Caister Castle Motor Museum

[trigger]

I popped along here today, I've heard some very mixed reviews about the piece over the years, namely "It's only worth going to look at the Mk1 Fiesta" stuff, Well as i was in the area I decided it would be rude not to go a have a look.

 

This is the museum with my little Civic in the car park, they have recently extended the whole place and got a number of cars out on display from their stores.

 

 

It's £12 each to go in which is a little steep but that does include entry to the castle remains and the gardens which are quite nice.

 

 

 

 

Anyway i digress, the first two cars you see as you enter the museum are these lovely 1934 Austin Seven and even more interestingly is this lethal looking Scott Sociable 3 wheeler.

 

 

 

This next part is mostly vintage stuff, I don't know much about them but a lot of them look as if they have been there for many years and the tax discs ran out in the 60's.

 

Apparently this is a 1913 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost.

 

 

A 1902 Napier which was bought by the museum's owner back in 1956.

 

 

Bentley Super Six.

 

 

Austin 10.

 

 

I can't remember the story behind this Lotus and the photos crap too. SOZ.

 

 

Graham Hills old BRM race car.

 

 

Some attractive looking electric bike called a Socovel from 1946.

 

 

Next up where a row of Ford's over the years starting with the Model T Van.

 

 

 

 

 

I recall this 1958 100E has only covered about 26000 miles from new.

 

 

I wasn't too sure about the name on the number plate though!

 

 

 

Now for that Fiesta this museums most known for, it's the first one of the Dagenham production like, known as "Job One".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This 59 Caddy hadn't been taxed since the mid 60's.

 

 

 

Stanley Steamer, these things are very quick!

 

 

1935 A.S.A.C Steamer

 

 

1949 Rover 75.

 

 

Beautiful Lagonda.

 

 

1905 Rover 6HP, This has never been registered.

 

 

 

1927 MG 14/28 Saloonette, the only one left.

 

 

[mouseflakes]

That three wheeler defies the laws of physics. Either that or it's crap.

[trigger]

 

This 1936 Singer Airstream was gorgeous, proper shabby too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was used in the opening sequence of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

 

 

A 1972 Jomoro kid's race car that's capable of 50mph.

 

 

 

A rather sexy 4 cylinder Henderson from 1915.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

212000 mile BMW 635i

 

 

I think this is the first Scorpio Estate I've been in a museum.

 

 

Competition winning Viceroy.

 

 

 

 

 

This is the Allegro that used to be at Coventry.

 

 

 

 

1973 Austin 2200.

 

 

 

 

Love the Patina on this!

 

 

 

This Escort Popular was mega mint, there wasn't a notice with this one so I don't know the story behind it or the mileage but i bet it's low.

 

 

This Mini has covered half a million miles!

 

 

 

and the museum seem to think this is the earliest registered Mini although many people aren't so sure about that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Honda S600/800 belongs to Jenson Button.

 

 

I'm sure this was Mazda's press car.

 

 

Glas 1300 GT.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And lastly this Bluebird Turbo ZX came complete with a CB aerial.

 

 

 

So as you can see, it's not a bad museum, It's a shame the cars are roped off so that you can't look around them better, like most museums really and the museums staff are all over 60+ and don't seem interested in talking to you are about the cars, they are everywhere too watching you walk round which annoyed me a little, still I've been to worse!

[Lord Sterling]

Thanks for putting these up Trig. Quite disappointed that there seems to be no trace of any post 1980s Rovers like the SD1, SD3 200, 800s/400s/200s Metros etc.... yet they've happily got Fords, BMWs, Mercs, Renaults some italian chod, yank and J-tin.

[bub2006]

Me and the Mrs went to caister on holiday last year. It seemed the majority of Norfolk was closed! Anyway we was going to go here but ended up at the zoo. Great oics. Thank you

[steve_earwig]

That three wheeler defies the laws of physics. Either that or it's crap.

