Name: The volunteer picture series: Brooklands Museum
Item: Brooklands Museum
Author: Laura Dodsworth

Brooklands was the birthplace of British motorsport and aviation, it's where Concorde was designed. Surrey photographer Laura Dodsworth enjoys a day out at Brooklands Museum, sharing the stories behind her volunteer picture series.

I’ve always felt a special connection to Brooklands, the Weybridge birthplace of British motorsport and aviation. Established in 1907 as the world’s first purpose-built racing circuit, it soon became one of Britain’s first airfields and, during the World Wars, it was our largest aircraft manufacturer. The bouncing bomb employed in the Dambusters raid of 1943 was designed at Brooklands, as was Concorde. My uncle Tom drove a car at Brooklands, and my grandfather worked in the wind tunnels. And so, when I take my sons at half-term, we feel that the place is part of our family history.

Now a world renowned transport museum, Brooklands is hallowed ground for anyone thrilled by the roar of an engine. I was struck by the Edwardian buildings, the bright paintwork and gleaming metal, the atmosphere of elegance and innovation.

Most modern museums are packed with interactive displays but at Brooklands, the focus is on hearing stories from some of the 700 volunteer staff rather than touching screens. The volunteers, many of whom are retired, have more to offer than any computer or booklet, and there’s a deliberate policy of interaction with visitors. Who better to tell you about this astonishing array of vehicles than the generation that actually designed, built, tested, flew and drove them?

While inside the cockpit of a VC-10 (formerly the Sultan of Oman’s private jet), my 11 year old read out the plane’s top speed: 580mph. Tony Lines, an ex-RAF pilot who’d flown the plane for the Sultan, gently interrupted to let us know that it had actually reached 600mph! His tour included all sorts of interesting details, from where he’d kept his coffee to the sound of the fire alarm (very loud).

The experience continued in the World War 2 hanger, where volunteer David Marshall used his aviation background to instruct the kids in flying a Harrier jet; and WW2 vet Morris Curtis told them what it was like to fly a Hampden bomber.

These guys know their stuff, and take a real delight in the kids’ wide-eyed enthusiasm. I ask Derek Royston Hattersley, one of the volunteer project leaders, how he became involved.

“I was given a voucher for a free day’s visit and I was instantly smitten,” he says. “I recognised one of the gentlemen working in a hangar, and we got talking. He invited me to help restore the bombs – I filled in the application, had my interview… and I’ve just completed 26 years volunteering at Brooklands.

“I used to work on a Routemaster bus here – that was fantastic. There is no other bus museum like it in the world. Then I became responsible for the Barnes Wallis display, and next year I’ll volunteer for motoring. “Children find Brooklands amazing,” he adds. Watching my own agog at the mechanical marvels on offer, I’m inclined to agree. Many schools come for the history, to see the actual planes that flew and the bombs that were designed and built here. I’m also astounded by the size of the team at the museum. There’s a real sense of shared purpose in every area.

Derek agrees, “We’re all one big team at Brooklands – both volunteers and managers. The magic of Brooklands is the people.” No-one exemplified this better than the volunteer and RAF veteran, Peter House who died last year. “He worked here seven years,” smiles Derek, remembering his colleague. “He signed up after visiting, just like I did. He could pick out a car just from the sound of its engine.

“Peter had a great talent with wood. If anything got broken, he was the man. He made wooden name plates, a model dam for our display and toy aeroplanes for children to ride in. “He enjoyed meeting people. That’s why he joined Brooklands, and I think he got as much back from the visitors as he gave to them. He passed away last April. It was a sad loss, he was a dear friend. But we have to move on – that’s what history is.”

Former volunteer Peter Motton also has a long association with Brooklands. “I used to be an airframe fitter here, then I restored the aeroplanes for five years. It’s so important to preserve the exhibits – both physically and in people’s minds – as they pass into history.” That said, it’s not all metal and machines at Brooklands. Joan Syradd is a volunteer gardener who always enjoyed visiting with her husband.

She tells me, “One day I noticed all these weeds and started picking them up, so I thought I might as well volunteer to do the gardening. I like working in the memorial garden best. It’s lovely when people came to look at the plaques and bring their own flowers.

“There’s a great sense of community amongst the volunteers. The car people take us out for rides! There’s always something interesting going on – I remember watching Concorde arrive in pieces, and being built here,” she says.

“I worry a bit about Brooklands though. There aren’t that many youngsters volunteering – but I suppose I wouldn’t have when I was younger either. It’s the kind of thing you like doing when you are older, and it’s easier when you’re retired,” Joan adds.

”Getting youngsters involved in the future as volunteers is important,” agrees Derek. “I can speak for all the volunteers when I say that what encourages us is passing on history to youngsters. It’s our life history. I used to be a marshal at Silverstone Circuit. My history is in this museum too with my rally jacket, whistle and regalia all on display.”

The day’s highlight has to be the test drive in a vintage car – some volunteers bring their own. Colin Dalziel takes my sons to Test Hill and around the racing circuit. Colin assures me that they only went 30mph, but apparently it felt much faster! The kids tumble out of the car with a rapid-fire barrage of exclamations that only became more embellished each time they tell the story of their ride.

The education and entertainment this army of volunteers is giving to the next generation is invaluable. No touch screen could ever bring to life an exhibit in the way that these veterans do.