ANTHONY THE MAGIC DINOBOT - Special effects animatronics/artwork for a Jameson Hunter story

LITTLE GEM - The first electric car in the world that was designed to switch between batteries and hydrogen fuel cells instantly, at the flick of a switch, is on permanent display at Herstmonceux Museum, in East Sussex. Even today, this innovative technology is years ahead of its time. The system offers EV's that are cheaper to buy and repair, so lowering insurance premiums. Auto makers might one day take a shine to the advantages.

BE1 - This nice looking machine, is the original Bluebird-Electric 1, hand built at Herstmonceux and Filching Manor, near Wannock and Polegate, in Sussex. Don Wales is pictured standing beside the sleek machine outside Filching Manor, with kind permission of Paul and Greta Foulkes-Halbard.

In addition to the archaeology contained in the structure of the extant generating building, together with original switches and other electrical apparatus, much of which was excavated on site, there are several innovative vehicles and vessels on permanent display at Herstmonceux Museum, by way of a Technology Trail, including a catalogued Library Archive and an Art Gallery:

1.  Art Gallery - Collection of paintings, pictures, graphics, sculptures, wooden carvings & exotic glassware

2.  Archives - Historic documents library, patents, trademarks, copyright, films, catalogued legal papers & letters

3.  An Edwardian ice well, throwback to the days before refrigeration

4.  A large underground (condensation/cooling) and water storage chamber for ice making & export capacity

5.  The world's smallest water basin, test tank for model boats & ships to 1:20 scale

6.  World's smallest wind tunnel, vehicle drag measuring instrument using electronic strain-gauges

7.  Three PV boat models, Navigator, SWATH & 2 cats + route map prior to Swiss PlanetSolar

8.  Seavax, the ocean cleanup proof of concept prototype from 2016

9.  AmphiMax, radio controlled (working) beach launching & recovery vehicle for SeaVax

10. Anthony the most dangerous giant Australian bulldog ant, 300 times normal size

11. EV - FCEV refueling station model in 1:20 scale

12. The only working (fully functional) water well in Herstmonceux village

13.  The fountain of youth, supplied from natural well water drawn on site

14. Second World War, 'Anderson Inspired,' bomb proof shelter constructed by Major Charles de Roemer

15. City sports FCEV-BEV, hydrogen gull wing proof of concept DC50 electric car

16. Land speed record car: Bluebird-Electric BE1 (original 1st) with battery cartridge exchange

17. Land speed record car: Bluebird-Electric BE2 (original 2nd) with cartridge exchange

18. A complete mummified squirrel, found when re-roofing the Museum June 2017

19. A fully operational, and restored VW Kombi van dating from 1978 (historic vehicle)

20. BMW i3, battery electric vehicle hybrid, with onboard generator range extender

21. Solar panel, sun tracking system, with battery storage

22. A hornet's nest found on site & preserved in 2016 (reported as [Asian] invasive species, to be safe)

23. Three sewing machines, including an antique Singer and a Brother industrial.

24. Adventure climbing frames for children (back to nature) Swiss Family Robinson

25. 'Elizabeth Swann' proof of concept model 1:20 scale hydrogen powered trimaran

26. Holm oaks, planting and growing trees from acorns on site, re-wilding in Sussex

BE2 - Arguably, the most beautiful of electric land speed record cars, is the original Bluebird-Electric 2, hand built at Herstmonceux, in Sussex. Don Wales is pictured alongside the streamliner, at the Bluebird Store in London.

We hope that these exhibits might inspire generations of young scientists, to think outside the box, as the innovators appear to have come up with some quite remarkable solutions, all in one place. As some kind of spontaneous think tank, inventive Mecca, or creative commune, where ideas come to life.