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show. Hand-built by Brough and
Freddie Dixon, the Golden Dream has two pairs of horizontally opposed cylinders, one above the other, with two longitudinal crankshafts to give vibration free running. The two crankshafts shafts are geared together, with one driving the rear wheel and the other driving
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Staff and people attending a conference helped to save more than 300 historic motorcycles, but three of the five exhibition halls were completely burnt out. 120 firefighters were needed to put out the fire which was visible for 15 miles (24 km). Fire crews were delayed by rush hour traffic and
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The
National Motorcycle Museum occupies an 8-acre (32,000 m2) site in Bickenhill, Solihull, England and holds the world's largest collection of British motorcycles. In addition to over 1,000 motorcycles, which cover a century of motorcycle manufacture, the museum developed award winning conference
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The Museum owes its formation to the drive and ambition of one man, construction entrepreneur and self-made millionaire Mr WR (Roy) Richards, who started collecting good examples of
British motorcycles in the 1970s. The museum opened in October 1984 with an initial collection of 350 machines. Roy
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After fifteen months and a £20 million rebuild which included installation of a £1.2 million sprinkler system, the museum was reopened on 1 December 2004. 150 of the motorcycles that had been destroyed in the fire were fully restored for the re-opening. Many of the fire damaged motorcycles were
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which, though conforming to safety regulations, lacked a sprinkler system. The building did have smoke detection and fire alarm equipment which contacted the fire service within minutes of the fire starting, but the fire had taken a strong hold before it was discovered on site.
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hindered by an inadequate hydrant on site, but the fire was extinguished after about an hour and a half. Many of the museum's rarest and irreplaceable exhibits were destroyed, with the loss of 380 motorcycles. The cost of the fire was estimated at over £14 million.
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facilities (The
National Conference Centre) in 1985. It is located close to the junction of the A45 and the M42, close to Birmingham Airport and the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) Birmingham and attracts over 250,000 visitors a year.
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On the evening of 27 August 2014, burglars broke into the museum and stole more than 100 motorcycling competition trophies from a glass-fronted cabinet. The Museum offered a £20,000 reward for information leading to their recovery.
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investigators concluded that a cigarette thrown away in a designated smoking area was responsible for igniting a pile of cardboard boxes containing old air-conditioning filters. The fire spread very rapidly inside the museum's
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passed away in 2008 but his work continues under the guardianship of Roy’s Widow
Christine & Son’s - Simon and Nick Hartland. The Museum collection is curated by Museum Director - James Hewing.
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stopped development. The second Brough Dream has a black and chrome finish and is in private ownership.
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The museum was severely damaged by a fire which broke out shortly before 5pm on 16 September 2003.
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421:"Priceless trophies snatched in robbery at National Motorcycle Museum near Solihull"
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engine was water-cooled from 1911 and described as a ‘Luxury
Touring Motor Cycle’.
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The motorcycles on display represent examples of well known makes, such as
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Buildings and structures in the
Metropolitan Borough of Solihull
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the oil pump and magdyno. Two Brough Dream Fours were built but
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The
National Motorcycle Museum: Where the Legend Lives On
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One of the most valuable motorcycles in the world the
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360:"£14 million bill for motorcycle museum blaze"
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472:. National Motorcycle Museum. Archived from
322:(286). Peterborough: EMAP Automotive: 10–15.
318:Duckworth, Mick (November 2003). "Gutted!".
212:as well as less well known makers including
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18:Motorcycle Museum in West Midlands, England
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524:Motorcycle museums in the United Kingdom
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299:Outline of motorcycles and motorcycling
534:Museums in the West Midlands (county)
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390:"National Motorcycle Museum reopens"
334:"Fire destroys motorbike collection"
285:version. Originally air-cooled, the
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183:restored to showroom condition.
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396:. December 2004. Archived from
514:1984 establishments in England
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539:Transport museums in England
242:Brough Superior Golden Dream
236:Golden Dream Brough Superior
529:Museums established in 1984
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499:National Motorcycle Museum
167:West Midlands Fire Service
22:National Motorcycle Museum
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257:Wilkinson Luxury Tourer
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470:"Brough Golden Dream"
450:Brooks, John (2000).
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161:Aftermath of the fire
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370:on 26 February 2007
340:. 17 September 2003
273:company before the
228:Golden Dream Brough
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456:Jarrold Publishing
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85:52.4444°N 1.7069°W
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366:. Archived from
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172:dropped ceilings
129:Official website
112:250,000 per year
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478:. Retrieved
474:the original
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398:the original
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372:. Retrieved
368:the original
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342:. Retrieved
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320:Classic Bike
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251:World War II
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222:New Imperial
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120:James Hewing
43:October 1984
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480:16 November
454:. Norwich:
283:shaft drive
88: /
63:Coordinates
40:Established
508:Categories
305:References
218:Montgomery
73:52°26′40″N
279:Maxim gun
153:2003 Fire
76:1°42′25″W
432:8 August
394:BBC News
364:BBC News
338:BBC News
293:See also
196:Exhibits
109:Visitors
52:Solihull
48:Location
246:Olympia
206:Triumph
141:History
125:Website
117:Curator
57:England
404:21 May
374:21 May
344:21 May
210:Norton
482:2011
434:2022
406:2008
376:2008
346:2008
220:and
208:and
101:Type
202:BSA
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