The Great British Car Journey: why this new classic car museum didn't wow me

A few months ago, I was questioning whether I should give up on my degree or not. At the same time, I also scrolled through my YouTube subscriptions and came across a new video uploaded by a popular channel called HubNut. It was previewing a brand new motor museum and rather excitingly, it was only going to be a 30 minute drive from my home.

The Great British Car Journey took its time to open after the owners finished acquiring an extensive collection of cars to display in it. The idea is, the museum is supposed to transport you through motoring history, bringing back memories and nostalgia to people. Reminding them that back in the days of workers strikes and brown trousers, British cars ruled the roads and this was a celebration of how great they were!

But has it worked? I fired up the 2.3 litre engine in my old German car and wafted myself over to Ambergate - which is in Derbyshire - to find out.

Unfortunately however, I was left with more questions than answers.

To help guide you around the exhibits, there was a tablet and audio device was offered to me at the start which, after scanning a QR code, provides information on each car. I declined the headset because in past experiences, those types of devices have given me severe headaches which lead to me feeling faint, dizzy and quite ill throughout the next day.

I assumed, like pretty much every other museum, there would be a written information board next to each car. But it turned out I had been a complete idiot and ended up walking through the museum completely blind. (You can see how much information - or lack thereof - was provided in the images attached...)

I even tried scanning the QR codes using my phone, but it never led to an actual page. So, cars which apparently had a 'special story' attached to them still appeared a complete mystery. The only way I could really guide myself around there was by using my own thoughts and knowledge.

That defeats the purpose of a museum, doesn't it...?

More importantly however, would solely having to rely on audio devices be a problem for those hard of hearing? I've known car people in my life (older gentlemen for reference) who have hearing difficulties and cannot even use a generic headset.

Despite the fact I was merely using my slightly scarred brain to guide myself around, I still felt like a lot of key players of when 'Britain ruled the roads' were missing. Sure, there were Minis and the other cars you can see in the attached images, but not a single MK2 or MK3 Cortina! Those were influential at the time as well as a whole range of Triumphs (i.e. the 2000/2500) which were nowhere to be seen. But where big credit is due, there were some fabulous machinery in there; Jags, Minis, BMC cars etc. but at the same time, you can see all of these (and more) in other, less-expensive museums.

But also, it felt more like a nostalgia trip rather than a journey through the history of British cars. The pre-war section only consisted of four Austin Sevens before it swiftly moved onto a random array of cars from the 50s. If you want to genuinely learn about the journey of the British motor industry, I'm afraid this isn't the place. The Great British Car Journey only appears to outline some popular cars in a fairly staggered layout. If this was a 'journey', then I was almost completely lost.

But mainly - and this comes down to a lot of personal factors - but I felt like the place was a bit underwhelming. There wasn't really a lot of cars to see and the admission price of £15 didn't feel worthy to me. Most, if not all of the cars in there (and better ones) can be seen elsewhere with less to pay upfront, or even better, free.

In terms of UK-based car museums, the Coventry Transport Museum only requires an optional donation upon entry and the British Motor Museum in Gaydon has way more going for it including the entire Jaguar heritage fleet. Abroad is a different story, but everyone can learn from how Mercedes lays out their museum in Stuttgart- that really is a journey through time!

From what I can tell, The Great British Car Journey is trying to achieve something that existing, more established places, have nailed for many years. I couldn't really find a USP in the main section and based off what I heard, this place promised to have one.

Of course, you can have the privilege of 'driving dad's car' if you wish. Prices range from £49 for a Ford Fiesta (wtf!!!) to £70 for a V12 Jaguar XJS. I thought about buying some time for a MK1 Mini 850, but I decided I'd leave it for another time since I'm currently penny-watching.

For a start-up museum, it's a great effort. But as outlined in this review, there are a lot of things that need to be addressed - starting with normal information boards...

Thanks for reading

Have you been yourself? If so, let me know what you thought!