Packed full of firm favourites and some brand-new events, Brooklands Museum’s programme is set to provide many memorable days out throughout the year for all ages.

Our ever-popular New Year’s Day Classic Gathering kick-starts the season, the first of three Classic Gatherings in 2024. The second is the recently established Easter Classic Gathering on 30 March and later the Summer Classic Gathering & Autojumble on 28 July, where enthusiasts can grab a bargain amongst the large array of trade stands.

Vintage and veteran motoring fans will be able to enjoy watching competitors tackle complicated courses in the Vintage Sports-Car Club’s annual Driving Tests taking place on 28 January. Later, the Brooklands’ Double 12 weekend will see the Mercedes-Benz World track packed with action on 15 June, and then step back in time to Brooklands’ hey-day, with Brooklands Double 12 Relived on 16 June. Featuring Driving Tests on the Finishing Straight, Pride of Brooklands Concours and Test Hill ascents, alongside vintage themed music, costume and food, the spirit of Brooklands will be well and truly reignited.

There will also be plenty of celebration events this year including the Brooklands Sunbeam 100 on 17 March, to celebrate the centenary of the Sunbeam Motorcycle Club, where all pre 1940s motorcycles will be welcomed to join in the spectacle. 60 Years of Ford Mustang will be held on 20 April which would also welcome all American vehicles and the MG Centenary will be on 19 May.

As always, Brooklands Museum will be celebrating the best of manufacturing from around the world as it hosts event days for specific nation’s marques with key favourites Italian Car Day on 4 May and American Day on 1 September. Following successful events last year French Day will be returning on 11 August and German Day will be on 29 September. See the site filled with amazing marques, complimented with busy trade and food stands along with entertainment to make for a fun day out with friends and families alike.

Our younger fans will be in for a treat with Paddington Bear making special guest appearances at Best of British on 27 May, which will combine the best of British manufacturing alongside traditional British family entertainment. Following Working Vehicles Day’s inaugural event last year, where the site was filled with working machines such as tractors, mobile cranes, airfield vehicles and more, the beloved children’s character Bluey will be joining us for special guest appearances on 20 July. And not forgetting the yearly favourite Emergency Services Day on 15 September, giving everyone a chance to thank the everyday heroes of our country, with PAW Patrol’s Skye, Chase and Marshall coming back to say hello.

All the usual favourites including Mini Day on 24 March, Motorcycle Day on 7 July and Autumn Motorsport Day 13 October are in the diary alongside London Bus Museum’s three popular events – Spring Gathering, 14 April, Summer Festival, 23 June and Transportfest, 20 October.

Explore the full calendar to see all the other events that will be taking place including fly ins, talks and club meets, and enjoy all the fun activities on offer during the school holidays for families to enjoy.

Furthermore, we are excited to announce we are reducing our child ticket in the New Year to under £10 when booked in advance. Or there’s our amazing value membership where you can enjoy unlimited admission all year round including our large list of events. Plus, there are a range of benefits including a bi-monthly magazine and discounts on member talks to name a few, and as a registered charity and protected heritage site, a Brooklands membership goes a long way in helping preserve the original home of British motorsport and aviation.

Plan your 2024 calendar and fill it with fantastic memories at Brooklands.

www.brooklandsmuseum.com

Following several recent bequests and donations of aviation books the Newark Air Museum has decided to host a special Autumn Aviation Book Sale on Saturday 16th December 2023 from 10.30am until 2.30pm in the Volunteer Crewroom at the main museum site.

The museum regularly receives offers of donations; however, that lack of appropriate storage space means that not all ‘donations’ can be automatically accepted. When they are accepted, it is on the basis that books that duplicate anything already held in the collection can be sold to raise funds, with the item that is in a better condition being the one that is retained.

There are over 200 books that will be available for sale and these have all been accepted on the conditions mentioned above. ALL items will be sold as seen and the museum is unable to arrange for any mail order despatch of these items, or provide detailed lists of what is available. Cash sales are preferred for this Pre-Owned Aviation Book Sale.

