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Derbyshire Scouts welcome ‘Jam Roll ‘to Great British Car Journey

Arrival of Baden Powell’s Rolls Royce marks 1st birthday of Great British Car Journey

Derbyshire’s Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers have welcomed the most important car in the Scout movement’s 114-year history to Great British Car Journey.

‘Jam Roll’, Lord Baden Powell’s Rolls Royce, has gone on display to the public at Great British Car Journey, marking the classic car visitor attraction’s first birthday on 22 May 2022.

The 20hp Rolls-Royce, which was manufactured in Derby, was originally presented to Baden-Powell, along with a caravan (Eccles), at the 1929 World Jamboree on the Scouting movement’s 21st birthday.

The car was subsequently named ‘Jam Roll’ in recognition of its connection to the Jamboree and Rolls Royce.

The unique car boasts the Scout Fleur de Lys emblem, etched with the Scouts motto ‘Be Prepared’ on the radiator in place of the traditional Spirit of Ecstasy or ‘Flying Lady’, making it one of a kind.

Now, 93-years after it was presented to Baden Powell, ‘Jam Roll’ has joined the collection of classic cars at Great British Car Journey. The arrival of the car at the attraction was extra special for the Cubs in attendance, as it helped them earn their Collectors Badge.

Tom Stoddart, One of the Trustees of B-P Jam Roll Ltd which owns the car, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Jam Roll is now on display at Great British Car Journey and available to be seen by Scouts and Guides throughout the world. Retaining the car in Derbyshire was very important to us. It is an important piece of Scouting history, and we know that it will be well looked after by Richard and his team.”

Richard Usher, CEO of Great British Car Journey said: “We are thrilled to have such a uniquely historic car in the Great British Car Journey collection. It is a wonderful way to mark the 12-month anniversary of opening the attraction.”

Scouts around the world were asked to donate a penny per member and enough was raised to buy ‘Jam Roll’ and ‘Eccles’. Lord Baden Powell used the Rolls Royce and Eccles for many years and after his death in 1941 his family sold it to private owners. It was seen infrequently at Scouts events before being acquired by BP Jam Roll Ltd, a trust established to purchase in the car in 2008 ensuring it stayed in the country.

Following Jam Roll’s purchase by the trust, of which Lord Baden Powell’s grandson the Hon. Michael Baden Powell is a trustee, the car was sympathetically restored by Scouting volunteers and members of the Rolls Royce Heritage Centre where it was stored until it arrived at Great British Car Journey.

Jam Roll has found a new home at great British Car Journey where it is now on display alongside more than 130 British-built and manufactured cars which have long since disappeared from the roads, including the Austin Seven, Morris Minor and Ford Escort as well with a number of cars with equally famous owners, including Elton John’s Bentley Continental T.

Richard added: “The fact that ‘Jam Roll’ was made in Derby, only a few miles from Baden Powell’s wife’s home town of Chesterfield and indeed Great British Car Journey, gives this internationally important car a lovely local connection.”

Although now on display at Great British Car Journey, ‘Jam Roll’ will continue to make special appearances at Scout events.

To view Jam Roll and the wider car collection at Great British Car Journey, you can purchase tickets at greatbritishcarjourney.com or simply turn up and pay upon arrival.

If you’re looking for the ultimate trip down memory lane, pick from the 38-strong Drive Dad’s Car fleet and get behind the wheel of your favourite classic car. Visit drivedadscar.com to learn more.

Triple win for Great British Car Journey in2022 Tourism Awards

Great British Car Journey’s apprentice mechanic Luke Henshaw has been named as the 2022 Tourism Young Achiever in the Peak District and Derbyshire Tourism Awards.

Luke (18) was one of just 15 Gold winners at the awards, which were organised by Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire. ‘Tourism Young Achiever’ was a new award category added to the awards line-up to recognise the thousands of jobs supported by tourism across the Peak District and Derbyshire.

In addition to Luke’s win, the Ambergate-based classic car attraction also scooped the silver award in the New Tourism Business category and bronze in the Experience of the Year category for its unique Drive Dad’s Car experience just 10 months after opening its door to visitors.
Luke, from Mansfield, joined Great British Car Journey in April ahead of the popular attraction opening in May 2021. He works and learns alongside the attraction’s Chief Engineer and to keep a fleet of nearly 200 cars in working order.

Delighted to be recognised, Luke said: “it’s a great honour to be recognised. I was a little nervous but the atmosphere was brilliant and a great experience for my first awards ceremony. I’m learning so much at Great British Car Journey. It’s a fantastic place to work with an amazing variety of the cars that I get to work on daily. It’s brilliant.”

Richard Usher, founder and CEO of Great British Car Journey said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been recognised across three categories in the awards after opening just 10 months ago amidst Covid restrictions.
“Luke, as indeed all the team – from volunteers and paid employees – are integral to ensuring Great British Car Journey continues to grow and become the go-to destination for classic car enthusiasts throughout the UK.

“Despite recent setbacks with the weather, we’re all really looking forward to 2022. We have even more plans for the attraction in the pipeline and the team and I are definitely aiming for more golds in the awards next year.

Designed to recognise and reward excellence and outstanding achievement in the Peak District and Derbyshire’s valuable tourism sector, the awards brought together 41 finalists in 15 categories for a glittering ceremony at Chesterfield’s four-star Casa Hotel.
Great British Car Journey is open seven days a week from 10.00am until 5.00pm and charts the history of the British motoring industry through more than 130 cars on display, including Austin Sevens, Morris Minors, Minis, Ford Escorts and even a McLaren supercar.

You can book tickets to visit us at: www.greatbritishcarjourney.com

Classic Mini scales the Heights

A classic 1989 Mini can now be found atop the Heights of Abraham !

Visitors to Matlock Bath’s Heights of Abraham are set for a surprise when they alight the cable car at the top of the 60-acre Hilltop Estate. They’ll be greeted by a classic 1989 Mini!

The Mini has been lent to Derbyshire’s oldest tourist attraction by Derbyshire’s newest one, Great British Car Journey, which opened in May earlier this year.

Getting to the top of the Heights of Abraham was no mean feat for the 31-year-old car, which faced a half mile climb to reach the summit which is 1000 feet above sea level.

Rupert Pugh, Director of the Heights of Abraham, drove the car to the summit himself, negotiating the steep, narrow paths and tricky hairpin bends that wrap around Masson Hill. One slip and the car could have ended up back down the hill!

The branded 30th Anniversary edition Mini, which promotes the classic car attraction in Ambergate, will now greet visitors to the hilltop attraction. Visitors to the Heights of Abraham will also get discounted entry to Great British Car Journey.

Rupert commented: “I had a great deal of fun acquainting myself with the Mini. Initially I was rather sceptical that it could make the climb, but it surprised and delighted me on the journey up to the summit. It’s already proving a real talking point with visitors with many asking how we got it up here.”

Richard Usher, CEO of Great British Car Journey said: “I am very grateful to Heights of Abraham for giving us the opportunity to promote Great British Car Journey. Being a new attraction in the area we’re very keen to ensure as many people as possible know about us and visit. We’re looking forward to welcoming many of the people that visit Heights of Abraham each year to Great British Car Journey.”

The classic Mini was produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and its successors from 1959 until 2000 and is considered one of the most influential cars of the twentieth centuries. Despite 5.3 million original Minis being produced, today just 8,176 exist in the world.

Great British Car Journey boasts seven original Minis in its collection, including a rare unregistered Mini with just 12 miles on the clock. For people keen to take one for a drive, Great British Car Journey also offers a 20-minute Drive Dad’s Car driving experience in four Minis, including a 1966 Mini 850 MK1, and a Mini Cooper which was manufactured in 2000 and one of the last Minis ever made.

Alongside Minis, visitors to Great British Car Journey will find a collection of 130 popular cars designed and manufactured in the UK between 1920 and 2000, including the Austin Seven, Morris Minor, Ford Escort and Vauxhall Chevette – cars that were all produced in their millions and were on virtually every street and carpark in Britain but have since all but disappeared from the roads.

To arrange a Mini driving experience at Great British Car Journey, visit www.drivedadscar.com or to book tickets for the exhibition, click here: Buy tickets