increasingly enthused.
Firstly, I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the passionate Rover and MG owners who graced us with their presence on Saturday. The venue was brimming with the iconic and often overlooked vehicles built at Longbridge and Cowley before the tragic events of April 2005. The fact that so many of these cars have survived is a pretty fair indication of how good they actually were and their exceptional quality. While I cherish my trusty daily drive, a Diesel Rover 75, the allure of taking a spin in an MG ZT, particularly in its V6 iteration, is undeniable. Kudos to Pete Stevens for his outstanding restyling work, transforming these cars from timeless and safe (not a criticism) to hot and desirable. The enduring appeal of models like the ZR stands as a testament to their greatness.
However, despite my eagerness to partake, I found myself unavoidably detained in London due to a scheduled operation planned some months ago. Consequently, I missed out not only on Longships and Octagons but also our Austin Extravaganza, our inaugural “Masters of the Marque Awards Powered by Wera Tools“.
The idea behind this series of events promoted by Great British Car Journey in 2024 is to encourage owners of a single marque to gather together, enjoy the experience and facilities at Great British Car Journey, and celebrate the complete history of whatever marque is highlighted on the day. While predominantly focused on Great British Marques, there are also (in the spirit of the six nations Rugby) events for both French and Italian cars too.
Wera Tools who make some truly amazing, innovative hand tools have generously agreed to sponsor these events so as well as provide nice trophies for the winners. There are also valuable and useful tools to be won by those cars who catch the Judges’ eyes. With upcoming events tailored for both Rover and MG enthusiasts (with Rovers Return – 120 years of Rover on Sunday 12 May and MG Summer Festival on Sunday 14 July), we very much hope that many of Saturday’s guests will make a welcome return soon. Find the complete list of upcoming Master of the Marque events here.
Yesterday, we celebrated the cars which were fortunate to be born Austins including of course Austin Healey, Nash, Princess and other brands full of Austin DNA. A great turn out saw some very worthy winners and I think the great man would have been watching with some satisfaction from a lofty viewpoint. Congratulations to all the winners and I hope to meet and greet you in person as soon as possible. Find the winners here.
This coming Sunday 21 April 2024 marks Drive It Day, and Great British Car Club has planned a great drive out planned featuring a visit to Derbyshire’s only Doubly Thankful village on some amazingly tiny roads. If you don’t know what I am talking about, use Google to find out! It’s not too late to book a space and help raise funds for ChildLine and support the Federation of Historic British Vehicle Clubs who do a great job ensuring that we can go on enjoying our cars. If you are interested in joining us on Drive It Day, either on the drive or in the attraction, there’s plenty on offer – find out more here.
So, despite the decidedly chilly weather, the classic car season is well underway for us. Though unfortunately I won’t be able to drive for a few weeks but I eagerly anticipate my return to Ambergate very soon.
Lastly, I extend my sincere gratitude to the staff at King Edward VII’s Hospital for their attentive care during my brief stay. To those reading, especially those over 50, I implore you to undergo the annual PSA blood test—it won’t cost you anything and it may just save your life.
January 2023: The year started brightly with a very busy Great British Car Meet on 2nd January.
‘The Mystery Car’ caused quite a stir! This beautiful and pristine example of a 1974 Vauxhall Victor FE that has less than 100 miles on the clock caught the imaginations of many.
February 2023: This wonderful Coleman Milne Granada joined the substantial list of cars donated to the museum. Huge thanks to all the donators.
Great British Car Share was launched with our wonderful brand ambassadors Sarah Crabtree and Paul Woodford. We are currently into series 3 ‘Rally Heroes’ – and you can catch up on all episodes over on our YouTube channel here.
Luke Henshaw, our Classic Vehicle Restoration Apprentice, was shortlisted in VisitEngland’s Tourism Superstar Awards 2023 in conjunction with The Mirror and our very own superstar finished in 2nd place in these national awards as runner-up!
