Bugatti T15

National Museum Part 3

March 16, 2021 By pete

Actor, wit, car nut and raconteur Peter Ustinov once owned this 1928 Supercharged Mercedes 36/220 S Type. One of only 146 examples built of this very successful Ferdinand Porsche-designed vehicle which has recently been restored by the Museum. This model was one of the first to appear after the amalgamation of Daimler and Benz in 1926.

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

From the VeloceToday Archives, 2017

This is the third part of Jonathan Sharp’s visit to the National Museum at Beaulieu. There is just so much at the Museum to see; we have just scratched the surface and there is much more waiting for the museum visitor.

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National Motor Museum Part 1

March 9, 2021 By pete

Come on in, we are going to show you the neatest Museum in all of the UK.

Come on in, we are going to show you the neatest Museum in all of the British Isles.

Story and Photos by Jonathan Sharp

It’s funny; I have driven, and flown hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles to visit various car museums, shows and race meetings around the world, and yet I had not visited the National Motor Museum (also known as the Beaulieu) less than two hours west of my home on England South Coast, for nearly 20 years.

The

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The National Motor Museum Part 2

March 9, 2021 By pete

This 1903 single cylinder De Dion Bouton is still a regular entrant in the annual London to Brighton Veteran car run. The car was purchased by the Montagu family from a tenant on their estate in 1913 and was one of the five original cars that launched the Montagu Motor Museum in 1952 when the cars were displayed in the entrance hall of the family home.

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

From the Archive, January 2017

In Part 1 we mentioned that we would discuss the founder of the National Motor Museum, Lord Montagu. Here then, Jonathan Sharp does so as a prefix to Part 2 of the National Museum articles which will cover cars from A-L. Part 3 will show cars from M-Z and motorcycles. Part 4 will deal with the Land Speed Record Cars at the Museum. Ed.

Let’s get the elephant in the corner out of the room. In 1953 Edward, 3rd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu, together with two other gentlemen, was convicted of the then crime of a homosexual act with two other consenting adults, who turned Queen’s evidence. Lord Montagu served 8 months in prison. Such was the public’s disquiet as what was perceived to be the unfair victimization of a public figure and the criminality of sexual acts between consenting adults, that a public inquiry was finally set up which ultimately led to the law on homosexuality being reformed. Ok that’s out of the way.

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The National Museum at Beaulieu, Cars M-Z

January 31, 2017 By pete

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

This is the third part of Jonathan Sharp’s visit to the National Museum at Beaulieu and there will be one more segment devoted to Land Speed Record Cars. There is just so much at the Museum to see; we have just scratched the surface and there is much more waiting for the museum visitor. [Read more…] about The National Museum at Beaulieu, Cars M-Z

The National Museum at Beaulieu: Cars A-L

January 24, 2017 By pete

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

Last week we mentioned that we would discuss the founder of the National Motor Museum, Lord Montagu. Here then, Jonathan Sharp does so as a prefix to Part 2 of the National Museum articles which will cover cars from A-L. Part 3 will show cars from L-Z and motorcycles. Part 4 will deal with the Land Speed Record Cars at the Museum. Ed.

Prescott Bugattis and Benjafield Bentleys

June 2, 2015 By pete

Piccard-Pictet-Aero of Geoff Smith.

Story and Photos by Jonathan Sharp

Well it’s Sunday night and another weekend gone without the grass being cut, or the cars washed, as I just got back from the Bugatti Owners Club Vie en Bleu event at Prescott after a day at Goodwood to enjoy a Benjafields Racing Club meet. All for the glory of VeloceToday, of course!

From my front door it’s about 3 hours to Prescott. The first 2 plus hours are spent on the most boring of motorways but the last hour is spent driving through beautiful Cotswold countryside. It’s all honey-colored stone cottages and rolling green farm land. If it was not for the speed cameras and the modern car you could still believe it was 1930. The 1930s feeling continues when you arrive at Prescott. It’s not just the cars in the racing paddock, it’s the sound of a steam train whistle blowing in the distance. There will be a hush in the paddock when all the cars haven fallen silent when in the distance you will hear the distinct sound of a steam whistle and above the trees will appear the white smoke of an old Great Western Railway steam locomotive as it pulls out from the station at the bottom of the hill, filling several carriages loaded with happy steam train buffs, all ready to chuff their way through the rolling countryside. There was a time in England where every school boy grew up wanting to be steam engine drivers.

As is usual with Vie en Bleu event the paddocks and hillsides around the course contained many an interesting French cars and what is nice is that a lot of them I had not seen before. Unfortunately it poured with rain mid-morning but that did not stop play as you will see from the enclosed photographs. And this year, we managed our way into the Bugatti Trust Museum. All in all another great day.

Map of the Prescott hillclimb.

Brescia Bugattis in formation.

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