That does look rather mad. I was thinking either Scott found a shortcut to designing a 3-wheeler or the museum couldn't find the other bits so decided to display it "as is" but apparently it's actually a sidecar outfit with a car body stuck over the top - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/motorbikes/2724276/...and-the-ugly.html Well, that's ok then

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

They're excellent pictures, thanks for posting them. You should have taken one of your Civic in the car park. Civics are far rarer than castles! I think they're pretty and yours is the only one I have seen anywhere for at least a decade and a half.

 

I agree with Lord Sterling. It is a shame the museum seems to have missed a lot of the important British cars of more recent times, concentrating on German stuff. No SD1 is a trifle disappointing, but at least they have one Jag.  

 

Jags seem very overlooked generally to me - more even so than Rovers. I hardly ever see any Jags in the photos people post of  car shows either. They seem to me to be dominated by photos of Fords and VWs. I guess it is what people are interested in enough to photograph or display. - Or else it is an omission I have imagined!

 

Oh, and that three wheeler is mad!

[mercrocker]

Its a great place and nice to see some good photos of the more interesting exhibits.....Last time I was there I got told off for taking pics but did eventually find an interesting volunteer to talk to who wasn't Parky the Park-keeper over-egging his part.   Its bloody difficult knowing when its actually open too...It mainly grew from a personal collection which might explain the diversity or lack thereof but I rather like that kind of museum myself.

[michael1703]

Looks like a nice Z1R next to the caddy too

[PiperCub]

*Puts Mini anorak on*

 

The earliest Mini is 621 AOK - I think it's at Gaydon(?)

 

*Removes Mini anorak*

[Cavcraft]

Top bombing, Trig. Always wanted to go there when we used to holiday in the area, but somehow never actually made it.

 

For the two wheelers amongst us, is that a Z1R next to the Cadillac?

[steve_earwig]

Could well be, and a CBX next to that?

[ProgRocker]

the museums staff are all over 60+ and don't seem interested in talking to you are about the cars, they are everywhere too watching you walk round which annoyed me a little, still I've been to worse!

 

That's the rural Norfolk way.

 

I've been there 2 or 3 times in the past 25 or so years. They seem to have extended it quite a lot since my last visit. I couldn't remember anything more modern than the 'Job 1' Fiesta on my last visit. Certainly worth a revisit seeing that they now have some more 70s/80s stuff like the Fiat 126, Bluebird, All Aggro, Reno 5, etc.

[Cavcraft]

If you ever go back please take a pair of pliers to remove those horrible plate raped number plates from that Merc (DYA 305A?) then nipple cripple the owner with them once you've finished. Thank you. 

[Skizzer]

Hang on, the QUEEN drives a VAUXHALL VICEROY????

 

Get her on here! Or maybe she's already on here?

 

OK, which one of you is the Queen?

[jakebullet]

I've been there a few years back. Do they still have more signs saying 'no photos' than they do cars?

[trigger]

Someone else asked me that, they must have lifted the ban as i never saw any signs and i didn't have any old coffin dodgers try to rugby tackle me to the floor as i got my zoom out.

[Noel Tidybeard]

**borrows anorak** thats not a Mini its an Austin Se7en

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Looks a fascinating place, I never even knew existed.

Your pic of the Lotus F1 car prompted me to waste an hour or so finding out about it;

It's a Lotus Type 33 ,specifically number R14 raced by Jim Clark in 1966 when he was World Champion, hence the no. 1. It was presented to the owner of Coventry Climax in 1968 and was in a museum in Coventry until 1981 when it was bought by Caister for £36,000 which was more than the Coventry Transport Museum could afford and more than Tom Wheatcroft was willing to pay. It's probably worth about 100 times more than that now.

The museums owner sounds like he was a tad eccentric and on his death all the exhibits were subject to some sort of trust which means they can't be sold.

 

A Scotchman not in a Volvo in 1966.