There will be no admission fee due for people just wanting to view and purchase books. Normal museum admission fees will need to be paid for anyone wishing to view our displays, and visit the café. There are toilet facilities in the Volunteer Crewroom and shoppers are welcome to visit the Museum Shop on the usual basis.

www.newarkairmuseum.org

After four months the scaffolding has now been removed from the nose and forward fuselage of Avro Shackleton WR977 at Newark Air Museum (NAM).

The bespoke scaffolding system was installed to allow teams of museum volunteers to work on this significant restoration and repainting project in safe conditions.

This work has included:
– replacement and re-sealing of the main cockpit glazing
– in-depth cleaning and lichen removal on the upper fuselage surface
– re-sealing the upper escape hatch just behind the cockpit
– conservation of, and the painting of this area of the aircraft

During the work period, WR977 remained open as part of the museum’s open cockpit offer. The modest contributions for accessing this iconic aircraft contributed towards the cost of scaffolding hire, materials and paint/chemicals. The museum is also thankful to those who contributed to its Just Giving Campaign, which is now closed.

In future further restoration work will be undertaken on the remainder of the airframe. A scheme will also be evaluated to raise the aircraft nose wheels from their current position. This will involve the analysis of data from the jacking pads that were constructed underneath the aircraft and the refurbished jacks to be installed under both wings of the aircraft.

www.newarkairmuseum.org

Just under four years ago, in January 2020, the proposed transfer of Eurofighter Typhoon DA4 (ZH590) from the Imperial War Museums (IWM) to the Newark Air Museum (NAM) was put on hold. Information is now available about that transfer and sadly, the disappointing news is not what the NAM trustees, volunteers and staff have worked long and hard for.

We anticipate that a joint Press Statement from IWM and the RAF will be released that explains the situation, we will share this with everyone when it is available. Apart from thanking the staff at IWM Duxford for their support throughout the project to transfer DA4 to Newark; at this time the NAM trustees do not wish to make any further statement about the complex and at times baffling situation.

That said, the trustees are mindful that a number of people have made financial contributions towards the costs associated with planned move of DA4 to our site here in eastern Nottinghamshire.

Whilst all of the funds raised were used towards the cost of laying an additional hardstanding area behind the museum café that would have allowed for the safe reconstruction of DA4, the NAM trustees appreciate that some people may not feel that their donations from the original fund raising appeal were used as intended.

Anyone who wishes to seek the repayment of their donation is asked to make contact with the museum via this EMAIL link and provide details of their contribution.

www.newarkairmuseum.org

Date: Sunday 12 November
Time: 10.30am arrival / 10.45am service commences
Cost: FREE (pre-booking required)

The Royal Air Force Museum Midlands will hold a Service of Remembrance on Sunday 12 November, paying respect to members of the armed forces who made the ultimate sacrifice during their tours of duty.

Visitors are invited to join the service, led by RAF Cosford Senior Station Chaplain Craig Lancaster, and reflect on the sacrifices made by service personnel. A marching contingent from No 1 Radio School, RAF Cosford will begin the proceedings, the service will include readings, hymns and the sounding of ‘The Last Post’, followed by a two minute silence.

Those attending will enjoy hymns throughout the service courtesy of the Cosford Military Wives Choir, and poems read aloud by local children. Wreaths will be laid by representatives from the Museum, RAF Cosford, and the Cosford Military Wives Choir, in honour of those who have fallen in the line of duty.

The Remembrance Service will take place in the Museum’s Hangar 1 against a backdrop of aircraft, and free tickets for up to 450 guests are available to book in advance at rafmuseum.org/midlands. Access without a ticket may not be possible. Visitors are politely requested to assemble no later than 10.30am ready for the Service to commence at 10.45am. Visitors are also encouraged to take time to explore the Museum at their own leisure after the service.

The Museum is open daily from 10.00am and admission is free. Discover more about the Museum and pre-book your arrival time online at www.rafmuseum.org.

Sywell Aviation Museum’s second airframe, Handley Page Jetstream 200 G-RAVL has recently achieved a couple of milestones since its arrival at the Northamptonshire aerodrome in March 2021.

