Jaguar

Thanks to the rail strikes this week, we were unwilling to rely on the train to get us to London for a concert on Friday, so decided to drive down. Not wishing to do the whole trip in one day, we have broken it into stages. Yesterday we got as far as Chester, which meant we could meet some friends for a meal.
Today we have gone as far south as Buckingham, before stopping for the night. Not only does this mean that we are well placed for a planned trip to Bletchley Park tomorrow, but we were able to stop off on the way down at the British Motor Museum at Gaydon. A fascinating - though by no means comprehensive - display of products from the British motor industry from the very first days. The various prototypes and “one-offs” were most interesting, though it has to be said there were far more “duds” than successes.
With a JLR factory next door, it is probably no surprise that there is a heavy emphasis on Jaguar products. From the main exhibition I snapped the glorious XJ13 with, in the background, an XK120, a C Type, a D Type partly hidden behind the column and a glimpse of an XJ12 coupe in racing trim. Not a lot going on in the restoration workshops, but I did spot the 1988 Le Mans winning XJR12 and, on the ramp in the background, the very first Jaguar E Type.