Groundbreaking car repair manuals paved the way for this cracking museum

Telegraph

08-06-2025

I was seeing red soon after arriving at Haynes Motor Museum, but it wasn't because of the hold-up I'd endured en route. The reason was the multitude of breathtaking red cars stretching out ahead of me.
'Welcome to the red room,' enthuses Chris Scudds, the museum's chief executive, who, along with curator Luca Hoare, shows me around the Somerset-based museum, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary.
The museum's founder, John Haynes – who died in 2019, aged 80 – was passionate about red sports cars, hence why this section inside the award-winning building is dedicated to an array of red models, including a 1956 AC Ace and 1930 Alfa Romeo 6C Gran Turismo.
'While he loved red cars, John believed that experiencing a mass of vehicles in one colour meant you saw beyond the colour and started examining the styling and design more closely,' explains Scudds, who was keen to show me other vehicles on display.
Highlights include the sleek blue 1931 Duesenberg Model J. One of only eight built, it was among Haynes's favourite cars and could achieve a top speed of 120mph, making it one of the most powerful cars of its time.
Innovation on display
Over in the veteran and vintage exhibition, I spot a light blue 1915 Horstmann, one of only 10 remaining. Once promoted as 'the fastest British light car', this model boasted innovative features such as automatic ignition timing and a kick-start device operated from the driver's seat.
Passing the DriveTribe exhibition, featuring cars and video content from Richard Hammond's renowned DriveTribe social media community, I notice the cream-coloured 1963 Opel Kadett A. This is the famous car from Top Gear which the presenter drove around Botswana in 2007. Considered innovative for its day, with a lightweight body and impressive handling, the Opel has been carefully restored to its original specification.
The power of nostalgia
Wandering around this well-organised museum is like embarking on a grand tour through the history of motoring. It offers a feast for the eyes of any car enthusiast, and you will almost certainly spot vehicles that evoke memories: for me, it was the Ford Anglia and Escort Mk1.
'Most visitors see a car or two which bring back happy memories,' says Scudds, who believes several factors are responsible for attracting more than 125,000 people annually to the museum. 'Most visitors clearly have a passion for the motor car, but there is something for everyone here, including learning opportunities.'
When the museum opened, in 1985, it contained only 35 vehicles; now, it houses more than 300. Haynes was obsessed with cars and stored his growing collection in garages across the region. 'Apparently, one morning, he wanted to drive one of his Jaguars but couldn't find it, so decided to put all his cars in one space,' explains Hoare. 'Not only that, he chose to set up a charity, to whom he donated all his vehicles for the benefit of the public.'
Publishing legacy
John Haynes's ability to amass such a fine collection of classic cars was largely a result of the hugely successful publishing house he established in 1960. The company's output included more than 300 editions of the Owner's Workshop Manual, which has become legendary among the motoring fraternity.
It's estimated that more than 200 million manuals – all written and compiled by John Haynes, ably assisted by his wife, Annette – have been sold worldwide. Their phenomenal success is due to many factors, believes Scudds.
'Ultimately, John made the complicated very straightforward. The uniqueness of the manuals meant that they enabled useless people like me, who ordinarily wouldn't know where to start, to logically follow through with the help of wonderful diagrams and clear, concise text. In fact, the manuals remain equally popular today as when first published. They have even become cherished collectors' items.'
If proof were ever needed of the manuals' worldwide popularity, one needs to know only that in 1976, the Porsche 911 manual became the first title to outsell the number of cars sold worldwide for that era of the model (1965-85).
International acclaim
'The success of Haynes Publishing enabled John to buy more cars and, ultimately, supply them to the museum,' adds Hoare. 'What started as a private collection soon became an internationally acclaimed car museum.'
Established as a charitable trust, the museum's three main objectives are 'preservation, restoration and education in order for future generations to enjoy and learn about the history, design and technology behind the motor car'.
Those running the museum today, including the enthusiastic band of volunteers, share the vision to inspire people to 'explore, discover and experience the motor car… to stimulate a desire to reflect on the motor car's influence on social history… and how it might impact the world, its environment and its people in the future'.
'All charities rely heavily on volunteers, and we're no exception. I really can't praise them enough – we certainly couldn't operate without them,' says Scudds.
Haynes Publishing was acquired by Infopro Digital in 2020 in a deal exceeding £114 million and is no longer associated with the Haynes Museum, which remains a charitable trust. But it's intriguing to think that seeds for the success of Haynes were sown in 1953 when, aged 15, John Haynes bought an ageing Austin 7 for £15 before converting it into a 750 Special, a two-seater sports car.
The first Haynes manual
After documenting the process in words and drawings, he produced a 48-page booklet. The 250 copies printed sold out in a week, marking the beginning of his future career.
In the early 1960s, Haynes – by then serving in the RAF – was posted to Aden, in modern-day Yemen. When a friend bought an Austin-Healey Sprite in need of repair, Haynes helped rebuild the car, turning the project into his next manual.
By the time Haynes was posted back to Yorkshire in 1966, the publishing company was flourishing, so he quit the RAF and settled in Somerset to concentrate on the manuals, which enabled drivers of all mechanical abilities to maintain their vehicles.
Haynes, with the help of his wife, was responsible for every aspect, including dismantling the cars, photographing each part, writing the text, printing and distributing the manuals.
The cutaway drawings became an integral part of the books. Latterly, these were the work of Terry Davey, a former Tesco signwriter who worked for Haynes between 1972 and 1991 and produced more than 400 fascinating cutaway designs.
Inspiration for all ages
All too soon, my time at the museum was coming to an end. But before leaving, I enquired about the museum's objectives. 'It's incredibly important that we build on the wonderful legacy John left us,' says Scudds.
'Our charitable objectives include the preservation of the collection to ensure that future generations can walk through the museum doors and enjoy the cars like we're able to. Beyond that, it's all about inspiring people to understand how things work.'
Before I bid farewell, Scudds is keen to invite me to a forthcoming event. 'This year is particularly important because not only is it our 40th anniversary but the museum is holding a special event during September in honour of John, the museum's creator and founder. Mark the date in your diary.'
haynesmuseum.org.
Three more of the UK's finest car museums
Lakeland Motor Museum
Ulverston, Cumbria
A collection of more than 30,000 exhibits spotlighting the development of road transport includes about 140 classic cars and motorbikes. Other attractions range from the Campbell Bluebird Exhibition of record-breakers to a recreated 1920s garage scene.
lakelandmotormuseum.co.uk
British Motor Museum
Gaydon, Warwickshire
Reputedly the world's largest collection of historic British cars, more than 300 classics are on show, including a 1948 Land Rover, the first off the production line, along with Lady Penelope's FAB 1 from the 2004 Thunderbirds film.
britishmotormuseum.co.uk
National Motor Museum
Beaulieu, Hampshire
Reflecting on 130 years of motoring history, the museum – launched in the 1950s – also houses vehicles familiar to modern audiences, such as Mr Bean's Mini and the Trotters' Reliant Regal van.