A look inside Britain's Haynes Motor Museum

According to John Haynes, the Duesenberg is “perhaps the best car in the world, ever.” High praise, indeed. The museum’s Model J Derham Tourster is braced by a 1935 Cord and Auburn, also products of the Cord Corp., and are given center stage in the museum. Courtesy of John Norris

After the end of the Second World War, British industry tried to fight its way back into competing in the world trade market. It was a tough time, and many businesses failed over the coming years. The country’s motor industry managed to compete, but by the 1960s, even this sector was showing signs of failing. Some survived by amalgamating, but by the 1960s, the decline was irreversible and companies such as Leyland finally gave in to the inevitable in 1968.

Through the 1980s, yet more of the country’s once-familiar titles began to disappear, including Triumph in 1984, as well as Bedford and Morris. The companies may have shuttered, but they have left behind a motor industry legacy which can be seen today in many motor museums around the world, such as the Haynes Motor Museum.

The Haynes Motor Museum is located on the outskirts of the small village of Sparkford, Somerset, in southwest England. Motor museums are popular not only as tourist attractions, but also with serious enthusiasts who travel from all points around the world to see rare and unusual designs and marques about which they have only read. The Haynes Motor Museum is no exception, but its origins are certainly unique, and its reputation for preserving classic and vintage motor cars is highly respected among motor historians and owners around the world. With more than 300 vehicles on display, and another 100 or so in storage or awaiting restoration, the museum is the largest of its type in the UK. Along with the cars, plus a few motorbikes, the museum also displays more than 2,000 items associated with driving, such as helmets, road signs and petrol cans. In addition, the records archive holds more than 10,000 documents relating to most aspects of vehicle production and car ownership, from family vehicles to commercial types and prototypes.

The man who started it all. John Haynes, presented in 1995 with the OBE (Order of the British Empire) for services to publishing. He had vision and has left an incredible legacy, which continues to be enjoyed by all car enthusiasts. Courtesy of John Norris

All of this was made possible by the dedication and hard work of one man, the late John Haynes OBE, who was supported by his wife, Annette, throughout their married life of 54 years. Born in 1938, John Haynes developed a passionate interest in cars at a young age, which would remain with him throughout his life. It was while at school in 1956 he self- published a booklet on how to convert an Austin 7 car into a special “sporty” kit car called a 750, selling 250 copies in 10 days. It was during his service in the Royal Air Force that he met his wife, and between them, expanded on the idea of producing easy-to-follow manuals for owners to home-service their cars. When he wasn’t publishing books, Haynes also collected cars and enjoyed competing in races.

In May 1960, Haynes founded the J.H. Haynes and Company publishing firm to produce his do-it-yourself service guides. The first title to appear was the Austin-Healey Sprite in 1965, which sold 3,000 copies on its release, and by the time of his death in 2019, more than 200 million copies of all Haynes titles had been sold around the world. The success of his venture allowed him to purchase a former sawmill at Sparkford in Somerset, which was converted into a museum. The doors opened in 1985 with just 35 vehicles displayed. Over the years, the number of vehicles increased and so, too, did the museum, which today is arranged in a series of galleries which look more like a car sales showroom, with each exhibit polished and presented to the highest standard. Indeed, visitors cannot fail to be impressed when they enter the exhibition halls.

An Austin 7, on the left, was the first project undertaken by John Haynes, who turned it into an Austin Special 750, as seen with the replica on the right. Courtesy of John Norris

The experience of visiting the Haynes Motor Museum begins in the foyer where these magnificent examples of motor engineering are on display. The vehicle on the left is a 1932 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Sedanca Coupé and on the left is a 1937 Lagonda LG45 Drophead Coupé. These were among some of the first exhibits when the museum opened its doors in 1985. Courtesy of John Norris

Entering the museum is like walking into a brightly lit modern office block with large windows to allow natural light to combine and enhance the colors of the first vehicles, which visitors see in the foyer upon purchasing their tickets. Having set the scene, the quality of the presentations is retained, holding the visitors’ admiring gaze as though in an art gallery. In effect, that is exactly what it is, because each vehicle is a work of art created on paper and then brought to life just as though it were a statue. The whole exhibition area is laid out on ground level, with only the relatively small motorbike display on the second floor.

