Caistor Castle Motor Museum

www.london-motorcycle-museum.org

Caistor Castle Car Collection.

Back from the Lake District, a day at the Museum, then off to Martham on the Norfolk Broads. This was a good ride on the Buell for a family visit while they are on holiday there. It was another international day at the museum on Monday, with visitors from America and France. It all adds to the fun of being a volunteer to hear peoples' stories. I had only one full day on the Broads and the weather had turned cold with wind and downpours. I had spotted a car museum sign on my travels and thought this might be the best place to spend a wet afternoon. Family in tow we headed off in my brother's car to find Caistor Castle Car Collection.

I had looked it up in the morning on my phone and got some details and directions. It is reported to be the largest private collection in Britain. A must to see if your are in the area. The only problem it is only open May to September. We were lucky to get a visit in as it was closing for the winter in a couple of days.

I did see some interesting things like the 3 wheeler Scott that looks like it should have had four wheels but one fell off! One of the first electric motorcycles, a Socovel made in Belgium around 1922 and many interesting bikes among them a Nimbus and a beautiful looking Henderson.

As usual I have left fliers behind and brought some of the Motor Museum back with me. My appreciation of the visit goes to Debbie, the Curator of this Museum, who was kind enough to put up with my ramblings and as the Motor Museum was about to close she would pass the fliers on to the local motorcycle clubs for me. I will need to send her more fliers for when they re-open next May. I had a good run back although the wind was stronger and it was cloudy and not so warm. I have a new rear engine oil seal to fit on my little car. It's a bit of a job as the engine needs to come out to get to it. Never mind it is what you have to d to keep the old cars running.

Transport Museum Stand

www.london-motorcycle-museum.org

London Transport Museum

In the last few weeks there have been a few more things going on. Almost 2 weeks ago I was out for a ride on the Buell and lost the rear end crash protectors, disappearing somewhere on my travels around Chieveley. This started off a series of events that meant a trip to R&G racing near Alton in Hampshire to get replacements and where I left more fliers for them to send out to unsuspecting customers. In the middle of that I was out to the Wey Valley Advanced Motorcycle Club meeting on the Sunday and spent the Monday at the Museum having another international day with visitors from America, Australia and New Zealand. The guy from New Zealand knew Bert Monroe and suggested I go pay the Bert Monroe Museum a visit the next time I'm in New Zealand. I have seen the film “the Fastest Indian “a few times and it reminds me of many things I did with my dad working on motorcycles late into the night in my youth. On this Monday the ABC Skootamota, the Zenith Gradua and Trusty were missing from the display. Gone, but where? They must be out for a show somewhere. I needed to know. It only took a phone call to find out they were loaded and ready to go to the London Transport Open Day at the Acton Depot for the coming weekend. It is also the Brighton Burn up Sunday too. I was not able to contribute much towards these as I was entertainments officer for my sister-in-law and nephew. I was out on Tuesday to the weekly Wycombe MAG meeting at the Stags Head Flackwell Heath on the Kawasaki. Wednesday to R&G Racing near Alton, just 100 miles round trip staring about 9:30 and back for lunch. Friday was a trip to Brooklands, free to BMCT people like me and after a very interesting day meeting some German guys with their racing Austin Sevens the family missed out on the Concord flight but did do the new show of 150 mph around Montilhery in the1922 550 bhp Napier Railton that managed 144.3 mph lap record in 1928. 

It was a bumpy ride in the simulator. Saturday was a family day and on Sunday morning I was doing a little woodwork and did not quite manage to amputate my left index finger before breakfast with a Japanese saw. I may have exaggerated a little but it was messy and I now have a very stiff sore finger! After being patched up I thought that trying to ride a bike in London traffic with a disabled finger on my clutch hand was not a good idea so I elected to use my Freedom Pass and use the public transport to get me to Acton. I got there around 2pm and spent the remaining time talking to prospective visitors and seeing little of the what was at the Transport Museum. They have this open day only once a year and it has some very special bits to it. This years theme was World War One and hence why Trusty was paying a visit. 

Almost next to the Museum stand was a 1916 army bus that started life as a London Bus. Done over in Army brown it was a drab version of the bright red that it would have ben on the streets of London. Best bit of all, a visitor whose grandfather had served as a dispatch rider on a Trusty was station in 91 regiment and the bus next door was 92 regiment. We have more information to come on this. The army uniform form the bus display was one used by the dispatch riders and we have had taken a lot of information about the arm bands they wore. 

Further to that RAF Hendon are restoring a 1915 Trusty. I was there only a few hours but it was well worthwhile. I was pleased I had used the buses as parking is not good at Acton. This museum is almost opposite Acton Town railway station. I nearly made it home but at the bus stop in Greenford the E6 was displayed with a 28 minute wait so the calvary was called and I was home in twenty. Sore finger and all, typing with one less finger that it pointing to the air taped into immobility is a bit difficult. More to come when we see it.