Most of the work has been internal and includes replacement of missing cockpit instruments (with special thanks to the Trenchard Museum at Halton) to the point where it is complete and a new set of passenger windows fitted. In addition, the control runs have been worked through and the repainted and refurbished tailplane and elevators reinstalled on the airframe. Further work will involve aileron and flap controls before the surfaces can be installed then attention will turn to the passenger cabin before a complete external repaint. One side will see her in fresh new paint in the Cranfield College of Aeronautics scheme she currently wears whereas the other will see her adopt her former RACAL Decca livery and G-AWVK registration.

All this work has been funded by donations as the Museum does not charge an entry fee. The majority of which was raised at the Museum’s popular book and model sale held in March this year.

Again the Museum is making an appeal for the donation of aviation books, and especially model kits and accessories, diecast models etc to enable another sale to take place in the new year. Kind donors can see where the money raised goes and the progress that has been made directly due to their generosity.

If you are able to donate any items to the Museum please contact sywellaviationmuseum@gmail.com or call 07968061708 – collection can be arranged.

www.sywellaviationmuseum.org.uk

RAF Museum Midlands Volunteer Roy Martin has been honoured in HM The King’s Birthday Honours List 2023 and presented with his MBE by HRH The Prince of Wales in a ceremony held at Windsor Castle.

The long-serving volunteer was given the honour at a formal investiture ceremony on Tuesday 4 October, where he received his insignia, in the presence of his wife and two sons.

The King’s Birthday Honours mark the extraordinary contributions of people across the UK, for their outstanding achievement or service to the community which has had a long-term, significant impact. Colleagues at the RAF Museum are delighted to see Roy awarded an MBE for his services and commitment to the heritage sector, and this award is a celebration of his decades of volunteering.

Roy first volunteered at the Museum 50 years ago as Curator. After four years he returned to his engineering roots, overseeing the engineering volunteer team who support the Museum’s Technicians and Apprentices to maintain the aircraft and keep them looking their best. Prior to joining the Museum, Roy served in the RAF for 22 years as Chief Technician, including nine years at RAF Cosford.

On receiving his MBE, RAF Museum Volunteer, Roy Martin said:
‘I was over the moon when I received my letter from Buckingham Palace back in June, informing me I was on The King’s Birthday Honours List. It was a long but exciting wait until October when I was invited to Windsor Castle to receive my medal, accompanied by my wife and our two sons.

It wasn’t until we arrived at the Castle that we were told The Prince of Wales would be awarding my medal at the investiture ceremony. This seemed special, with me being Welsh, and his association with the RAF. He was dressed in his RAF uniform which I thought was very appropriate for the background to my award. He mentioned my 50 years work at the RAF Museum and that he had visited the Museum several times. It was a very sociable, relaxed and enjoyable few moments that I will never forget.

After the ceremony we strolled through the grounds and took lots of family photos. Bits of the day keep coming back in my thoughts – I will never forget what a wonderful experience we had.’

On his time volunteering at the RAF Museum, Roy added:
‘Being involved in the evolution of the RAF Museum over the past 50 years has been an amazing experience. I find it very rewarding when I see the public admiring the exhibit condition maintained by my group of volunteers.’

RAF Museum CEO, Maggie Appleton said:
‘The whole Museum team is absolutely thrilled for Roy. He is a brilliant engineer and problem-solver and, even more important, he supports all of us with his warmth and generosity of spirit. We are so fortunate at the Museum to be blessed with brilliant volunteers, and Roy’s award is a very fitting and much deserved tribute.’

The RAF Museum is open daily from 10.00am and entry is free. For more information visit www.rafmuseum.org/midlands.

The date for Newark Air Museum’s Autumn Day-Night Photo Shoot event has been set for Saturday October 28, 2023.

Spaces are still available and booking forms can be downloaded from the museum’s website by following the advice on this page of the museum website: http://www.newarkairmuseum.org/Museum-Events

Night-photo shoot activities will formally commence after the museum closes to the public at 1700 hours; however anyone signing up for the event will be eligible to arrive at the museum from 1000 hours onwards on October 28th so that they can enjoy a whole day taking pictures around the museum site.

