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Britain By Car - A Motoring History

Britain By Car is a guide to Britain’s motoring history, looking at cars and motoring events primarily through place, rather than by marque, period of manufacture, or category.

There are many signifcant areas yet to be covered.  Some counties have no entries at all; but, hopefully, there is something here that interests you.  Click on a region or category to get started.

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Paramount

A short-lived company that grew out of a used-car dealership, building an aluminium-bodied tourer, styled in the fashion of more expensive cars, but initially fitted with a small Ford engine.

Location
Paramount Cars (Derbyshire) Ltd., 50 High Street, Swadlincote, DE11 8HS.

Date
1946 – 1950; production ended in Leighton Buzzard in 1956.

Whitewebbs House


The one-time home of Frank Gardner; financier to Léon Serpollet, manufacturer of Gardner-Serpollet steam trams, buses and motor cars.

Location
Whitewebbs Lane, Enfield EN2 9HH.

Date
1902 - 1906.

"P.T.L" Gardner-Serpollet Steam Automobiles

A short-lived enterprise, established to manufacture the French-designed Serpollet Steam Car.

Location
British Power, Traction & Lighting Co., Ltd, 103 - 104 Hull Road, York, YO10 3LQ.

Date
1901 - 1903

The Great British Car Journey

A large collection of British cars telling the story of the British car industry over the last 100 years.

Location
Derwent Works, Ambergate, Derbyshire DE56 2HE.

Date
2021 – present.

The Singer Motor Company

The first and, for many years, the principal location of Singer Cars.

Location
Singer & Co. Ltd, Canterbury Street, Coventry.

Date
1905 - 1958.

The Mitchell Motor Works and Garage

An early motor works and garage of which, at the time, it was claimed to be the world’s largest of its kind.

Location
114 Wardour Street, London W1F 0TS.

Date
1906-1917.