Themed Events

We are calling all Austin owners to join us for a special themed day and fantastic display at the Great British Car Journey on Sunday 14th April.

Great British Car Journey begins with the foundation of the Austin Motor Company in 1905 and on Sunday 14^th April we celebrate the huge contribution made by Herbert Austin to the cause of popular motoring. Longbridge is just 7 miles South of Birmingham City Centre and became the epicentre of a car making empire that was as British as its founder.

Austin’s main focus was on producing affordable and reliable vehicles for the mass market. He achieved great success with the creation of the Austin Seven in 1922, which became one of the most popular cars in Britain for over a decade due to its affordability, durability, and practicality.

It’s 40 years since the last Austin badged car was launched; the Austin Montego, launched in April 1984. To commemorate the occasion, we extend a very warm welcome to all cars so equipped, as we celebrate the life of an extraordinary entrepreneur and his amazing products.

• Along with the Austin’s and other exciting classic cars that will be on show in the car park you can also enjoy the display of over 130 British Classic Cars in the Museum to enjoy too.
• The Filling Station Cafe will be open as usual serving great coffee, drinks and snacks.

Please note that these are external club visits – they are an added bonus to your Great British Car Journey visit. We cannot guarantee exact timings or cars in attendance and they may be subject to last minute change or cancellation.

Starting and ending at Great British Car Journey, on Sunday 21st April for our Drive It Day event, we’ve planned a fabulous 39-mile route through the beautiful Peak District landscape, and we’d love you to join us.

You’ll also be helping us raise money for NSPCC’s Childline© service when you purchase one of the special fundraising plates for the event. They cost just £10.00 and are available to buy from our giftshop.

Drive It Day has been organised since 2005 by The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC). In this time FBHVC has helped raise thousands of pounds for NSPCC. Last year £47,000 was raised – enough to run the Childline© service for one day.

It costs just £25.00 per car to take part in our Drive It Day drive out event, and is open to you as Club members and all groups affiliated with the MSA, so please do spread the word to anyone else who may be interested. To book your place, contact Adrian Dale on 01773 317243 or email adrian@greatbritishcarjourney.com

Join us for our special themed Italian Car Day on Sunday 28th April.

We are calling all owners of Italian cars to join us for a fantastic display at the Great British Car Journey. Booking details to follow.

• Along with the Italian cars and other exciting classic cars that will be on show in the car park you can also enjoy the display of over 130 British Classic Cars in the Museum to enjoy too.
• The Filling Station Cafe will be open as usual serving great coffee, drinks and snacks.

Please note that these are external club visits – they are an added bonus to your Great British Car Journey visit. We cannot guarantee exact timings or cars in attendance and they may be subject to last minute change or cancellation.

Join us for our special themed classic Camper and Caravan Day on Sunday 5th May.

We are calling all owners of classic Campers and Caravans to join us for a fantastic display at the Great British Car Journey. Booking details to follow.

• Along with the classic campers, caravans and other exciting classic cars that will be on show in the car park you can also enjoy the display of over 130 British Classic Cars in the Museum to enjoy too.
• The Filling Station Cafe will be open as usual serving great coffee, drinks and snacks.

Please note that these are external club visits – they are an added bonus to your Great British Car Journey visit. We cannot guarantee exact timings or cars in attendance and they may be subject to last minute change or cancellation.

Join us for our special themed Rover Day on Sunday 12th May.

Members of the Rover P4 Drivers Guild and the Rover SD1 Owners Club will be in attendance and we are calling all Rover owners to join us for a fantastic display at the Great British Car Journey.

• Along with the Rovers and other exciting classic cars that will be on show in the car park you can also enjoy the display of over 130 British Classic Cars in the Museum to enjoy too.
• The Filling Station Cafe will be open as usual serving great coffee, drinks and snacks.

Please note that these are external club visits – they are an added bonus to your Great British Car Journey visit. We cannot guarantee exact timings or cars in attendance and they may be subject to last minute change or cancellation.

You can add this event to your calendar by clicking the buttons below.

Join us for our special themed French Car Day on Sunday 19th May.

We will be joined by the Renault Classic Car Club, Deux Chevaux Club, Renault Twingo Club UK, Simca Club amongst others to celebrate French motoring! We are calling all owners of French cars to join us for a fantastic display at the Great British Car Journey. Booking details to follow.

• Along with the French cars and other exciting classic cars that will be on show in the car park you can also enjoy the display of over 130 British Classic Cars in the Museum to enjoy too.
• The Filling Station Cafe will be open as usual serving great coffee, drinks and snacks.

