Jubilee
Royal transport to go on display at motor centre

Buy photos » Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip on tour of New South Wales, Australia, 1954, in an open-topped Land Rover that accompanied the royal couple. (s)

ROYAL transport down the decades will go on display at the Heritage Motor Centre in June to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

The motor museum at Gaydon will host a special Royal Cars exhibition accompanied by a week of family activities from June 2 to 10.

The exhibition will showcase a number of special Royal vehicles. Cars will include a 1983 Land Rover 110 station wagon, one of the very first 110 models and The Queen’s private car. The car was used on her private estates of Sandringham and Balmoral but taken out of service in 2001 and replaced by a new model. The car was donated by The Queen to the centre and this will be the first public viewing of the car since the Golden Jubilee.

Also on display will be an open-topped 1954 series 1 Land Rover, the first of the bespoke royal Land Rovers known as ‘State IV’. The body was custom designed with a rear platform from which its passengers could view the crowds. The vehicle was part of a fleet which The Queen and Prince Philip took on a six month Commonwealth tour after the coronation.

Visitors will also be able to see a 1958 Series 11 Land Rover, a 1968 Vanden Plas Princess limousine and a 1971 Rover Saloon which was the personal property of The Queen.

Children will be encouraged to come dressed as Queens, Kings, princes and princesses and join in with crown and bunting making, and a beacon will be lit to mark the Queen's 60 years on the throne on June 4. There will also be jubilee craft days and a royal quiz.

Tim Bryan, Head of Collections at the Heritage Motor Centre said: “Showcasing the best of British is what we do. We are delighted to celebrate this most British of occasions, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with this special exhibition".

Visit www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk for tickets and further information.

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