March 2023: As usual we hoped that winter was behind us but as my picture shows… it wasn’t. This is my venerable snow-covered Rover 600 on 10th March.
BBC Breakfast were back with us on 14th March and a lot of our cars featured on the cover of Practical Classics.
The last week of March saw us with our good friends from the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs at another massive Practical Classics and Classic Car Show at the NEC.
Peter Milner with Richard Usher and the mystery car.Gold winners of the 2023 Visit Peak District & Derbyshire Tourism Awards
April 2023: Spring was slow to arrive as my picture of me arriving at Ambergate in ‘Dinky’ my beloved Austin 7 shows. It didn’t stop us welcoming plenty of Imps on the 30th along with literally hundreds of Jaguars for their BIG Jaguar Breakfast Club.
May 2023: It was good to see Terry one of my marshalling stalwarts from Blyton Park in the middle of May and his choice of wheels didn’t disappoint… a very rare Metro convertible.
It was a lovely day for Morris Minors 75th anniversary celebrations on the 21st.
New tarmac for Drive Dad’s Car on May 23rd.
June 2023: A Fiesta of Fords and some summer sun as well as a lovely Bentley as summer finally arrived. How better to celebrate than to take the Dutton for a spin on the Derwent?
On Father’s Day we reunited our lovely Austin 16 Woodie with the owner who restored her 40 years ago. It was a lovely family affair as children and grandchildren went for a drive…
And yes – I bought another Reliant… it’s a long story!
Photo of Bronze Winners for New Tourism Business of the Year at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2023 – Great British Car Journey (Representatives from the Great British Car Journey) – in front of the branded photo backdrop
July 2023: We don’t see many Veteran cars but this was an absolute cracker!
Took a little break with the Pre-war Austin 7 Club to the Lake District. The hood was up and down quite a lot!
Dinky was also on display at ‘Secret Gardens’ in my home village of Winster… that’s not my garden by the way!
Celebrated Summer by buying my own Metro Convertible…it’s a little pocket rocket!
August 2023: Was rather wet and cool, so we were pretty busy as the annual influx of visitors to our beautiful county sought refuge from the elements.
The Westfield owners are a hardy lot though… not a hood in sight!
Don’t often see both our Minor Millions together.
September 2023: The weather was still mixed for the Chatsworth Country Fair. ‘Dinky’ and our lovely one owner Austin 14 made friends with some Morrises!
Incredibly grateful that we were chosen to display the custom-built Middlebridge Scimitar, previously owned by HRH Princess Anne for 35 years, Not only is it an eighties classic, the car also has an illustrious history and Royal provenance.
Mrs Usher finally bought an Aston – she absolutely deserves it!
Autumn arrived early but it didn’t daunt the Minis for East Mids Minis National Day!!
October 2023: More rain and more Morris Minor Travellers for 70th Birthday celebrations!
Another donation in the form of this magnificent Marina.
Another car I could fall in love with; this lovely Lotus Europa – Colin Chapman’s genius in full flow.
Just before a lot more rain arrived and we needed to keep those valuable cars up in the air… It’s really not that easy to get the Lola onto the ramp!
Don’t run Buddy over Ian…and what are you driving?
Danny Hopkins took my Mini on a terrific ‘Italian Job’ adventure and brought her back unscathed…
November 2023: Back to the NEC for the Classic Motor Show and celebrating the wonder of the Mini. Thanks to Paul, John, Steve and Becky for all the hard work … and Oliver of course who visited more than 300 clubs! The ‘Woodie’ made a guest appearance with the Austin Counties Club and Danny was reunited with my Mini! Ray Newell announced another great book …in fact he has two new ones out and they are both superb.
The Jowetts were close by and this lovely example looks similar to a car that was about to come our way… The Paramount was just around the corner. If you don’t know what I am talking about, we have bought a Paramount made in the wonderful County of Derbyshire in 1950.
December 2023: So much snow arrived on the 3rd that we were unable to open.
The weather continued to be stormy…cutting Winster off from Elton.
