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Beaulieu National MG Weekend

It is hard to believe that the M.G. National Weekend on 2nd & 3rd August 1997 will be the 35th to be held at Beaulieu. No doubt there are some members which will have attended every one!

This is an important event for Beaulieu which, as the home of the National Motor Museum, gives all M.G. Rally participants inclusive admission to the Museum as well as all other Beaulieu attractions - Palace House & Gardens, Abbey Ruins and Exhibition, the Special Feature Rides & Drives.

And, just in case there are those amongst regular M.G. Rally participants who think that a stroll over to the Museum is not worth it because they have seen it before, let’s say that nothing could be further from the truth. Changes regularly take place, sometimes subtle and sometimes dramatic. To many of you the Driving Experience Simulator Ride and Fast Trax, where you can pit your wits against the best virtual racing simulators available, will be new.

Inside the Motor Museum great changes have taken place this year. On the ground floor you will find ‘Beaulieu Motor Works’, a recreation of a typical country garage presented and though time stopped on the 9th September 1939. You can see the original petrol pumps, tools and objects from the period, and walk into and enjoy the forecourt, machine shop and blacksmiths forge. The workshop houses a 1928 Austin 20 breakdown lorry and a crashed 1925 Bullnose Morris.

All the times on display are genuine. The Museum Curator, Michael Ware, has been gathering items for this display for over 20 years! “We now have several thousands objects which are the result of many visits paid to traditional garages and selectively acquiring automobilia over this period”.

The upper floor of this major new feature is an Interactive Gallery which gives visitors a basic understanding of the engineering and mechanical principles which make the car work, including gears, brakes and suspension. This new gallery is connected by a bridge to the existing motorcycle display, which is also accessible by disabled lift for the first time.

All this is set against the existing 1930’s street scene with its pub and shops, including Marks & Spencers store.

The construction of Motor Works has necessitated some dramatic changes to the layout of the rest of the exhibits on display in the Museum and so it looks very different when you walk in and has the effect of enabling you to see things which you have missed before.

The library of the National Motor Museum one of the most extensive motoring reference libraries in the world and supported by photographic, sound and film archives, are open daily, including the National M.G. weekend, and are well worth a visit if you need to research something on your M.G., or any other car for that matter.

So, please allocate a little of your time to enjoy all the attractions at Beaulieu when you come for the National M.G. Weekend.

How to Get There:	Follow 'The Forest Trail' route sent to you on receipt of your entry
What to Do There:	Saturday - Talk by Don Hayter, MG Car Company Chief Designer who was in charge of the MGB design team - conducted tour of the museum - funkhana Sunday - Gymkhana - Concours - Pride of Ownership Both Days - Treasure hunt in the Beaulieu Museum Complex - Children's painting competion - Trade Stands - Bring and buy stall - cars for sale

Gates open Saturday 11 am - Sunday 8 am

Promoted by the Abingdon Works Centre of the MG Car Club, contact BRIAN MOYLAN 01235 531384

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