British Commercial Vehicle Museum

The British Commercial Vehicle Museum stands in King Street, Leyland, Lancashire, on part of the old Leyland Motors factory site. It shows antiquarian buses, early fire engines and other commercial vehicles from British industry. The museum occupies a building once used for making these very machines. The museum is worth the journey for its remarkable exhibits. One highlight is the 24-ton armour-plated Popemobile built for Pope John Paul II’s 1982 visit. Visitors can also see a World War I gun tractor, a Leyland Tiger Cub bus and vintage lorries. A steam-driven showman’s tractor adds to the collection. The museum was featured on Richard Macer’s BBC Four series Behind the Scenes at the Museum. Inside, the displays include historic lorries, buses and fire engines arranged by era. The Popemobile stands out with its heavy armour plating and official markings. Other vehicles show how commercial transport evolved over time. The museum’s setting in a former factory adds to the sense of industrial heritage. Visitors leave with a clearer picture of Britain’s transport history.