Mr Bean's Mini
1964 Peel P50
1922 Leyat
BluebirdThe theme of this week's Corner View is Anything Goes, which instantly brings to mind the 1930s Cole Porter musical, featuring the eponymous title song as well as You're the Top, It's DeLovely and I Get A Kick Out of You. The last West End production of this at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane closed in 2004, but a new production is due to open at the Stephen Sondheim Theater on Broadway in March next year. One of the lesser known songs in Anything Goes is Be Like the Bluebird, and therein lies the tenuous link to my photos, because the fourth of the pictures above is THE Bluebird, in which Sir Donald Campbell broke the world land speed record in 1964. Today, it is just one of the thousands of exhibits at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu, where you can find just about anything that goes on wheels.
There are several celebrity vehicles in the museum, including some that were used in James Bond films. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Del Boy's Reliant Robin from Only Fools and Horses, and Mr Bean's Mini. In truth, this was just one of several vehicles used by Mr Bean, as they tended to get badly damaged in the making of the programmes. The particular 1979 998cc Mini at the museum was the one used in the third series in 1991.
The museum also has some of the oldest, fastest and most expensive vehicles ever made, but the one that took my eye was the world's smallest car, and the the only car ever manufactured on the Isle of Man, the Peel P50, which when new in 1964, cost just 149 pounds.
Some of the most interesting vehicles come from France, where the first ever car was made by Nicholas Cugnot way back in 1769. You can see that at the museum too. But, the one that stood out for me was the 1922 propeller-driven Leyat, only thirty of which were ever made. You'd better hang on to your hat when driving that.
There are several celebrity vehicles in the museum, including some that were used in James Bond films. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Del Boy's Reliant Robin from Only Fools and Horses, and Mr Bean's Mini. In truth, this was just one of several vehicles used by Mr Bean, as they tended to get badly damaged in the making of the programmes. The particular 1979 998cc Mini at the museum was the one used in the third series in 1991.
The museum also has some of the oldest, fastest and most expensive vehicles ever made, but the one that took my eye was the world's smallest car, and the the only car ever manufactured on the Isle of Man, the Peel P50, which when new in 1964, cost just 149 pounds.
Some of the most interesting vehicles come from France, where the first ever car was made by Nicholas Cugnot way back in 1769. You can see that at the museum too. But, the one that stood out for me was the 1922 propeller-driven Leyat, only thirty of which were ever made. You'd better hang on to your hat when driving that.
absoltey adore those models! now there's a car...
ReplyDeleteNow I know what "anything goes" means and what is THE bluebird ;) Thaaaaanks!
ReplyDeleteYeah, have to put this on my to-visit-list! I a huge fan of small vintage cars!
ReplyDeleteBeaulieu is an old haunt of mine - and my son's -but I don't recall seeing the 1922 Leyat. Now, there's a car I would just love to own!
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see that Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Car!
ReplyDeleteLOVE Cole Porter's music, and your automobile history was fascinating. I think I'd be terrified to drive in those cars, though - especially the Leyat!
ReplyDeleteSo cool. My dad (and husband and kids) would love to see these.
ReplyDeleteMany years since I visited Beaulieu. Great photos and cool cars.
ReplyDeletethese look so cute to americans with our gigantic cars... and mr. bean is my boyfriend. shhhh.
ReplyDeleteThat bluebird is a pretty neat car !
ReplyDeleteMy CORNER VIEW is up now too ! :)
I would love to visit this museum. My boys would too!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is the “fan car”. I wonder why that didn’t catch on.
ReplyDeleteI miss my Mini!
ReplyDeletegreat photos
ReplyDeleteMr. Bean :))) and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
raaaaa. love your free association of ideas.
ReplyDeletefrom http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=as-whCYL4ns to mr. bean's mini.
p.s. love the tune too.
Love the cars (I am with Don on the "Fan Car"). We visited a similar castle & museum combination at Egeskov (in Denmark). I particularly remember a Bedford bus in which an English painter and his family traveled across Europe before WW 2. Seemed like a perfect life to me...
ReplyDeleteThank you for your thoughtfulness to show me the CCBB Car. That's my kind of vehicle! Cool that you really saw it:))
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for the link to the funny carton of eggs.