Oxford Bus Museum facts for kids
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City of Oxford Motor Services AEC buses (left) and Morris coach (right) from the museum
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| Established | November 1967 |
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| Location | Long Hanborough, Oxfordshire, England |
| Type | Transport museum |
| Key holdings | 24 former City of Oxford Motor Services buses, many of them built by AEC |
| Collections | buses, coaches, horse trams, Nuffield Organization motor vehicles |
| Collection size | 57 vehicles |
| Owner | The Oxford Bus Museum Trust |
| Public transit access | • Hanborough railway station (including Sundays and Bank Holidays) • Stagecoach in Oxfordshire bus route S7 (Operating 7 days a week to Oxford and Witney) |
| Nearest car park | Free parking for 15 cars on site, plus nearby Hanborough railway station car park. |
The Oxford Bus Museum is a cool place to visit in Long Hanborough, West Oxfordshire, England. It's about 4 miles northeast of Witney and 7 miles northwest of Oxford. This museum is all about old buses, coaches, and even horse trams!
It has a collection of 40 historic buses and coaches. You can also see the parts of four old horse trams and a copy of a City of Oxford Tramways Company tram.
Right next to it is the Morris Motors Museum. This museum has 12 old cars and vans made by Morris Motors. Both museums also have lots of smaller historical items.
The Oxford Bus Museum Trust, which is a charity, owns and runs both museums.
Contents
Visiting the Museum
Opening Times
The museum is open to visitors on Sundays, Wednesdays, and bank holiday Mondays all year. It is closed during the Christmas and Boxing Day week. In July and August, you can also visit on Saturdays.
Special Events
During spring and summer, the museum has special events. On some Sundays and bank holiday Mondays, you can even get free rides on historic buses! These rides are driven by museum volunteers. Check the museum's website for the latest details.
Buses, Coaches, and Trams
The Oxford Bus Museum helps us learn about the history of transport in Oxfordshire. It shows how people used to travel by tram, bus, and coach.
Vehicle Collection
The museum has 40 buses and coaches. It also has parts of four horse trams and a full-size copy of a City of Oxford horse tram. Volunteers at the museum built this replica. The vehicles range from a very old 1913 Commer bus to a newer 1999 Dennis Trident.
Many of the buses and coaches still work! On certain days, you can take free rides on them. Museum volunteers drive and help out on these special trips.
City of Oxford Buses
Twenty-four of the museum's buses and coaches used to belong to City of Oxford Motor Services (COMS). This company later became Midland Red (South) and Oxford Bus Company. From the 1930s to the 1970s, COMS mainly bought buses made by AEC. The museum has 17 AEC buses, including different models like Regals, Regents, Reliances, and a Renown.
Other Unique Vehicles
The museum also has buses from other local companies like Chiltern Queens and Thames Transit. Some interesting early vehicles include three Daimler Y buses from 1915 to 1917.
There's also a very special coach built in 1961. It was made for the Morris Motors factory brass band. This coach has a Morris Commercial FF chassis and a unique body built by Wadham Stringer. The back part of the coach is raised, with a big storage area underneath. This space was perfect for carrying all the band's musical instruments!
How Buses Are Built
You can see several bare chassis at the museum. A chassis is like the frame of a vehicle. There's also a Dennis Loline double-decker bus that has been cut open. This shows you exactly how buses were built a long time ago. The museum also has a workshop where they fix up old vehicles. You can watch them work from a special viewing area.
Morris Motors Museum
The Morris Motors Museum has a collection of 11 cars and one van. These vehicles were made by Morris Motors and other companies that were part of the Nuffield Organization. They also have vehicles from companies that took over later.
What You Can See
The vehicles range from a 1928 Morris Oxford bullnose car to a 1977 BMC Mini. The collection also includes a Z type van and a Nuffield tractor. The museum displays these vehicles in a recreated part of the old factory from Cowley, Oxford.
About William Morris
The museum also tells the story of William Morris, 1st Viscount Nuffield. He was a very important businessman and philanthropist (someone who helps others). He started the Morris Motors business in 1912. He made it one of Britain's biggest car makers. He was in charge until his company joined with Austin in 1952 to form the British Motor Corporation (BMC).
Museum History
The Oxford Bus Preservation Syndicate bought its first vehicle in November 1967. It was a 1949 AEC Regal III bus. In 1984, all the vehicles were moved to their current home. This spot used to be the goods yard of Hanborough railway station. New covered buildings were built to protect the buses.
In the 1990s, the museum decided to focus on collecting public transport vehicles and smaller items that were used in Oxfordshire. In 2001, the museum buildings were made better and bigger. This was possible with help from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The Morris Motors Museum opened at the same location in 2004.