The last Great British Car Meet of the year was inevitably damp and so thanks to all our enthusiastic friends, it was extremely well attended.
Thanks to all our visitors in 2023…we hope to see you again soon.
Thanks to all my wonderful team including the volunteer army and of course my amazing other half.
Summary of 2023
Best Drive: In my Frogeye Sprite going home in September. 45 bhp shouldn’t be such fun.
Fastest Drive: Mrs Usher’s Aston Martin. Not that fast though, as she was in the passenger seat.
Slowest Drive: A ride in the 1902 James and Browne. Thanks so much to the students from Imperial College London who brought “Boanerges” (means Son of Thunder) to see us and for taking me for a drive.
Most Extraordinary: My Mini’s adventure with Practical Classics’ Editor and friend Danny Hopkins on the 2023 Italian Job run. I would like to do this event!
Most Unexpected: Driving the Paramount – a car I had never heard of until it arrived at Ambergate.
Wow! What a busy few weeks we’ve had and Summer is finally here!
Huge thanks to Tom Stoddart and Reg for chauffeuring my daughter-in-law on her wedding day, to my son Charles, on Saturday 26th August.
The utterly wonderful Baden Powell Rolls Royce, Jam Roll, was the beautiful car of choice. The car and the happy couple looked magnificent! Particularly, as Lauren and Charles met at Rolls Royce in Derby, there could not have been a more appropriate wedding car. The Bridesmaids looked lovely in their Minor Million, whilst Charles and his brother Peter (Best Man) arrived courtesy of the Frogeye Sprite!
So… of course I had to test drive all the wedding cars, as well as the Jaguar E Type which we had on parade for last Sunday’s Jaguar Enthusiasts meet! The Frogeye is a delight, especially as we now have a new clutch but I also enjoyed driving our Austin 14 Goodwood to Chatsworth for last weekend’s Country Fair. And then of course there was Princess Anne’s Scimitar! We are delighted to have taken delivery of this wonderful car and you can find out all about it here.
Yes, it’s been a mad few weeks of classic cars…and its been a huge pleasure to welcome so many visitors to see and admire them too!
When I was a youngster, August was always the month of the family holiday, which meant a long drive to Dorset in a car which was rarely fit for purpose! The Singer Gazelle Convertible was pretty cramped with five of us and the dog, particularly with the hood down. My Dad liked to personalise his cars but fitting wire wheels to the Corsair GT was eccentric and caused the wheels to wobble violently at 50 mph or more… the Ford dealer in Bournemouth was baffled which was fair enough! The horn stuck on the Cortina Estate in Castle Bromwich, and Dad ignored it until Mum went ballistic, at which point he stopped and grumpily yanked a wire off somewhere! You get the picture!
So August always went by in a flash and the family car almost always created drama and tension both on the way to Dorset and on the way back… A journey of more than 160 miles which took the best part of a day.
Back to this August and the weather has been a bit kinder and I am pleased to say that we have been blessed with plenty of visitors. I have been enjoying the little Metro Cabriolet. It goes well with its 1400cc engine and is a fun drive especially with the hood down. I can really recommend these late Metros / Rover 100s… The K series is a zippy engine, the five speed box is smooth and the handling is very much like a Mini. The only problem is finding one, as like so many cars of the 90s, they have become pretty rare.
We are grateful to Liz Wilson and Helen Mosley for the donation of two remarkable cars. Liz has given us her MG ZS which she has cherished for many years, having bought it with only 10,000 miles on the clock. The ZS was another successful restyle by the multi-talented Pete Stevens, turning a rather humble Rover into a svelte looking performance MG. This car has been cherished and still good extremely well. You can drive the 2.5 litre V6 version on the Drive Dad’s Car fleet.
Helen has gifted us her Grandmother’s Vauxhall Cavalier Envoy 1.8 Auto Saloon. For many years, the Cavalier and Sierra were locked in a battle for supremacy in the big family car market and both were substantially remodelled over the years. This car has done under 50,000 miles and is in great mechanical and bodily condition thanks to Helen’s Grandfather who looked after it. I have taken a photo of a device on the dashboard – can anyone identify what it is?