The event will feature themed ground equipment; uniformed personnel; and illuminated aircraft; alongside the following museum aircraft: MiG-27; T-33; Meteor NF.14; Lightning T.5; Jaguar T.2A; Canberra T.19; Wessex; Vulcan.

Admission cost for Day-Night Photo Shoot event is £40 per person and places will be limited to 50 people. Various payment options are detailed on the booking form, or you can call in at the museum in person; or by telephoning 01636 707170.

Aviation Photography Workshop
(Beginners)

www.rafmuseum.org.uk/midlands/whats-going-on/events/aviation-photography-workshop-beginners/

07 October 2023 – £85 per person (incl. lunch and parking)

Capture your greatest shots – sign up for the Aviation Photography Workshop at the RAF Museum!

This full-day course is a great opportunity for photographers of every level to enhance your current set of skills. Whether you are just starting out, or you’ve already got some experience – this hands-on course will give you the chance to learn, plan, execute and develop as aviation photographers.

Learn more about the theory behind aviation photography and useful tips and tricks before you put your skills to the test in a range of settings, scenarios and cameos in and around the RAF Museum. Get up close to some of our most iconic aircrafts and discover the new layout of our War in The Air and Test Flight Hangar, including the new Bomber Command exhibition. We will also be joined by a period reenactor at your disposal to pose next to some of the aircraft to add an interesting twist. Learn more about the theory behind aviation photography and useful tips and tricks before you put your skills to the test in a range of settings, scenarios and cameos in and around the RAF Museum.

Participants will be provided exclusive access to the War in the Air Hangar and the Bomber Command exhibition for one hour after the Museum closes to use their newly acquired photography skills to capture the unique atmosphere of the building and its aircrafts.

Aviation Photography Workshop
(Advanced)

www.rafmuseum.org.uk/midlands/whats-going-on/events/aviation-photography-workshop-advanced/

08 October 2023 – £85 per person (incl. lunch and parking)

Capture your greatest shots – sign up for the Aviation Photography Workshop at the RAF Museum!

This full-day course is a great opportunity for photographers who have already got some experience or have attended previous photography workshops. This hands-on course will give you the chance to learn, plan, execute and develop as aviation photographers.

Learn more about the theory behind aviation photography and useful tips and tricks before you put your skills to the test in a range of settings, scenarios and cameos in and around the RAF Museum. Get up close to some of our most iconic aircrafts and discover the new layout of our War in The Air and Test Flight Hangar, including the new Bomber Command exhibition. We will also be joined by a period reenactor at your disposal to pose next to some of the aircraft to add an interesting twist.

Participants will be provided exclusive access to the Test Flight Hangar for one hour after the Museum closes to use their newly acquired photography skills to capture the unique atmosphere of the building and its aircrafts

On the weekend of 16th/17th September 2023 it will be sixty (60) years since Avro Vulcan XM594 entered operational squadron service with the Royal Air Force Vulcan Wing at RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire.
To mark the anniversary, the Newark Air Museum (NAM) is hosting an Anniversary event at its site in eastern Nottinghamshire, close to the county border with Lincolnshire. The event is giving members of the museum’s Cockpit Opening Team the opportunity to provide FREE cockpit access to the Vulcan, to those people on the Reserve List for the 40th Anniversary event in February 2023.

Participants for the free cockpit access to XM594 are being notified of their timed ticket arrival time for going on board the aircraft, where they will be hosted by several former Vulcan personnel.

Throughout the weekend various Vulcan related displays are being hosted around the museum site and in the display hangars. On the Saturday NAM have an Aeroboot/Aerojumble aviation sale taking place, where people can search for various aviation items that will be on sale.

In addition, a series of talks by ex-Vulcan aircrew is planned to take place throughout the weekend in the Dambusters Hut; whilst various former Vulcan air and ground crew will be hosting walk-round tours of the XM594.

During the weekend various other museum aircraft and cockpits will be opening for viewing, as per normal, a small additional fee/donation is charged for access to these aircraft.

The event is open to the public and normal museum admission rates will apply.

www.newarkairmuseum.org/2023-24_Special-Events