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The Beginning – Peter Nelson at the wheel of his MG TC |
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In 1982, while filming the television series “The Spoils of War”, Granada Television approached Peter Nelson and asked if they could borrow his MG TC for use in their production. It was as a result of this, that several years later Mr Nelson conceived the idea of building a motor museum, featuring celebrity television and film vehicles.
After purchasing the Royal Oak Garage in the centre of Keswick, which required total refurbishment, he began a two year search for cars with film and television connections, and the dream finally became reality when this unique museum opened to the public on 1st May 1989.
Loch Lomond
Galleries Museum
As Cars of the Stars developed, more and more famous cars were gradually added to the collection. It then reached a point where it was not physically possible to house all the vehicles in the Keswick museum, so many had to go into storage. Gradually the stored collection grew to become large enough to create a second Cars of the Stars Museum, so Peter then set out to find a second exhibition site. This is Peter’s story in his own words...
"I have always loved Scotland and apart from looking at sites in Switzerland and Cornwall I concentrated my search North of the Border (having been born myself a few miles from it!).
Close to the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond, you can take the high or the low road from Glasgow and be at this splendid and eye catching building within 30 minutes. It was constructed in 1905 to house the Argyll Motor Works, then the world's largest car factory. At the time it was considered to be an extravagant folly by competitors, but now this ornate A listed building of red sandstone and opulent marble is admired by all."
“Cars are part of this building's history”
When it was built, this amazing Grade A listed building was the largest motor car factory in the world. Its marble and sandstone façade, reminiscent of an Edwardian town hall or railway station, is just part of a factory that originally covered 11 acres.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, this plant was turning out more motor cars than any other factory in Europe. However, this was short lived: in 1910 only 452 were made - half of what was needed to keep the company profitable. Many fine Argyll motor cars found their way to the more prosperous south of England.
After a six-million-pound restoration, the building now houses the Cars of the Stars Exhibition.
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