Classic cars often have a story to tell, and there are plenty of tales at Cotswold Motoring Museum. Meet three very special vehicles…
There are many different roads that lead people to have a passion for classic vehicles. In these three stories, a long-held dream to drive an iconic car in an iconic rally is finally realised, a special motor connects family members to its much-missed former owner, and a vintage ice cream van brings back magical childhood memories.
They are all residents of the Cotswold Motoring and Toy Museum, where you can visit them yourself (Boundless members get free entry), along with a huge collection of other rare vehicles and classic memorabilia from the 20th century.
For now, start your engines because it’s time to meet the motors.
Fulfilling a lifelong dream in a 1963 MG 1100
Alan Smith, 81, worked in telecommunications, but classic cars were always his first love. Here he tells the story of a significant 1963 MG 1100.
“There have been many cars in my life, and I’ve been a member of the CSMA – now Boundless – for over 60 years. But only one car has made a childhood dream come true. In 1958 I persuaded my dad to take me to a time control for the most prestigious rally of all. I watched the drivers jumping out to get their timecards stamped, then racing off again and thought, one day I’m going to win the Monte Carlo Rally.
“I took part in lots of UK-based rallies. But my Monte Carlo dream was fading – the rally was becoming beyond the reach of amateurs like me. Then, in 1990, the Classic Rally Association created the Monte Carlo Challenge, a version of the event as it would have been in the ’50s and ’60s, with only cars from that period eligible to enter. My chance had arrived.”
“The Challenge took five days, covering 1,500 miles with up to 200 cars starting from various points in Europe, converging in Monte Carlo. It was certainly challenging, with icy mountain roads and map reading in the dark. But mostly it was a big adventure, with the buzz of driving fast on fantastic roads, and the chance to prop up the bar with like-minded enthusiasts. Dressing up was part of the fun – we wore duffle coats and corduroy trousers, just like the drivers of old.
“My first two attempts were in a 1959 Hillman Minx, and we made it to Monte Carlo, which was a decent start. During the second attempt, Tony Davies was the driver and he decided that a front-wheel drive car would be better suited to the snow and ice, so bought this 1963 MG 1100 for our next run.
“On our first attempt in the MG we were in the top 10 when all the lights dimmed on the night-time mountain loop over the famous Col de Turini. We would have fixed it by the side of the road, but Tony had left the spares in the hotel to save weight. We limped back.
“In 1995, we won our class. After our triumph, Tony donated the car to the museum. We were both heavily involved in CSMA – he was Chairman for a time – and stayed in close contact until he passed away a few years ago. We both retained a particular fondness for this MG – it’s not every car that makes a boy’s dream come true, after all.”
Manager of The Cotswold Motoring and Toy Museum tells the story of its first exhibit
Isabel Harvey, 48, is the manager of the Cotswold Motoring and Toy Museum. She tells the story of a Brooklands Riley 9, the museum’s first star.
“Of all our much-loved exhibits, this Brooklands Riley sports car holds a special place in my heart. It epitomises the glamour of the Roaring ’20s. It’s the stuff of every enthusiast’s dreams. But to us, it’s the car that started the museum.
“Our late founder, Mike Cavanagh, bought the car in 1961 for £30, and it was the start of a lifelong love affair that led to him setting up the museum in 1978. The Brooklands was the first exhibit, and it was a very emotional day when Mike’s daughters returned it to the museum on loan this January.
“Fewer than a hundred Brooklands Riley 9s were produced between 1928 and 1932, a hedonistic era of bright young things and daredevil drivers, and the model plays a special part in British motor-racing history. Lightweight and with a low centre of gravity, its handling was second to none and it could reach speeds of 90mph, thanks to a powerful twin-carb engine.
“Mike’s car had raced in the South African Grand Prix in its previous life, and the original engine blew up while racing in 1947. Mike completely restored it and the car was his pride and joy until the mid-’60s when his mum needed a runaround, and he swapped the Brooklands for a Mini.