Please note that these are external club visits – they are an added bonus to your Great British Car Journey visit. We cannot guarantee exact timings or cars in attendance and they may be subject to last minute change or cancellation.

At Great British Car Journey we love Minis and want to share our passion with other Mini enthusiasts so have created a special day to celebrate what is probably the most iconic British car.

The Suez crisis of 1956 prompted Len Lord who was in charge of BMC the merged Austin and Morris empire, to put the production of a small economical car to the top of the priority list.  

Launched in 1959, the Mini was the work of Alec Issigonis who had designed the Morris Minor and it was destined to be the greatest British popular car of all time with well over 5 million being made until the last one rolled off the line in October 2000. 

At Great British Car Journey, we absolutely LOVE Minis and we recognise Sir Alec Issigonis as a genius. May 28^th is the day we acknowledge this and we would like to assemble as many Minis as possible and we reckon that because they are so tiny we have room for at least 400 !! 

So if you love Minis and certainly if you own one, we would love to see you at Great British Car Journey on May 26^th. Anyone arriving in a Mini or any Mini derived car such as Elfs and Hornets as we celebrate the genius of Sir Alec and an era when his cars ruled the road and the race and rally circuit. 

We have lots of Minis to see within the collection – Austin 7, Special Editions, Delivery Mileage, Cooper, Clubman etc and we would really love to see your Minis too so we can fill the car park full of Alec Issigonis amazing creations.

• Along with the Minis and other exciting classic cars that will be on show in the car park you can also enjoy the display of over 130 British Classic Cars in the Museum to enjoy too.
• The Filling Station Cafe will be open as usual serving great coffee, drinks and snacks.

Please note that these are external club visits – they are an added bonus to your Great British Car Journey visit. We cannot guarantee exact timings or cars in attendance and they may be subject to last minute change or cancellation

You can add this event to your calendar by clicking the buttons below.

Join us for our special themed Fiesta of Fords Day on Sunday 2nd June.

Ford has been part of the Car landscape in the UK since the dawn of motoring with the Model T assembled in Manchester being the best selling car in Britain before war broke out in 1914. 

The building of Dagenham was a colossal enterprise and for the last seventy years Ford models have never been far from the top of the sales charts.  Anglias, Escorts, Fiestas, Cortinas, Sierras, Mondeos and Focuses have provided affordable, reliable and comfortable motoring for millions and millions of people. 

On June 2nd Great British Car Journey celebrates all the products of the Blue Oval in a Fiesta of Fords. If you own one come and join us.

Members of the XR Owners Club along with the East Midlands RS Group, Capri Club, High Peak CCG amongst others, will be in attendance with Fords of all ages from classics to more modern cars.

We are calling all Ford owners to join us for a fantastic display at the Great British Car Journey.

• Along with the Fords and other exciting classic cars that will be on show in the car park you can also enjoy the display of over 130 British Classic Cars in the Museum to enjoy too.
• The Filling Station Cafe will be open as usual serving great coffee, drinks and snacks.

Please note that these are external club visits – they are an added bonus to your Great British Car Journey visit. We cannot guarantee exact timings or cars in attendance and they may be subject to last minute change or cancellation.

Join us for our special themed Morris Minor Day on Sunday 9th June.

The Morris Minor made its debut at the British Motor Show at Earls Court in October 1948 .  Alec Issigonis’ first great volume design is therefore 75 years old this year. The Minor is central to the story of the Great British Car Journey being the best selling and most loved next generation of true family transport after the war and taking over the mantle from the Austin 7. 

Hopefully 9th June will be a lovely Summer day and we would like to assemble as many Morris Minors as possible to celebrate this marvellous little car. We have a great selection of Morris Minors in the collection including a wonderful early convertible from 1950 and the last Minor ever made kindly on loan from the Morris Minor Owners Club as well as two “Minor Millions”. 

Although Morris himself was no great fan of the Minor, it is a landmark vehicle in the history of Great British Cars with more than 1.7 million being built between 1948 and 1971. 

Members of the Morris Minor Club will be in attendance. We are calling all Morris Minor owners to join us for a fantastic display at the Great British Car Journey.

• Along with the Morris Minors and other exciting classic cars that will be on show in the car park you can also enjoy the display of over 130 British Classic Cars in the Museum to enjoy too.
• The Filling Station Cafe will be open as usual serving great coffee, drinks and snacks.

For more details please see our Morris Minor Day blog post here.

