The British Motor Museum tells us…
(All words and photographs from the Museum).
The British Motor Museum will host a full schedule of ten classic and modern motoring shows throughout June and July. These will include the Banbury Run on 7 June, Classic & Vintage Commercial Show on 13 & 14 June, Aston Martin Owners Club Festival on 21 June, Ford Nationals on 28 June, Wythall BusFest on 4 July, National Metro & Mini Show on 5 July, BMC & Leyland Show on 12 July, Rootes Heritage Day and Old Ford Rally on 19 July and Petrol & Pride on 26 July.
Celebrating its 76th Anniversary, the Vintage Motor Cycle Club Banbury Run will see 500 Veteran and Vintage motorcycles and three-wheelers ride out from the Museum. Many of these venerable machines will be tackling the challenging ascent of Sun Rising Hill near Tysoe, which was used to test out newly manufactured vehicles in the early days of motoring. Widely acknowledged as the premier gathering for pre-1931 motorcycles and three-wheelers in the world, the Banbury Run is geared towards those who enjoy the thrill of riding with other Vintage, Veteran and Pioneer bikes.
Visitors can take a trip down memory lane at the Classic and Vintage Commercial Show and admire over 400 pre-2004 commercial vehicles, including lorries, vans and pick-ups! The show offers visitors a rare opportunity to reminisce about days gone by and relive the heyday of these classic workhorses. Take a look back at a range of iconic historic vehicles, from the legendary Morris Minor and Ford Transit vans through to the mighty 1950s and 60s Fodens, ERFs, AECs, Leylands and then Volvos and Scanias from the 1970s.
Visitors can celebrate the best of Aston Martin at the Aston Martin Owners Club Festival, held in conjunction with the Aston Martin Heritage Trust. This year, the spotlight falls on an icon – the 25th anniversary of the V12 Vanquish, as seen in the James Bond film “Die Another Day”, making this show the ultimate destination for dads this Father’s Day.
Ford Nationals celebrates the best of the Blue Oval with Ford car clubs from all over the UK and Europe in a memorable day for Ford fans. 2026 will celebrate the Ford Cortina MK4 50th Anniversary and Ford Orion MK2 40th Anniversary! Hundreds of Ford fans gather at Ford Nationals every year, creating a diverse display, including modern, classic, and commercial vehicles!
2026 sees the fifth Wythall Busfest @ Gaydon as it now gains a firm footing in the annual bus rally calendar. This year, the focus is on Daimler, now in its 130th year, with a display of historic Daimler buses alongside examples of important Daimler cars, courtesy of the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust (JDHT). All Daimler PSV types from all eras are welcome to join the rally, and visitors will be able to visit the JDHT gallery in the Collections Centre to view the magnificent range of Daimler and Jaguar cars that populate the collection.
Visitors to the National Metro & Mini Show can take in hundreds of the best examples of Britain’s most iconic small car marques. This ever-popular show, which is regarded as a favourite in the event calendar for owners of Metros, classic Minis, and modern MINIs, will also feature Concours and Show ‘n’ Shine competitions, offering visitors the opportunity to prove their cars’ worth in front of a panel of expert judges.
The BMC & Leyland Show will feature a wide range of British marques produced by the British Motor Corporation, British Leyland and The Rover Group, bringing the golden age of Britain’s motor industry to life! Hundreds of vehicles will be lined up outside the Museum, from Minis and Morris Minors to the larger Rover 800s, Montegos and Maestros, as well as a variety of vans and lorries.
The Old Ford Rally will enable fans to see around 400 classic Fords on display, from Model Ts to the cars of the pre-war austerity years, to the more luxurious post-war Zephyrs, Zodiacs, and Granadas, plus the fan-favourite Anglias, Mk1 and Mk2 Cortinas, Capris, Escorts, and Fiestas. Taking place alongside the Old Ford Rally, the Rootes Archive Centre Trust will be holding their Rootes Heritage Day, celebrating all kinds of Rootes classics, from earlier Hillmans, Humbers, Sunbeams and Singers to the later Chryslers, Simcas and Talbots. Ticket holders on 19 July will be able to enjoy both shows, as well as entry to the Museum and Collections Centre, all with one ticket.
Petrol & Pride aims to allow everyone to show off their pride in their wheels and themselves. The event is not only inclusive of all people, but of all vehicles. Visitors can immerse themselves in music, food and fun in the beating heart of Britain’s motoring heritage. Expect prizes for the Butchest, Gayest, and Best Glow Up, with the winners picked by a panel of judges and an incredible pride flag display made from different coloured cars.
Tom Caren, Show Manager at the British Motor Museum, stated, “We have a fantastic range of classic and modern motoring shows for our visitors and enthusiasts to enjoy throughout June & July! These ten key shows sit at the heart of our shows season and form gathering points for a broad range of motoring fans, showing the power of these vehicles to bring people together. There really is something for everyone to enjoy this summer and fingers crossed the sun will be shining throughout!”
Show entry, including access to the Museum, is just £18 for adults in advance or £21 on the day, £16 for concessions in advance or £19 on the day, £9 for children (5-16 years) in advance or £10 on the day and under 5s are FREE. There is also the option to Gift Aid or donate your entry fee and receive an Annual Pass in return at no extra cost. Prices vary on Annual Pass Exempt Days. To find out more information about the shows, please visit the website at https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/whats-on
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More about the British Motor Museum:
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The British Motor Museum houses the collections of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust – over 400 cars spanning the classic, vintage and veteran eras and a fabulous archive of film, photographs, personal papers and business documents.
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The British Motor Industry Heritage Trust (the Trust) is an independent educational charity formed in 1983. The Registered Charity Number is 286575. Its mission is to collect, conserve, research and display for the benefit of the nation, motor vehicles, archives and ancillary material relating to the motor industry in Great Britain and to provide a world-class motor museum and major visitor attraction providing a broad based academic and educational facility coupled to an entertaining and attractive display.
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As a registered charity, the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust operates a number of fundraising schemes from ‘Adopt a Car’ to Payroll Giving and is registered with the Fundraising Regulator.
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In December 2014, the Trust gained the coveted designated status from Arts Council England which confirms that its collections are of national significance. The Designation Scheme is a mark of distinction, identifying and celebrating pre-eminent collections of national and international importance in non-national institutions. British Motor Museum is a National Portfolio Organisation supported by Arts Council England providing funding for a 3-year programme of exhibitions, engagement and learning activity from 2023 to 2026. Arts Council England is the national development body for arts and culture across England, working to enrich people’s lives. It supports a range of activities across the arts, museums and libraries. Between 2023 and 2026, it will invest £446m per year to help create these experiences www.artscouncil.org.uk
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The British Motor Museum delivers a range of educational packages which support the National Curriculum – science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects at KS1 to KS4. A wide range of family and lifelong learning activities also take place in the Museum during school holidays.
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Each year the Museum hosts a number of highly successful and varied motoring Shows and Rallies as well as family events, lectures and workshops. For full details please visit the website www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk
- The address is British Motor Museum or British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, Banbury Road, Gaydon, Warwickshire CV35 0BJ.