Toy Collection

The passion for travel is no better expressed than in this wonderful toy collection.

We have a huge selection of pedal cars, bicycles and aeroplanes and even a pedal-snail that any child would be envious to have now. Some of the toys have been made lovingly at home by parents, whilst others are one-offs by manufacturers with intrinsic detail based on the real car, but at a 1/3 of the size. Often though its the Austin pedal car or the spring based rocking horse which are named by many visitors as the ones that they had in their back garden as children. Famous company names like Triang and Hobo have been a part in making many of these toys become a part of our childhoods.

On a smaller scale we have meccano built into windmills, cars and cranes, scalectrix, push-along wooden and metal vehicles to penny tin toys that are so popular with collectors and adults now. From a time when it was safe to play anywhere you wanted there is a collection of several outdoor games including sledges, skates, skittle-set, a strange swimming appliance and you may even see the odd ski around.

Although a large part of our toys are arranged together, if you are interested in toys you musn't forget the rest of the museum, where we have a showcase full of toy boats, several model aeroplanes, jigsaws, board games galore and many boys and girls annuals.

What is really important about many of our toys are that they are not pefect and boxed. Many of the toys have a remnant of their past owners and those who loved them, often shown by a scratch, a bump or the seats being a little bit worn where they have had many bottoms sat on them. In our opinion this doesn’t devalue them in any way but adds something special as it was what they were built for; to be taken home and played with by a happy child.

Situated within the toy collection, our collectors room is a real collectors haven. Based on a collector we knew and filled with many of his model car donations to us, the room is almost full of every dinky model and magazine imaginable. If you're a fan of model kits, you can see many of the wooden, plastic and metal kits that have been on sale through the last fifty years built and painted expertly from fire-engine to tourer. Remember to be quiet though, the room looks as if our collector could pop back for his hat & coat at any second...

We hope you enjoy browsing a selection of some of the toys we have avaialble in the museum in the selection below.