National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, England

[Gary_Ash]

On the south coast of England, near Southampton, you’ll find the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu ( pronounced Byulee) founded by Lord Montagu. There is a small village there with a great, old hotel, The Montagu Arms. The Museum and a number of other attractions are nearby. Admission is about $30, but you can come back several days. The collection includes about 285 cars dating from the 1890s up to modern F1 cars. Most are English, but some German, French, and American. There is also a nearby village that was a ship building yard in the 1700s and 1800s, now a maritime museum. Several ships of Lord Nelson’s 1805 Trafalgar fleet were built there including the 64-gun Agamemnon. 

 

The Montagu Arms Hotel about 1922. Even Henry Ford and Queen Mary stayed here. 

 

The Montagu Arms Hotel today. A very pleasant place to stay and dine. 

 

Some cars for sale at the Beaulieu Garage where they do restorations. You can even rent an XKE or a several other sports cars there. 

 

An old bus giving rides to visitors. 

 

Some of the cars on display. 

 

A Maxwell “charabanc”. 

 

Auburn 851. 

 

1928 Mercedes S. 

 

1904 Pope Tribune. 

 

1913 Argyll 15/30. 

 

1930 4.5 liter supercharged Bentley, 240 hp in racing tune. 

 

Dash of blower Bentley. 

 

1929 Napier “Golden Arrow, set land speed record of 233 mph. In background, 1000 hp Sunbeam. 

 

Bluebird, went 403 mph, last wheel-driven land speed record holder before jet cars. 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2022 by Gary_Ash (see edit history)

[hidden_hunter]

On 9/1/2022 at 3:45 AM, Gary_Ash said:

The Museum and a number of other attractions are nearby. Admission is about $30

Seems like that’s about the standard fare for most stuff in the south of England, we paid that much for some really trashy places that were little more than a bunch of silk screens and “similar to” items that my wife wanted to see

[Larry Schramm]

On 9/10/2022 at 11:12 PM, hidden_hunter said:

Seems like that’s about the standard fare for most stuff in the south of England, we paid that much for some really trashy places that were little more than a bunch of silk screens and “similar to” items that my wife wanted to see

 

We were there a couple of years ago.  It was a good stop and worth the time.