Please note that these are external club visits – they are an added bonus to your Great British Car Journey visit. We cannot guarantee exact timings or cars in attendance and they may be subject to last minute change or cancellation.

Celebrate the legacy created by T.L Williams and E.S Thompson, here at the Great British Car Journey by the River Derwent. What else says a party by the river other than plastic cups and plates…plastic cars! Whether it’s on three wheels or four, all Reliants are welcome, as well as their bedfellows from Bond and Middlebridge. Approximately 30 cars from the Reliant Scimitar and Sabre Owners Club will be with us arriving from approximately 10am, as well as members from the Reliant Owners Club, The Bug Club, Bond Owners Club, Middlebridge Enthusiasts Scimitar Set (MESS) plus many more on Sunday June 23rd.

These iconic cars are part of British folklore. From Del Boys Reliant Supervan III, Mr Bean’s arch nemisis, a Jasper Carrott joke, a lyric in an Ali G Rap, rolled on Top Gear or being driven by Royalty! We have the famous Scimitar owned by Princess Anne, on display in the museum. Outside, we will have a fantastic display of vehicles from our visiting clubs.

Just remember, it’s “Reliant Robin” not “Robin Reliant”! See you on the day! Booking details to follow.

Please note that these are external club visits – they are an added bonus to your Great British Car Journey visit. We cannot guarantee exact timings or cars in attendance and they may be subject to last minute change or cancellation.

Join us for our special themed Japanese car event on Sunday 30th June.

We will be joined by the Toyota Sera Club and others for a fun filled day. We are calling all owners of Japanese cars to join us for a fantastic display at the Great British Car Journey. Booking details to follow.

• Along with the exciting classic cars that will be on show in the car park you can also enjoy the display of over 130 British Classic Cars in the Museum to enjoy too.
• The Filling Station Cafe will be open as usual serving great coffee, drinks and snacks.

Please note that these are external club visits – they are an added bonus to your Great British Car Journey visit. We cannot guarantee exact timings or cars in attendance and they may be subject to last minute change or cancellation.

Join us for our special themed American Car Day on Sunday 7th July.

We will be joined by members of the Corvette Appreciation and Preservation Society, Mustang Owners Club and MOPAR Muscle amongst others to celebrate American motoring! We are calling all owners of American cars to join us for a fantastic display at the Great British Car Journey. Booking details to follow.

• Along with the American cars and other exciting classic cars that will be on show in the car park you can also enjoy the display of over 130 British Classic Cars in the Museum to enjoy too.
• The Filling Station Cafe will be open as usual serving great coffee, drinks and snacks.

Please note that these are external club visits – they are an added bonus to your Great British Car Journey visit. We cannot guarantee exact timings or cars in attendance and they may be subject to last minute change or cancellation.

Join us for our special themed MG Day to celebrate over 100 years of history on Sunday 14th July. 

MG, the iconic British automobile manufacturer of automotive excellence and innovation, has a rich legacy in the automotive industry. 

Founded in 1924 as Morris Garages, MG quickly rose to prominence with its sports cars and captured the imagination of car enthusiasts around the world. The brand became synonymous with British motoring heritage and a symbol of style, performance, and affordable luxury. 

Throughout its history, MG introduced a range of iconic models that left an indelible mark on the automotive landscape. From the early days of the MG M-Type and MG T-Type, which embodied the classic British roadster charm, to the MGB, a quintessential symbol of the brand, MG cars consistently combined sportiness, elegance, and driving pleasure. 

We are calling all MG owners to join us for a fantastic display to celebrate at Great British Car Journey. 

• Along with the MGs and other exciting classic cars that will be on show in the car park you can also enjoy the display of over 130 British Classic Cars in the Museum to enjoy too. 
• The Filling Station Cafe will be open as usual serving great coffee, drinks and snacks. 

Please note that these are external club visits and as result cannot guarantee exact timings or cars in attendance and they may be subject to last minute change or cancellation. 

Join us for our special themed Volkswagen Day on Saturday 20th July.

The Scirocco Register will be holding their national with us here on that day and Golf Mk1 Club will be joining us too, plus many more.

We are calling all Volkswagen owners to join us for a fantastic display at the Great British Car Journey. Booking details to follow.

• Along with the Volkswagen and other exciting classic cars that will be on show in the car park you can also enjoy the display of over 130 British Classic Cars in the Museum to enjoy too.
• The Filling Station Cafe will be open as usual serving great coffee, drinks and snacks.

Please note that these are external club visits – they are an added bonus to your Great British Car Journey visit. We cannot guarantee exact timings or cars in attendance and they may be subject to last minute change or cancellation.

Supercar Sunday and DeLorean Day returns to the Great British Car Journey. On Sunday 4th August you’ll be able to see a selection of Supercars and DeLoreans and even have the opportunity to take a passenger ride in our very own DeLorean DMC-12!! Available for £10 per lap.

Promises to be a great family day and to celebrate ALL children (0-15years) can enjoy FREE entry to both the event and attraction (if you are booking in advance online just book for adults and just turn up on the day with the children to enjoy free entry for them).

Production of the DeLorean began in 1981 just four years before the car was catapulted into the spotlight by the highest-grossing film of 1985 – Back To The Future.

With its revolutionary stainless-steel body and distinctive gull-wing doors, the DeLorean was born with film star appeal and the futuristic DMC-12 sportscar now enjoys cult status.

Kids are also encouraged to come in Back To The Future costumes, with a prize for the best mini Marty McFly and Doc Brown on the day. Prizes include model cars and goody bags.

Manufactured in Northern Ireland, the DeLorean has rightfully claimed its place in the Great British Car collection which features more than 150 cars manufactured and designed in the UK.

We are expecting at least 5 DeLoreans to attend but please note we cannot guarantee exact timings, car numbers (except our own) or club attendance as this may be subject to last minute change.

Please note that these are external club visits – they are an added bonus to your Great British Car Journey visit. We cannot guarantee exact timings or cars in attendance and they may be subject to last minute change or cancellation.

.

 

Join us for our special themed day to celebrate the cars of the Rootes Brothers on Sunday 18th August.

We will be joined by the Alpine Owners Club, Imp Club, Sunbeam Rapier Club, Singer Owners Club amongst others to celebrate the cars of the Rootes Group! We are calling all owners to join us for a fantastic display at the Great British Car Journey. Booking details to follow.

• Along with the Rootes and other exciting classic cars that will be on show in the car park you can also enjoy the display of over 130 British Classic Cars in the Museum to enjoy too.
• The Filling Station Cafe will be open as usual serving great coffee, drinks and snacks.

Please note that these are external club visits – they are an added bonus to your Great British Car Journey visit. We cannot guarantee exact timings or cars in attendance and they may be subject to last minute change or cancellation.

On this day, exactly 65 years ago, the Mini was launched! At Great British Car Journey we love Minis and want to share our passion with other Mini enthusiasts so have created a special birthday to celebrate what is probably the most iconic British car.

The Suez crisis of 1956 prompted Len Lord who was in charge of BMC the merged Austin and Morris empire, to put the production of a small economical car to the top of the priority list.  

Launched on this day in 1959, the Mini was the work of Alec Issigonis who had designed the Morris Minor and it was destined to be the greatest British popular car of all time with well over 5 million being made until the last one rolled off the line in October 2000. 

At Great British Car Journey, we absolutely LOVE Minis and we recognise Sir Alec Issigonis as a genius. August 25^th is the day we acknowledge this and we would like to assemble as many Minis as possible and we reckon that because they are so tiny we have room for at least 400 !! 

So if you love Minis and certainly if you own one, we would love to see you at Great British Car Journey on May 26^th. Anyone arriving in a Mini or any Mini derived car such as Elfs and Hornets as we celebrate the genius of Sir Alec and an era when his cars ruled the road and the race and rally circuit. 

We have lots of Minis to see within the collection – Austin 7, Special Editions, Delivery Mileage, Cooper, Clubman etc and we would really love to see your Minis too so we can fill the car park full of Alec Issigonis amazing creations.

• Along with the Minis and other exciting classic cars that will be on show in the car park you can also enjoy the display of over 130 British Classic Cars in the Museum to enjoy too.
• The Filling Station Cafe will be open as usual serving great coffee, drinks and snacks.

Please note that these are external club visits – they are an added bonus to your Great British Car Journey visit. We cannot guarantee exact timings or cars in attendance and they may be subject to last minute change or cancellation

You can add this event to your calendar by clicking the buttons below.

Join us for our special themed car day to commemorate 35 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall on Sunday 1st September, when cars such as the Trabant met cars like the BMW! Two Strokes met Four Strokes and so forth.

We will be joined by the branches of the Mercedes Benz Club, various Audi Clubs, Trabant, IFO, Skoda, Wartburg and many more! We are calling all owners of relevant cars to join us for a fantastic display at the Great British Car Journey. Booking details to follow.

