Detour Pit Stop #133: Isle of Man Motor Museum, UK
Photo: Indi Bains
The Isle of Man’s reputation may rest on two wheels, but tucked away on the former RAF Jurby airfield is one of the British Isles’ most eclectic motoring collections.
The Isle of Man Motor Museum houses more than 500 vehicles spanning over a century of motoring history, from TT-winning motorcycles and steam cars to military vehicles, buses, fire engines and even spacecraft – with plenty of Americana thrown in for good measure. The vast, pristine showroom in the island’s north feels more like an aircraft hangar – apt for its setting.
At its core is the Cunningham Collection, assembled by father and son Denis and Darren Cunningham. It began with a simple passion, as Darren explains: “Dad and I love cars and anything unusual that has an engine in it”. The collection grew steadily from the 1980s before expanding rapidly after 2003. “It got to the point where we needed to find somewhere to put all of the vehicles under one roof,” he says. The museum opened in 2015.
The sheer variety is striking. One moment you are admiring the Peel P50 – the world’s smallest production car, built on the island in the 1960s – and the next you are standing beside the Royal Humber Super Snipe used by the late queen and Prince Philip during their 1953–54 Commonwealth tour, before suddenly coming across the Almaz-206 Soviet space capsule.
Some exhibits are personal. “It was the first car I rode in,” Darren says of the Jaguar XJ12 Coupé, which later became the museum’s first exhibit after restoration.
On the mezzanine level, a wall of historic TT signage overlooks more than 300 motorcycles, including Joey Dunlop’s Honda CBR600, ridden by the 26-time TT winner.
Allow at least half a day to explore. If time permits, The Old Guardhouse Café next door serves homemade food in the airfield’s original WWII-era guardhouse.
Words & Photography Indi Bains
ROADBOOK
CLASS: Museum
NAME: Isle of Man Motor Museum
ROUTE: Jurby, Isle of Man IM7 3BZ
COUNTRY: UK
The Isle of Man’s reputation may rest on two wheels, but tucked away on the former RAF Jurby airfield is one of the British Isles’ most eclectic motoring collections.