My Favourite Museums - Part 2 by Linsey Siede Auto & Technik Museum at Speyer The article “My Favourite Museums – Part 1” (August 2021 Classic Marque) concluded with me discovering there was a sister Museum to the one at Sinsheim located nearby at Speyer, so plans were quickly made to visit. As it happens, while the Museum at Sinshein was approximately 30 kms South of Mannheim, the Museum at Speyer was located less than 15 kms South of Mannheim, but it’s location is in the township, and not next to a main Autobahn like its sister, so it was not as obvious.
It was early March and had been snowing overnight, so on the day I visited it was cold and wet, but it definitely didn’t dampen my spirits. Based on the incredible displays I had seen at Sinshein, I couldn’t wait to get inside. I parked my diesel Alfa 147 rental car in the carpark and was greeted by planes mounted high in the air on large columns, and some huge turbine engines. As at the Sinsheim Museum, I could see a ladder to get into the planes, and a long curved slide to get out.
I paid my entry and entered to find a similar spectacle, with planes and cars everywhere. As I looked around, two things struck me – it was so clean, and there were no crowds. I guess the weather or perhaps time of year explained the lack of people, but the tidiness and sparkling exhibits were a joy to see. As I entered I saw a familiar vehicle in front of me; yes it was a Jaguar. A magnificently restored SS displayed with a number of other English vehicles. PAGE 38
THE OFFICIAL MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE JAGUAR DRIVERS CLUB OF SA