Both these cars will be checked over by our technicians before joining the main collection and we are very pleased to be able to offer them a dignified retirement from their long service to their owners who have preserved them for so many years.
As I write this, there is rain coming down in biblical proportions and sadly Cromford Steam Rally has been unable to open today. The Derwent is looking brown and soupy but our weir is keeping our precious cargo of cars safe, although the roof is ensuring a few cars slightly watered!
I taxed the Rover 100 Cabriolet this week and I am extremely impressed with my first experience of K series Metro Motoring. The 1400 cc engine gives about 85bhp so it has plenty of go along with a sweet five speed gear box. The steering is very well weighted and for a car with a cloth roof, there is only a hint of scuttle shake when you hit one of the many potholes on the Derbyshire back roads. Of course at over £12,000 when it was new, it was always going to be a minority choice and it was only ever made to special order on the line at Longbridge. However, with the electric hood in the up position, it is completely water tight and free from draughts and wind noise. It is not clear how many were made but almost certainly less than 2000 and only a handful are registered today.
On the subject of hoods, I also drove my trusty and much loved MGB roadster this week. The hood is a truly terrible affair and quite impossible to put up in a hurry. The hood on my Austin Seven is much, much easier and faster to put up and does not involve lots of pulling, pushing and profane language. It also leaves your finger nails intact. The final struggle with the B are the dreaded Tenax fasteners – I would like to meet the genius responsible for these and challenge him to get them all securely fastened! Maybe having a new hood a few years ago was not such a great move but compared to the hood on an MX 5, the hoods on Sprites, Midgets and Bs are a woeful effort which surely should have been improved?
Of course with the roof down on the MGB, you forgive this one fairly major fault. Although in winter I would also add the heater to the list of things that could have been improved. I suppose if I had a handbook, the mysteries of the two rotary controls might be solved but without one demisting or indeed cabin heater, it does seem to rely on a fairly random twirling of those two knobs conveniently located in front of the passenger!
Stop moaning Richard! The B is still a lovely thing to drive and when I parked it in a car park full of modern cars, I admired its great shape and how gracefully it has aged. You certainly want one with overdrive if you intend to do many long journeys but on a warm sunny day (remember those?), a standard MGB or indeed GT is a very pleasant way to enjoy driving and admire the great British countryside, particularly the very green Derbyshire Dales.
I am delighted to have purchased a Rover 114 Cabriolet which is probably the rarest variant of the car we all more commonly know as the Metro.
The car has been lovingly looked after by Joan Watson for the last 12 years and been garaged and serviced so that it belies its 28 years of age.
By the mid 1990s cabriolets were very much in fashion again and the Metro had been reborn as the Rover 100 series and at last had a modern OHC engine and a five speed gearbox. Sadly, BMW who had bought Rover Group in 1994 had no appetite for a total facelift. However, the car was substantially updated and the cabriolet was available as a very limited edition model built on the main production line at Longbridge.
It would appear that only around 2000 were made but with an electric roof and around 75bhp on tap this was a peppy little car. Unfortunately, with a list price of over £12,000, it was also very expensive.
My new car was first registered on 16 June 1995 to a Mrs Jeffery who bought it from Lookers in Southend. The sales invoice shows she paid £12,134.25 for it.
I am now the sixth owner and she has covered 72,000 miles in that time.
I am very grateful to Joan for giving us the opportunity to buy a much-loved little car and I look forward to giving you my road test in due course.
There are less than ten of these cars still taxed on the road in 2023.
It was great to meet Ben and the enthusiastic team from Imperial College London and act as a dormitory for their very precious 1902 James & Browne car overnight stay.
