Artificial Intelligence in the Car
On 17 November 1895, Thomas Edison (he of incandescent light bulb fame) stated in an interview with the New York World: “Talking of the horseless carriage suggests to my mind that the horse is doomed …… Ten years from now you will be able to buy a horseless vehicle for what you
From the horse to the car
In the late 1800s the world’s largest cities were anxious about the threat from pollution associated with their transport systems. Just like today, pollution from personal transport and that resulting from businesses transporting goods from out-of-town railway terminals to the city centre, was making predictions of catastrophic environmental impact a
Music in the Museum
As regular visitors to the museum will know only too well, the displays and narratives are not just about motor transport. Quite apart from the gallery devoted to toys, the theme running through much of the museum concerns the social history of Bourton on the Water. There is the gallery
Enamel Signs and Food
Did you know that the museum contains one of the largest collections of enamel signs in the country? When writing the Dunlop Tyres article for our “History of Motoring in 10 Objects”, well over 10 years ago now, the following montage showed some of the collection of tyre-related signs; and
What’s New for 2024
Here we go again, we are all set for another season to welcome visitors to the museum. We re-open tomorrow – Saturday 10th February 2024. For the last week the museum staff and groups of our fantastic volunteers have been beavering away, dusting, polishing and vacuuming ready for our first visitors of
Speed Limits
Anyone driving through Bourton on the Water in the last couple of years will (hopefully) have noticed the ‘new’ 20mph speed limit. Given the large crowds that the village attracts throughout the year and the narrow streets, this seems a perfectly adequate speed. For those of us who managed to
Model BRUMs
Hello, Brum here again! The other day Graham came up to me and said “Brum, do you know how many models there are of you around the museum?”. Well, I can spot a trick question when I hear one! So, I said in my most innocent voice, “Graham, I’m really
100 Years of CSMA
Hello and welcome to the first “non-Brum” blog post of 2023. What Brum was trying to say is the following: Our exhibition, “100 Years of CSMA”, opens on 11 February 2023 when the entire museum will be celebrating the achievements of CSMA/Boundless. The exhibition consists of eight towers located throughout
What’s New for 2023
Hello everyone, Brum here again. My goodness it has been a chilly winter here in the museum but I’m starting to get excited. We open again in less than one week and I’m so looking forward to seeing all our visitors talking, smiling and admiring me – and the other
The Austin Seven at 100 – The Ulster
The Austin Seven is a racing car! Yet, from what we have posted so far, that seems unlikely. We have already seen, however, that one hundred years ago, this simple, affordable ‘Baby Austin’ kick-started the development of cars from manufacturers like Jaguar and BMW. So, perhaps we shouldn’t be too