British Commercial Vehicle Museum

The British Commercial Vehicle Museum is an independent museum housed in a former factory building where vintage fire engines, buses, lorries, and steam tractors are on display. The collection spans more than a century of British vehicle engineering, showing the evolution from steam power to modern diesel engines.

The museum was established in 1983 on the site of the former Leyland Motors factory, a major British vehicle manufacturer of the 20th century. The vehicles in the collection came from this production facility and document the story of commercial vehicle manufacturing in the region.

The museum shows how commercial vehicles shaped daily work and trade across Britain by displaying machines that were actually used by workers, tradespeople, and business owners. Visitors encounter not just machines but gain insight into the practical demands that earlier generations of craftspeople and traders faced.

The museum is accessible on most weekend days and easy to explore on foot since the vehicles are laid out clearly. There is a shop and cafe on site, plus interactive activities for younger visitors.

The collection includes a 24-ton armored vehicle specially built by British Leyland for Pope John Paul II when he visited Britain in 1982. This vehicle represents a rare connection between religious history and British engineering.