A small group of students from the College maintain and run ‘Bo’ and have rebuilt this vintage car to an amazing standard recently. They are currently taking a ‘tour’ through the Peak District and then onwards to Snowdonia. Naturally, they thought the Great British Car Journey would make an excellent stop on the trip!
Visitors to Great British Car Journey will have seen ‘Bo’ being driven around the site today and I was lucky enough to enjoy a ride. ‘Bo’ is not dissimilar mechanically to our resident Arrol-Johnston in which I have also been a passenger. These are pioneering cars and for those lucky enough to have been able to afford them, they offered an adventure every day.
The Imperial car is one of only two survivors of the James & Browne marque and was bought by three students at the City and Guilds College back in 1934. It completed the London to Brighton run in 1933 at an average speed of 19.61 mph and has done the run many times since then.
Very well done to all those responsible for preserving and using this wonderful car and thanks again for bringing ‘Bo’ along for us all to enjoy.
I continue to run in “Dinky” my Austin Seven in preparation for the Pre-War Austin Seven Club Cumbrian tour in two week’s time and so far… so good. Dinky’s former owner has also been in touch, and as a result, I am now the proud owner of my third Reliant; a wonderful 1962 Regal Mk V1. This is the third car I have bought from Eric Taylor who I met at the Ashover Show several years ago when I bought Dinky from him.
My second purchase was also a Reliant but one with four wheels; a 1987 Scimitar SS1. I drove the Scimitar this week and decided that an MOT was needed so we could do some road miles. Reliant had great plans to build 1000 of these a year but the hot hatch ruled the roads in the 1980s, so just over 1000 of these little two seaters left Tamworth in an eight year production run. It’s perhaps not one of Michelotti’s greatest designs but it’s light, nippy and a lot of fun to drive. MOT passed but a few jobs for Luke and Doc Lawrence before we buy the road tax…
The Regal has been fully restored and was a great success for Reliant in the early 60s with well over 10,000 being produced. We need a new fuel pump for mine and then we will report on the driving experience!!
Good to see so many Great British Car Club members for Breakfast on Sunday including this wonderful convertible Citroen Traction Avant which completed the Peking to Paris run back in 2007. Also this lovely S1 Bentley… surely the most elegant of the standard bodied Bentley and Rolls-Royce models.
Finally, I was very excited to get the Eight track stereo in our Mk3 Cortina playing T Rex yesterday. Find the video on Facebook here!!
Stay safe and enjoy the Sun whilst it lasts… we are on holiday in Norfolk next week so its probably going to rain!
A busy week at Great British Car Journey finished off with Father’s Day and hundreds of cars and visitors.
My daily commute has been in my 2000 Mini Cooper Sport which has covered only 10600 miles from new. The classic Mini is a work of pure genius and reconnects you with the road like nothing else. A huge “Thank you” must go to Sir Alec Issigonis for his creation, although as I turned 66 last Thursday, I realised that my springs aren’t quite what they were!
Much of the middle of the week was committed to familiarisation in the Dutton, as we finally braved the slipway and took to the Derwent. On Friday, my old friend Rob Gill who is the motoring editor of The Sun came to get aquatic. See what he thought in this Thursday’s paper or read and watch it here.
In preparation for Austin Day on Saturday, I drove our A70 Hereford and our beautiful Austin 16 Woodie, the latter in preparation for a reunion with the family who rebuilt her over 40 years ago. These big post war Austins have so much to recommend them; comfort and serenity on wheels.
Austin Day was well attended on Saturday with another fine Paralanian Camper stealing my heart – truly the Rolls Royce of camper vans! Thanks to the Austin Counties crowd for providing such an array of Devons, Dorsets, Herefords, Hampshires and Somersets.
Doc Lawrence our resident mechanical genius has also changed the bearings in Dinky, my Austin 7 in preparation for the Pre War Austin 7 Cumbrian run in July. She has never run so sweetly but I am under pain of death to run her in carefully.
A truly wonderful selection of Jowetts joined us for Father’s day so we had to get our Bradford Lorry (on loan from Joe Stocks) out to meet a friend. Thank you Jowetteers for joining us and happy 100th birthday to the oldest one make car club in the world!
