The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, looks after over 550 historic vehicle clubs covering cars, motorcycles, buses, coaches, lorries, military, agricultural and steam vehicles. Historic vehicles embrace those created in the late 19th century up to 30 years ago, on a rolling basis.
The Federation is keen to encourage the integration of mobile heritage into the broader picture of heritage in Britain. The vast majority of vehicles of all shapes, sizes and uses in the UK are in the care of private individuals, most of whom are only too happy to share public enjoyment of their charges via organised shows, meetings or, above all, their active use on the public highway, where they can be seen and heard doing what they were intended to do. So many of these vehicles represent important elements of Britain’s industrial past – from affordable transport for the inter-war population to the export-or-die production boom of the post-war years. British vehicles were either built, assembled or used as design models all around the globe in the fifties and sixties.
The Federation believes that this wide variety of vehicles has an important and often overlooked place in British heritage. Transport of all types has always been a part of life, and with its increasing mechanization has left a more visible imprint on the heritage environment as a whole. As well as everyday visibility on our roads as personal transport and the moving of goods, mobile heritage includes the buildings and settings in which vehicles were built, repaired, serviced and kept. All or any of these can enhance public understanding and enjoyment of heritage as a whole.
If you have any ideas or suggestions on how mobile heritage can integrate more effectively with the built environment, please contact the FBHVC via the website at http://www.fbhvc.co.uk