• Along with the exciting classic cars that will be on show in the car park you can also enjoy the display of over 130 British Classic Cars in the Museum to enjoy too.
• The Filling Station Cafe will be open as usual serving great coffee, drinks and snacks.

Please note that these are external club visits – they are an added bonus to your Great British Car Journey visit. We cannot guarantee exact timings or cars in attendance and they may be subject to last minute change or cancellation.

Join us for our special themed Triumph Day to celebrate over 100 years on Sunday 8th September.

Members of the Triumph Stag Owners and Triumph 2000/2500 Clubs will all be in attendance on the day. There should be lots of on display, as well as Stags, 2000 / 2500 saloons.

Triumph Cars, one of the iconic British automobile manufacturers, marks over a century of automotive excellence, rich heritage, and enduring legacy in the automotive industry.

Originally founded by Siegfried Bettmann and shortly joined by Moritz Schulte, the company’s early years were focused on manufacturing bicycles, then ventured into the realm of cars – producing their first in 1923. 

Over the decades, Triumph introduced a range of iconic models that left an indelible mark on automotive history. From the sporty Triumph TR series, to the stylish saloons like the Triumph Dolomite and Triumph 2000.

The Triumph Spitfire, a compact and affordable sports car, became synonymous with the brand and remains an enduring symbol of Triumph’s commitment to delivering exhilarating driving experiences. The Spitfire’s sleek lines, open-top design, and spirited performance endeared it to enthusiasts and solidified its place in automotive folklore.

As Triumph Cars celebrates over 100 years, it’s a time to reflect on the company’s enduring legacy and its contributions to the automotive world. 

In celebration, we are calling all Triumph owners to join us for a fantastic display at the Great British Car Journey.

• Along with the Triumphs and other exciting classic cars that will be on show in the car park you can also enjoy the display of over 130 British Classic Cars in the Museum to enjoy too.
• The Filling Station Cafe will be open as usual serving great coffee, drinks and snacks.

Please note that these are external club visits and as result cannot guarantee exact timings or cars in attendance and they may be subject to last minute change or cancellation.

Join us for our special themed Volvo Vikings Day on Sunday 15th September.

The Volvo Owners Club and Nordik Rides will be joining us, plus many more. They are predicting 120 cars will be in attendance and they will be promoting Viking Fancy Dress amongst many of the owners.

We are calling all Scandinavian car owners to join us for a fantastic display at the Great British Car Journey.

• Along with the Volvos / Saabs and other exciting classic cars that will be on show in the car park you can also enjoy the display of over 130 British Classic Cars in the Museum to enjoy too.
• The Filling Station Cafe will be open as usual serving great coffee, drinks and snacks.

Please note that these are external club visits – they are an added bonus to your Great British Car Journey visit. We cannot guarantee exact timings or cars in attendance and they may be subject to last minute change or cancellation.

Join us for our special themed Day on Sunday 22nd September.

We are calling all owners of classic and vintage Tractors to join us for a fantastic display at the Great British Car Journey. Booking details to follow.

• Along with the exciting machines that will be on show in the car park you can also enjoy the display of over 130 British Classic Cars in the Museum to enjoy too.
• The Filling Station Cafe will be open as usual serving great coffee, drinks and snacks.

Please note that these are external club visits – they are an added bonus to your Great British Car Journey visit. We cannot guarantee exact timings or cars in attendance and they may be subject to last minute change or cancellation.

Join us for our special themed Rally Car Day on Sunday 27th October.

We are calling all owners of Rally cars to join us for a fantastic display at the Great British Car Journey. Booking details to follow.

• Along with the Rally cars and other exciting classic cars that will be on show in the car park you can also enjoy the display of over 130 British Classic Cars in the Museum to enjoy too.
• The Filling Station Cafe will be open as usual serving great coffee, drinks and snacks.

Please note that these are external club visits – they are an added bonus to your Great British Car Journey visit. We cannot guarantee exact timings or cars in attendance and they may be subject to last minute change or cancellation.

Join us for Rememberance Day to honour our armed forces and those who sacraficed their freedom for ours, on Sunday 10th November.

We are calling all owners of classic cars to join us for a fantastic display at the Great British Car Journey. Booking details to follow.

• Along with the exciting classic cars that will be on show in the car park you can also enjoy the display of over 130 British Classic Cars in the Museum to enjoy too.
• The Filling Station Cafe will be open as usual serving great coffee, drinks and snacks.

Please note that these are external club visits – they are an added bonus to your Great British Car Journey visit. We cannot guarantee exact timings or cars in attendance and they may be subject to last minute change or cancellation.