Hopefully watching from above, John Kemp Starley, would have observed the car park at Great British Car Journey largely populated by Rovers on Sunday 14th May 2023 as we celebrated the great British institution that was Rover cars. Of course, Starley made his considerable reputation with his Rover ‘safety’ bicycle and it was not until 1904 that the first Rover car took to the road, preceded by some motorbikes and an ingenious electric tricycle.
Over the next 100 years, Rover concentrated on cars and although Starley died in 1901, his legacy was more than present in our car park for our Rover themed day.
I would like to thank all the owners of the cars who made our first Rover Day so memorable. In particular, the enthusiastic Rover 200 and 400 Owners Club and their events co-ordinator Iain Turner for putting on a great display of some of the last high volume Rovers ever made. Iain has a pristine Rover 200vi which was one of the last really hot hatches to carry the Rover name.
The famous Viking Ship logo was visible on virtually all the significant post-war models on display with a number of P6 and SD1s present representing an era when Rover lost its rather staid image with some truly inspirational models. Sadly, the Rover car story ended in 2005, when the closure of Longbridge ended production of the 75.
Rover Day however, was a celebration of the greatness of Rover and I look forward to celebrating again next year with even more cars!
Despite having a rather busy weekend, I managed to squeeze a little bit of Classic motoring into my week.
It started with a familiarisation drive in one of the latest cars donated to the museum – a 1997 Rover 820 kindly donated by Stephen Yates, having been in long term family ownership. These luxury Rovers benefitted from the British Leyland collaboration with Honda and sold well, replacing the ageing SD1. This particular car has been cherished by Stephen and his parents and drives very sweetly providing a very comfortable ride.
On Monday, I briefly drove another car donated to us by Peter Mathers, a 2007 Ford Ka 1.3. making it a late version of the car launched in 1996 and substantially changed in 2008. I owned a SportKa back in 2004 which I used as a runaround and thought back then that it was a fun drive which could definitely have handled more power. The styling was not to everyone’s taste but it was distinctive which I think has really stood the test of time. Sadly in my view the last iteration of the Ka which was discontinued in 2019 looked like just another small euro-box and had lost the distinctive character of the original car. We would like to thank Peter for this ‘modern classic’ and one of the last Fords to have a really distinctive shape.
On Thursday I drove home in my A40 Farina which is always guaranteed to raise a smile. This car was supplied new by Kennings in Loscoe in 1963 and I am only the second owner. It has covered 250,000 miles and now has a 1275cc engine with twin carbs. Needless to say it is a sprightly little thing. The reg number is original as in 1963 before going to the A suffix , Derbyshire County Council decided to use up some old numbers. My Mum learned to drive in an A40 so I have early memories of listening to her instructor, Mrs Parker, giving her lessons as I stayed quiet in the back!
Finally, I am delighted to announce that we have bought a really rare HB Viva from Great British Car Club member Paul Simpson. This SL variant has a 1600 OHC engine with 83 bhp on tap. It’s in great condition and drives really well. This was a real alternative to an Escort GT and I think drives rather better with its coil sprung back axle with trailing arms. I have driven it round the site but can’t wait for an open road trip!
So… another varied week of motoring down at Great British Car Journey and we personally have a Porsche Cayenne on loan at the moment as Mrs Usher’s Macan is in for some work. The Cayenne is all that’s wrong with modern cars, its huge bulk makes it feel really heavy (which it is) and if you drive with any enthusiasm, it’s actually quite hard work and very hard on the wallet. Does anyone really need such a big lumbering thing to take the kids to school? I cant wait to get our diesel Macan back.
Richard Usher, Founder and CEO, Great British Car Journey
We enjoyed a fantastic weekend at Great British Car Journey as April moved into May last week. Both Saturday, Sunday and Monday (May Day) were really busy and I would like to thank all the team for their hard work and dedication. Thanks also to all the organisers from Jaguar Drivers Club, Morgan Sports Car Club, The Imp Club and Aston Martin Owners Club for visiting and being so complimentary about our venue.