“But fate intervened when, through a chance meeting in 1970, Mike discovered the car had recently been auctioned and persuaded the buyer to swap it for another classic car he’d restored. They were never parted again.
“Mike, his wife and their two daughters ran the museum, with the Brooklands in pride of place, until 1999, when the museum was sold to the CSMA, now Boundless. Through Mike’s stewardship, it had become a place that’s about so much more than cars. It’s very much about bringing the past to life.
“Keeping Mike’s legacy alive is both a privilege and a way of combining my own passions. I’ve been fascinated by history since I was little and loved cars since my parents bought me a wreck of a Morris Minor for my sixteenth birthday and told me that if I rebuilt it myself I could learn to drive it. I drove that car until it eventually died, and on our twentieth wedding anniversary my husband bought me another – Doris the Morris, who regularly helps me promote the museum at car shows.
“When Mike sold the museum, he kept his beloved Brooklands, which remained with him until he died in 2021. The car is still incredibly important to the family, and it’s so generous of them to loan it back to us as part of Mike’s wonderful legacy. The museum is a very special place and a true reflection of the man who created it.”
Henry Cole on Bertie, the ice cream van
TV presenter and motoring expert Henry Cole, 61, tells the story of Bertie the ice cream van, which he first encountered while filming Find it, Fix it, Flog It.
“When I first saw Bertie it was tucked in a corner of a barn stuffed with junk – exactly the kind of place I love! It was 2023, and me and my co-presenter Simon O’Brien had headed to meet Craig, who runs a business collecting vintage finds to use as TV and film props. The barn was bursting with items, but the 1962 Bedford ice cream van jumped out straight away – and not just because it was bright yellow at the time.
“There’s something special about the nostalgic charm of ice cream vans that takes me back to endless childhood summers. This van must have brought happiness to thousands of kids in its lifetime.
“Craig picked up the van thinking it would be a great project, but never got round to it. We took it back to my farm, where expert restorer and my lifelong friend Guy Willison, aka Skid, got to work. The van was filthy, rusty and full of rubbish. The idea was to bring it up to a very basic state of restoration, then sell it to an enthusias.
“When it was valued on the show by antiques expert Ronnie Archer-Morgan, after a thorough clean-up and 50 quid spent on paint, it was valued at £2,000.
“Our less-is-more restoration strategy was a gamble – the market for old ice cream vans isn’t huge, after all. But serendipity played its part. A bright spark at the museum had come up with a plan to enhance the customer experience with a nostalgic food outlet. Our van fitted the bill perfectly, and its celebrity status, thanks to appearing on TV, was a bonus.”
“The museum acquired the van, and a dedicated team performed a thorough restoration, replacing rusted panels, a respray in a classic finish and an interior redesign to meet modern hygiene standards. Now it’s fully functioning again and the van, named Bertie by the museum, is ready to welcome visitors for the 2026 season.
“Skid and I were reunited with the van recently when filming Junk & Disorderly at the museum, and could hardly believe the transformation. Bertie is now a proud symbol of childhood nostalgia – a fitting end to a remarkable journey.”
Boundless offer: Boundless members can enjoy free entry to Cotswold Motoring Museum. You can bring one guest and up to five children as a part of your access.
Looking for somewhere to stay? Why not consider Cotswold Cottages? Boundless members can save up to 20% on bookings.
Do more with Boundless
If you're working in or retired from the public sector or civil service, Boundless has two great membership options to choose from: Boundless and Boundless Plus.
With Boundless, you get unlimited access or discounted entry to many of the UK’s top attractions including Kew Gardens and Wakehurst and WWT centres across the UK, as well as year-round deals on restaurants, holidays, shopping and much more. With Boundless Plus, you can enjoy additional benefits, including unlimited access to Historic Royal Palaces sites, National Trust for Scotland places, access to the Ramblers' extensive group walks and routes, and peace of mind with roadside assistance and local recovery by Britannia Rescue.
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