The History of the London Transport Museum

The London Transport Museum has been based in Covent Garden since 1980.

This isn't the collection's first home however: over the past 100 years, it's existed under a variety of guises at a number of locations- including Chiswick, Reigate, Clapham and Syon Park.

In this video, I'll be taking you through the history of the museum; showing you its previous sites and incarnations, along with one or two intriguing proposals which were never built...

Chapters:

00:00 Intro
01:44 London's Earliest Transport Displays
03:29 Chiswick Bus Museum
08:22 Reigate London Transport Museum
11:09 'London on Wheels' Exhibition, Euston
12:38 The Museum of British Transport, Clapham
16:47 The London Transport Collection, Syon Park
20:53 The London Transport Museum, Covent Garden
23:49 Outro

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Links for this video:

My video on the London Transport Museum's Acton Depot

The London Transport Museum

London Bus Museum

Coventry Transport Museum

National Railway Museum

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Thanks again for watching, friends. Stay well, and please be sure to stay tuned!

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Credits:

Images:

Rocket Engine: Train Photos (Creative Commons)

Nine Elms Shed: Oxyman (Creative Commons)

Bodmin & Wadebridge Railway Carriage: Oxyman (Creative Commons)

Euston Great Hall: Dan Wilson (Flickr)

Red B-Type Bus: Timitrius (Creative Commons)

Brooklands Bus Museum: Calflier001 (Creative Commons)

Shareholders Room Euston: Archimaps

Museum of British Transport Tickets: Sludge G

National Railway Museum: TheTurfBurner, Geograph

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Music & Sound Effects:

Butterflies in Love (Sir Cubworth)

Night Snow (Asher Fulero)

English Country Garden (Aaron Kenny)

Strollin’ (TrackTribe)

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[clivefelgate]

As a youngster my brother and I lived in walking distance of the museum when it was at Clapham. We used to walk across Clapham Common once a month, if pocket money allowed, and had a wander. Nice memories. Thanks for another cracking video. C.

[robbojax]

As a kid I was a bus and train spotter. This evoked many happy memories. Nice commentary

[robharris]

A great video. I know it well and the Depot. I worked at the Covent Garden site for six years as Front of House Supervisor.

[mgcocasal]

My dad was at Reigate, Dorking and Leatherhead bus garages when he joined London Transport in 1946. He went 'red' and continued up the ladder of engineering working at Chiswick and Hounslow until retirement.

[richardcoombes]

hi rob a great vlog of the transport museum well done rob a great place to visit

[wesleysmith]

Thank you for a terrific video, Rob. It brought back memories of when I used to visit the LT Collection at Syon Park in the mid-70s; I still have many of the old postcards they used to sell featuring buses, tube trains and posters. The thing I particularly remember was how quiet and pretty deserted it was whenever I visited and there was very free access to board vehicles and wander around. It took quite an effort to get there, but so glad I had the chance. One of those happy times like taking the Central Line through Epping Forest to Ongar, but that’s a story for another day!

[markshrimpton]

It was Clapham to which I made several visits as a schoolchild in the 1960s from Chessington in Surrey. Somewhere I have, tucked away, replica Victorian train and bus tickets, one of which is for that place in Wales with the long name. I never knew about all the other homes the museum has had though. Another wonderful video Rob, which no doubt took a ton of research even before you started filming and editing.

[davehustwayte]

Hi Rob, Hope you are keeping well, Thank you for another fantastic video, Appreciate the work it takes to produce quality content, Thanks again

[dougknight]

Thanks Rob. It is indeed a wonderful museum. A very interesting video detailing its history and locations. Great work as usual mate.

[Jpkjr]

My favorite is the transit store in the museum. Thanks again John in Chicago

[davepegz]

I grew up round the corner from the Clapham Transport Museum, I can remember watching some of the trains being brought in when I was six - very exciting!
Every so often they had special opening weekends when you could climb in all the cabs and there were loads of stalls selling memorabilia at pocket-money prices. I had one wall of my bedroom wallpapered with the destination blind from a No.88 bus 🙂
The army surplus shop next door was really good as well. In later years a friend bought an American Army Jeep there for £12, and they had an autogyro for sale as well, hanging in the ceiling, but I don't think anyone ever bought that.

[brianparker]

Another great video Rob. My grandfather (a man of Roxeth 😏) drove a "B" type bus in France during WWI. He was one of the world's first qualified car mechanics/drivers and he credits this with the blessing he did not have to fight in the trenches. He told how, if he was still on duty on a very cold night, he would sleep directly over the shells he was transporting so that, should the bus be hit by artillery, he would never know any more about it! 😀

[jakeandrews-izwf]

Another first rate documentary. I can only imagine the amount of hard work you put into making documentaries of this quality. Many thanks Rob xo

[London]

As an ex indentured bus apprentice, I still have a great interest in the whole LT set up and would be great to see a video focusing on the forgotten London Transport Country Area Garages that have all but now been demolished.

[RoyCousins]

Another great well-researched video Rob. 👍
I remember going to the Museum at Clapham when I was a small child in the 1960s. Unlike today, some of the exhibits were in less than pristine condition!
I also visited the Syon Park Motor Museum, which was based on the BLMC car collection. This later moved to its current site at the British Motor Museum at Gaydon, Warwickshire.

[tracyfryer]

Nice Sunday viewing and lots of information. I only visited car museum or navy related as dad was in the navy but that looks like a good array of road and rail vehicles well done rob ❤️❤️❤️

[john]

Excellent video many thanks 👍🏻. I went twice as a kid to the Clapham museum.

[raymonde]

Thank you Rob. The museum has always been a place I've been fascinated bu but never actually been to. I really must make the trip to see it for myself.

[Slycockney]

Superb video Rob, thank you. 1938 tube stock always has a place in my heart.

[AlanThompsett-yl]

Brilliant episode. My uncle worked at Reigate nus garage 70s/80s - I never new of museum link 👏 👏 👏 thanks for Brilliant content