A belated Happy 60th Birthday to the Hillman Imp – that clever little car built by the Rootes Group in Scotland which deserved to be a bigger success back in the 1960s. I was particularly impressed by the variety of different Jaguars which attended the Breakfast Club and was pleased to hear from the Club Chairman, Roger Kemp, that the club is enjoying good growth with plenty of owners of current cars signing up too. The Club magazine edited by the indefatigable, Gaynor Cauter, is a very well-produced publication which I would say is worth the club membership fee in its own right.
Similarly, Roy Blunt, Chairman of The Imp Club affirmed that interest in the Imp and all its variants remained strong and they had enjoyed a good weekend celebrating this significant anniversary.
The winning Austin Paralanian Camper Van – Image courtesy of Carly Staton
On Monday, we entered a new month with our second Great British Car Meet in three days and a fantastic turnout saw the car park full and the café as busy as ever. My absolute favourite car of the day was the pristine Austin Paralanian Camper Van. The name Paralanian came from the fact that they were coach-built in Parry Lane, Bradford, so not quite as exotic as it sounds. However, it was a very luxurious Motor Home by the standards of post-war Britain and this particular example was a real credit to its owner. I hope we will see it again.
It was great to see so many cars at the latest event at Ambergate yesterday for our Easter Monday Great British Car Meet. Although the weather was very April, it didn’t stop people and cars turning up in their droves! The sun even made one or two brief appearances.
I absolutely love the diversity of classic cars at these events: a beautiful 1947 Rolls-Royce, a sweet little Gilbern GT, an immaculate and immensely rare Mk 3 Cortina 1.3 L, a couple of Morgan three-wheelers, a Saab 96, alongside the Minis, Metros, Maestros and Maxis (Remember: the four Ms are available to drive on our Drive Dad’s Car fleet).
Every time I went out in the car park, there was another car that caught my eye. I loved having great conversations with you, the owners about the history, the memories and why the car is special to you.
I was often accompanied by film maker extraordinaire Paul Woodford and, when I could prize her away from the Ital complete with roof rack and vintage luggage, the marvellous Sarah Crabtree. Speaking of which, have you seen the episode of Great British Car Share over on our YouTube channel in which Sarah drives (or attempts to drive) our Maxi? Watch it here if you haven’t.
Finally it was great to see road tester par excellence John Barker and his sons. Many moons ago, John and colleagues started a magazine called EVO for which he still writes.
I would like to thank everyone who came along to our Easter Monday Great British Car Meet and helped make it such a success.
If you missed out on this or are hungry for more, we also have an evening Car Meet on Friday 28th April and another Bank Holiday Car Meet on Monday 1st May.
Our Car Meets cost just £5 to enter with your car but if you are a member of our fantastic Great British Car Club, then entry to all our Meets is free. For an annual membership fee of just £39 you can come into the Great British Car Journey exhibition as often as you like and also attend a load of Members’ events, as well as get discounts on Drive Dad’s Car drives, in the café, gift shop and a dedicated insurance offer.
The Club is friendly and very inclusive; any car, any make or model and just a passion for classics. See the section on our website for more details on how to join.
Finally, it’s Drive it Day on Sunday 23rd April and the Club has put together a lovely 40 mile drive through the White Peak courtesy of my old friend Steve White whose Model A Ford is the oldest licensed taxi in the UK. If you want to join the run, please give us a call on 01773 317243.
A big thank you to everyone who came along to this event for your enthusiasm and support. I hope to see you again very soon.
This spring has been incredibly busy with some truly fantastic event days. Our Masters of the Marque events powered by Wera Tools, have been very well attended, featuring a diverse array of cars. Despite the generally gloomy and cool weather, our events have been blessed with dry and often warm conditions. Let’s hope this continues throughout the summer!
