Online Fellwalking Club - National Motor Museum Beaulieu

National Motor Museum Beaulieu

Written by Peter Burgess

Thursday, 30 July 2009

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Nina and Harry

A visit to the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu. This visit included the World of Top Gear, The James Bond Experience and the main museum building at Beaulieu. The museum includes dozens of wonderful vehicles from a recreation of Karl Benz's first motor car to the latest F1 vehicles. The highlight for me was seeing the land speed car 'Golden Arrow' originally driven by Henry Segrave and Donald Campbell's Proteus Blue Bird CN-7. This really is a must see tourist attraction within the UK and one which would inpire youngsters and adults alike.

E-Type

As is indicated in a separate section below, I was also eager to see the Land Speed exhibition which not only includes Donald Campbell's 'Blue Bird' Proteus CN-7 but the magnificent 'Golden Arrow' which was driven to land speed supremacy by Henry Segrave. The main museum also included a motor cycle section as well as notable vehicles from the TV and screen including a replica of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. There are also excellent interpretative displays as well as a short jump on ride which gives a whistle stop history of the motor car. I hope you can take time to see some of the highlights at Beaulieu in these two short visual presentations:

Land Speed Links:

Land Speed Legends:

The highlight of today's visit was the experience of seeing Henry Segrave's 'Golden Arrow' as well as the Proteus 'Blue Bird' CN7. As a child, a picture of the Golden Arrow hung on the wall of my bedroom and from that early age an interest in these types of car had been sown. I thought the Golden Arrow a remarkable vehicle despite its vintage and its phenomenal looks didn't seem to account for its date of production. Seeing the vehicles in the flesh was a moving experience considering that both these great men had come to death not on land, but as a result of a crash on water. Equally remarkable is the fact that they crashed on Lakeland waters. Donald Campbell died as a result of Bluebird K7 crashing on Coniston Water whilst Henry Segrave died in a crash on Windermere.

Both cars need to be seen to be truly experienced and therefore, as I had such a good time photographing the vehicles, I'll let you see the following video in order to appreciate the cars a little more. I am sure you will join me in tribute to two of the UK's greatest speed kings who were not only pioneers but equally brave in their endeavour. I believe they are two of the greatest men of the modern age.

Also from a posting on Speed Record Group: A Film from Joseph Howard McGibbeny Audio Visual Collection. This film is John R. Cobb and Capt. George E.T. Eyston Racing their cars, the Railton and Thunderbolt at the Bonneville Salt Flats, USA. This is fantastic silent footage of some of the LSR heroes in action!

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