There are many aspects to the museum, which is continually adding new display vehicles to the collection. These are acquired either at a specialist auction or through private sales arranged with the owners. Behind the scenes is a whole support infrastructure with mechanics and engineers to service and maintain vehicles in the collection. They also undertake to restore vehicles for private owners, in addition to restoring the museum’s new acquisitions. In fact, the work they perform is all about preservation through which comes education. The museum hosts visits from schools, with groups coming to study how the motor car changed the world socially, commercially and economically. The museum has also added electric cars to the exhibition.

It is now more than 40 years since the Haynes Motor Museum was established and opened to the public. During that time, it has evolved and developed with the family still retaining an active interest in how it operates. The office staff takes care of the day-to-day operations by answering enquiries and arranging special events, which includes booking experts to present talks on a range of topics. Events include meetings by car clubs and, in 2025, it launched the first Haynes Classic Car Show, which is now an annual event. This museum has kept pace with changing times and is set to move forward to take on even more changes. That is why it has become the success it has and people respond by coming to see it happen.

Haynes Motor Museum
Sparkford, Somerset
England
www.haynesmuseum.org

The workshop area is comprehensively equipped with facilities to undertake all aspects of work in-house and within one building. This is specialist work and all mechanics are highly skilled with many years experience. Courtesy of John Norris

The Hall of Motor Sport exudes the power contained under the hoods of the exhibits displayed. From light two-seater types to the larger heavier types, many famous designs are to be found here, one such type being the red AC Cobra from 1965. The Cobra is one of Haynes’ “originals” from 1985, when the museum first opened. Courtesy of John Norris

A line-up of more British designs displayed in a part of the museum that was originally a garage. As the museum developed and expanded around it, the garage was kept to become part of the display to show its original use, including the fuel pumps. Courtesy of John Norris

No large car museum would be complete without an example of the earliest type of car, as seen in this replica Benz Patent Motorwagen. Many young visitors are intrigued to learn that the vehicles of today came from such a heritage. Courtesy of John Norris

Built by the French company of Delahaye in 1939, this example of the 135M Drophead Coupé displays all the elegance of the period. Production was interrupted by the war, but later went on to have a run of 2,000 by 1954, when production was halted. Courtesy of John Norris

In the 1920s, steam power was trialed as an alternative form of propulsion, an example of which led to the development of this Model 735 Stanley steamer in 1921. It required one gallon of water for every ten miles. The idea never caught on. Courtesy of John Norris

One of the vehicles to stand out in the garage exhibition display is this 1932 MG Magnette K1 modified to a K3 specification, which could achieve 0-to-60 mph in 14 seconds and reach speeds of up to 106 mph. Fitted with an inline 6-cylinder, 120-bhp engine, the design was popular on the racing circuit in the 1930s. Courtesy of John Norris

Large and heavy (weighing 3.5 tons), but impressive, this 1968 Pontiac Superior ambulance, measuring 21 feet in length, epitomizes the American professional car of the 1960s. The motorbike is an example of a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy as seen being ridden by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1991 movie “Terminator 2.” This display includes a jukebox and is a popular exhibit with visitors of a certain age. Courtesy of John Norris

Mention the name Aston Martin and car enthusiasts think of James Bond, the fictional spy. However, the company also produced a range of other designs such as the Lagonda, which was unveiled at the London Motor Show in 1976. Only 645 of these futuristic-looking vehicles were ever produced before output stopped in 1982, making this example one of the last to appear. Courtesy of John Norris

This ‘one-off’ special is a unique experiment built in 2001. Called a “Manchester Special,” it is based on a 1928 Willys-Overland Crossley Manchester lorry. Powered by a Rolls-Royce Meteor engine from a Centurion tank with 680 bhp, it could reach speeds of 100 mph. Courtesy of John Norris

Although a British car museum, visitors will find cars from around the world, including the American Cadillac Series 452 with a V-16 engine. Courtesy of John Norris

In the Red Room, everything is red. The red hue of each vehicle is subtly different from the next, making each design stand out in turn. Courtesy of John Norris

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