It is, nevertheless, an exceptional Museum and of course Lord Montagu has done much to promote the rights of vintage vehicle owners in the UK. This has been done despite a continuing barrage of threatening legislation especially from Brussels. He has also, of course, amassed an interesting collection of vehicles and it is tremendous to see them displayed so professionally.
(I like him better now - when I was there as a boy he refused to sign my autograph book unless I bought something in the bookshop!)
For bus enthusiasts RT1808 is there as a mobile cinema although its Routemaster moquette and inconsistent destination blinds will attract criticism from the purists. There is also an imitation B type bus on a lorry chassis giving rides.
Perhaps more importantly the history of the motor vehicle is depicted from the earliest types together with motor cycles and some oddities as well.
A reminder, as always, that the physical preservation of old vehicles requires huge resources, energy, dedication and effort. Private preservation is to be commended but a view as to the long term security of the vehicle is also essential.
Some are not sure how this helps us going forward - perhaps it is best summarised from the rather useful comment made by one of my previous employers and owners who were Chinese:
"The answers to the troubles of the present, and the future, are all contained in our past"
A little prosaic perhaps but was good Customer Service invented by Tesco, or did we have it in London Transport in the 1940s and 1950s?
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