The Faraday Centre, Napier

Yet another of the things I had never done whilst living here was to visit The Faraday Centre in Napier.  In 1979 The Hawke’s Bay Museum of Technology was formed to foster the preservation of regional technology of significance.  In 1995 it amalgamated the Hawke’s Bay Cultural Trust and the centre was renamed The Faraday Centre.  It is now part of the Hawkes Bay Museum and Art Gallery.  It is fascinating and yet another place I will re-visit.

Perhaps the most impressive, or perhaps the most spectacular would be a better description, of the many exhibits is a Tesla Coil shown being demonstrated (very noisily) in the last three photos.  

This will not be the last you will hear about the Centre although you might have to wait a while for the next installment.

The British Car Museum

Frank wanted to go and see The British Car Museum near Napier. I've passed it but never been in before. It has a collection of over 300 British cars and trucks with over 30 Morris Minors alone. There is also an extensive array of car badges, number plates and petrol pumps, petrol tins, road signs, AA car badges - in fact, anything you associate with the history of the automobile - even car and aeroplane models and the odd toy automobile!

Ian also has a rare collection of pianola and the associated music drums.

All in all a very interesting place full of cars with memories. Unfortunately they are just stored willy-nilly (origin of that one ?) and in a variety of conditions from pristine to virtually scrap.

However it was a wonderful walk down memory lane for me.

One for Ron - I think it's the same as the one his Dad had.

A Singer Vogue - my second car bought from George Hobson 6179 ED - why can't I remember my current cars' registration numbers. Mine was two-tone red and cream

One for Mo. Her's was red.

I learned to drive on a Standard Vanguard Mk II. It was Dad's Brother-in-Law Mac's.
It was black.

My first car was a Standard Ensign. They came in three colours sh*t brown, sh*t grey and sh*t green. Mine was the latter. WNE 193. The Museum didn't have an Ensign but it did have two Vanguard MkIIIs. This was the 6 cylinder version of the Ensign. By coincidence CJ did a posting on his Blogs Memories are Made of This on my Ensign today.

British Car Museum

Frank wanted to see the British Car Museum. It was interesting and I'll do a posting soon with some photos. Today I thought I'd post the notice at the entrance which I thought was quite amusing: